“Made for Better” Micheal Woods, Executive Director

So often life hands us challenges we never asked for — losses, disappointments, and setbacks that leave us wondering why things turned out the way they did. And in all honesty, we sometimes ask if God really cares. But when we hit those tough moments, we have an important choice to make: will we let these experiences make us bitter, or will we allow them to shape us into something better? Regardless of age or spiritual maturity, I’m convinced we are all learning what it means to trust God regardless of the season we are in. Life hits everyone, no matter how strong, accomplished, or faithful we are. As Scripture reminds us, the rain falls on everyone, the just and unjust.

When we find ourselves in the storm, it’s natural to look around for someone or something to blame. Sometimes we even blame God. We ask, “Why me? Why now? What did I do wrong?” But faith doesn’t mean we get to skip the hard parts of life. It means we have a companion to walk with us through them.

One of the most striking stories in Scripture is the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth. Naomi was a woman who had every reason to feel broken — she lost her husband and both her sons. When she returned home, her neighbors were excited to see her, but she told them, “Don’t call me Naomi (which means pleasant); call me Mara, because my life has become bitter.” She no longer saw herself as God saw her. Instead, she let her sorrow reshape her identity.

Many of us know what that feels like. We let hard experiences define who we are. We focus on bitterness instead of our blessings. We stop seeing ourselves as children of God and start seeing ourselves only through the lens of loss or disappointment. But here’s the challenge: will we let these painful things push us deeper into bitterness, or will we let God use them to strengthen and grow us?

Bitterness is tricky. It feels justified. There will always be people who will affirm our hurt and say, “You have every right to feel that way, to be angry .” And it’s true — hurting (grieving) is natural. The scripture tells us to be angry but sin not. Being angry is not a sin but when we allow anger to go unresolved it can produce bitterness. If we stay stuck in bitterness, we cut ourselves off from God’s comfort and healing. We begin to believe we can’t trust God, that He’s abandoned us, or that He no longer cares. But the truth is, God’s love remains steady. Nothing can separate us from His love — though bitterness can cloud our ability to feel or believe it.

Friends, God cares more about shaping our character than making sure we’re always comfortable. That’s not to say He causes our pain, but He can take the pain the world brings and turn it into something meaningful — something that builds us up and helps others. God can take what was meant to harm us and transform it into a testimony that encourages others.

You have a choice. You can let your pain become your permanent label, or you can let it be the ground where God creates new growth. That doesn’t mean ignoring the pain or pretending it will go away your pain. It means deciding, every day, to trust that your story isn’t over and that God is still at work.

There’s a moment in Exodus 15 when the Israelites, wandering in the desert, come to bitter waters. They begin to complain but Moses cries out to God, and God shows him a piece of wood to throw into the water — and the water becomes sweet. I love that image, because it reminds me that what seems undrinkable today can become life-giving tomorrow if we let God be part of the process. Praising God in spite of hard times is one of the most powerful things we can do. Not because we ignore what’s wrong, but because we say, “God, I trust You anyway.” Habakkuk puts it beautifully: “Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom, even if the crops fail, even if everything falls apart — yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” (Hab. 3:17) That’s the kind of faith that grows stronger in the storm.

So here’s my invitation to you today: take an honest look to see where you may be carrying bitterness. Where have you let old wounds define you? Have you believed the lie that God has left you? Can you take even one step today toward trusting that He’s still at work in your life?

Nothing separates you from God’s love. Not your anger, your disappointment, or your doubts. He’s still there. He’s still pursuing you. And He still calls you His own. You don’t need a dramatic “before and after” story to have a testimony. If God has carried you, sustained you, or loved you even when you didn’t realize it, that’s a testimony. That’s how We overcome: by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

“Made for Better” Micheal Woods, Executive Director

So often life hands us challenges we never asked for — losses, disappointments, and setbacks that leave us wondering why things turned out the way they did. And in all honesty, we sometimes ask if God really cares. But when we hit those tough moments, we have an important choice to make: will we let these experiences make us bitter, or will we allow them to shape us into something better? Regardless of age or spiritual maturity, I’m convinced we are all learning what it means to trust God regardless of the season we are in. Life hits everyone, no matter how strong, accomplished, or faithful we are. As Scripture reminds us, the rain falls on everyone, the just and unjust.

When we find ourselves in the storm, it’s natural to look around for someone or something to blame. Sometimes we even blame God. We ask, “Why me? Why now? What did I do wrong?” But faith doesn’t mean we get to skip the hard parts of life. It means we have a companion to walk with us through them.

One of the most striking stories in Scripture is the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth. Naomi was a woman who had every reason to feel broken — she lost her husband and both her sons. When she returned home, her neighbors were excited to see her, but she told them, “Don’t call me Naomi (which means pleasant); call me Mara, because my life has become bitter.” She no longer saw herself as God saw her. Instead, she let her sorrow reshape her identity.

Many of us know what that feels like. We let hard experiences define who we are. We focus on bitterness instead of our blessings. We stop seeing ourselves as children of God and start seeing ourselves only through the lens of loss or disappointment. But here’s the challenge: will we let these painful things push us deeper into bitterness, or will we let God use them to strengthen and grow us?

Bitterness is tricky. It feels justified. There will always be people who will affirm our hurt and say, “You have every right to feel that way, to be angry .” And it’s true — hurting (grieving) is natural. The scripture tells us to be angry but sin not. Being angry is not a sin but when we allow anger to go unresolved it can produce bitterness. If we stay stuck in bitterness, we cut ourselves off from God’s comfort and healing. We begin to believe we can’t trust God, that He’s abandoned us, or that He no longer cares. But the truth is, God’s love remains steady. Nothing can separate us from His love — though bitterness can cloud our ability to feel or believe it.

Friends, God cares more about shaping our character than making sure we’re always comfortable. That’s not to say He causes our pain, but He can take the pain the world brings and turn it into something meaningful — something that builds us up and helps others. God can take what was meant to harm us and transform it into a testimony that encourages others.

You have a choice. You can let your pain become your permanent label, or you can let it be the ground where God creates new growth. That doesn’t mean ignoring the pain or pretending it will go away your pain. It means deciding, every day, to trust that your story isn’t over and that God is still at work.

There’s a moment in Exodus 15 when the Israelites, wandering in the desert, come to bitter waters. They begin to complain but Moses cries out to God, and God shows him a piece of wood to throw into the water — and the water becomes sweet. I love that image, because it reminds me that what seems undrinkable today can become life-giving tomorrow if we let God be part of the process. Praising God in spite of hard times is one of the most powerful things we can do. Not because we ignore what’s wrong, but because we say, “God, I trust You anyway.” Habakkuk puts it beautifully: “Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom, even if the crops fail, even if everything falls apart — yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” (Hab. 3:17) That’s the kind of faith that grows stronger in the storm.

So here’s my invitation to you today: take an honest look to see where you may be carrying bitterness. Where have you let old wounds define you? Have you believed the lie that God has left you? Can you take even one step today toward trusting that He’s still at work in your life?

Nothing separates you from God’s love. Not your anger, your disappointment, or your doubts. He’s still there. He’s still pursuing you. And He still calls you His own. You don’t need a dramatic “before and after” story to have a testimony. If God has carried you, sustained you, or loved you even when you didn’t realize it, that’s a testimony. That’s how We overcome: by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.