REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

In MY VICTORY VERSES, we will explore key Bible verses that have shaped my life recovery journey since 2005. After sharing how these verses impacted me, we will dive into their meaning and how they bring lasting victory. This column publishes on the 3rd Friday of each month in 2025. This is the final column in this series for 2025.

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” ~ Philippians 3:12–14 (NLT)

For twenty years, these verses have been my anchor. They’ve carried me through seasons of uncertainty and constant change—job transitions that moved us from state to state, the ongoing roller coaster of recovery, the complicated dynamics of family, and the unpredictable adventure of being married to an entrepreneur. Each time life threw me into unknowns, Paul’s words reminded me to keep pressing forward—not in my own strength, but in the strength of Christ who has already claimed me as His own.

Even today, these verses continue to speak directly into my life. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, financially, and in business—I am pressing in on all fronts. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know the One who holds tomorrow. God has promised to be with me, and His Word reminds me not to fear. My prayer is to walk wisely, to steward my time and energy well, and to one day look back with no regrets.

Paul’s focus was not on what lay behind him, but on what was ahead. That’s the invitation for each of us as we close out another year. We don’t have to live stuck in past mistakes, regrets, or even yesterday’s victories. Instead, we are called to keep moving forward, step by step, toward the prize of knowing Christ more fully and fulfilling His call on our lives.

As 2025 comes to an end, I find such hope in this truth: the race is not finished, and God is not done. With every challenge, every victory, every unknown—He is still calling us onward. Let’s press on together, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

There was a season when TobyMac’s song Move (Keep Walkin’) carried me day after day. Riding the city bus to a job where I was miserable and desperately needed more pay. I was striving so hard to move forward and this song became my anthem of perseverance. My husband and I clung to its message through some really rough times, and looking back now, I see how faithfully God kept His promises. We held on. We kept walking. And with His strength, we made it over that mountain. Today, as I hear the lyrics again, they echo Paul’s words in Philippians 3:12–14—pressing on toward the goal, refusing to give up, and trusting that Christ is with us every step of the way.

I pray this song gives you strength right where you are.

In MY VICTORY VOYAGE I’m sharing various trials I’ve faced and how God’s faithfulness has carried me through. Join me on the 2nd Friday of each month in 2025 as we reflect on His restoration and grace. This is the final column in this series.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” — Philippians 4:11 (NLT)

I’ve always considered myself a fairly happy person. Yet lately, I’ve noticed discontentment sneaking in more—not in the big things, but in the small, everyday routines of life. I’ll be scrolling social media and suddenly feel a twinge of longing. Friends traveling, celebrating, or enjoying life in ways that seem more exciting than my own simple rhythms. Before I know it, joy has slipped into comparison, and comparison has turned into resentment.

But God has been whispering a phrase to my heart: “Be Content—Don’t Resent.”

The Apostle Paul understood this secret well. He wrote that he had “learned how to be content whether he had plenty or whether he was in need.” The secret wasn’t in his circumstances—it was in his Savior. Paul drew his strength from Christ, not from possessions, achievements, or experiences.

My Life Application Study Bible explains it like this:

“Paul knew how to be content whether he had plenty or whether he was in need. The secret was drawing on Christ’s power for strength. If you are always wanting more, ask God to remove that desire and teach you contentment in every circumstance.”

Contentment is something we learn—it doesn’t come naturally. It’s cultivated by shifting our gaze from what we lack to the abundance we already have in Christ. When I thank Him for the small blessings—a quiet morning, a warm cup of coffee, the love of my husband, the joy of my dogs—resentment begins to melt away. The ordinary becomes extraordinary when I see it through the lens of gratitude.

If you find yourself restless or longing for more, here are a few simple practices to try:

- Pray daily for contentment. Ask God to help you see your life the way He sees it.
- Practice gratitude. Write down three small blessings each day and thank Him for them.
- Guard your heart. Limit the voices or images (like social media) that stir up discontent.
- Rest in His promises. Trust that God will supply all your needs in the way He knows is best.

Friend, contentment isn’t about settling for less—it’s about discovering the secret strength of Christ in every circumstance. Paul learned it, which means you and I can learn it too. Let’s choose to be content, not resentful, and find joy in the One who makes even the simplest parts of life enough.

A Closing Reflection

As I wrap up this year-long journey of My Victory Voyage, I am humbled by how faithful God has been. Month by month, we’ve walked through storms, questions, struggles, and triumphs together. Each step has reminded me that victory isn’t found in perfect circumstances—it’s found in the steady presence of Jesus.

From anxiety and fear, to learning how to trust, surrender, and now contentment, this voyage has been as much yours as it has been mine. My prayer is that the stories and scriptures we’ve shared have met you in your own moments of weakness and reminded you of God’s unchanging strength.

This final column closes with Paul’s words: “I have learned to be content with whatever I have” (Philippians 4:11). Contentment isn’t instant, and it isn’t easy, but it is possible through Christ. If we take nothing else from this journey, may we carry this truth forward: His grace is enough, His power is our strength, and His presence is our victory.

Thank you for sailing with me on this year’s voyage. Until we meet again, may you walk daily in His peace, His victorious love and His joy!