Okay, bear with me — this is a few stories in one. 😊 Last year, before I opened the store — honestly, before my walls were even built — I drove to Houston for a closeout sale at one of my favorite stores, Nadeau. (We have one in Austin, but the sale was in Houston… so of course I rented a U-Haul because I was fully convinced I would find treasure.) Well… I did find treasure. But between the U-Haul cost, food, gas, and the “sale” that didn’t exactly feel like a sale… let’s just say nothing was really on sale by the time the math settled. 😂 But I digress. One of the first things I saw was this gorgeous marble-top bar cart. I knew immediately I wanted it — but I absolutely did not need it. Hours later, near the end of wandering that warehouse, I bought it anyway. $350, after discount. Irrational? Probably. But I’m so glad I did. When the store opened, that bar cart became a beautiful display piece for my crystal and elixirs. But later, when I stopped selling those items, the cart lost its purpose. For months, it has been pushed around the store holding random mannequins — a fancy misfit, waiting for belonging. Fast forward to now. The store has had beautiful days and really hard days. This first year has stretched me. I’ve wondered more than once if I misunderstood God’s calling or direction. I am surrounded by strong prayer warriors — daily. Meanwhile, I am what I jokingly (but honestly) call a warm-weather prayer warrior: - When things are great → I forget to pray. - When things are fine → I gripe. - When things are good → I praise, but doubt it will last. That’s my flesh. But the women around me have shown me what relentless prayer looks like — including prayer at 3AM. Prayers over my business, finances, family, the future — asking for angels to go before me and fight battles I don’t see. So last Friday night, I decided to start my own 3AM prayer journey. (Except it was actually 6AM… not 3. Baby steps. 😅) In that prayer, I was very specific:

Wow… I’ve had my share of trials. But honestly, I’m not special. I meet people every day walking through things far worse than mine—and I also meet people whose worlds feel like they’re falling apart over what seems small to me. Sometimes I catch myself thinking, “That’s all you’ve got? Walk in my shoes.” But the truth is… pain is pain. We all have our own circumstances surrounding the things that break us—and every single one of those moments matters to God. He doesn’t measure our trials on a scale. Big or small, He treats us all the same, because He loves us all the same. Sometimes the little inconveniences of life test my faith just as much as the hardest moments ever did. And while there’s no need to share every personal trauma, I can tell you this: there are things I still wrestle with today. But through every single one of them, I’ve seen God. He didn’t cause the pain, but He carried me through it. He’s shown me patience when I wanted control. Kindness when I was hardened. Forgiveness when I couldn’t let go. And humility when pride tried to sneak back in. He’s given me kids who are breaking generational curses, a husband who’s learning to love me through my rough edges, and a business that’s humbling me and stretching my faith to the max. I may not have it all figured out, but I know this — God is in every detail. He’s never wasted a single tear, a single trial, or a single turning point. He’s been working all things together for good — even when I couldn’t see it. 💬 Discussion Prompt What’s one trial or challenge where you’ve seen God carry you through? How did your faith grow in that season—or what is He teaching you right now in the middle of it? Share your reflection below ⬇️ so we can encourage one another. You never know who might need to hear your story today.

No one comes into this Skool space looking to carry the weight of someone else’s life. We all have our own pressing from the world — our own seasons of waiting and wondering when God will reveal what He’s doing. This year has been the hardest year of my life. Marriage strain. Kids struggling. And the store — this beautiful, challenging, purpose-filled store — has tested me more than anything ever has. The hardest part has been stepping out in faith and going all in, believing with everything in me that God had been preparing me for this moment all along. Every door opened. The right people showed up. The timing was perfect. It felt like I was walking directly into His plan — so I didn’t hesitate. I invested everything, believing it was 100% God’s plan for me. But as the months went on — as I sat through quiet days with no one walking through the door — I started to question. Has His plan somehow turned into my hustle? Did I take His gift and start pushing in my own strength? I don’t think I lost His purpose, but I’ve definitely lost my energy. I’ve found myself teetering between faith and fear, between trusting and trying to fix it myself. And yet, even in that place, He keeps whispering: “I’m here. Keep going. Lean on Me. I will carry you when you can’t keep moving. I will provide. Just trust Me.” Every day I battle the same worries — the debt, the slow days, the pressure to make the holidays miraculous so I can keep this mission alive. I find myself flapping my wings frantically, trying to make the wind move faster. But God keeps saying: “Be still. Stop striving. Calm your spirit. Read My promises. Be a good steward. Get quiet and listen — to where I am calling you into, or calling you out of.” I’m learning that struggle is never wasted. The testimony needs tension. Without the storm, there’s no story of rescue. Without the drought, there’s no miracle of rain. So here I am — catching the wind beneath my wings again. Taking a long pause. Waiting patiently for God’s grace and His kept promises.

• Biblical Parables of Separation • Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 — Wheat & Tares: God allows both to grow together until the harvest; angels separate at the end. • Matthew 25:31–46 — Sheep & Goats: a final separation based on how people lived out their faith. • Luke 22:31–32 — Peter is “sifted like wheat” (testing/refining). • Key Truths • Final judgment belongs to God alone, at the end of the age. • Right now, we may be experiencing sifting — exposing false teaching, testing faith, refining the church. • God’s patience allows time for repentance, but truth always gets revealed. • What This Looks Like Today • Divide between sound doctrine vs. watered-down gospel. • Families and churches wrestling with whether faith is political or deeply spiritual. • A refining of leaders, churches, and individuals — true fruit becomes visible. • How to Respond Faithfully • 🙏 Pray for wisdom and discernment. • 📖 Stay rooted in Scripture. • 🍎 Look for fruit, not just words (Matthew 7:15–20). • 💬 Speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). • 🤝 Pursue unity where possible, separate where necessary. • ❤️ Serve and love others — actions reveal Kingdom values (Matthew 25). • 🏡 Protect and disciple your family spiritually. • Reminder • Not every disagreement is eternal separation. • Be careful not to play the judge — trust God with final judgment. • Our role: faithfulness, truth, love, and endurance.

🪞 Opening Thought We all hit moments where prayer feels hard. The words don’t come. Our hearts feel numb. Or honestly—we just don’t want to.The good news? God knows that too. He doesn’t condemn us for the struggle—He invites us closer. 📖 Key Scriptures - Romans 8:26 – “The Spirit helps us in our weakness… the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” - Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” - James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” 💡 Practical Steps 1. Pray HonestlyTell God exactly how you feel: “God, I don’t feel like praying today.”Honesty is still prayer. 2. Pray SmallOne sentence is enough.Example: “Jesus, I need You.” 3. Pray with ScriptureOpen Psalms or the Lord’s Prayer and pray the words that are already written. 4. Pray with Others’ VoicesListen to a recorded prayer or let someone else’s words carry you. 5. Pray with Worship 🎶Turn on a worship song and start singing along.Let the lyrics become your prayer when you have none of your own.✨ Song Suggestions: 6. Pray with SilenceJust sit in His presence. Sometimes prayer is listening, not speaking. 🌿 Reflection Question for Skool Comments - Have you ever had a season where prayer felt hard? - What helped you through it? ✨ Wrap Up Prayer isn’t about performance—it’s about relationship. Even when you don’t feel like praying, showing up with even the smallest whisper—or even a song—keeps your heart connected to Him.