Episode #363
But I Prayed for This! What to Do When Living in God’s Yes Is Harder Than You Expected with Melissa Miller!
We’re BACK! ❤️ After a much-needed week of rest, reflection, and allowing God to work on some things behind the scenes, I am so excited to be back with a brand-new episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast! And honestly, I couldn’t think of a better conversation to come back with. Today, I’m joined by Melissa Miller, author of But I Prayed for This: What to Do When Living in God’s Yes Is Harder Than You Expected. And can I just say… this conversation is SO relatable. Have you ever prayed for something, watched God answer that prayer, and then thought… “Wait a minute. I prayed for this. So why is this so hard?” Melissa knows that feeling firsthand. She shares her powerful story of coming to know Jesus while in college, after growing up in a home where God and the Bible were never talked about. Years later, she found herself walking through multiple major life changes at once—including a relocation, a new job, and adopting two siblings from foster care. These were answers to prayer. But they also brought exhaustion, uncertainty, adjustment, trauma, grief, and a whole lot of dependence on God. And that’s where this conversation gets REAL. We talk about the pressure we put on ourselves when we're struggling in a season we prayed for. The “I should…” statements. I should be happier. I should be more grateful. I should have this figured out by now. I prayed for this, so why am I struggling? Melissa reminds us that admitting something is hard does not make us ungrateful. We also talk about shame, finding safe community, the importance of compassionate witnesses, and why sometimes people don't need us to fix their situation or give them a Christian cliché. Sometimes they just need someone to sit beside them and say: “I’m here. I understand. That really is hard.” And then we talk about her WHOLE framework and why God cares about us as whole people—not just our spiritual lives. We talk about wellness, our hearts, our mindset, our relationship with God, and our relationships with other people. Because taking care of yourself isn't about being selfish. Sometimes caring for the whole person God created you to be is exactly what helps you stay anchored when life feels anything but steady. If you are currently living in an answered prayer that feels harder than you expected, I want you to hear this: You are not broken. You are not ungrateful. You didn't necessarily hear God wrong. And you don't have to pretend that everything is easy just because it's something you prayed for. Sometimes you're simply walking through the adjustment period that comes with a new season. And God is still right there with you. Bio: Melissa Miller is a family girl, writer, and Reboot Retreat facilitator living in Tennessee. She is a contributor to sites such as Mother.ly, Her View from Home, and the YouVersion Bible app. Melissa has been married for over twenty years, has five children, and is an advocate for vulnerable children in foster care.Having experienced an unconventional adoption as a teen and later adopting a sibling set from foster care, she has a heart to help kids from hard places find belonging. Melissa loves playing pickleball and thinks “just one more chapter” is a perfectly reasonable bedtime strategy. Through her writing and two-day Reboot Retreat process, she loves helping people step out of survival mode, establish life-giving rhythms, and rediscover joy in their everyday lives. Anchor Verses: Hebrews 13:8 Psalm 54:5 Connect with Melissa: Website: https://www.melissamillerwriter.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/melissamillerwrites FB: https://www.facebook.com/melissamillerwriter/ Be sure to check out Melissa's website for current promotions and book-launch offers! ***If this episode encouraged you, I’d love for you to take a minute to rate and review the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, and share this episode with someone who may need this reminder today—you never know whose life God may touch through your simple share!
