🌸 When Prayers Seem Unanswered

The MOMENT

Have you ever prayed for something for so long that eventually you stopped knowing what else to say?

Maybe it was the job you were sure you needed.

The baby you prayed to conceive.

The marriage proposal that never came.

The house you did not qualify for.

The child you raised in church who no longer wants to go.

The spouse who does not share your faith.

The retirement you thought would have happened by now.

Or maybe it is something so personal that you rarely say it out loud anymore.

You prayed.

You believed.

You waited.

And what you hoped for still did not happen.

Those are the prayers that can be difficult to talk about because sometimes well-meaning Christians are quick to remind us that God answers prayer.

And He does.

But sometimes His answer looks so different from what we prayed for that, at first, it can feel like no answer at all.

📖 Scripture

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” — Ruth 1:16

Today’s Reflection

I think about Naomi.

She left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons.

Then she lost her husband.

She lost one son.

Then the other.

When Naomi returned home, she was grieving so deeply that she told the women not to call her Naomi anymore.

Call me Mara—bitter.

Naomi was not pretending everything was fine simply because she believed in God.

She was hurting.

And yet, walking beside her was Ruth.

Naomi could not have known then what God was going to do with the woman who refused to leave her.

Ruth would eventually marry Boaz.

They would have a son named Obed.

Obed would become the grandfather of David.

And generations later, from that family line, would come Jesus.

Naomi could not see any of that when she was walking home grieving what she had lost.

And that is what stays with me.

God did not give Naomi back the life she had before.

Her husband did not return.

Her sons did not return.

God's answer did not erase her loss.

Instead, He began building something new in a place Naomi probably thought held nothing but emptiness.

That makes me wonder about some of my own prayers.

How many times have I decided what God's answer should look like before I even finished praying?

Lord, give me this job.

Lord, fix this relationship.

Lord, change this person.

Lord, open this door.

Lord, please let it happen this way.

And sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes it is not yet.

Sometimes it is no.

And sometimes I wonder if God is saying:

“Monica, you are looking so intently at the door that did not open that you have not noticed where I am leading you instead.”

That does not mean every disappointment will eventually make sense to us.

Some things hurt.

Some losses remain losses.

Some questions may stay with us for a very long time.

Faith does not require us to call something good when it hurt us deeply.

But faith does allow us to believe that God is still present in the part of the story we do not understand.

Naomi thought she was returning home empty.

She had no idea what God was already carrying home beside her.

Maybe there is something in that for us too.

🙏🏾 MOMENT Prayer

Lord, You know the prayers I have prayed over and over again.

You know the ones I am still waiting on and the ones I quietly stopped praying because disappointment became too painful.

Help me trust You when Your answer does not look like mine.

Give me peace when the answer is yes, patience when it is not yet, and faith when the answer is no.

And when I cannot understand what You are doing, help me recognize that You are still with me.

Keep me from becoming so focused on what did not happen that I miss what You are doing now.

Amen.

🌸 This Week’s Challenge

Think about one prayer that seems unanswered.

Instead of asking God only for the outcome you want, try adding one more sentence to your prayer this week:

“Lord, help me recognize Your answer—even if it looks different from mine.”

Then leave a little room to notice.

Before You Go

Naomi thought she came home empty.

But Ruth was walking right beside her.

Sometimes what feels like an unanswered prayer may be a chapter whose ending we simply cannot see yet.

Do not stop looking for God in the middle of the story.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Every moment matters.

—Monica

🌸 What Do You Need to Come Back To?

Scripture

“Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.
— Malachi 3:7

THE MOMENT

Driving home from a short vacation, somewhere between “I could use another few days” and “I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed,” 😂 I started thinking about how good it feels to get away.

But I also thought about how good it can feel to come back.

There is something about returning home.

Your own bed.
Your own kitchen.
Your familiar routines.

Even unpacking the suitcase does not seem quite as bad when you are finally home. Well...maybe. 😂

But somewhere on that drive, I realized that coming back is not only something we do after vacation.

Sometimes we need to come back in life, too.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

Life has a way of pulling us forward.

The next appointment.
The next responsibility.
The next thing our children need.
The next work or ministry assignment.
The next family situation.
The next problem to solve.

We keep moving because that is what women so often do.

But sometimes, while taking care of everything and everyone, we can drift away from things we never intended to leave behind.

Our quiet time with God.

A friendship we meant to nurture.

Family dinners.

Taking care of ourselves.

A dream we put on the shelf.

The habit of actually sitting still long enough to hear ourselves think.

Maybe even the version of ourselves that laughed more, rested without guilt, called friends just because, and did not feel as though every minute had to be productive.

And sometimes we drift from God.

Not because we stopped loving Him.

Life simply got loud.

SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO COME BACK

The beautiful thing about God is that He allows us to return.

We do not have to wait until everything is fixed.

We do not have to explain where we have been.

We do not have to pretend we never wandered.

We can simply come back.

Back to prayer.

Back to His Word.

Back to trusting Him.

Back to the people who matter.

Back to something we know God placed in our hearts.

Back to taking care of the woman in the mirror.

And coming back does not necessarily mean returning to exactly where we left off.

Sometimes we come back rested.

Sometimes wiser.

Sometimes a little bruised.

Sometimes more grateful.

Sometimes with clearer eyes about what deserves our attention—and what no longer does.

A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT

Maybe today is not about adding something else to your life.

Maybe it is about asking:

What do I need to come back to?

Is it God?

Prayer?

Your family?

A friendship?

Your health?

Rest?

Joy?

Something you once loved doing?

Or perhaps you need to come back to yourself—the woman God created before life became so busy that everybody else's needs started speaking louder than your own.

There is value in moving forward.

But there is also wisdom in knowing when to pause, turn around, and return to what matters.

And here's what I love:

God is not standing at the door asking why it took you so long.

He is simply glad you came back.

MOMENT PRAYER

Lord,

Thank You for being a God who welcomes us back.

When life becomes busy and I lose sight of what matters most, help me recognize it.

Bring me back to You.

Bring me back to prayer.

Bring me back to the people and things You have entrusted to me.

Help me release what no longer deserves so much of my energy and return my attention to what does.

And when I need rest, remind me that pausing is not quitting.

Sometimes stepping away gives me the clarity I need to come back differently.

Amen.

YOUR MOMENT

What is one thing you need to come back to?

Don't make a ten-item list.

Just name one.

And this week, take one small step toward it.

Maybe open your Bible again.

Call the friend.

Have dinner at the table.

Take the walk.

Pick up the project.

Sit quietly with God.

Or simply give yourself permission to rest.

You don't always have to start something new.

Sometimes you just need to come back. ❤️

Pause. Pray. Return.

❤️ Every MOMENT Matters.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
MOMENT Moms™
MOMENTMoms.org

🌸Make Room for Her

Scripture

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:11

THE MOMENT

Sometimes supporting another woman looks very spiritual.

We pray with her.
We send her a Scripture.
We remind her that God has not forgotten her.

And sometimes it looks like sitting on the floor helping her take braids out of her hair. 😊

It looks like watching her children for a couple of hours because she needs a break.

Dropping off dinner when somebody is sick.

Sitting quietly with a friend whose marriage is falling apart—and resisting the urge to give her a dozen opinions.

Checking on the woman who has lost someone she loves, not only the week of the funeral, but three months later when everyone else has returned to their lives.

It is supporting the woman trying to start something new. Showing up for her event. Sharing her work. Celebrating when something finally goes right.

Sometimes ministry looks a whole lot like friendship.

And sometimes friendship itself becomes ministry—even when we never call it that.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

We hear a lot about community.

But real community requires more than being friendly with the people we already know.

It requires making room.

Room at our tables.
Room in our schedules.
Room in our lives.
Room in our friendship circles.

Most of us already have our people. The friends we call first. The women we meet for lunch. The people whose children know our children. The ones who already know our stories.

There is nothing wrong with having a close circle.

But maybe every now and then, God asks us to pull up another chair and widen it.

And that woman may not look like us, worship like us, live like us, or come from the same background.

She may attend church every week.

She may not attend church at all.

She may be a neighbor you've waved to for three years but never really gotten to know.

A coworker.

Another mom at your child's school.

The woman who always seems to be sitting by herself.

Someone new to the neighborhood.

Or even someone you have known for years but never taken the time to really know.

Invite her to lunch.

Ask her to meet for coffee.

Take a walk.

Plan a girls' night and invite somebody new.

Offer to babysit.

Bring the casserole.

Make the phone call.

Help her take out her braids or wash her hair. 😂

Sit in the hospital waiting room.

Celebrate her good news without comparing it to your own life.

And when life gets hard—divorce, illness, caregiving, financial struggles, grief, problems with our children, or simply one of those seasons when life feels like too much—don't disappear because you don't know what to say.

Sometimes “I'm here” is enough.

A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT

Jesus had a remarkable way of noticing people.

He went to homes.

He ate with people.

He stopped along the road.

He talked with people others overlooked.

He crossed social and cultural boundaries.

And He made room.

Maybe we can do the same.

Not necessarily by starting another program.

Not with another group chat.

Not by collecting more followers or spending more time scrolling through other people's lives.

Maybe it starts by looking up from our phones and noticing the woman who is already right in front of us.

Sometimes building community begins with four simple words:

“Come sit with us.”

MOMENT PRAYER

Lord,

Help us become women who make room for other women.

Teach us to notice the woman who needs encouragement, practical help, friendship, prayer—or simply someone willing to sit beside her.

Help us look beyond our familiar circles and see the people You have placed around us.

Give us generous hearts, open homes, listening ears, and willing hands.

Help us love people without first requiring them to believe what we believe, live as we live, or already belong to our circle.

And when we say, “I'm praying for you,” remind us to also ask,

“Is there something I can do?”

Amen.

Your MOMENT:‍ ‍

What is one simple way another woman has shown up for you when you needed her?

THIS WEEK'S MOMENT CHALLENGE

Think of one woman outside your usual circle.

Not necessarily someone from church.

Maybe she's a neighbor, coworker, another mom, an old friend you've lost touch with, or someone you keep seeing but have never really gotten to know.

Invite her in.

Lunch. Coffee. A walk. Girls' night. A playdate. A phone call. A seat beside you. Or even a simple text:

“Hey, I was thinking about you. How are you—really?”

And if you already know a woman going through a difficult season, do one practical thing for her this week.

Nothing elaborate.

Just show up.

Because sometimes the MOMENT God gives us to encourage another woman may seem ordinary to us...

but it may be exactly the MOMENT she needed.

Pause. Pray. Notice. Make room.

❤️ Every MOMENT Matters.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
MOMENT Moms™
MOMENTMoms.org

🌸 For the Mom Who Keeps Everyone Going

Sometimes the person who needs a moment the most is the one making sure everyone else is okay.

There is something beautiful about being someone people can count on.

To be the mother who remembers.

The wife who notices.

The friend who checks in.

The woman at church who sees what needs to be done and quietly does it.

But being dependable does not mean you never get tired.

Sometimes we become so accustomed to being the strong one that we stop noticing when we need strengthening too.

And sometimes everyone around us gets so accustomed to us being okay that they forget to ask:

How are you doing?

Not, Did you get everything done?

Not, What is for dinner?

Not, Can you help me with one more thing?

Just—

How are YOU doing?

Jesus understood the need to step away.

Even with people waiting for Him, needs surrounding Him, and important work still to be done, Scripture tells us:

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” — Luke 5:16

That little word often gets my attention.

Jesus did not wait until He had nothing left to give before He withdrew. Making room to be alone with His Father was part of how He lived.

Maybe there is something there for us too.

Rest does not mean that you love your family less.

Pausing does not mean that you have stopped being responsible.

And taking a MOMENT for yourself does not mean that you have stopped caring for everyone else.

Sometimes pausing is how we make room for God to care for us.

So today, before you move on to the next thing, take a MOMENT.

Put the phone down.

Sit somewhere quiet.

Pour yourself something you enjoy.

And ask yourself:

How am I doing—really?

What am I carrying that I need to put down?

What happened today that I do not want to rush past?

And while you are sitting there, ask God one more question:

Where did I see You today?

Maybe it was a phone call that came at just the right time.

A good laugh with your child.

A quiet drive home.

An unexpected kindness.

Or simply the strength to get through a day that asked a lot of you.

Sometimes the moments we almost miss are the ones worth remembering.

Today’s MOMENT

Before the day ends, write down one thing you want to remember about today.

Not the whole day.

Just one moment. 🌸

MOMENT Prayer

Father, sometimes I become so busy caring for everyone else that I forget how much I need You to care for me.

You know what I am carrying, even the things I do not say out loud. Help me recognize when I need to slow down. Remind me that I do not have to hold everything together by myself.

Meet me in the quiet. Renew my strength, and help me receive the same grace and care that I so freely give to others.

Amen.

This Week’s Challenge

Choose one MOMENT this week that belongs to you and God.

Not while folding laundry.

Not while answering texts.

Not while driving somebody somewhere.

Give yourself a few uninterrupted minutes.

Put the phone down. Sit somewhere comfortable. Take your coffee or tea if you would like.

And simply ask:

God, how am I really doing?

Then be quiet long enough to notice what comes to the surface.

Maybe you are more tired than you realized.

Maybe something has been bothering you that you have not made time to acknowledge.

Or maybe you simply needed a few minutes with God when nobody needed anything from you.

Before You Go

You can be the one everyone counts on and still need somewhere to rest.

You can love your family deeply and still need a little quiet.

You can be strong and still need strengthening.

Even Jesus withdrew from the crowds and made room to be with His Father.

So before you rush off to take care of the next person, remember:

You are someone God wants to care for, too.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Every moment matters—including the ones you make room for yourself.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins

When You Do Not Need Another Answer

An open Bible and journal beside a cup of coffee, reflecting a quiet moment to listen for God’s direction.

The MOMENT

I am a person who likes answers.

I like knowing what comes next. I like plans, calendars, lists, and knowing that something has been handled.

Maybe you can relate.

But lately, I have been reminded that there are moments when I do not need another answer. I need to become quiet enough to recognize the direction God has already been giving me.

Sometimes I pray about something and then immediately start trying to solve it myself.

What should I do? Who should I call? What is the next step? What am I missing?

And before long, my prayer has turned into another project for me to manage.

Perhaps the problem is not always that God has been silent.

Sometimes there is simply so much noise around us—and inside us—that we have trouble hearing Him.

Scripture

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
— Isaiah 30:21

Today’s Reflection

Listening to God does not mean that we will always receive an immediate answer.

Sometimes His direction comes through Scripture. Sometimes through wise counsel. Sometimes through a door that opens—or one that remains firmly closed.

And sometimes God asks us to wait.

That may be the hardest kind of listening.

I am learning that waiting does not mean God has forgotten about me. It does not mean nothing is happening. It may simply mean that I do not yet see what He is doing.

This lesson has followed me through motherhood, work, ministry, writing, and seasons when my own plans changed unexpectedly.

I still have questions.

I still make lists.

I still want to know what comes next.

But I am learning to leave a little more room between my question and my next move.

Room to pray.

Room to read God's Word.

Room to notice.

Room to listen.

Because sometimes the next step is not something I need to figure out.

Sometimes I simply need enough faith to recognize it when God shows me.

MOMENT Prayer

Father, there are so many voices competing for my attention, including my own. Help me recognize Yours. Give me wisdom when I need to move, patience when I need to wait, and faith when I cannot see what You are doing. Keep me close enough to You that when You say, “This is the way,” I am ready to follow. Amen.

This Week’s Challenge

Before making one decision this week, resist the urge to immediately solve it.

Pray about it first.

Read a passage of Scripture.

Give yourself a little time before responding.

Then ask:

God, is there something You want me to notice before I decide what to do?

Before You Go

You do not have to have every answer today.

You only need enough light for the step God is asking you to take next.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Every moment teaches us something. The question is: Are we paying attention?

— Monica Lynne Wilkins

The Grace to Begin Again

Woman standing at a fork in a wooded path beside signs reading “Stay the Same” and “Choose Growth,” illustrating the choice to course correct and grow.

This morning I heard a simple statement that stayed with me:

“You are not limited to the first version of yourself that shows up. You can course correct.”
— Coach Val

I kept thinking about those words because, honestly, some days I need the reminder.

Some mornings we wake up already carrying yesterday’s burdens.

Some days we respond out of frustration.

Sometimes we speak before we pray.

Sometimes we assume instead of listening.

Sometimes we simply get it wrong.

But one difficult moment does not have to define the rest of the day.

God has never waited for perfection before inviting us to walk with Him.

One of the beautiful gifts of God’s grace is that we do not have to stay where we started.

We can stop.

We can apologize.

We can forgive.

We can listen again.

We can choose humility over pride.

We can replace fear with faith.

We can choose kindness over criticism.

We can pause...and begin again.

I think sometimes we imagine that changing direction means we have failed. But what if recognizing that we need to change direction is actually evidence that we are growing?

Maybe the first response was not our best response.

Maybe the plan we were so sure about is no longer the right plan.

Maybe we need to have the conversation differently.

Maybe we need to admit, I was wrong.

Maybe God is showing us something we could not see before.

There is grace for that.

That is part of what repentance is—not simply feeling sorry about where we have been, but being willing to turn when God shows us another way.

And I love that God allows us to do that.

He does not say, Well, you already started down that road, so I guess you have to keep going.

He invites us to turn.

To listen.

To learn.

To grow.

To begin again.

Every day gives us opportunities to course correct. And sometimes the smallest change in direction can eventually take us somewhere very different.

📖 This Week’s Scripture

“Search me, O God, and know my heart... See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23–24

I especially love the last part of that prayer:

Lead me.

Not simply show me where I was wrong.

Lead me somewhere better.

Today’s MOMENT

Think about one area of your life where something has not felt quite right lately.

A relationship.

A habit.

An attitude.

A decision.

A direction you have been heading.

Ask yourself:

Do I need to keep pushing forward—or is God giving me permission to course correct?

You do not have to figure everything out today.

Just be willing to listen.

🙏 MOMENT Prayer

Father,

Thank You for the grace to begin again.

Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and that You do not give up on me when I fall short.

Search my heart. Show me where I need to grow, and give me the humility to receive correction without shame or defensiveness.

When I need to apologize, help me apologize.

When I need to listen, help me listen.

When I need to let something go, give me the courage to release it.

And when You show me that I am headed in the wrong direction, give me enough faith to turn around.

Keep shaping me into the woman You created me to be.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

🌿 This Week’s MOMENT Challenge

The next time you catch yourself reacting in a way that does not reflect Christ, do not allow one moment to become the whole day.

Pause.

Invite God into that moment.

Then make one small course correction.

It might be an apology.

A conversation.

A prayer.

A changed attitude.

A decision to listen instead of defend yourself.

Or simply choosing grace instead of judgment.

Do not underestimate the power of a small change in direction.

💛 Before You Go...

You are not required to keep becoming a version of yourself that God is asking you to outgrow.

There is no shame in saying:

I know better now.

I see it differently now.

I need to change this.

I need to begin again.

That is not failure.

Sometimes, that is growth.

And thank God for the grace that allows us to grow.

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Grow.

Every moment matters—even the ones that change our direction.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
Founder, MOMENT Moms

🌿When I Thought I Was Falling Behind

This Week's Scripture

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)

A few days ago, I heard John Maxwell speak at the SURGE Conference about learning to get a return on failure.

His message stayed with me, but not because it was about leadership.

It stayed with me because it made me think about my own life.

There have been seasons when I quietly wondered if I had fallen behind.

Not because I wasn't trying.

Because things simply weren't happening the way I had prayed they would.

There were opportunities I thought were meant for me that never came.

Plans that changed.

Doors that closed.

Prayers that seemed to linger without an answer.

For a long time, I looked at those moments as interruptions.

Now I see them differently.

They weren't interruptions.

They were invitations.

Invitations to trust God when I couldn't see where He was leading.

Invitations to grow in ways I never would have chosen for myself.

Invitations to discover that my identity was never tied to a job title, a promotion, or even my own timeline.

One of the reasons I created THE MOMENT is because I needed that reminder myself.

To stop.

To breathe.

To notice where God was already working before I rushed ahead trying to fix everything.

I've learned that some of God's greatest work happens while we're waiting for the next door to open.

Sometimes He isn't changing our circumstances.

He's changing us.

Looking back, I wouldn't choose every difficult season again.

But I also wouldn't trade who I've become because of them.

Perhaps that's what it means to fail forward.

Not that we enjoy disappointment.

Not that failure suddenly feels good.

But that we allow God to use every experience to move us closer to the person He created us to be.

💛 Today's MOMENT

Is there a season in your life that you've labeled a failure?

Take a fresh look.

Ask God to show you not only what you've lost, but also what you've gained.

You may discover that while one door was closing, God was quietly preparing another.

🙏 MOMENT Prayer

Father,

Thank You for never letting our setbacks be the end of our story. When life doesn't unfold the way we expected, help us remember that You are still directing our steps. Give us eyes to see Your hand in every season, courage to trust You when the path feels uncertain, and faith to believe that You are using every experience to shape us into who You've called us to be.

Teach us to pause long enough to recognize that You never waste a moment.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

🌿 Live the MOMENT This Week

Write down one disappointment you've carried for a while.

Then answer this question:

"How has God used this experience to help me become the woman I am today?"

You may be surprised by your own answer.

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Live It.

Because every moment—even the difficult ones—matters.

Monica Wilkins

When God Says Wait

This Week's Verse

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

Today's Reflection

If I'm honest, waiting has never been one of my strengths.

I like to make plans, check things off my list, and see progress. Waiting can feel like standing still while everyone else is moving ahead.

But over the years, I've begun to realize something important: God's "wait" is not the same as God's "no."

Sometimes He asks us to wait because He's preparing us.

Sometimes He's preparing the opportunity.

Sometimes He's preparing the people we'll meet along the way.

And sometimes He's preparing our hearts to receive what we've been praying for.

There have been moments when I questioned why doors weren't opening as quickly as I had hoped. Looking back now, I can see that many of those delays became some of God's greatest blessings. If things had happened according to my timeline, I might have missed the lessons, relationships, and growth that only came through waiting.

As I prepare for a new season, I'm reminded that faith isn't just trusting God when the answer is "yes." Faith is also trusting Him when the answer is "not yet."

Waiting doesn't mean God has forgotten you.

It doesn't mean your prayers aren't being heard.

It doesn't mean your purpose has been put on hold.

Sometimes waiting is where God does His deepest work.

So if you're waiting today—for a new job, restored health, a relationship, direction, healing, or an answered prayer—don't lose heart.

Keep praying.

Keep growing.

Keep trusting.

The same God who gave you the promise is faithful to fulfill it in His perfect time.

The MOMENT Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Waiting isn't always easy, but I know Your timing is better than my own. Help me to trust You when I don't see immediate answers. Give me peace while I wait, wisdom while I prepare, and faith to believe that You are working even when I cannot see it.

Teach me to embrace each moment, knowing that You are shaping me for what lies ahead.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

This Week's Challenge

Is there an area of your life where you've been feeling impatient?

Instead of asking, "God, why is this taking so long?"

Try asking,

"Lord, what are You teaching me while I wait?"

You may discover that the waiting itself is part of the blessing.

MOMENTS I LEARNED

Waiting isn't wasted time.

It's often where faith grows, character is strengthened, and God quietly prepares us for what's next.

Before You Go...

If this Reflection encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who may be waiting on an answer from God today.

You never know how a few words of hope can make all the difference.

Until next week,

Monica Wilkins

Founder, The MOMENT

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Grow.

Do I Recognize God's Voice?

Woman sitting quietly in prayer beside a sunlit window, reflecting on recognizing God’s voice amid the noise of everyday life

Pause. Pray. Listen.

Before you continue reading...

Pause for just a moment.

Ask God to quiet the noise around you and help you recognize His voice today.

📖 Scripture to Read This Week

1 Samuel 3

Psalm 23

John 10:27

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

—John 10:27

🙏 A MOMENT Prayer

Lord,

Quiet the distractions around me so I can recognize Your voice.

Help me become so familiar with You that following You becomes my natural response.

Amen.

🌿 MOMENT Reflection

This morning I was reading 1 Samuel 2 and 3, and one verse just stayed with me.

"In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions."

—1 Samuel 3:1

I kept rereading this verse and asking myself...

Why was hearing from God so rare?

As you read these chapters, you can't help but notice what was happening around Eli. His sons were serving in the tabernacle, but they were living in ways that dishonored God. Eli knew what was going on, yet he failed to deal with it.

The people were still worshipping.

The sacrifices were still being offered.

But something was missing.

God's voice had become rare.

Then there's young Samuel.

Samuel was in the tabernacle.

He was serving faithfully.

Yet when God called his name...

he didn't recognize His voice.

That made me stop and think.

I wonder if sometimes we can become so familiar with doing church that we forget the most important part is knowing the God we're there to worship.

Sabbath is such a beautiful gift because it strengthens what we've hopefully been building all week long.

It's possible to know the praise songs...

the order of service...

the traditions...

and even the Scriptures...

yet still struggle to recognize when God is speaking to our hearts.

Recognizing God's voice doesn't begin when we walk through the church doors.

It begins in the quiet moments throughout the week—

when we open His Word...

when we spend time in prayer...

when we listen instead of rushing...

and when we invite Him into our everyday lives.

Then I thought about the next generation.

Whether we're raising children...

loving on grandchildren...

mentoring young people...

teaching a class...

serving in ministry...

or simply living as women of faith...

someone is watching how we follow Jesus.

Are we only teaching them how to attend church?

Or are we showing them what it looks like to have a real relationship with God?

Do they see us praying because we love talking with Him?

Do they see us reading His Word because we want to hear His voice?

Do they see us trying to obey Him—even when it's difficult?

As I continued reading and reflecting this week, my thoughts kept returning to Psalm 23.

"The Lord is my Shepherd."

Those simple words reminded me that our Shepherd is still leading His sheep today.

He still provides.

He still restores.

He still guides.

And just as sheep learn to recognize the voice of their shepherd by spending time with him, we learn to recognize God's voice by spending time with Him.

Maybe that's what God was reminding me through these passages.

He is still our Shepherd.

He is still speaking.

The question isn't whether God is speaking.

The question is...

Are we becoming so familiar with our Shepherd that we recognize His voice, trust where He's leading, and willingly follow Him?

As I continued reflecting on these passages, one thought kept coming back to me.

Maybe God's voice wasn't rare because God had stopped speaking.

Maybe it was rare because so few hearts were truly listening.

That thought challenged me.

God still speaks today—

through His Word...

through the Holy Spirit...

and through those quiet moments when we choose to be still before Him.

The question is...

Am I slowing down enough to listen?

Today I'm asking the Lord to help me—and all of us—

become women who know Him well enough to recognize His voice...

trust Him...

and obey Him when He speaks.

Because one day...

someone we love may recognize God's voice...

because they first saw what it looked like in us.

💛 Today's MOMENT Thought

Every moment we spend listening to God prepares us to recognize His voice when He calls.

Have a wonderful Sunday and an even better week.

My prayer is that each of us will make time this week to pause, listen, and allow God to speak to our hearts.

Until next time...

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Every MOMENT matters. 💛

— Monica

The Waiting Isn't Wasted

There are seasons in life when it feels as though everything is on pause, but God is still at work.

Lately, I've been thinking about seasons of waiting.

Waiting for answers.

Waiting for feedback.

Waiting for clarity.

I've learned that waiting isn't just about time. It's about trust.

Over the past year, I've realized that waiting doesn't have to mean standing still.

Some of the most meaningful work God has done in my life hasn't happened after reaching a milestone. It's happened while I've been writing, learning, serving, spending time with family, building ministry, and simply trying to be faithful with what's already in front of me.

Looking back, I realize those weren't interruptions to God's plan. They were part of it.

Purpose isn't found only in the destination. It's found in how we choose to live while we're on the journey.

Every day we're becoming someone. The question is, who are we becoming while we wait?

I've come to believe that even when we can't see the full picture, God is still working. Sometimes He's opening doors we don't yet see. Other times, He's quietly preparing us for what comes next.

Sometimes the greatest MOMENT isn't when God changes our circumstances. It's when He changes us while we wait.

So if you're in a season of waiting, don't assume nothing is happening. Whether you're waiting for direction, healing, a breakthrough, an answer, or simply the next step, God is still at work.

Keep learning.

Keep preparing.

Keep serving.

Keep showing up.

Trust that even when you can't see what God is doing, He is still at work.

MOMENT Prayer

Lord, thank You for reminding me that waiting is never wasted when I place it in Your hands. Help me to trust You when I can't see the whole picture. Teach me to keep learning, serving, growing, and walking faithfully in the purpose You've already given me. Shape me into the person You are calling me to become while I wait. Help me to trust that Your timing is always better than my own. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Pause & Reflect

Before you move on with your day, take a MOMENT to ask yourself:

Who am I becoming while I wait?

Sit quietly for a moment.

Invite God into your thoughts.

Then ask Him to help you see this season not as time lost, but as time He is using to prepare you for what comes next.

Every moment matters.

Monica Wilkins

Standing in the Gap

Sometimes We Need Someone to Pray Over Us

Welcome, friend. I'm so glad you stopped by today. 💕

There's something powerful about knowing another woman has called your name before God. To have someone pray over your fears, your family, your health, your children, your marriage, your dreams—even the things you've been silently carrying.

God always hears our prayers. And in His love, He often encourages us through the prayers of others.

I've learned that I don't always need someone to have the right words or the perfect advice. Sometimes I just need someone to place a hand on my shoulder and simply say, “Let's pray.”

There have been seasons when I didn't even know what to pray for myself. In those moments, God faithfully used the prayers of another woman to strengthen my faith and remind me that I wasn't carrying the burden alone.

Today's Scripture

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16 (NIV)

Sometimes standing in the gap doesn't require knowing exactly what to say. It simply means being willing to bring someone else's name, need, hurt, or hope before God when they may not have the strength to do it themselves.

And sometimes, we are the ones who need someone to stand in the gap for us.

🙏🏾 MOMENT Prayer

Lord, thank You for the people who have prayed for me when I needed it most. Today, place someone on my heart who needs prayer. Help me not simply to say, “I'll pray for you,” but to actually stop and pray. And when I am the one who needs help, remind me that I don't have to carry everything alone.

Amen.

💛 Today's MOMENT

Think of one person who may need someone standing in the gap for them today.

Don't just think about praying for them.

Call their name before God.

And if someone has stood in the gap for you, take a moment to thank God for them too.

With love,
Monica

Every Moment Matters.

Faith

Earlier this week, I prayed about something that was heavy on my heart.

And God answered.

Not only did He answer, but the answer came in a way that was even better than I had imagined.

I was so thankful.

And then...I shared it with someone.

The questions came.

The doubts started creeping in.

And before long, I found myself wondering:

Was this really God?

How do I know this was not just a coincidence?

Isn't it interesting how quickly that can happen?

We can pray and pray for God to move. We can ask Him to open a door, provide an answer, make a way, give us clarity—and then when something finally happens, we start analyzing it.

At least I did.

This morning, while I was thinking about the blessing and questioning what had happened, my mind went to the Israelites.

God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He had done what they could never have done for themselves. Yet once they were in the wilderness, they became so focused on what they did not have that they struggled to trust the God who had already shown Himself faithful.

And still, God provided.

He gave them manna.

They had not asked Him specifically for manna. They did not even know what manna was.

But God knew what they needed.

That stopped me.

Because I realized I was doing something similar.

I had asked God for help.

He answered.

I thanked Him.

And then I started questioning the very thing I had just thanked Him for.

My doubt was making me suspicious of my own blessing because I could not completely explain how it had happened.

I even caught myself wondering whether God might somehow take the blessing back because I had allowed doubt to creep in.

Our minds can take us to some interesting places, can't they?

But thankfully, God is far more gracious than our fears.

Sometimes we become so concerned with figuring out how God answered that we forget to simply say:

Thank You.

There is certainly a place for discernment. Not every open door is necessarily God's direction, and Scripture tells us to seek wisdom.

But discernment and doubt are not the same thing.

Discernment asks, “God, is this You? Help me follow Your direction.”

Doubt can keep asking questions long after God has given us reason to trust Him.

And that is what I am learning.

I want to trust God while I am waiting.

But I also want to trust Him after the answer comes.

📖 This Week’s Scripture

“Give us today our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11

Such a short prayer.

But there is so much trust in it.

Give us what we need today.

Not necessarily what we expected.

Not always in the way we imagined.

Not with every detail explained beforehand.

Just the confidence that our Father knows what we need.

Today’s MOMENT

Think about something you have been praying about—or something God has already provided.

Then ask yourself:

Am I receiving what God has given me with gratitude, or am I allowing fear and overthinking to steal the joy from it?

Maybe today you do not need another explanation.

Maybe you simply need to say:

Thank You, Lord. I trust You with this.

🙏 MOMENT Prayer

Father,

Thank You for hearing me when I pray.

Help me trust You not only while I am waiting for an answer, but also when the answer comes.

Give me wisdom to discern Your direction without allowing fear to make me question every good thing You place in my life.

When You provide differently than I expected, help me recognize Your hand.

When I cannot explain everything, remind me that I do not have to understand everything in order to trust You.

And when doubt starts getting louder than gratitude, bring me back to what I already know:

You are faithful.

Help me receive Your gifts with an open and grateful heart, trusting that You know what I need even before I ask.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

🌿 This Week’s MOMENT Challenge

This week, notice one answered prayer or unexpected provision that you might normally overlook.

It does not have to be something big.

Maybe someone calls at exactly the right time.

Maybe an opportunity appears.

Maybe something you were worried about works itself out.

Maybe God simply gives you peace about something that has been troubling you.

Before you analyze it, explain it away, or call it coincidence—

pause and thank God.

You can ask questions later.

But first, practice gratitude.

💛 Before You Go...

Faith is not only trusting God when you are waiting for the blessing.

Sometimes faith is trusting Him enough to receive the blessing when it comes.

You may not understand every detail of how God is working.

You do not have to.

Remember the manna.

The Israelites did not know what it was when they first saw it.

But God did.

He knew what they needed.

And He knows what you need, too.

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Grow.

Every moment matters—even the ones that remind us to simply say thank You.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
Founder, MOMENT Moms

The Pause

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause.

I know that sounds strange in a world that celebrates movement.

Keep going.
Push through.
Stay busy.
Get it done.
Figure it out.

And sometimes we do need to move.

But I am learning that there are also moments when God is not asking me to move faster. He is inviting me to be still long enough to notice Him.

A pause isn't necessarily doing nothing.

A pause isn't necessarily doing nothing.

Sometimes the pause is where we catch our breath.

Sometimes it is where we realize we have been carrying something God never asked us to carry.

Sometimes it is where we finally admit, Lord, I don't know what to do next.

And sometimes it is simply where we stop talking long enough to listen.

I've had moments when I wanted God to give me an answer, change a situation, open a door, or tell me exactly what came next.

Instead, He gave me a pause.

At the time, it felt like nothing was happening.

But looking back, I can see that God was doing something in me while I was waiting for Him to do something around me.

Maybe that is why Scripture says:

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📖 Scripture to Hold Onto

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10

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Not be still because everything has been figured out.

Not be still because there is nothing left to worry about.

Just:

Be still. And know.

Know that He is God.

Know that He sees what you cannot see.

Know that He is working even when you cannot see movement.

Know that you don't have to solve everything in this moment.

There will be time to move.

There will be time to make the phone call, send the email, have the conversation, make the decision, start again, or take the next step.

But perhaps before all of that, there needs to be a MOMENT.

A moment to breathe.
A moment to pray.
A moment to listen.
A moment to remember that God is God—and you don't have to be.

────────────── ♡ ──────────────

🙏🏾 MOMENT Prayer

Father, sometimes I become so busy caring for everyone else that I forget how much I need You to care for me.

You know what I am carrying, even the things I do not say out loud.

Help me recognize when I need to slow down. Remind me that I do not have to hold everything together by myself.

Quiet the noise around me and the noise within me. Help me recognize when You are asking me to move and when You are inviting me to be still.

When I feel pressured to have all the answers, remind me that You already see what I cannot.

Meet me in this pause. Renew my strength. And when it is time to move again, help me move with You.

Amen.

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🌸 This Week's MOMENT Challenge

Choose one MOMENT this week that belongs to you and God.

Not while folding laundry.
Not while answering texts.
Not while driving somebody somewhere.

Give yourself a few uninterrupted minutes.

Put the phone down. Sit somewhere comfortable. Take your coffee or tea if you would like.

And simply ask:

God, how am I really doing?

Then be quiet long enough to notice what comes to the surface.

You may realize that you are more tired than you thought.

You may realize that something has been bothering you that you have not made time to acknowledge.

Or you may simply realize how much you needed a few minutes with God when nobody needed anything from you.

────────────── ♡ ──────────────

💛 Before You Go

You can be the one everyone counts on and still need somewhere to rest.

You can love your family deeply and still need a little quiet.

You can be strong and still need strengthening.

Even Jesus withdrew from the crowds and made room to be with His Father.

So before you rush off to take care of the next thing—or the next person—remember:

You are someone God wants to care for, too.

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Rest.

Every moment matters—including the ones you make room for yourself.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

Sometimes I think we underestimate what God can do with a small step.

We are often looking for the big change. The answered prayer. The breakthrough. The moment when everything finally falls into place.

A woman tending young plants in a garden, illustrating how small, faithful steps can grow into meaningful change over time.

But so much of life does not happen that way.

Sometimes growth looks like getting up and trying again.

Making the phone call you have been putting off.

Reading one chapter.

Walking for twenty minutes.

Saving a little instead of waiting until you can save a lot.

Praying for five quiet minutes because an uninterrupted hour simply is not happening today.

Choosing not to respond the way you would have responded six months ago.

None of those things may feel particularly life-changing in the moment.

But small does not mean insignificant.

I think about how often God works through small beginnings.

A shepherd boy with a sling.

A widow with a little oil.

A boy with five loaves and two fish.

A mustard seed.

Again and again, Scripture reminds us that God is not limited by what looks small to us.

Sometimes the shift we are praying for begins with one faithful step repeated over and over again.

And that is where I would place the new branded graphic.

Then we can build the remainder around the same format we have established:

📖 Scripture to Read This Week
The MOMENT
🙏 MOMENT Prayer
🌿 This Week's MOMENT Challenge
💛 Before You Go

Turn Intention Into Action

Confidence does not always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we choose to move forward even when we are unsure of the outcome.

A journal open to the words “Take One Step,” paired with the reminder to turn intention into action through prayer, reflection, faith, and small consistent steps.

But I am learning that I do not have to wait until I feel completely confident to begin.

Sometimes faith means taking the next step while I am still a little nervous.

We can pray about something. Think about it. Write it in our journals. Talk about what we hope to do. And all of those things have their place. But eventually, there comes a moment when intention has to become action.

The key is not waiting for the perfect moment. It is being willing to start with what God has already placed in your hands, right where you are.

Big goals can feel overwhelming when we look at the whole journey at once. But God often works through small beginnings and ordinary acts of faithfulness. One phone call. One application. One conversation. One page written. One idea finally put into motion.

Small steps taken consistently can become something much bigger than we imagined.

And perhaps that is where confidence really begins—not simply in believing I can do this, but in remembering I do not have to do it alone.

God can give us wisdom when we do not know what to do next. He can redirect us when our plans are not His plans. And He can give us courage to move when fear has kept us standing still.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
— Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

You do not have to be fearless to move forward. You just have to be willing.

Willing to pray.
Willing to begin.
Willing to learn.
Willing to adjust.
Willing to trust God with what happens next.

Sometimes the prayer is not simply:

“Lord, show me what to do.”

Sometimes it becomes:

“Lord, You have shown me. Now give me the courage to do it.”

💛 Today’s MOMENT Question:

What have you been praying about, thinking about, or planning that may now require a step of action? What is one small thing you can do today—and trust God with the rest?

— Monica

Make Room for Growth

There are seasons when we can feel ourselves being stretched.

We know we are not quite where we used to be, but we are also not yet where we hope to be.

And that in-between place can feel uncomfortable.

We may question ourselves.

Am I ready for this?

Do I really have what it takes?

What if I try and it does not work?

But I am learning that confidence does not always arrive with a bold entrance.

Sometimes it builds quietly, one small step at a time.

It grows when we do the thing we were afraid to do.

When we try even though we are unsure of the outcome.

When we pray about something—and then have enough faith to move.

When we discover that God was already preparing us for something we did not think we were ready for.

Maybe confidence is not about believing that we have all the answers.

Maybe it is about trusting that God will meet us in the places where we do not.

📖 This Week’s Scripture

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
Philippians 1:6

I love the reminder in this verse that God is still working.

We are works in progress.

That means we do not have to have everything figured out today.

Growth is allowed to take time.

Sometimes we look at the whole goal—the new job, the ministry idea, the book, the business, the healthier relationship, the thing God has placed on our hearts—and become overwhelmed by how far away it seems.

But God does not always show us the entire road.

Sometimes He simply gives us enough light for the next step.

And then another.

And another.

The key is not waiting until we feel completely confident before we begin.

It is starting with what we have, where we are, and trusting God with what happens next.

Big goals are often accomplished through very ordinary acts of faithfulness.

One phone call.

One application.

One conversation.

One page written.

One boundary established.

One prayer prayed.

One brave yes.

Small steps may not feel impressive while we are taking them.

But small steps taken consistently can become a completely different life.

Today’s MOMENT

Is there something you have been putting off because you do not feel completely ready?

Take a moment and name it.

Then ask yourself:

What is one small step I can take today?

Not the whole plan.

Not the finished product.

Just the next step.

Then pray:

God, if this is where You are leading me, give me the courage to move.

🙏 MOMENT Prayer

Father,

Thank You that You do not expect me to have everything figured out before I begin.

When I doubt myself, remind me that my confidence does not have to come from having all the answers. My confidence can come from knowing that You are with me.

Give me courage to take the next step, wisdom to recognize Your direction, and patience with myself while I grow.

When fear tells me I am not ready, help me remember that You are still working in me.

Make room in my heart for growth, even when growth feels uncomfortable.

And help me become the woman You are calling me to be—one faithful step at a time.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

🌿 This Week’s MOMENT Challenge

Choose one thing you have been waiting to feel “ready” for.

Then take one small, intentional step toward it this week.

Send the email.

Make the call.

Write the first paragraph.

Ask the question.

Research the opportunity.

Have the conversation.

Start the application.

Or simply write down the idea you have been afraid to take seriously.

You do not have to finish it this week.

Just begin.

Then pay attention to what God teaches you while you move.

💛 Before You Go...

You do not have to be fearless to grow.

You just have to be willing.

Willing to try.

Willing to learn.

Willing to be redirected.

Willing to trust God with the parts you cannot see yet.

The woman you are becoming will not appear overnight.

She is being shaped in the prayers, decisions, mistakes, lessons, and small acts of courage you are making right now.

So give yourself permission to be a work in progress.

More importantly, give God room to continue His work in you.

Pause. Pray. Reflect. Grow.

Every moment matters—even the small ones that are helping you become.

— Monica Lynne Wilkins
Founder, MOMENT Moms