by Amanda Butel

Welcome to My Blog

A Space for Curiosity, Inspiration, & Hope

Through the Lens of God's Love

I believe God’s heart toward you is attentive, compassionate, and deeply personal. He sees every burden you carry, every question you wrestle with, and every place that feels broken. His love is not distant or demanding—it is gentle, present, and faithful.

Whether you're navigating burnout, betrayal, religious trauma, ministry challenges, or simply longing for creative ways to connect with God, my heart is to offer encouragement, insight, and practical steps to help you move forward with peace and purpose.

Words have the power to bring clarity in confusion, hope in hardship, and light in the darkest places. Here, you’ll find faith-filled reflections, step-by-step strategies, and creative tools to support your healing journey. Every post is written with compassion and care, offering both wisdom and practical application—so you don’t just feel seen, but also equipped.

Cliché Series: Just Give It to God

It sounds simple, even spiritual. But if you’ve ever been deeply wounded, you know it’s not that easy. Pain doesn’t just disappear when we say a prayer. Broken trust isn’t instantly mended. The weight of grief, betrayal, or disappointment doesn’t always lift just because we want it to. So, what does it really mean to give something to God? And how do we do it in a way that leads to true healing rather than just suppressing our pain?

Connecting with God Through Journaling: Processing, Prayer, and Scripture

Have you ever felt like your thoughts are tangled, your prayers feel stuck, or you just long to connect with God in a deeper way? Journaling can be a powerful way to slow down, process emotions, and create space for prayerful reflection.

Cliché Series: Time Heals All Wounds

It’s a comforting thought, but if you’ve experienced heartbreak, betrayal, or loss, you know that time alone doesn’t automatically heal. Days turn into months, and months into years, yet some wounds still ache as if they happened yesterday. How do we move forward rather than just waiting and hoping the pain fades?

Staying Sweet When the Church Feels Bitter: Holding Onto Jesus in a Time of Scandal

Heartbreak seems to be everywhere. Every week, another story surfaces—church leaders caught in scandal, hidden abuse coming to light, or manipulative power plays within communities meant to be safe. For those who love God and long for His Church to be a place of truth and refuge, it’s devastating.

The Better Thing: Finding Rest at Jesus' Feet in a Busy World

There’s always something to do. It’s easy to feel like Martha. Overwhelmed. Responsible. Pulled in different directions. And if we’re honest, sometimes even frustrated when others don’t seem to be carrying the same weight. But then we read about Mary. Sitting. Listening. Fully present at Jesus’ feet.

Moving Mountains: Overcoming Self-Sabotage Through Faith and Healing

We all have mountains to climb—internal struggles that hold us back from stepping into the life God has for us. Whether it’s fear, self-doubt, procrastination, or unhealthy patterns, these struggles often stem from past wounds and limiting beliefs.

Shake the Dust Off Your Feet: Was Jesus Setting Boundaries?

What did Jesus mean by "Shake the dust off your feet"? At first glance, this might seem like a strange or even harsh command. But when we look deeper—both in the biblical context and cultural traditions—it reveals a profound lesson about boundaries, stewardship, and trusting God with the results.

Thriving in Ministry and Family: Finding Balance as a Christian Woman

Christian women serving in ministry and globally often face a unique set of challenges. Pulled in many directions—managing ministry responsibilities, nurturing their families, and sustaining a personal walk with God—the pressure to “do it all” can feel overwhelming.

Breaking Free from People-Pleasing: 10 Questions Every Christian Woman Asks

Have you ever felt the weight of saying “yes” when your heart whispered “no”? Or the fear that disappointing someone might cost you their love or respect? You’re not alone. Many of us—especially as Christian women—long to be kind, helpful, and loved, yet find ourselves trapped in the exhausting cycle of people-pleasing.

The Beauty of a Quiet Life: Finding God in Simplicity

Are you weary from striving—spiritually, emotionally, and physically? Do you feel like your faith isn’t ‘big enough’ because it doesn’t look like the grand, sweeping stories you often hear in certain church cultures?

Is Spiritual Covering Biblical? Trusting God as Your True Authority

Many churches today use phrases like "spiritual covering" and "spiritual parents" to describe leadership structures within their communities. But is this what the Bible teaches?

Uprooted and Replanted: The Joys and Challenges of Returning from the Mission Field

Returning from the mission field is a deeply emotional experience. It can be a time of great joy—reuniting with loved ones, sharing testimonies, and resting after years of dedicated service. But it can also be disorienting.

Submission and Authority: Finding Freedom in God’s Design

Submission and authority in Christian circles can be a sticky and sensitive topic. Many women who have a heart to serve God and love others find themselves wrestling with leadership that doesn’t always align with God’s heart.

When to Walk Away: When to Persevere in Love

As Christian women, we often feel torn between being loving and setting boundaries. We want to reflect Christ’s love, yet we sometimes find ourselves drained, hurt, or even trapped in relationships that no longer bring life. The good news? Jesus himself showed us that there are times to walk away—and times to persevere. Knowing the difference is key to living in both wisdom and love.

How Did Jesus Live, Rest, and Relate? Exploring His Humanity and Joy

Did Jesus ever have fun? How did He care for His well-being? Explore how Jesus embraced joy, rest, and relationships—through storytelling, time in nature, and setting healthy boundaries—offering a model for balanced, faith-filled living.

Rethinking Worry: A Warning Light, Not a Life Sentence

Worry is something we all experience. It creeps in when uncertainty looms, when things feel out of control, or when we don’t know what the future holds. But instead of seeing worry as something to ignore, what if we viewed it as a warning light—one that invites us to pause, reflect, and turn to God?

How to Have a Peaceful, Meaningful Life in an Urgency Culture

In today’s world, urgency is everywhere. We’re expected to be constantly available, perpetually informed, and endlessly productive. The pressure to do more, be more, and know more never seems to end. But this way of living isn’t sustainable—it leads to exhaustion, anxiety, and discontent.

Pouring Out Your Heart Before God: An Invitation to Honest Connection

Have you ever felt like you were holding back in prayer? Like there were things you wanted to say to God but weren’t sure if you should? Maybe you’ve been afraid of being too raw, too emotional, too honest. Or maybe you’ve poured your heart out before and felt like you didn’t get the answer you longed for.

Cliché Series: God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle

Maybe you’ve even said it yourself, trying to encourage someone (or yourself) in a difficult time. But here’s the truth—life often does give us more than we can handle. Grief, betrayal, loss, illness, financial strain, or heartbreak can feel absolutely crushing. And when we hear this phrase in the middle of suffering, it can feel like we’re supposed to just tough it out, as if struggling means we’re failing in our faith.

Cliché Series: You Just Need to Forgive and Move On

While forgiveness is deeply biblical and undeniably powerful, this phrase can sometimes feel dismissive. If you’ve been deeply hurt—by betrayal, abuse, or abandonment—being told to just forgive and move on can feel impossible, even wounding. So what does true, biblical forgiveness look like?

Cliché Series: Don’t Be Anxious—Just Trust God

If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, depression, or trauma, chances are someone has told you, “Don’t be anxious—just trust God!” While meant to encourage, this phrase can sometimes feel dismissive. It can make you wonder, Does my anxiety mean I don’t have enough faith? Am I failing as a Christian?

Narcissism and the Christian Woman: Wisdom, Boundaries, and Healing

Narcissism is a word we hear often—thrown around in discussions about toxic relationships, difficult family members, and even the downfalls of leaders. But what does it really mean? And how should Christian women respond when they encounter narcissistic behaviours in others—or recognise unhealthy tendencies in themselves?

Setting Stronger Boundaries with Grace: A Guide for Christian Women

As Christian women, we are called to love others, serve with kindness, and walk in humility. But sometimes, in our desire to be generous and compassionate, we allow our personal limits to be overstepped—leaving us overwhelmed, resentful, or exhausted. Setting healthy boundaries is not unkind or unchristian; in fact, it is one of the wisest and most loving things we can do.

I Am Not Enough: The Lie That Steals Our Joy

Perhaps the most overbearing and pervasive of all lies women struggle with is this: I am not enough. It’s a whisper that can grow into a deafening roar, shaping the way we see ourselves and our place in the world. If you’ve ever thought this way, you are not alone. Research suggests that most women battle feelings of inadequacy at some point in their lives.

Drawing the Line: Learning Boundaries from Jesus in the Wilderness

Boundaries are a struggle for many Christian women. We want to love well, serve wholeheartedly, and give generously—but at what point does saying "yes" to everything erode our sense of self, steal our peace, and distance us from God’s best for us? In the wilderness, Jesus faced three temptations that directly tested His identity, His trust in the Father, and His calling. Each time, He drew a line.

When Kindness Hides Control: Recognising Covert Narcissism in Christian Communities

As Christian women, we are called to love others, extend grace, and be peacemakers. But what happens when someone uses these very values against us—manipulating, gaslighting, and eroding our sense of self under the guise of kindness? Covert narcissism is a subtle yet deeply damaging form of emotional and spiritual manipulation.

Why Do We Label Ourselves and Each Other?

In a world where labels are often the shortcut to understanding one another, it’s tempting to define ourselves and others based on titles, roles, and categories. These labels often come with expectations or assumptions that can feel both comforting and confining. But what if the labels we wear and the ones we place on others are restricting us in ways we may not fully understand?

“You Don’t Understand Now — But Someday You Will”: Holding On When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Sometimes life brings a moment, or a season, that stops us in our tracks. A betrayal we didn’t see coming. A community we thought was safe… suddenly isn’t. A loss that shakes our very identity. And in the quiet aftermath, we whisper questions we’ve carried alone: • Why did this happen? • Where was God in all of this? • How do I move forward when I don’t understand any of it?