Hey beloved!
Welcome back to this week’s 🌿 Rooted & Rising! If you’ve ever had to check your bank account three times before swiping your card, wondered if that comment was helpful or just mean, or realized you’ve been calling something a “wilderness season” when really you just ran ahead of God’s timing...this one’s for you.
This week’s themes:
Financial honesty: When trusting God meets inconsistent income
Constructive feedback vs. noise: Knowing the difference
Wilderness season vs. misalignment: Finding your way back
Want to work directly with me? I help overwhelmed creators and founders show up confidently online while building systems that actually work for their life. If you’re ready to stop the planning spiral and start showing up for yourself, book time here and let’s chat!
But first…
🥭 A Spiritual Snack🥭
“Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.Valid criticism is valuable to one who listens, like a gold earring”
Where I Got Checked This Week ✅
Can we be honest for a second?
I’ve been preaching “God provides” and “trust the process” in these newsletters while simultaneously learning some uncomfortable lessons about where my security was actually coming from.
There have been moments this season where my bank account has been lower than I’m comfortable with. Times I’ve had to reach out to close family members for help. And even now, I’m still rebuilding from financial decisions that didn’t serve me well.
Here’s what got exposed: it all stemmed from not being disciplined with my money when I actually HAD a consistent influx coming in, combined with overspending as a way to feel in control. Spoiler alert - trying to control your way out of discomfort doesn’t work. It just creates more discomfort.
I’ve also been learning to navigate feedback - trying to figure out what’s actually helpful versus what’s just noise designed to make me feel insufficient. And I realized something else that stung: what I’ve been calling a “wilderness season” was actually just me running ahead of God’s timing and refusing to sit still.
live footage of me after sharing all of this with you
So this week is about getting honest about three things I’m learning in real-time…
Let’s Break It Down: Practical Strategies 🤏🏾
1. Financial Honesty: God is the Source, Not Your Bank Account
I used to say “I’m not a lover of money, I just love the freedom that comes from being financially secure.” Cute. Spiritual- sounding. Also? A lie I was telling myself.
This season exposed the truth: I was only comfortable when my bank account had a certain number in it. When that number dipped, so did my peace. Which means I wasn’t fully seeing God as the Source — I was seeing my balance as the source.
And here’s the kicker: this was causing me to burn myself out working and overspending all in an attempt to feel in control. Every all nighter and purchase was an attempt to manage anxiety about the future, which ironically left me in a tired, ashy, financial drought that made the anxiety worse.
Trusting God isn’t a nice spiritual add-on — it’s vital. And a vital part of that trust is knowing that HE is the Source. He is the Provider. Not your side hustle. Not your savings account. Not your ability to ‘figure out.’
If we never learn that lesson, we’ll keep going through these same cycles until we finally let go.
Try this: This week, check your peace level when you check your bank account. If the number dictates your mood, that’s your sign. Ask God to help you see Him as your actual Source, not just a backup plan when money gets tight. Then pick ONE financial discipline to practice (tracking expenses, tithing first, creating a buffer) as an act of trust.
Bonus: This podcast episode helped me put things into perspective.
Results from trusting my bank account over God: the Source
2. Constructive Feedback vs. Noise: Know the Difference
Not all feedback is created equal, and learning to tell the difference has saved my sanity more times than I can count.
Constructive feedback humbles you and motivates you at the same time. It sees what you’ve built, appreciates the effort, and offers insight on how to make it even better. It feels like a gift, even when it stings a little.
Noise makes you feel insufficient. You know it’s noise when it leads you to shame what you’ve built so far instead of inspiring you to improve it. Noise doesn’t see your progress— it only highlights what’s missing.
The test: Does this feedback make me want to quit or make me want to grow?
If someone’s words leave you feeling like everything you’ve done is trash, that’s noise. If their words challenge you but also remind you of your potential? That’s probably worth listening to.
Not every opinion deserves a seat at your table. Guard your peace - it’s your most valuable asset.
Try this: This week, when you receive feedback (from a client, a comment online, a family member), ask yourself: “Is this helping me grow or just making me feel small?” If it’s the latter, let it go like Elsa ❄️. If it’s the former, even if it’s uncomfortable, lean into it.
3. Wilderness Season vs. Misalignment: Finding Your Way Back
I’m going to say something that’s been hard for me to admit: I am the one who brought myself here.
What I was calling a “wilderness season” was actually me running ahead of God, refusing to sit still long enough to hear His next step. When that happens, misalignment is sure to follow.
God wasn’t being silent—I was just moving too fast to hear Him.
So what do you do when you realize you’ve hustled yourself into misalignment? You force stillness.
I know it sounds harsh, but that’s what I’ve had to do. Pray before I even sit down at my desk. Carve out intentional moments in my day to be still before God and let Him guide my next steps. Go on a fast to make sure I’m hearing Him and not just a remix of my own strategies that got me here in the first place.
Fasting trims the fat (sometimes literally *mews into camera*) — it gets you back to the core of why you started, what your message is, and who you’re trying to reach. It reminds you that you ARE the person God called for this specific mission, and you can’t afford to give up now.
Stop calling misalignment a “season” and start calling it what it is: a detour you chose. Then choose to get back on the path.
Try this: This week, commit to ONE act of forced stillness. Maybe it’s 10 minutes of prayer and meditation on the Word before you open your laptop. Maybe it’s a day of fasting. Maybe it’s turning off notifications for an hour and just sitting with God. Whatever it is, get still enough to hear Him again.
Monday Move 💃🏾
Pop on this playlist, take a moment to stretch, and leave with a reminder for the week ahead
Your playlist:
Your stretch routine:
* Remember to keep breathing deeply throughout!
Shoulder Rolls (30 secs each direction)
Gently roll your shoulders up, back, and down in a circular motion. Reverse after 30 seconds.
Neck Release (20 secs per side)
Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder and hold. You can gently press down on your head with your hand for a deeper stretch. Switch sides.
Seated Twist (30 secs each side)
Sit tall, place your right hand on the back of your chair, and gently twist your torso to the right. Breathe deeply and repeat on the left side.
Forward Fold (30 secs)
From your chair, scoot forward, plant your feet, and slowly fold over your legs, letting your arms dangle. This stretches your back and releases pressure in your lower spine.
Wrist and Finger Stretch (20 secs per hand)
Extend one arm forward, palm up. Use your other hand to gently pull back on your fingers. Flip your palm down and repeat.
Your Reminder: Financial discipline and faith work together. Not all feedback deserves your attention. And if you’ve run ahead of God, the way back starts with stillness.
“You know what just dawned on me?” 💭
You remember Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8? The man that straight up tried to BUY the power of the Holy Spirit? He wanted the anointing for his own gain, to show off how “spiritual” he was.
Peter, the straight-up G that he was, checked him IMMEDIATELY: “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!” (Acts 8:20)
And I realized: sometimes we pimp out our salvation by showing how “saved” we are without doing any of the work that comes with it.
Same thing happens in business. We fall in love with our titles and the credibility that come with them but fall into inconsistency. Recognition without the responsibility.
That’s how we end up stuck like the Israelites—1,2 stepping in circles, calling ourselves chosen while refusing to do what we were chosen FOR.
I don’t want to just talk about being a believer, a creator, a founder. I want to BE about it.
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Forward this to someone who needs permission to get financially honest, filter out the noise, and choose stillness over hustle ✨
Want to work directly with me? I work 1:1 with founders and creatives who want to build an authentic online presence without burning out. If you’re interested in support with building a website, coming up with a content strategy that works for YOU or nailing down your personal branding or messaging - reply directly to this email. I’d love to help!
Stay rooted in who you are. Keep rising in your calling!
Here for the journey with you ✨,
