Before Jesus began His public ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). There, He overcame the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—not by relying on His own strength, but by standing firmly on the Word of God. The wilderness wasn't a detour from His calling; it was part of His preparation. I believe the same is true for us. So many of us desire to be used by God, but we struggle with the process that prepares us for His service. We compare ourselves to what we see others doing instead of allowing God to shape us for what He has uniquely called us to do. Scripture reminds us that Christ gave ministry gifts "to equip the saints... until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood..." (Ephesians 4:11-13). Ministry is not about titles or platforms—it is about maturity. God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for surrendered people. He also warns us to "take care how [we] build" because every work will be tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Activity is not the same as obedience. We can build impressive things that were never assigned by God. Even Nehemiah teaches this principle. Each family repaired the section of the wall God had entrusted to them (Nehemiah 3). They weren't competing for someone else's assignment—they were faithful to their own. Likewise, Peter reminds us that we are "living stones... being built into a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5). Every stone has a place. Every believer has an assignment. The wilderness is not God's rejection. It is His workshop. Before God positions us publicly, He forms us privately. Before He entrusts us with people, He teaches us to trust Him. Before He gives us influence, He develops integrity. Sisters, don't rush the process. Stay on the Potter's wheel. Let Him prune your flesh, renew your mind, and establish your identity in Christ. The goal isn't simply to do ministry—it is to become a vessel fit for the Master's use. "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and clay... Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." — 2 Timothy 2:20-21 May we be women who don't chase platforms but pursue His presence. Women who are willing to be processed before being positioned. Women who understand that becoming fit for God's service begins with becoming more like Christ.

Matthew 4:1–17 really stood out to me today during my devotional time. These verses show the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness before His public ministry began. I began to think about the many times I tried to move forward in ministry but failed. These verses show Jesus being tempted in three areas: His physical desires, the twisting of God's Word to create doubt, and the temptation of worldly power and glory. (The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.) I can now see why I was stuck in the same cycle for so many years. I was unable to stand against the enemy long enough to overcome. The enemy tempted Jesus three different times, and each time Jesus responded with obedience and the truth of God's Word. In the end, the devil left Him. For me, I would often give in to my own desires and find myself right back at square one. But once I allowed the Lord to strengthen me, and once I fully surrendered to Him, I became able to tell my flesh, "No." Then the enemy shifted his strategy. He began twisting God's truth with questions meant to create doubt. "If God is faithful, why is this happening?" "If God is truly your provider, why are you experiencing lack?" "If God is truly a healer..." ...and the questions kept coming. But as I learned to stand firmly on the Word of God instead of my feelings, the enemy's voice became quieter and quieter. Now I can also recognize how he tries to tempt me through what I see. He whispers that I should take shortcuts to get what I want. He tempts me to step outside of my calling for temporary, earthly gain. I can understand now why people say the enemy has no new tricks. Our temptations may look different, but the source is the same. He wants us to bow to his will instead of the Father's. He wants us to partner with him so he can steal, kill, and destroy. Don't allow yourself to become a pawn in his game. God's Word tells us that every temptation comes with a way of escape. But it is our responsibility to choose obedience and take the way God provides.

This season God has been dealing with me in the area of discipline; what I eat, what I watch, and stewarding my physical health. What I did not expect was that He would begin disciplining me in the area of rest. You might think, "Of course, we all need good sleep habits." But that is not the kind of rest I am speaking of. If you are someone like me, who has always been on the go, always had a hand in doing this or that because you have a never-ending list of things that need to be done and things you want to do, God has been showing me that I was living in a constant state of burnout. I was asking Him why it seemed like I had seasons of great productivity that were always followed by seasons where I could barely do the minimum. His response was simple: You aren't resting. You need balance. Lists are great, don't get me wrong. But when our lists dictate our movement instead of God, we have elevated our plans above Him. Without realizing it, another form of pride had quietly settled into my heart. Where I was once lazy and complacent, I had become super-efficient. So much so that I stopped consulting God about what He wanted me to do or how He wanted me to do it. I mistook productivity for obedience. I assumed that because I was accomplishing a lot, I must have been pleasing God. But honestly, all the work I was doing was drowning out the voice of the Holy Spirit. He had highlighted areas in my life where I needed greater discipline. But instead of following His strategy, I created my own and decided what discipline should look like. The Lord lovingly exposed this in me—not to shame me or harm me—but to bring me back into alignment with Him. I am so grateful that He cares about every area of our lives. He loves us enough to keep us walking in step with Him. So what am I doing now? I submit my lists to Him. It looks something like this: "Lord, You know everything that needs to be done today. Show me what You want me to do first." That's it. I ask the question, and then I wait for His direction while I faithfully do the daily responsibilities around my home.

Let’s be honest. In the moment, correction can be hard to accept. Depending on what is said, who is saying it, and the tone in which it is said, correction can easily be rejected. But Scripture reveals to us that the wise person welcomes correction. It is the fool who rejects it. Ouch! How many times have I looked like a fool because I could not, or would not, accept correction? Thank God for His mercy and His grace. It is because of His great love for us that He brings correction. He speaks to us directly through the Holy Spirit. He speaks through His Word, which is described as a two-edged sword. I would even say His Word is like a mirror, revealing what is truly in our hearts. And He also uses people. We don’t mind when God uses people to encourage us or bless us. But when He uses someone to correct us, many times we become offended. Pride will have us rejecting what God has spoken. And if we are walking in pride, we are placing ourselves in opposition to the Spirit of Truth, God Himself. Does correction feel good? No. But it is necessary. God wants us to walk in the fullness of who He created us to be. And for that to happen, He must prune us. Jesus tells us in John 15 that the Father prunes every fruitful branch so that it will bear even more fruit. Just as a gardener lovingly prunes a healthy plant for greater growth, our Heavenly Father lovingly prunes His children for greater fruitfulness. So how do we get to the place of welcoming correction rather than running from it? Identity. Knowing who God is and recognizing ourselves as His sons and daughters. If we know we are His children, and we know He is a good Father, then we can trust that His correction is always for our good—even when it is uncomfortable. Allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in and through you so that you may become a true image bearer of Christ. Great is God’s faithfulness toward us. He will never lead us somewhere His presence will not sustain us. It simply takes our trust, our surrender, and our willingness to obey so that we can become all He created us to be.