Tag Archives: life

Fruit of the Spirit: Peace Takes Discipline

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” — Galatians 5:22-23

When you think about the fruit of the Spirit, what comes to mind?

Sometimes we treat these qualities as if they just happen because we’re connected to God. If we’re walking with Him, we assume peace will naturally settle over us.

Then Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). That sounds like a gift. And gifts don’t usually require effort.

So which is it? Is peace a gift, or is it something we have to pursue?

I think the answer is both.

Yes, peace is a gift from Jesus. But throughout Scripture we’re also told to seek peace, pursue peace, let peace rule in our hearts, and be peacemakers. If peace were completely automatic, those commands wouldn’t be necessary.

The Holy Spirit produces peace in us, but we are called to cultivate it.

That’s because peace isn’t passive.

There are countless things competing for your attention every day, fear, bad news, conflict, social media, uncertainty, disappointment, and the desire to control what only God can control. If you don’t intentionally guard your heart and mind, something else will gladly take your peace.

Many of us pray for peace while continuing the very habits that steal it.

We replay conversations in our minds. We scroll until we’re anxious. We focus on everything that’s wrong instead of remembering what God has already done. We try to control outcomes instead of trusting the One who holds them.

Pursuing peace doesn’t always change your circumstances, but it changes how you walk through them.

Peace is practiced one decision at a time.

It looks like choosing prayer over panic. Gratitude over complaining. Trust over control. Forgiveness over bitterness. It looks like closing the news app when you’ve read enough, putting your phone down when your mind needs rest, and fixing your thoughts on what is true instead of everything that could go wrong.

None of those choices earn God’s peace. They simply position our hearts to receive and walk in the peace He has already given us.

You can do all the “right” Christian things—attend church, read your Bible, serve faithfully and still struggle with peace if your heart is clinging to fear or your mind is consumed with distraction.

So here’s the question: What are you trusting for your peace right now?

Because whatever you’re trusting will determine whether your peace rises and falls with your circumstances.

We don’t drift into peace. We drift into distraction. Peace is something we intentionally return to every day.

As we repeatedly return our hearts and minds to Christ, the Holy Spirit continues producing His fruit within us. Peace isn’t passive. It’s practiced. And over time, what begins as discipline becomes a way of life.

Reflection: What has been stealing your peace lately? What is one intentional choice you can make today to return your heart and mind to the peace Christ has already given you?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for the gift of Your peace. Thank You that You did not leave us to navigate this world on our own. Help us to continually return our hearts and minds to You when distractions, fear, and worry pull us away. Teach us to pursue the peace that comes from trusting You, not our circumstances. May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Help us practice peace each day until it becomes the posture of our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

November: The Fruit of the Spirit — Who Are You Becoming?

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November is here, and this month we’re going to talk about the Fruit of the Spirit!

When I started planning this series about six months ago, I knew I wanted to do something a little different for November. This is typically the time of year when we focus on gratitude, thankfulness, and giving. And while all those things are important, I wanted us to think about something else, too.

What are we putting out into the world? How are we showing up? And who are we becoming?

Especially with the midterm elections coming up here in America, I think it’s a good time to reflect on how we treat one another, even when we disagree.

I’ve been having a lot of conversations lately about what it really means to follow Jesus. One question that keeps coming up is: Are you trying to be like them, or are you trying to be like Jesus?

Because those are two very different things!

Jesus teaches us to forgive, turn the other cheek, love our enemies, and extend grace. And while that sounds wonderful in theory, putting it into practice can be challenging.

I’m not a particularly petty person, but I’ll admit that always being the bigger person isn’t easy. Sometimes you want to respond with the same energy someone gives you. Sometimes you want to prove your point. And sometimes you know you’re right, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re handling the situation correctly.

I’ve had to confront that in my own life recently.

I’ve had conversations where I had to admit that my ego played a role in how I handled a situation. I’ve had to apologize, take responsibility, and recognize that even when someone else contributed to a disagreement, I still had a responsibility for my own behavior.

That has taught me a lot about practicing what I preach.

It’s one thing to say you go to church, read your Bible, pray, and follow Jesus. It’s another thing entirely when someone is yelling at you, pointing fingers, or challenging you, and you have to decide how you’re going to respond.

Are you going to react like everyone else, or are you going to respond in a way that reflects Jesus?

That’s where the Fruit of the Spirit comes in.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV) identifies nine characteristics: love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

These aren’t simply personality traits that some people naturally have and others don’t. They’re characteristics that the Holy Spirit develops in us as we grow in our relationship with God.

We’re called to cultivate all of them, not just the ones that come naturally.

Some may be easier for us than others. You might be a naturally joyful person but struggle with patience. You might be kind but have difficulty exercising self-control. Or you might be faithful but struggle to respond gently when someone pushes your buttons.

That’s part of growing and maturing spiritually.

Throughout November, we’ll explore what these characteristics actually look like in everyday life. We’ll talk about peace, joy, gentleness, and what it means to have strength under control. We’ll also discuss gratitude as we move through this season of thanksgiving.

But more than anything, I want this series to be practical.

I don’t want us to simply know what the Fruit of the Spirit is. I want us to think about how we demonstrate it in our homes, workplaces, relationships, and communities.

Spiritual growth isn’t just about what we know. It’s about how we live.

So as we begin this month, I want you to consider one question:

If someone looked at the way you treated others this past week, what fruit would they see?

Stay tuned. We’re going to grow together this month!

Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself

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Hi there!

I wanted to take a moment to reintroduce myself.

My name is Dominique. I’m 41 years old. I’m a wife, a mom, and a millenial manager. lol. I teach Bible study, and I enjoy brunch, happy hour, reading, writing, traveling, shopping, and a good nap!

I’ve been writing this blog for almost ten years, which is absolutely crazy to think about.

Now, my consistency hasn’t always been great. I’ve been paying for this domain for ten years, though! 😂 Over the last five years, I’ve gotten better about showing up, but this year? I’ve been excellent, if I do say so myself. And I’m really proud of that.

When I started Always Finding the Silver Lining, my goal was simple: I wanted to help people find the good in the difficult things we experience in life.

And although my life has changed quite a bit over the last decade, my reason for writing hasn’t.

I’ve always wanted to help people get to know God in a way that feels accessible. I want people to understand that God can meet them exactly where they are and that connecting with Him doesn’t have to fit into a particular box.

That connection can look different for different people.

Sometimes it looks like studying the Bible in a traditional way. Other times, it looks like using song lyrics to dig deeper into Scripture. Sometimes it’s recognizing that decluttering your house can teach you something about making room for God.

Who would’ve thought?

That’s what I love about writing. There are so many ways to explore faith, life, and spiritual growth.

Recently, I went back and read the original welcome message I wrote when I started this blog almost ten years ago. One line stood out to me:

“I am moving along beside you in this journey called life.”

Reading those words today, I realize that’s still exactly what I’m doing.

I’m a little older, hopefully a little wiser, and definitely more comfortable sharing my thoughts. I’ve experienced things I never imagined when I started this blog. I’ve grown as a woman, a mother, a wife, a writer, and in my relationship with God.

But I still don’t have all the answers.

I still believe there’s value in sharing what I’m learning along the way.

The woman who started this blog almost ten years ago would never have imagined we’d be here today. Back then, I wasn’t particularly comfortable being vulnerable or trying things I wasn’t immediately good at. But I felt God pushing me to write, so I did.

I’m so glad I listened.

At the beginning of this year, I did something I’d never done before. I planned out an entire year of blog content. And for the most part, I’ve stuck to that plan!

I’m proud of the consistency I’ve developed, but as I start thinking about next year, I find myself asking some questions.

What do I want to write about? What do I want to say? How do I continue bringing fresh, interesting content to a blog I’ve been writing for almost a decade?

I don’t want to write just for the sake of writing.

I don’t want you to receive another email from me simply because it’s time for another post.

I want what I share to mean something.

I want you to feel inspired, empowered, challenged, convicted, educated, informed, or maybe just reminded that you’re not alone in whatever you’re experiencing.

I want to keep growing, too.

I’ve finished the first draft of my book, and my goal is to finish the second draft before the end of the year. That’s another journey I’m excited about, especially because there was a time when writing a book felt like such a distant possibility.

So as I look toward the new year, I’m feeling a little torn, but not in a bad way.

I’m excited. I’m curious. I’m interested to see what this next chapter of writing looks like.

I’d love to hear from you.

What do you want to read about? What questions do you have? What topics would you like to explore together?

Maybe it’s faith. Maybe it’s motherhood, relationships, personal growth, or navigating life’s challenges. Maybe it’s something I haven’t even thought about yet.

One thing I’ve realized is that I don’t necessarily need to find brand-new things to talk about. Sometimes growth allows us to revisit familiar subjects with a different perspective. The way I understood life, faith, and even myself ten years ago isn’t necessarily the way I understand those things today.

And that’s part of the beauty of this journey.

I don’t have all the answers, and I certainly don’t have everything figured out. But I do know that I want to keep writing, learning, growing, and finding the silver lining along the way.

Almost ten years later, the mission is still the same. I’m just continuing to grow into it.

I hope you’ll stick around for the journey.

Now it’s your turn! What would you love to see on Always Finding the Silver Lining in the coming year? Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Dominique

Simplicity: Making Room for What Matters

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I was doing some research on spiritual disciplines when I came across one I had never really considered before: simplicity.

I knew about prayer, fasting, meditation, Bible study, and Sabbath, but simplicity? I had never thought about it as a spiritual discipline.

I’ve always been interested in clutter and the impact it can have on our mental and emotional well-being. I read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, which explores how the busyness and distractions of our lives can interfere with our ability to connect with God.

As I started learning more about simplicity, I realized it goes much deeper than having a clean house or an organized closet.

Simplicity isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about making room for what truly matters.

The Clutter We Don’t See

A few years ago, I wrote a post about being “minimalist adjacent.” I like the idea of minimalism, but I’m not quite a minimalist.

I don’t have a lot of visible clutter in my house. But I do have a lot of closets! My house can look neat and organized, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t have more stuff than I need.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the urge to do a major purge. Not just my regular seasonal cleaning, but really going through things and asking myself what I need, what I use, and what is simply taking up space.

I’ve always been someone who gives things away. Every season, I go through clothes and other items we no longer use. It’s something my mother taught me growing up. Even when we didn’t have a lot, we still gave things away.

But what if decluttering isn’t just about creating a cleaner home? What if it can also be an opportunity to practice contentment, generosity, and intentionality?

I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with enjoying nice things. I like shopping. I like having things that make my home comfortable and things my family will enjoy.

But simplicity challenges us to examine our relationship with those things.

The goal isn’t necessarily to own less. It’s to make sure what we own doesn’t begin to own us.

Simplicity Goes Beyond Our Homes

Here’s what really challenged me about simplicity as a spiritual discipline: clutter isn’t always physical.

Our minds can be cluttered. Our schedules can be cluttered. Even our spiritual lives can become cluttered.

We can fill every available moment with something to do, somewhere to go, something to watch, or something to think about and then wonder why we struggle to find quiet moments with God.

In Luke 10:38–42, Martha was busy taking care of responsibilities while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. Martha wasn’t doing something bad. She was serving. But she had become distracted by everything that needed to be done.

Sometimes we don’t need another activity, commitment, or responsibility.

Sometimes we need room to rest. Room to think. Room to pray. Room to simply be present.

Making Room

I’m learning that simplicity isn’t something we accomplish once and check off a list. We can clean out every closet, but if we don’t change our habits, they’ll eventually fill back up. The same is true of our schedules and our minds.

So as I think about my desire to purge my home, I’m also thinking about the other areas of my life.

What am I holding on to that I no longer need?

What is taking up unnecessary space, physically or mentally?

What might I have more room for if I learned to let some things go?

Simplicity isn’t just about what we’re willing to get rid of. It’s about what we’re making room for.

Until next time,

Dominique

What If God Isn’t Silent?

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Have you ever felt like your prayers were hitting the ceiling?

You keep asking.
You keep waiting.
You keep wondering if God is listening at all.

I’ve been there.

I first asked this question on the blog in 2020.

When I was praying to get pregnant, there were days I wondered if God had forgotten about me. I wasn’t questioning His ability—I was questioning His timing. Every unanswered prayer felt like silence.

But over time, I started asking a different question.

What if God isn’t silent? What if He’s waiting for me to pay attention?

What if the purpose of an unanswered prayer isn’t simply to delay an answer, but to deepen the relationship? We often approach prayer looking for information—What should I do? When will this happen? Why won’t You answer me?—while God is often more concerned with transformation. Sometimes the waiting reveals what we trust, what we’re holding onto, where we’re resisting Him, or whether we’re willing to follow Him before we have all the details. Instead of asking only, “God, why aren’t You answering me?” we might also ask, “God, what are You trying to grow in me while I wait?” That question doesn’t replace our prayers for answers, but it reminds us that God is just as interested in shaping our hearts as He is in changing our circumstances.

Sometimes we assume an unanswered prayer means God isn’t speaking. But throughout Scripture, we see that God often uses waiting to do work in us before He changes what’s around us.

Maybe He’s already answered, but it wasn’t the answer you wanted.

Maybe He’s asking you to take a step of obedience before revealing the next one.

Maybe He’s gently convicting you of something you’ve been avoiding because He loves you too much to leave you there.

Maybe He’s inviting you to spend time with Him instead of only bringing Him a list of requests.

Maybe He’s changing your heart so your desires begin to look more like His.

Or maybe…it’s simply not time yet.

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of following God because it requires trust when we don’t have clarity. We want answers. God often offers His presence first.

That doesn’t mean every unanswered prayer is the result of something you’ve done wrong. Sometimes the answer really is “wait.” Sometimes it’s “not yet.” Sometimes it’s “I have something better.” We should be careful not to assume every delay is punishment.

But unanswered prayers are an opportunity to ask honest questions.

Lord, is there anything You want to show me while I wait?

That question changed the way I prayed.

Instead of assuming God was distant, I started looking for what He might be teaching me. Sometimes He revealed an area where I needed to trust Him more. Other times He reminded me that His timing has never been late, even when it felt slow.

One of my favorite prayers comes from Mark 9:24:

“Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”

God isn’t intimidated by honest faith. He would rather you bring Him your doubts than pretend you don’t have any.

If you’ve been waiting on an answer, don’t assume heaven is quiet. Keep praying. Keep listening. Keep walking in obedience with what you already know.

The God who hears your prayers also knows the right time to answer them.

Reflection: Instead of asking, “Why hasn’t God answered me?” try asking, “What might God be teaching me while I wait?”

Until next time,

Dominique

Is God tired of my prayer?

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It’s a thought many of us have had but don’t always say out loud.

“I’ve prayed about this so many times.”

“Maybe I should stop asking.”

“Maybe God is tired of hearing the same prayer.”

If you’ve ever wondered that, you’re not alone.

But Scripture doesn’t give us a picture of a God who grows impatient with His children. It gives us a picture of a God who invites us to keep coming to Him.

Isaiah 40:28 reminds us:

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary.”

If God never grows weary, then He doesn’t grow weary of you either.

Jesus even told a parable about a persistent widow to teach His disciples that they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1-8). Her persistence wasn’t a nuisance—it was an example.

Prayer isn’t something God tolerates.

It’s something He invites.

Sometimes we treat prayer like submitting a request. We ask once and then wonder if we should bring it up again. But prayer is a conversation, and conversations don’t end after one sentence.

As we continue to pray, something begins to happen.

We become more consistent.

Our prayers become more specific.

We notice where we’re trusting God and where we’re still trying to carry things ourselves.

That doesn’t mean the answer always comes when we want it to. But staying in conversation with God is never wasted.

So what do you do when you feel like you’ve asked too many times?

Pray again.

Not because God forgot.

Not because He needs convincing.

But because He told us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

God isn’t rolling His eyes when you come to Him with the same burden.

He’s listening.

The next time you’re tempted to think, “I’ve already prayed about this,” don’t let that stop you.

Instead, let it remind you that God is always ready to hear from His children.

Keep praying.

Keep trusting.

Don’t give up.

Reflection: Is there a prayer you’ve stopped praying because you assumed God was tired of hearing it?

Is God Mad at Me?

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I first asked this question on the blog in 2021.

The years leading up to that post were filled with highs and lows. My husband and I were struggling with infertility, life felt uncertain, and I found myself asking a question that I think many Christians quietly wrestle with:

“Is God mad at me?”

I wasn’t asking because I wanted an excuse for my behavior. I genuinely wondered if I had done something wrong. Was God punishing me? Had I disappointed Him? Was He withholding something because of my mistakes?

Since then, I’ve had countless conversations with friends and readers who have asked the same thing.

Maybe not with those exact words, but close enough.

“I think God is punishing me.”

“Maybe this is happening because of what I did.”

“I feel like God is getting me back.”

I’ve realized this question usually doesn’t come after a season of rebellion. It comes after a hard season.

A prayer goes unanswered.

A relationship falls apart.

You keep struggling with the same sin.

Life isn’t going the way you expected.

When we’re hurting, we often interpret God through our circumstances instead of His character.

But Psalm 103 paints a very different picture of God.

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love… He does not treat us as our sins deserve… As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Those aren’t the words of a God looking for reasons to push us away. They’re the words of a God who delights in showing mercy.

What’s even more remarkable is who wrote them.

David.

A man who committed adultery, arranged a murder to cover it up, and experienced the painful consequences of his sin. Yet after experiencing both conviction and forgiveness, David still described God as compassionate, gracious, and abounding in love.

That tells me something important.

God’s correction is real, but His character never changes.

We often assume God responds the way people do. We expect Him to hold grudges, withdraw His love, or wait for us to earn our way back.

But God is not like us.

He is holy. He is just. He is compassionate, gracious, and faithful. His desire isn’t to shame us into hiding. It’s to draw us back into relationship with Him.

That doesn’t mean there are never consequences for our choices. Scripture is clear that there are. But consequences are not the same as rejection.

So if you’ve been wondering whether God is mad at you, don’t let your feelings answer that question.

Start with His character.

And if you’re wondering how to learn His character, start with His Word.

You don’t have to read the entire Bible in a week. Start by finding someone whose story feels familiar to yours.

When I couldn’t get pregnant, I studied the women in Scripture who struggled with infertility. I wanted to see how God responded to them. I wasn’t just looking for answers to my situation—I was learning about the God who walked with them through it.

The more you know God’s character, the less likely you are to assume the worst about Him when life gets hard.

Reflection: When life gets difficult, what is your first assumption about God? Is it based on your circumstances, or on what Scripture says about His character?

The enemy wants you to question God’s character. Scripture invites you to know it.

Until next time,

Dominique

January 28

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I actually wrote the post March 29 on Jan 28. It was 60 days in the future. I was prophesying over my own life. Putting in the atmosphere to myself and God how I wanted to feel and here we are almost 6 months later and it’s working. There have been hard times in there but I’m handling them better. I’m becoming stronger, more resilient, more open. We are about to get into the summer season and that’s usually where I get off track but I’m still getting things done. I’m having fun, as you are reading this post I’m at the beach but now I can do both. I’m not letting anything distract me and I am seeing the fruit of my labor. Im proud of me and excited to see what the second half of the year brings.

Until next time,

Dominique

Parenting yourself as a parent

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As I think about Mother’s Day, I keep thinking about how important it is to parent yourself too.

Because parenting is not just about how you engage with your kids.

It’s also about how you engage with yourself.

It’s about how you speak to yourself after a hard morning.
How you recover after you lose your patience.
How you respond when you don’t measure up to the standard you created in your head.

Being somebody’s mom is hard.
Honestly, it’s the hardest role I’ve ever had.

Harder than being a wife.
Harder than being a daughter.
Harder than leading a team.
Harder than any title attached to a paycheck or applause.

Because motherhood exposes you.

It exposes your impatience.
Your need for control.
Your exhaustion.
Your expectations.
Your childhood wounds.
Your humanity.

And this is where walking with God daily matters.

Not just so you can parent your children well
but so you can parent yourself well too.

So you can give yourself grace.
So you can steady your emotions.
So you can take motherhood one day at a time instead of projecting ten years ahead.

So you can step back from:

All the expectations.
All the comparisons.
All the “shoulds.”
All the “this is how my parents did it.”

Walking with God daily reminds you that you are still being formed too.

You are not just raising a child.
God is raising you.

And sometimes the most mature thing you can do as a mother is:

Pause.
Pray.
Forgive yourself.
And try again tomorrow.

Parent yourself the way you parent your children.

With patience.
With correction and compassion.
With consistency instead of condemnation.

Because the grace you give yourself will overflow into the way you love your family.

Happy Mother’s Day to the women who keep showing up, growing, learning, repenting, loving, and trying again.

Until next time,

Dominique

Easter Reflections

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This time of year can feel strange.

Easter reminds us of resurrection and new life, yet many of us quietly feel stuck—tired, restless, or dulled by routines we once prayed for. It’s easy to get used to our blessings. Familiarity settles in. Gratitude fades. And without realizing it, joy and peace feel harder to access.

The disciples knew that feeling.

They didn’t expect to lose Jesus the way they did. What they thought was secure was suddenly gone. Grief, confusion, and fear took over. And yet, what felt like loss became the doorway to something deeper. They didn’t just get Jesus back; they encountered Him in a new way.

Easter reminds us that what feels lost isn’t always gone forever. Joy can be recovered. Peace can be restored. Perspective can be renewed—often by remembering all that God has already done.

It’s possible to be surrounded by answers to prayer and still feel unsettled.

Not because something is wrong—but because time, pressure, and familiarity have a way of shifting our perspective.

What once felt sacred can quietly become assumed.

And without realizing it, we move from gratitude to restlessness.

Questions help us notice when that shift happens.

Have the goalposts moved without us naming it?

Have circumstances started to define whether what we prayed for is still “good”?

Have we mistaken the weight of responsibility for dissatisfaction?

Sometimes the ache we feel isn’t a signal to want more.

It’s an invitation to return.

Not to a moment, but to a posture.

To the trust we had when we asked.

To the gratitude we felt before outcomes were visible.

The way forward may not require something new.

It may simply ask us to pause, remember, and re-align our hearts with the God who already came through.

This might be the moment to pause, remember, and let gratitude lead again.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Until next time,

Dominique