<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Dear Christian Girl]]></title><description><![CDATA[A space for Christian women navigating faith, family, career, and calling, without the pressure to pretend!]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wnhr!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8400acf2-d027-4141-b7b2-06715d9ab5c4_3663x3663.jpeg</url><title>Dear Christian Girl</title><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:32:48 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[dearchristiangirl@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[dearchristiangirl@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[dearchristiangirl@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[dearchristiangirl@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Join my new subscriber chat]]></title><description><![CDATA[A private space for us to converse and connect]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/join-my-new-subscriber-chat</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/join-my-new-subscriber-chat</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:19:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today I&#8217;m announcing a brand new addition to my Substack publication: </p><p>Dear Christian Girl subscriber chat.</p><p>This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers, kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I&#8217;ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://open.substack.com/pub/dearchristiangirl/chat&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Join chat&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/dearchristiangirl/chat"><span>Join chat</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h2>How to get started</h2><ol><li><p><strong>Get the Substack app by clicking <a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect">this link</a> or the button below.</strong> New chat threads won&#8217;t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don&#8217;t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat <a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/dearchristiangirl/chat">on the web</a>.</p></li></ol><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Get app&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect"><span>Get app</span></a></p><ol start="2"><li><p><strong>Open the app and tap the Chat icon.</strong> It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you&#8217;ll see a row for my chat inside.</p></li></ol><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg" width="1456" height="728" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:728,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:241528,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://kylewarrentest.substack.com/i/114198534?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><ol start="3"><li><p><strong>That&#8217;s it!</strong> Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out <a href="https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/sections/360007461791-Frequently-Asked-Questions">Substack&#8217;s FAQ</a>.</p></li></ol><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[This is What Saved Me from Postpartum Depression! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[This One Practice Shifted My Mindset and Restored My Joy...]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/this-is-what-saved-me-from-postpartum</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/this-is-what-saved-me-from-postpartum</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:01:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic" width="1179" height="1872" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1872,&quot;width&quot;:1179,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:163236,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193741119?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZaoA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1100a10b-8bd1-4aac-af2d-66bb8aa19c26_1179x1872.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>There was a time in my life when everything felt dark.</p><p>I was deep in postpartum depression, even though I was holding my precious baby in my arms.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>When my husband brought her to me, it felt strange, almost like I was holding someone else&#8217;s child.</p><p>I had a rough pregnancy, and towards the end, things got worse. I developed severe preeclampsia that wasn&#8217;t properly managed, and during labor, I temporarily lost my sight. I went into the hospital because my sight was deteriorating and before I could understand what was happening, they wheeled me into the operating room for an emergency C-section.</p><p>You know those videos online of moms bonding instantly and doing skin-to-skin with their babies? That wasn&#8217;t me. I was in so much pain, still dealing with preeclampsia symptoms weeks after giving birth. I ended up back in the hospital a few hours before my baby&#8217;s naming ceremony, and we had to cancel it.</p><p>I remember feeling so traumatized and disappointed as I had seen friends have smooth pregnancies and easy labors. I had watched videos of women dancing on TikTok a few hours before giving birth and I thought that would be my reality.</p><p>But it wasn&#8217;t and everything hit me all at once.</p><p>At first, I thought it was just &#8220;baby blues.&#8221; From what I had read, that should pass within two weeks. But mine didn&#8217;t.</p><p>Instead, it got worse.</p><p>At my six-week check-up, my doctor diagnosed me with postpartum depression. The mood swings intensified, and I experienced deep sadness.</p><p>Nighttime became my worst nightmare, and my heart would race as darkness approached. My mind was filled with intrusive thoughts: falling down the stairs so I could end up in the hospital or running away and never returning.</p><p>I felt so ashamed to talk about it with anyone because I had a gift that so many people prayed for, yet I was depressed.</p><p>When visitors came and saw me break down in tears, I often heard, &#8220;Be grateful. You have a child and so many people are praying for this.&#8221; Others assumed I was crying because of my excessive weight gain. For context, I gained over 40 kg during my pregnancy.</p><p>During that season, I couldn&#8217;t pray.</p><p>I tried, but God felt so far away.</p><p>Anxiety consumed me and although I was exhausted, it would take about two to three hours to fall asleep, and only with the help of rain sounds.</p><p>I dealt with heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and lingering preeclampsia symptoms.</p><p>I would call my husband to pray over me sometimes, and that would also calm me down.</p><p>Then one day, something happened that changed everything&#8230;</p><p>As I lay down, playing my usual rain sounds, I heard the Holy Spirit say, &#8220;Give thanks.&#8221;</p><p>It didn&#8217;t make sense, but I heard it clearly.</p><p>Of course, I didn&#8217;t have the strength to say the words out loud, so I decided to write them instead and that&#8217;s how my gratitude journal began.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic" width="1179" height="1872" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1872,&quot;width&quot;:1179,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:163236,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193741119?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_TET!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dae5ae0-5ad1-4d4c-b7a2-542a4aeac225_1179x1872.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I started small, with about three or four things I was thankful for each day, and day by day, something began to shift.</p><p>As I gave thanks, my perspective changed, and I started to feel lighter and the heavy cloud that hovered over me began to lift.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic" width="1179" height="2014" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:2014,&quot;width&quot;:1179,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:134132,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193741119?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!am05!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16e15383-e916-4eba-95a2-0fa16f4c4f1a_1179x2014.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>I cried less and the mood swings became less intense and slowly, I found the strength to pray again.</p><p>My doctor had recommended medication to help with the depression, but I chose not to take it and over time, through gratitude, lots of sleep, crazy support from my husband, and God&#8217;s help, depression lost its grip over me.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic" width="1179" height="1361" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1361,&quot;width&quot;:1179,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:54499,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193741119?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!d7mq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c92bca7-86f3-4bc1-8e54-29d4330fe8a6_1179x1361.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>My perspective shifted and I began to enjoy motherhood.</p><p>I started to see it as a blessing to be my daughter&#8217;s mom and to serve my family in that season.</p><p>I am writing this to encourage you to flip the script.</p><p>You might be in a HARD season right now, where everything feels dark and you are not quite sure if you will survive this.</p><p>You may feel seriously discouraged, overwhelmed, or even hopeless.</p><p>But there is always hope in Christ for the Believer.</p><p>I want you to start small.</p><p>Find one or two things you are grateful for today and write them down. Then do it again tomorrow, and the day after, and keep at it for months.</p><p>Watch what happens. </p><p>Your perspective will begin to shift, and watch your Joy return.</p><p>Even the Bible admonishes us, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, to<br>&#8220;Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God&#8217;s will for you in Christ Jesus.&#8221;</p><p>Flip the script today and start a gratitude journal.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Good Shepherd]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why He Left the 99.....]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-good-shepherd</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-good-shepherd</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:13:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic" width="1344" height="768" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:768,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:131214,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193109617?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q0jl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ae64590-21f3-425d-b76f-e852ad094ff1_1344x768.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>My three-year-old daughter has a habit of calling for either &#8220;Mummy&#8221; or &#8220;Daddy&#8221; as soon as she wakes up.</p><p>On this faithful day, she woke up and, as usual, she called out for Mummy. Without thinking too much, I replied, &#8220;Zoe, follow my voice and come to Mummy.&#8221; And she did exactly that. She followed the sound of my voice, traced her way to where I was, jumped into my arms, and gave me a big hug.</p><p>Immediately, I heard the Holy Spirit say, &#8220;My sheep know my voice.&#8221; This prompted me to do a study on John 10, and though this post might feel a little disjointed, please stay with me as we draw lessons from this chapter.</p><p><strong>We Are His Sheep</strong></p><p>John 10:3-5 &#8220;The person who watches the gate opens it for the shepherd. The sheep recognize the shepherd&#8217;s voice. He calls each of his own sheep by their name and he leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes in front of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger. They will run away from a stranger because they do not recognize his voice.&#8221;</p><p>In this passage, Jesus compares us as believers to a sheep and calls Himself the Good Shepherd. As I studied the characteristics of sheep, a few things really stood out: they are generally gentle and calm, but they have a very limited sense of direction and easily get lost without their shepherd. They are also flock-oriented, meaning a sheep that strays from the flock becomes vulnerable and defenseless against predators like wolves. Most importantly, a sheep always recognizes the voice of its shepherd and responds to it.</p><p>Jesus was teaching that His sheep, recognize His voice and follow Him, and they do not follow the voice of a stranger. As believers, we are meant to grow so familiar with Jesus&#8217; voice that when any contrary voice speaks, be it fear, lies, doubt, or worry, we know not to listen.</p><p><strong>The Good Shepherd Who Leaves the Ninety-Nine for the One</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic" width="1080" height="1350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1350,&quot;width&quot;:1080,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:250316,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193109617?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q_Ue!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0e03749-c00e-49e2-a904-1cfb570a88ae_1080x1350.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Every time I read Matthew 18:12, where Jesus talks about a man who has 100 sheep and discovers one is missing, I always wonder: &#8220;what type of Shephard leaves 99 to go look for the one lost sheep.&#8221; Is Jesus truly that &#8216;careless&#8217; that He would leave the 99 randomly on the hills? What if wolves came to attack the remaining 99?</p><p>But as I studied John 10, it made so much more sense.</p><p>Verse 1 says, &#8220;Jesus then said, &#8216;I tell you this. A shepherd keeps his sheep in a safe place with a wall around it. There is a gate into that safe place. Anyone who gets into that place by another way, not through the gate, is not the shepherd. That person is a robber. He comes to take away the sheep for himself.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>This &#8220;safe place&#8221; is what&#8217;s known as a sheep pen, an enclosed area, built from fencing, walls, or portable hurdles, used to contain sheep. It helps shepherds protect the flock from predators, manage tasks like counting, shearing, and lambing, and prevent the animals from wandering off. So, it makes perfect sense that the Shepherd would comfortably leave the remaining sheep securely in the sheep pen to go look for the one that strayed.</p><p><strong>Jesus Will Always Go After the Sheep That Strays</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic" width="1184" height="864" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:864,&quot;width&quot;:1184,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:186544,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193109617?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2QCb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc90d73cc-80e7-4629-b97f-82bcc0c8c501_1184x864.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>This illustration continues to blow my mind: Jesus will always go after every single sheep that strays, every lost soul. While I strayed, He was actively looking for me, even when I didn&#8217;t have to do anything to earn it.</p><p>David, a shepherd himself, drew on that experience to describe God&#8217;s protective love. A shepherd&#8217;s rod was a sturdy club used to fend off predators like wolves, while the staff, with its curved hook, guided and rescued wandering sheep. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic" width="1184" height="864" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:864,&quot;width&quot;:1184,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:233639,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193109617?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ser8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1855fb39-8958-423c-9aba-9faf10edb633_1184x864.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>When David says, &#8220;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me,&#8221; he&#8217;s expressing confidence that the Lord, both defends him from danger and gently directs his path. Jesus later echoed this imagery, calling Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life to protect His sheep from wolves. For believers, the rod and staff represent the assurance that God actively guards us against spiritual threats while lovingly guiding us through life.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p><strong>Jesus: The Gate, The Shepherd, The Way</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic" width="1344" height="768" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:768,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:160543,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/193109617?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E0QT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcc0cac0-31d1-49c2-aced-8ee849908184_1344x768.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>Jesus compares Himself to the gate in verse 7 &#8220;I am like the gate. Everyone who comes in through me will be safe. They will be free to come in and to go out. And they will find plenty of food. The robber only wants to take away my sheep. He wants to kill them. He comes only to destroy them. But I have come so that they can have true life. And so that they can have everything that they need. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd would die so that he can save his sheep.&#8221;</p><p>Jesus uses this powerful imagery to describe His relationship with those who follow Him. Just as a shepherd in ancient times would sleep across the entrance of the sheep pen, literally becoming the gate to protect the flock, Jesus positions Himself as the only entrance to safety, freedom, and abundant life. Unlike the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus came so that His sheep &#8220;can have everything they need.&#8221;</p><p>But Jesus didn&#8217;t stop at being the gate. He called Himself the Good Shepherd and then proved it. A hired hand might run when wolves approach, but the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus didn&#8217;t just say these words; He literarily died for every sheep in His flock, including the ones that strayed.</p><p><strong>An Invitation This Easter</strong></p><p>Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is still searching for lost sheep. He hasn&#8217;t given up on you. Even if you&#8217;ve strayed far from the fold or wandered into places you never thought you&#8217;d go, made choices you regret, or simply drifted away, He is coming for you.</p><p>Maybe you feel that tug in your heart right now. Maybe it&#8217;s this message, a conversation with a friend, or even stumbling across a Substack note, that&#8217;s the Shepherd calling your name, and reaching out with His staff to bring you home.</p><p>Easter isn&#8217;t just about bunnies and Easter eggs; it&#8217;s about a Shepherd who loved His sheep so much that He laid down His life.</p><p>You don&#8217;t need to have it all together. </p><p>Just come as you are, because he has already left the ninety-nine and is on His way to find you.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Black Achievement Community Award at the Essence & Culture Awards]]></title><description><![CDATA[Honouring Service, Advocacy, and Community Impact]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/black-achievement-community-award</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/black-achievement-community-award</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 03:37:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/191728213/138ce08132df2e4a604df2260a6f751e.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>At the Essence &amp; Culture Awards, Moyosore Somide was honoured with the Black Achievement Community Award in recognition of her commitment to community service and legal advocacy.</p><p>In her acceptance speech, she highlighted her work at Community Legal Services (Western Law), where she supports low-income and marginalized individuals &#8212; particularly women and children &#8212; by providing free legal assistance in family and criminal law matters. Through this work, she helps bridge critical gaps in access to justice for those who would otherwise struggle to navigate the legal system.</p><p>This recognition reflects not only her professional excellence, but her dedication to using the law as a tool for impact, equity, and service.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Breaking the Cycle: Poverty, Gender Inequality, Access to Justice.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Real Stories, Real Barriers, Real Ways to Make a Difference]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/breaking-the-cycle-poverty-gender</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/breaking-the-cycle-poverty-gender</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 03:27:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/191726453/de678622089d4e17efa29907cbd195e2.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>What does access to justice really look like for women and girls? In this powerful International Women&#8217;s Day talk, Moyosore Somide shares eye-opening stories from the frontlines of community legal services &#8212; stories of women navigating abuse, language barriers, and overwhelming systems alone.</p><p>With honesty and compassion, she reveals how justice is often out of reach for those who need it most, even in a country like Canada. But this is not just a story of gaps, it&#8217;s a call to action. Through practical, everyday steps, she shows how anyone can help break the cycle and become part of the solution.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Trust God in Uncertain Times]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Better Way to Handle Worrying and Overthinking....]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/instead-of-worrying-do-this-31a</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/instead-of-worrying-do-this-31a</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:03:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 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data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1855,&quot;width&quot;:1436,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:251884,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/191644572?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zkJr!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ffa9484-e406-413f-8a39-63d0a47965ff_1436x1855.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>Looking at this photo, you might be wondering, what exactly is going on here? Let me explain.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>This was me in 2018, worried sick about my future and everything I was going through at the time. I picked my journal to write down my worries, but I felt a strong leading to draw the &#8220;feet of Jesus&#8221; and lay my worries at his feet.</p><p>I know what you&#8217;re thinking. &#8220;That looks nothing like Jesus&#8217; feet.&#8221; Haha&#8212;I agree! The drawing is terrible, but it&#8217;s the intention that counts, right?</p><p>I was worried about two men; both were asking me out, and one wanted me to visit Vancouver to see if we could explore a relationship. I spent countless hours, writing a pro and cons list of both men hoping it would help me figure out who amongst them to date.</p><p>I was worried, about my future husband. What if neither of them was &#8220;the one&#8221;? When would I meet the man I was meant to marry?</p><p>I was worried about passing the Bar exams. I had failed it once and I desperately needed to pass so my then job could retain me as a lawyer.</p><p>I was worried about passing my driving test, whether I should enrol in driving school, or if I could even afford a car. &#8216;</p><p>I was worried about having enough money to pay for my Articles and the Bar exams after paying my first fruit and Tithe.</p><p>I was worried about my purpose. I longed to be involved in an NGO for wrongfully convicted persons, but I didn&#8217;t have the time.</p><p>I was worried about my writing. I dreamed of becoming an author, but at the time, it felt impossible.</p><p>I was worried about my spiritual life. My prayer life lacked consistency, and I felt guilty about it.</p><p>Eight years later, I look back and wonder&#8212;what exactly was I so worried about?</p><p>God sorted every single thing out.</p><p>I am married to the most amazing man and what a waste of time it was losing sleep over other men! I passed the Bar exam and I&#8217;ve been practicing law for six years. I passed my G2, G, bought a car, and fully paid it off. God provided for my Articles, Bar exam, and I had more than enough! I am actively involved with an NGO that supports wrongfully convicted persons. My writing has flourished; I&#8217;ve attended writer&#8217;s conferences, joined writing groups, and working towards publishing my book. God has blessed our finances and provided us with multiple businesses and my prayer life is growing stronger.</p><p>Matthew: 6:25 &#8220;Therefore I tell you, stop being worried <em>or</em> anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?</p><p>26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?</p><p>27 And who of you by worrying can add one [a]hour to [the length of] his life?</p><p>28 And why are you worried about clothes? See how the lilies <em>and</em> wildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [wool to make clothing],</p><p>29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory <em>and</em> splendour dressed himself like one of these.</p><p>30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive <em>and</em> green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, <em>will He</em> not much more <em>clothe</em>you? You of little faith! 31 Therefore do not worry <em>or</em> be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, &#8216;What are we going to eat?&#8217; or &#8216;What are we going to drink?&#8217; or &#8216;What are we going to wear?&#8217;</p><p>32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.</p><p>33 But first <em>and</em> most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right&#8212;the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.</p><p>34 &#8220;So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.</p><p>Worrying is pointless and it changes nothing. &#8220;Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but never takes you anywhere.&#8221; Most importantly, it&#8217;s a sin, and it shows lack of trust in a God that can do and solve all things.</p><p>Our Heavenly Father tells us not to worry about tomorrow, and when we do, we disobey Him&#8212;and that is a sin.</p><p>Worrying makes you act like an unbeliever, constantly anxious about what to eat or wear. But you are not a pagan, so stop acting like one!</p><p>What if, years from now, the things you&#8217;re worried about never even happen? Still, stop worrying and trust God in your waiting season.</p><p>So instead of worrying, surrender everything to Him in prayer and if you&#8217;re feeling creative, try drawing Jesus&#8217; feet and placing your worries there (hopefully, your drawing is better than mine!). Please share it with me&#8212;I&#8217;d love to see it! &#128514;</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Right way to support someone in mourning]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to speak to someone in grief with compassion...]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/stop-saying-these-things-to-those</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/stop-saying-these-things-to-those</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:00:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wnhr!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8400acf2-d027-4141-b7b2-06715d9ab5c4_3663x3663.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>&#8220;When I lost my sister, people sent me texts like, &#8216;Be strong,&#8217; &#8216;Don&#8217;t cry,&#8217; &#8216;Take it like a woman.&#8217;&#8221;</em> Ayo explains <a href="https://youtu.be/kd2ZOuupHFg">in the video where she shares about the loss of her only sister to pre-eclampsia,</a> that while these words were meant kindly, they made her feel worse..</p><p>That&#8217;s why knowing <strong>what not to say</strong> is so important. Here are some phrases to avoid:</p><ul><li><p><strong>&#8220;I know exactly how you feel&#8221;</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>&#8220;Be strong&#8221;</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>&#8220;Don&#8217;t cry&#8221;</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>&#8220;Take it like a man / woman&#8221;</strong></p></li></ul><p>Grief is personal, messy, and heavy. Sometimes the most meaningful support is simply to sit with someone, listen, and show up without expectation.</p><p>Ayo&#8217;s experience also inspired the <strong><a href="https://moyosoresomide.kit.com/4553fc141d">Grief &amp; Support Care Kit</a></strong>, which is designed for anyone navigating loss or supporting someone who is. Inside, you&#8217;ll find:</p><ul><li><p>Practical ways to help someone in grief</p></li><li><p>Curated prayers that brought Ayo comfort during her season of loss</p></li><li><p>things not to say and do to someone who is grieving</p></li></ul><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Not to Do Someone You Know Is Grieving]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to be there for someone who is mourning without overstepping...]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/5-things-not-to-do-for-someone-who</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/5-things-not-to-do-for-someone-who</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:31:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wnhr!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8400acf2-d027-4141-b7b2-06715d9ab5c4_3663x3663.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When someone is grieving, it&#8217;s natural to want to help, but some actions, even with good intentions, can unintentionally pressure the person mourning.</p><p>Here are things to avoid:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Don&#8217;t visit the person mourning expecting to be hosted or fed</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Don&#8217;t demand conversation or updates</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Don&#8217;t send random motivational or &#8220;be strong&#8221; videos</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Don&#8217;t police how someone grieves</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Don&#8217;t teach people how to grieve</strong></p></li></ul><p>Grief is personal and unpredictable and sometimes the most meaningful support is simply to be present, listen, and show up without expectation.</p><p>Practical ways to support someone grieving can make a big difference. Instead consider:</p><ul><li><p>Sending a meal or groceries so they don&#8217;t have to worry about errands</p></li><li><p>Helping tidy up their space or arranging a cleaning service</p></li><li><p>Offering financial support for funeral or memorial expenses</p></li><li><p>Taking them on a quiet walk</p></li><li><p>Praying for them everyday</p></li></ul><p>You can also watch the video where my guest <strong><a href="https://youtu.be/kd2ZOuupHFg">Ayo</a></strong><a href="https://youtu.be/kd2ZOuupHFg"> shared the story of losing her only sister to a medical complication during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia),</a> how that loss changed her life forever, and how she learned to navigate grief.</p><p>Whether you are grieving yourself or want to support someone who is, this episode offers guidance, comfort, and practical ways to show up.</p><p>You can also <strong><a href="https://moyosoresomide.kit.com/4553fc141d">download the Grief &amp; Support Care Kit</a></strong>, which includes prayers for those who are grieving and more practical ways to support someone through loss.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Prayers for Those Who Are Grieving!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Finding comfort and strength in God during grief...]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/prayers-for-those-who-are-grieving</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/prayers-for-those-who-are-grieving</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:01:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Grief can feel overwhelming, and it&#8217;s completely natural to not feel like praying. Some of you may be angry at God, asking, <em>&#8220;Why did this happen? Why did I lose this person?&#8221;</em>and the pain may feel almost unbearable.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic" width="1080" height="1920" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1920,&quot;width&quot;:1080,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:104243,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/190073085?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_PiS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0316fc4-a329-4e1a-8c66-f34d65a45095_1080x1920.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Our guest, <strong>Ayo</strong>, who experienced the loss of her only sister due to a medical complication during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia), shared<a href="https://youtu.be/kd2ZOuupHFg"> in this video </a>what helped her navigate grief. She talks about what to do when you, or someone you know, is grieving, including the prayers that brought her comfort during that difficult season and I want to share them with you.</p><ul><li><p>May God hold you and wrap you in His arms in this difficult season.</p></li><li><p>May you feel His presence in ways no human ever could.</p></li><li><p>May He give you peace and comfort that surpasses understanding.</p></li><li><p>May strength rise in your body, mind, and spirit.</p></li><li><p>May you hear what God is saying to you in this season.</p></li><li><p>May your faith not fail.</p></li><li><p>May you be upheld and carried by God.</p></li></ul><p>You can also <strong><a href="https://moyosoresomide.kit.com/4553fc141d">download the Grief &amp; Support Care Kit</a></strong>, which includes prayers for those who are grieving and more practical ways to support someone through loss.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do not say these things to someone who is Grieving!]]></title><description><![CDATA[what not to say to someone who is grieving...]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/5-things-you-shouldnt-say-to-someone</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/5-things-you-shouldnt-say-to-someone</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:01:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wnhr!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8400acf2-d027-4141-b7b2-06715d9ab5c4_3663x3663.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever told someone who just lost a loved one,</p><p><br><em>&#8220;Let me know how I can help&#8221;?</em></p><p>Although, this may sound thoughtful, but when someone is grieving, even small decisions can feel overwhelming. Instead of placing the responsibility on them, take the initiative to help in practical ways.</p><p>For example, you could:</p><ul><li><p>Arrange for groceries to be delivered so they don&#8217;t have to worry about errands</p></li><li><p>Send a meal or bring food to their home</p></li><li><p>Pay for a cleaning service or help tidy up their space</p></li><li><p>Contribute financially toward funeral or memorial expenses</p></li><li><p>Take them on a quiet walk</p></li><li><p>and most importantly pray for them everyday</p></li></ul><p>Small acts of kindness mean so much during seasons of grief and can go a long way.</p><p>You can watch the video where my guest <strong>Ayo</strong> Adeloye, shared the story of losing her only sister to a medical complication during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia), how that loss changed her life forever, and how she was able to process and work through her grief.</p><p><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/kd2ZOuupHFg">What to do when you or someone you know if grieving</a></strong></p><p>If you are grieving, this episode will help you, and if you know someone who is grieving, it will help you understand how to show up for them in practical ways.</p><p>You can also <strong><a href="https://moyosoresomide.kit.com/4553fc141d">download the Grief &amp; Support Care Kit</a></strong><a href="https://moyosoresomide.kit.com/4553fc141d">,</a> which includes prayers for those who are grieving and practical ways to support someone through loss.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Dear Christian Girl is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[HOW TO DEAL WITH GRIEF - I LOST MY ONLY SISTER & HOW I SURVIVED THE GRIEF]]></title><description><![CDATA[Grief is heavy and here are gentle ways to help carry the weight....]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/walking-through-grief-what-to-do</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/walking-through-grief-what-to-do</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:02:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/190054198/289c137067aa1d27f8f1c9dc6ff0e689.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Our guest, <strong>Ayo Adeloye</strong>, lost her only sister due to a medical complication during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia). In this episode, she opens up about what happened, how she walked through the pain, wrestled with her emotions, processed them, and eventually found healing in the midst of grief. She also shares how the experience ultimately strengthened her relationship with God.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg" width="1456" height="1456" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1456,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:497353,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/190054198?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QYzv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0a780bd-cacc-47d8-8a26-d9b80389a56c_3000x3000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Ayo shares on what she wishes people understood about grief, including:</p><ul><li><p>What <em>not</em> to say to someone who is grieving</p></li><li><p>What to say <em>instead</em></p></li><li><p>Practical ways to show up and support someone without just saying, &#8220;let me know how I can help.&#8221;</p></li></ul><p>Whether you&#8217;re grieving or loving someone who is, I promise, this conversation will bless you.</p><p>You can watch or listen to this episode now, and also share this episode with someone who might need it today.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[When was the last time you Prayed for your Friends?]]></title><description><![CDATA[how to build a Circle that lifts you spiritually....]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/do-you-have-friends-who-pray-for</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/do-you-have-friends-who-pray-for</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 19:00:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg" width="1024" height="945" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:945,&quot;width&quot;:1024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:168803,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/i/189417847?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d8efde-79fc-479a-9651-60fc7fe04a0e_1024x1024.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FU85!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca37ae50-c43c-4598-8bd1-f33a2d6cef25_1024x945.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Last month was rough!</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Dear Christian Girl! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Life was life-ing, work was busier than usual. I was attending court more frequently, dealing with a sick child, and also not feeling well. I was also waking up at 6:00 AM to pray, working out four times a week, podcasting, writing, editing, blogging, while still trying to be a great wife, mom, and friend.</p><p>It didn&#8217;t take long before I burnt out and disappeared from social media.</p><p>Then my friends came searching for me.</p><p>With every message or call, one thing stood out: &#8220;I am praying for you.&#8221;</p><p>You know how people say, &#8220;I&#8217;ll be praying for you&#8221; but they never pray? Not these friends. When they called, they prayed. Some left voice notes praying for me and others met to intercede on my behalf.</p><p>I have friends I call and simply cry. While I do the crying, they do the praying. (Very dramatic, I know.)</p><p>The Bible is filled with examples of people praying for their friends:</p><p>&#8211; In Acts 12:5-17, the church prayed for Peter when Herod arrested and put him in prison. The Bible says, The church earnestly prayed to God for him and while Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, an angel appeared and led him out of prison.</p><p>&#8211; In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus prayed for Peter: &#8220;Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.&#8221;</p><p>&#8211; In Esther 4:15-16, before approaching the king to save her people, Esther asked her community to fast and pray for her. Their intercession played a part in the deliverance of the Jewish people, and we see the answer in Esther 7, when the king ordered Haman to be impaled on the pole he had set for Mordecai.</p><p>In life, you need friends who will pray for you&#8212;when you are too weak to pray, down, grieving, or overwhelmed. You need friends who will intercede on your behalf like it&#8217;s a matter of life and death.</p><p>Look around your circle and ask yourself, Do I have friends who pray for me?</p><p>If you don&#8217;t, be that friend who prays for others and ask God to bring friends into your life who will do the same for you.</p><p>The post <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/do-you-have-friends-who-pray-for-you/">Do You Have Friends who Pray for You? </a>appeared first on <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/">Moyosore Somide</a>.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Dear Christian Girl! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[40 Prayers to Pray Over Your Children and Future Children!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Speaking God&#8217;s promises over your children's lives before and after they are born.....]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/40-prayers-to-pray-over-your-children</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/40-prayers-to-pray-over-your-children</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:02:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My daughter recently celebrated her birthday, and I&#8217;ve prayed for her even more. I already pray for her daily, but recently, the Lord laid it on our hearts to go on a fast for her. Since then, he&#8217;s been speaking to us about her and directing me to specific scriptures to pray over her, and I&#8217;ve been writing them down.</p><p>My friend also gave me a book titled <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Praying-Circles-around-Your-Children/dp/0310325501">&#8203;Praying Circles Around Your Children&#8221; by Mark Batterson&#8203;</a>, which talks about how to pray for your children. It has real-life examples of parents who prayed consistently over their children and saw results, and it also shares five biblically backed prayer circles you can pray around your children. Honestly, the book couldn&#8217;t have come at a more perfect time.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg" width="3546" height="3394" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:3394,&quot;width&quot;:3546,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:2431445,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://dearchristiangirl.substack.com/i/188687818?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb181545-87b0-4f9e-8897-ca7da6b7fe9e_4284x5712.heic&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9464!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18db128e-3234-4281-a236-75c5586705f8_3546x3394.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>Whether you&#8217;re praying for a child you already have or your future children, here are forty prayers you should pray over your children and future children.</p><p>I have done the hard work, so you don&#8217;t have to, so feel free to copy and paste them into your journal, notes app, or wherever it is easy for you to see. Make sure you insert your child&#8217;s/ children&#8217;s names before each prayer:</p><p>Dear ______________</p><ol><li><p>You will say no when peer pressure compels you to go with the crowd, and sinners invite you to join in. You will not follow the crowd into compromise, and you will stand firm in God&#8217;s truth even when it&#8217;s unpopular. (Proverbs 1:10)</p></li><li><p>Your ears are tuned to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit (1 Kings 19:12)</p></li><li><p>You hear God&#8217;s voice clearly, and you follow his instructions (John 10:27)</p></li><li><p>You carry a prophetic ear and voice like Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10)</p></li><li><p>You know God deeply, and you do exploits for him (Daniel 11:32b)</p></li><li><p>You hate iniquity and love righteousness (Psalm 45:7)</p></li><li><p>You serve the Lord all the days of your life (Joshua 24:15)</p></li><li><p>You are taught by the Lord, and great is your peace (Isaiah 54:13)</p></li><li><p>You are not confused about your identity and gender, and your identity is secure in Christ (Genesis 1:27) (Psalm 139:13-14)</p></li><li><p>You shine brightly in your generation, and your light will not be dimmed (Matthew 5:14)</p></li><li><p>The excellent spirit of God rests upon you (Daniel 6:3)</p></li><li><p>You always know what to do, and you walk in divine wisdom (James 1:5)</p></li><li><p>The gates of nations are open to you, and you are blessed and highly favoured (Isaiah 60:11)</p></li><li><p>The Spirit of the Lord rests upon you&#8212; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the reverential fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2)</p></li><li><p>To obey the Lord will make you very happy (Isaiah 11:4)</p></li><li><p>You will not judge people because of what you see with your eyes or what you hear about them, but with righteousness and justice shall you judge the poor (Isaiah 11:4)</p></li><li><p>Righteousness is your belt; faithfulness is your sash, and you walk in integrity (Isaiah 11:5)</p></li><li><p>You will not suffer what your parents and grandparents suffered (Ezekiel 18:20)</p></li><li><p>You bear the mark of Christ, so let no man trouble you (Galatians 6:17)</p></li><li><p>Angels guard you every day of your life (Psalm 91:11)</p></li><li><p>You are never at the wrong place at the wrong time (Proverbs 3:23)</p></li><li><p>Your friends and teachers are handpicked by God (Proverbs 1:11-15)</p></li><li><p>You will never be a victim of any abuse (Psalm 91:10)</p></li><li><p>No weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17)</p></li><li><p>You are trained in the way of the Lord, and you will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)</p></li><li><p>You are rescued from every hidden trap and deadly disease (Psalm 91:3)</p></li><li><p>You trample upon snakes and scorpions, and nothing will harm you (Psalm 91:13)</p></li><li><p>Whenever you call, God answers (Psalm 91:15)</p></li><li><p>You will live a long and satisfying life (Psalm 91:16)</p></li><li><p>You are powerful in this land; wealth and riches are in your home (Psalm 112:2&#8211;3)</p></li><li><p>Your heart is steady, and always trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7)</p></li><li><p>You will be rich in the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) Galatians 5:22-23</p></li><li><p>God&#8217;s thoughts towards you are precious and countless, and God&#8217;s promises concerning your life will be fulfilled (Psalm 139:17&#8211;18)</p></li><li><p>You cannot escape God&#8217;s presence &#8212; He is always with you (Psalm 139:7&#8211;10)</p></li><li><p>The evil one cannot touch you because you are born of God (Luke 10:19)</p></li><li><p>God is for you, so no one can be against you (Romans 8:31)</p></li><li><p>You are more than a conqueror through Christ, and nothing can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:37)</p></li><li><p>Your mind is kept in perfect peace because you always trust in the Lord (Isaiah 26:3)</p></li><li><p>You are saved from unnecessary pain (1 Chronicles 4:10)</p></li><li><p>You will know the joy of a close relationship with God (Philippians 3:8)</p></li></ol><p>If this post would bless someone you know, please feel free to share it with them and encourage them to subscribe for more posts like this.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[What to do When You Don't Feel Like Praying or Reading Your Bible! | EP 13]]></title><description><![CDATA[In this episode, I sit down with Victoria Odesanmi to have an honest conversation about those moments when life is living or you simply don&#8217;t feel like praying or studying your Bible.]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/what-to-do-when-you-dont-feel-like-c76</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/what-to-do-when-you-dont-feel-like-c76</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2025 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241438/4b76978201db11c94e3a434b63cc9118.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this episode, I sit down with <strong>Victoria Odesanmi</strong> to have an honest conversation about those moments when life is living or you simply don&#8217;t <em>feel</em> like praying or studying your Bible.</p><p>We talk about what to do in those seasons, and share practical ways on how to reconnect with God.</p><p>If you&#8217;ve ever struggled to stay consistent in your walk with God or felt distant in your prayer life, this episode is for you!</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Unspoken Struggles of a Pastor’s Wife - The good, the bad and the Ugly | EP 12]]></title><description><![CDATA[In this conversation, I sit down with Titi Adeboye to unpack the often-unspoken expectations placed on pastors&#8217; wives.]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-unspoken-struggles-of-a-pastors-e29</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-unspoken-struggles-of-a-pastors-e29</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 30 Aug 2025 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241439/5c6f3128e704fc7fcbc388532fe55409.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this conversation, I sit down with <strong>Titi Adeboye</strong> to unpack the often-unspoken expectations placed on pastors&#8217; wives. From the pressure to be perfect, to the silent boxes people put them in, we talk about it all &#8212; the good, the bad, and the ugly.</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Christianity Is Simple — Stop Making it so Complicated? | EP 11]]></title><description><![CDATA[In this episode, my guest, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, shares her faith journey, from growing up in Islam to discovering the simplicity of Christianity.]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/christianity-is-simple-stop-making-7e2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/christianity-is-simple-stop-making-7e2</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 19 Jul 2025 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241440/0514074adab507d297b59d8869e0f824.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this episode, my guest, <strong>Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal</strong>, shares her faith journey,&nbsp; from growing up in Islam to discovering the simplicity of Christianity.</p><p>Adenike opens up about how burnout from religious expectations pushed her to step away from church for a season, and how she found her way back, not through rules or performance, but through the simplicity of Christianity.</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Five Perks of Being a Pastor’s Kid (PK)!]]></title><description><![CDATA[We have heard many horror stories about PKs: how they often rebel, how they grow up resenting the church, and how they sometimes don&#8217;t turn out &#8220;right.&#8221;]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/five-perks-of-being-a-pastors-kid-pk</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/five-perks-of-being-a-pastors-kid-pk</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2025 02:50:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wnhr!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8400acf2-d027-4141-b7b2-06715d9ab5c4_3663x3663.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We have heard many horror stories about PKs: how they often rebel, how they grow up resenting the church, and how they sometimes don&#8217;t turn out &#8220;right.&#8221;</p><p>But how about we flip the script for a minute and discuss the perks of being a PK?</p><p>While it comes with its unique set of struggles, there are many blessings I wouldn&#8217;t trade for anything.</p><p>Here are five perks of being a PK:</p><p>1. It gives you a solid foundation for your Christian journey</p><p>Growing up in a Christian home sets you up for success and gives you a solid head start. You get used to praying from an early age, and memorizing Bible verses &#8212; and that&#8217;s always a blessing. That spiritual foundation has helped me today, and I&#8217;m not starting from scratch; instead, I&#8217;m building on what my parents gave me.</p><p>Of course, this isn&#8217;t exclusive to PKs &#8212; anyone who grew up in a Christian home can relate.</p><p>2. You get a lot of gifts growing up</p><p>I&#8217;m sure a lot of PKs can relate to this. Church members are constantly giving pastors gifts for the right and wrong reasons. Some do it to get close to the &#8220;pastor,&#8221; others give out of the goodness of their hearts. Either way, the children usually benefit too.</p><p>Growing up, Christmas at our house looked like a mini farm. We had goats, chickens, turkeys, rams, sheep, cows, rabbits roaming the compound, and gifts from church members. We received cash gifts, hampers, fruits, clothes&#8230; all sorts of things, which made me light up as a child. And to be honest, I still love receiving gifts.</p><p>3. We had the right connections</p><p>Being a PK meant access to certain people and networks. Pastors often know individuals in powerful positions &#8212; politicians, business owners, people with influence. Because the work of a pastor impacts so many lives, people are willing to help in return, and it&#8217;s a perk.</p><p>When the BVN (Bank Verification Number) registration came out in Nigeria, the queues at the banks were insane, and I had spent an entire week trying to get mine done. Then I remembered &#8212; my dad knew the bank manager. I begged him to call, and just like that, I got an appointment the next day.&nbsp;</p><p>4. We learned leadership early</p><p>PKs are thrown into leadership roles, and we often serve in multiple units in the church. That teaches responsibility and multitasking from an early age.</p><p>While I grumbled at the time (because why was I in every church unit), it taught me how to show up, handle pressure, and be dependable &#8212; even when no one&#8217;s clapping for you. That leadership skill shows up in my workplace, relationships, and almost every area of my life.</p><p>5. We developed a discerning spirit early</p><p>As a pastor, you must be discerning because not everyone around you is there for the right reasons. Everyone wants to be associated with the pastor, but not everyone genuinely cares, and as a PK, you witness that firsthand.</p><p>I remember moments where we were told not to eat certain food or accept gifts, not because we were ungrateful, but because of the spirit behind them. That&#8217;s stayed with me, and this discernment has helped me navigate friendships, relationships, and business decisions.</p><p>Being a PK isn&#8217;t perfect. It comes with pressure, expectations, and a lot of unseen sacrifices. But it&#8217;s not all bad. It&#8217;s beautiful, and these perks have shaped who I am today.</p><p>So to all the PKs doing their best &#8212; showing up, healing, growing, serving with sincerity, or walking in your parents&#8217; footsteps as pastors &#8212; your journey is valid, your experiences are real, and most importantly, God&#8217;s got you.</p><p>The post <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/five-perks-of-being-a-pastors-kid-pk/">Five Perks of Being a Pastor&#8217;s Kid (PK)!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">Moyosore Somide</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why So Many Christian Girls Are Tired of Being Perfect | EP 10]]></title><description><![CDATA[In this episode of The Dear Christian Girl Podcast, I sit down with Elizabeth, a PK, who opens up about her journey navigating the invisible weight of expectations placed on her from both the church and her upbringing.]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/why-so-many-christian-girls-are-tired-97d</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/why-so-many-christian-girls-are-tired-97d</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Jun 2025 02:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241441/b5c96f421c1463dc11cebce28d2021e1.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this episode of The Dear Christian Girl Podcast, I sit down with Elizabeth, a PK, who opens up about her journey navigating the invisible weight of expectations placed on her from both the church and her upbringing.</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to deal with Offence as a Christian Girl | Ep 9]]></title><description><![CDATA[Have you ever been deeply offended by something small &#8212; like someone forgetting your birthday &#8212; but it spiraled into bitterness and resentment?]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/how-to-deal-with-offence-as-a-christian-734</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/how-to-deal-with-offence-as-a-christian-734</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Jun 2025 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241442/a4adf34db0ab6c06610e49fa8ca15933.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever been deeply offended by something <em>small</em> &#8212; like someone forgetting your birthday &#8212; but it spiraled into bitterness and resentment?</p><p>In this episode, Tobi talks about how offense crept into her heart, what it revealed about her relationship with God, and how the Holy Spirit helped her release the pain and walk in forgiveness.</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Parenting Episode Everyone MUST listen to | Raising Godly and Wholesome Children | Episode 8]]></title><description><![CDATA[In this episode, I sit down with Ifeoluwa Aduradola &#8212; a Nigerian author, literacy advocate, and parenting coach &#8212; and she shares practical tips for raising goldy and wholesome children in today's world.]]></description><link>https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-parenting-episode-everyone-must-453</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.moyosoresomide.com/p/the-parenting-episode-everyone-must-453</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moyosore Somide]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 19:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187241443/284af48644951b8400133d364a4c431b.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this episode, I sit down with Ifeoluwa Aduradola &#8212; a Nigerian author, literacy advocate, and parenting coach &#8212; and she shares practical tips for raising goldy and wholesome children in today's world. Whether you're a parent, mentor, or future parent, this conversation will leave you encouraged and equipped.</p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2404525/support">Support the show</a></p><p>This podcast is hosted by Mo! <br><br>TAKE THE QUIZ:</p><p>What Type of PK are you? <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/">https://moyosoresomide.com/470-2/</a></p><p><br>Are you living a double life as a Christian? Take this Quiz to find out?: https://moyosoresomide.com/quiz-2/</p><p><br>Connect with Mo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moyosore_somide/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MoyosoreSomide">YouTube</a> or through her website: <a href="https://moyosoresomide.com">moyosoresomide.com</a> <br><br>Support the show by leaving a five star rating and review.<br><br>Thank you</p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>