in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other

By Miki MReligion & Spirituality Christianity

in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other episodes

May 22ep 13 - God Flew Me 850 Miles For A Stranger - Here is What Happened
Y'all, I recorded this one on my way home because I knew if I waited I'd lose the details — and this story is too good not to share while it's fresh. About three or four weeks ago, I took a trip to Kansas City, Missouri for a bridal fashion show with my flower business. And before I even left, God made it clear: I was going there for someone. This is the story of what happened when I actually showed up in faith, stayed off my phone, and kept my eyes open — and how God walked me right into a divine appointment on a tiny plane somewhere over North Carolina.
The Setup: A Knowing Before I Left
The Friday before my trip, I was cooking breakfast when I felt it — not just a feeling, but a knowing in my spirit that I was going to Kansas City for a specific person. I almost canceled the trip that night when I got some hard news. But when I brought it to my husband, he reminded me of what I had felt that morning. If God called me there for one person, there was no canceling. We were on one accord — and that was that.
A few things made this trip extra stretching:
I hadn't been on a plane in eight years and I genuinely hate flying.
We hadn't been separated as a family in a long time, and I'd never left the kids before.
A massive rainstorm delayed my flight home and rerouted my connection.
But God had it all planned out — including the delay.
The Whole Weekend: Watching and Waiting
The entire trip I was watching. Praying. Making eye contact with strangers. I spent less time on my phone than I ever have. I just knew God sent me there for someone, and I was not about to miss it. But the whole weekend passed and I still hadn't found the person.
Then Monday came. Rain like I'd never seen driving to the airport. My early flight got pushed back two hours, which bumped my connection — and that's exactly what put me on the right plane at the right time.
The Divine Appointment: A Retired Golf Pro Named Keith
I end up on this tiny three-row plane — the kind where you can basically touch both walls if you stretch out. No one's sitting next to me at first, and then a mix-up with seats puts a 62-year-old man named Keith right next to me. Like, right next to me. Inches apart.
I started asking him questions. Found out he's retiring next year after 31 years as a golf pro, wants to spend his retirement fishing, and has recently gotten really into history — specifically the Revolutionary War.
We ended up talking about my parents' organization, Hope for Bethesda, and their 21 years of mission work in La Gonâve, Haiti. I shared the miracle story of how my mom had a specific dream about where to dig for water on the Bethesda campus — and how after two days of digging, they cracked a reservoir that ended up drawing over a thousand people from the surrounding area to come see fresh water for the first time. When I finished the story, Keith looked at me and said, "That sounds like a miracle."
And I said, "It doesn't sound like one. It is one."
That was the moment. That was the knowing. Keith was who God sent me for.
The Conversation That Opened the Door
I asked Keith if he considered himself a man of faith. He said he believed there was a God, knew God wanted to be involved in our lives — but there were just some things he couldn't reconcile. So I asked him: "If there was one thing keeping you from fully submitting yourself to God, what would it be?"
His answer surprised me: prayer. He'd seen too many people pray hard for something and not get an answer. He didn't understand when God says yes and when He doesn't.
So I asked if I could share three things with him — and he said absolutely.
Three Things I Shared With Keith
1. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — Daniel 3 Three Hebrew boys in Babylonian captivity who refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar's false god, even knowing they'd be thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal. Their answer to the king: "Our God is able to save us — but even if He doesn't, we still won't bow." They got thrown in. The soldiers who brought them in died from the heat. And when the king looked through the window, there weren't three men in the fire. There were four — and one looked like the Son of God. They walked out without even the smell of smoke on them.
2. Isaiah 55:8-9 — God's ways are not our ways At 20,000 feet in the air, you can see so much more than you can standing right in front of a building. God's vantage point is infinitely higher than ours. What we think is the best answer sometimes isn't — and He, as a good Father, knows how to answer our prayers and when not to.
3. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane — Luke 22:42 Jesus Himself prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me." Not because of the physical pain — but because for the first time in His entire existence, He was about to be separated from the Father. And even in that anguish, He ended with: "Nevertheless, not my will but Yours be done." If Jesus modeled that kind of surrendered prayer, we can trust that unanswered prayers aren't silence — they're sovereignty.
I wrapped it up with a real and personal one: my sister's son who was born at 23 weeks and passed away on day 31 after we prayed hard for his survival. And how even in that devastation, God used it to draw my sister back to Himself and make His presence more undeniable than ever. Sometimes God's answer is no — and He's still good.
The Challenge I Left Keith With
Keith was visibly moved. He asked for the name of my parents' organization and I watched him email it to someone right there on the plane. Before we landed I challenged him: when you get home from your vacation, read the book of John. He said yes.
And I told him — I felt it so strongly on Friday that I was coming to Kansas City for someone. "I'm really confident that person is you."
He said, "You know what? I think it is too."
The Parachute Analogy (Credit: Ray Comfort)
We're all on a crashing airplane — the airplane of life. Every one of us has an appointment with death. And someone hands you a parachute — Jesus Christ — and you say, "No thanks, I'm a good person. I'll save myself." That's the equivalent of flapping your wings on a crashing plane. We are all broken, fallen, and separated from God because of sin. God is holy and He requires holiness. We can't meet that standard on our own — but Jesus, the eternal High Priest who needed no atonement for Himself, lived the sinless life we couldn't live, died the death we deserved, and rose again proving He is exactly who He said He is. All we have to do is place our faith in Him.
The Takeaway
If you are looking for God, He will make Himself known. If you want to participate in what He's doing, show up, stay sensitive, put the phone down, and watch. He is always at work — and He will walk you right into it.
Scriptures Referenced
Daniel 3 — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace
Isaiah 55:8-9 — "My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts"
Luke 22:42 — Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
Revelation 12:11 — we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony
Resources Mentioned
Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby & Claude King
Hope for Bethesda — Miki's parents' mission organization based in Orange Park, FL, serving La Gonâve, Haiti
Ray Comfort — evangelist, the parachute analogy
Episode 8 — Who Wrote the Bible?
Share Your Testimony!
Do you have a testimony you'd love to share? Send Miki an overview at [email protected] and she would love to have you on the show. Drop a comment, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. God is always at work — and so is this podcast. 🤍
32 min
May 15ep 12 - I Finally Did It: How I Read the Bible Cover to Cover on My 4th Try
Y'all. I finally did it. On my fourth try, I read the entire Bible cover to cover — and I am not holding back the details. No intro, no fluff, just straight encouragement for anyone who has started (and stopped... and started again) on their own Bible in a year journey. If Leviticus has defeated you before, this one is for you.
My Honest Journey to Getting Here
Let's just be real about it:
Attempt 1: Made it through Genesis, survived Exodus, crashed hard at Leviticus. Closed the book and walked away.
Attempt 2: Knew Leviticus was coming, tried to prepare, made it maybe to Deuteronomy or 1 Chronicles — fell off again.
Attempt 3: Got to Joshua, Judges, or Ruth (somewhere in there) and just... couldn't push through.
Attempt 4: Finally did it. Cover to cover. Genesis through Revelation.
And I've been a Christian for a very long time. So if you've felt embarrassed that you haven't finished it yet — you're in good company, and this episode is your sign to try again.
Why You Need to Read It for Yourself
In a world drowning in information nobody wants to actually sit down and read anymore. But here's why it matters for us as believers:
1. You have access — use it. There are believers around the world who can't even carry their Bible in public. Underground churches. Secret meetings. We don't have that persecution yet. So the fact that we have open, free access to Scripture? That's not something to take for granted. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)
2. It deepens your relationship with God in a way nothing else can. Reading through Leviticus made me so mad the first time. By the third time through, I started to see it differently — God's holiness demanding holiness from His people. The more you read, the more you understand who God actually is. Think about how the FBI trains agents to spot counterfeit money: they don't study all the fakes. They study the real thing — every line, every marking, every detail — until they know it so well that anything fake is obvious. Scripture works the same way.
3. It is alive and it is transformative. Hebrews 4:12 — the Word is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. Everything I've ever wanted to grow in — being a better wife, a better mom, a better disciple — Scripture has been the tool God used to get me there. It does not return void. (Isaiah 55:11)
Tips That Actually Got Me Through It
1. Use a guided study — specifically, The Bible Recap. Hosted by Tara-Leigh Cobble, The Bible Recap takes you through Scripture in chronological order, the way it was written and developed. At the end of each day's reading, Tara-Leigh recaps what you just read so you don't miss anything. I highly recommend starting with the intro video before you jump in — it sets the whole thing up and you'll want that context. (Link below!)
2. Don't feel like you have to catch everything. One of the things that kept tripping me up was the pressure to deep-dive every passage while also trying to get through the Bible in a year. Those are two different goals. When you're doing a read-through, you're building the foundation. The hermeneutics, the context, the deep study — that comes after. And here's the truth: even if it starts to feel like a checklist, the Word does not return void. If you catch one thing a day, your relationship with God is growing. Don't lie to yourself out of finishing.
3. Make it a non-negotiable — and get creative about when. For me, listening in the shower was the game-changer. I'd prop my phone up, read along while listening, and it kept me locked in. Find your version of that. Car rides. Folding laundry. The point is to make it happen daily, even if it's not in the most "ideal" setting.
4. Let the Old Testament do its job. The Old Testament is longer, and it can feel like a slow burn. But here's what I want you to know: by the time you get to the New Testament, you will feel it differently. All that time in the Old Testament builds this thirst, this foundation, so that when Jesus finally shows up — it just hits different. Everything clicks. Things you've read a hundred times suddenly connect in ways they never did before.
The Moment That Started All of This
Fun fact: it was actually during my fourth read-through — while listening to Exodus in the shower — that this podcast was born. I was listening to the Israelites complaining in the wilderness after everything God had already done for them, thinking how could they forget so fast — and the Holy Spirit stopped me cold. How often do you do the same thing? How often do we forget what God did last month because of what's hard right now? That question changed something in me — and out of it came In Case I Forget.
The One Thing
Read the book. Please. Basic instructions before leaving Earth. And if you're still unsure whether Scripture is reliable, inspired, and infallible, go back to Episode 8 where I break down who wrote the Bible and why we can trust it.
Scripture References
Romans 10:17 — faith comes by hearing, hearing through the Word of God
Isaiah 55:11 — the Word does not return void
Hebrews 4:12 — the Word is living and active, a double-edged sword
Matthew 5:18 — every iota and dot of the law will be fulfilled
Resources Mentioned
The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble
Episode 8 — Who Wrote the Bible?
Let's Keep the Conversation Going!
Would you want me to do a Bible in a Year plan on the podcast? Drop a comment, send me an email, or leave a review and let me know! Reviews help push this show out to more busy wives and mamas who need it. 🤍
19 min
May 09ep 11 - 47,000 Christian Denominations ... How to Choose a Church
Okay, real talk . . . have you ever driven through your city and noticed just how many different churches there are? In my city alone, there are over 400 churches for a population of 80–90,000 people. Wild, right? So today we're diving into Christian denominations, what they are, why they exist, and whether having so many of them is actually a problem or a gift. And by the end, you get to decide for yourself. This is theology that shows up in your home, your marriage, and your everyday life - not just theory for the sake of theory.
What Is a Denomination, Anyway?
According to GotQuestions.org, a denomination is a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian church. The three main branches of Christianity are Protestantism, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy, and today we're focusing on the Protestant church specifically.
Fun (and maybe surprising) fact: according to Essence of the Church by Craig Van Gelder, denominations are really only about 200 years old. They flourished during the colonization of the United States, largely fueled by the Reformation - which encouraged believers to read Scripture for themselves and separate from churches that strayed from the gospel. John Calvin himself encouraged followers of Jesus to leave a church if it moved away from biblical truth.
And according to the Center for Study of Global Christianity, there are now over 47,000 denominations worldwide. Yeah. That's a lot.
So How Do You Choose the Right One for Your Family?
Here are three practical steps to help you and your spouse navigate this:
1. Research Most churches today should have a statement of belief, a creed, or a confessional statement. These tell you what the church believes, how they interpret Scripture, and how they apply it. Don't skip this step - especially if you're sensing something might be off at a church you're currently attending.
2. Run It Through the Theological Triage (Go back to Episode 10 for a full breakdown of what this means!) Think of it like the gospel ER. You're triaging a church's doctrine to make sure it lines up with Scripture, starting with the essentials:
Primary doctrine (the non-negotiables): Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life, died to satisfy the wrath of God, and rose again. Salvation is through faith in Him alone. If a church doesn't hold to these essentials, that's a much bigger conversation.
Secondary doctrine: Things like worship style, baptism beliefs, spiritual gifts, predestination vs. free will, the role of women in ministry. These don't save us, but they will often determine which denomination or church you land in.
Tertiary doctrine: Honestly, these are the things we shouldn't be making a big deal of. Some churches unfortunately conflate these with primary or secondary issues - and that's where things can get messy.
3. Pray and Ask God for Wisdom James 1:5 says if you ask God for wisdom, He'll give it. So bring this to God. Bring it to your spouse. And trust that He will lead you.
The Passage That Changed Everything
1 Corinthians 12:12–26 - this is the one. Read the whole thing, but here's the heart of it: the body of Christ is one body with many members. The eye can't say to the hand, "I don't need you." Every part matters. Every part is different on purpose.
And here's what hit me: denominations can represent that same beauty. Different styles of worship. Different structures. Different expressions of faith - all submitted to the same Jesus. That's not division. That's design.
The Bottom Line
Denominations are not perfect. Some have twisted the gospel to make sin more comfortable. Some have created a Jesus in their own image. We know that. But when denominations are rooted in the essential truths of the gospel and submitted to Jesus Christ, they can actually be a healthy, beautiful thing . . . meeting people where they are, in the culture and expression God created them with.
And here's the one thing I want you to walk away with:
It's not doctrine over love. It's not love over doctrine. It's both.
(1 Corinthians 13 - Paul's clear: without love, you're just a clanging gong.)
Scripture References
1 Corinthians 12:12–26
1 Corinthians 13
James 1:5
Resources Mentioned
GotQuestions.org - definition of a denomination
Essence of the Church by Craig Van Gelder
Center for Study of Global Christianity
Episode 8 - Who Wrote the Bible? (Scripture's authority, inspiration & infallibility)
Episode 10 - What Do Christians Believe? (Part 1) — theological triage explained
Let's Keep the Conversation Going!
Did this episode shift how you see denominations? Drop a comment - I would love to hear what resonated with you, or even what you push back on. And if you know a friend who's been wrestling with this, send it their way. A review goes a long way in helping this show reach more busy mamas who need it. 🤍
19 min
March 06ep. 10 - Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Doctrine: A Framework Every Christian Family Needs
EPISODE OVERVIEW
Have you ever Googled your symptoms and ended up convinced you were dying over a headache? That is basically what happens when we do not have a framework for sorting out what we actually believe and why. In this episode we are talking about theological triage — a system for prioritizing theological beliefs that will help you navigate church transitions, conversations with your kids, disagreements with your husband, and the moments when someone tells you that your hoop earrings are a sin. Yes. We are going there.
This is Episode 10 and it is one of the most practically useful episodes on the whole feed. Do not skip it.
GROUNDING SCRIPTURE
"I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith."
— 1 Timothy 1:3-4 ESV
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
— 1 Timothy 1:5 ESV
Doctrine and love are not in competition. You cannot love people well without good doctrine and you cannot have good doctrine without love. Paul makes this plain — and so does 1 Corinthians 13, which reminds us that even the most theologically accurate person is just a clanging gong without love. It is always both. Never one or the other.
WHAT IS THEOLOGICAL TRIAGE?
Think about what happens when you walk into an emergency room. Before you see a doctor, a nurse assesses you — blood pressure, pulse, oxygen, breathing — and determines how urgent your situation is. Not every symptom gets the same level of response. That is triage.
Theological triage works the same way. It is a framework for sorting our doctrinal beliefs into three categories so we know which hills are worth dying on, which ones are worth discussing, and which ones are personal convictions we have no business pushing on anyone else.
The three categories are primary, secondary, and tertiary doctrine.
Quick note: If you want to go deeper on this framework, pastor Gavin Ortlund has written on this topic and is worth looking up.
PRIMARY DOCTRINE
The non-negotiables — the hills worth dying on
These are the core foundational truths of the Christian faith. Every true Christian church — regardless of denomination, worship style, or tradition — agrees on these. If a church does not hold to these, the question is no longer about denomination. The question is whether it is a Christian church at all.
Examples of primary doctrine:
Jesus is God — not a god, not a prophet, not a lesser divine being, but fully God in essence equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit
The Trinity — one God in three persons, different in function but the same in essence
Jesus was born of a Virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven
Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone
How to check primary doctrine:
Look at the historic creeds. The Nicene Creed (established around 325 AD) and the Apostles' Creed are two of the best tools we have for identifying what the early church agreed were essential truths of the faith. These creeds were not about choosing books of the Bible — that was already established. They were about locking in on the foundational theological principles that every believer holds in common.
Important clarification: If you differ on primary doctrine — if you believe Jesus was a prophet but not God, for example — that is not a secondary issue. That is a question of whether you are a biblical Christian at all. These are the only grounds for breaking fellowship with another believer.
SECONDARY DOCTRINE
Important but not salvation-determining — the hills worth discussing
These are the theological issues that vary from church to church and denomination to denomination. They are real and they matter — they will often determine which church you attend, how you worship, and how you raise your kids. But they do not determine whether you are a Christian and they do not keep anyone out of heaven.
Examples of secondary doctrine:
Salvation theology — predestination vs. free will
The gifts — do you believe spiritual gifts are still active today (continuationist) or did they cease when the canon was completed (cessationist)?
Worship style — hymns only, psalms only, contemporary Christian music, or a mix
Baptism — infant baptism or believer's baptism
End times views — different eschatological perspectives
Women in ministry — various views on the role of women in church leadership
Why this matters for your family:
If you are in a church transition, these are the questions to ask. If your kids are asking theological questions you and your husband have not formally discussed, these are the conversations to have together before you answer them. Having clarity on your secondary doctrine as a family creates unity and gives your children a stable theological foundation even when they encounter different views.
The danger to avoid:
Many Christians take secondary doctrine and elevate it to primary doctrine — treating their particular view on end times or worship style or spiritual gifts as if it were as essential as the resurrection. This creates unnecessary division and makes an already narrow path even narrower. We do not want to break fellowship with a brother or sister over something scripture gives us room to disagree on.
TERTIARY DOCTRINE
Personal convictions — the hills not worth dying on at all
These are the areas of personal conviction that do not apply to every believer in the same way. They are not black and white in scripture. They fall within what Paul calls our Christian liberties — the space where we are free to practice according to our own conscience before God as long as we are not sinning.
"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up."
— 1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."
— 1 Corinthians 10:26 ESV
"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
— 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
Examples of tertiary doctrine:
Whether you celebrate certain holidays
Dietary choices and convictions
Certain clothing standards (yes — including hoop earrings)
Political views
Specific hobbies or entertainment choices
Personal standards around modesty beyond what scripture requires
Three verses to guide your Christian liberties:
Philippians 4:8 ESV — "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Use this as a filter.
2 Timothy 2:22 — Pursue the Lord from a pure heart.
James 3:17 — Seek wisdom first above all things.
The real danger of tertiary doctrine:
When personal convictions get pushed on others as though they were scripture — especially on younger or newer believers — it causes confusion, unnecessary guilt, and a distorted view of what Christianity actually requires. If someone's personal conviction is that she should not wear big hoop earrings, that is between her and God. It is not a command she gets to hand down to the 17-year-old sitting next to her in the pew.
Push your convictions on your own conscience. Not on everyone else's.
HOW TO USE THIS IN REAL LIFE
Choosing a church:
Start with primary doctrine — does this church hold to the essential truths of the gospel as expressed in the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds? If yes, move to secondary doctrine — how does their theology align with where your family is? If you can find alignment on the primary and reasonable alignment on the secondary, you have found a church worth committing to. Do not let tertiary differences keep you out of a good church.
Conversations with your kids:
When your child asks a theological question, run it through the triage first. Is this a primary issue? Settle it clearly from scripture and the creeds. Is this a secondary issue? Talk it through with your husband and come to a family position together. Is this tertiary? Teach them to develop their own convictions before God rather than just inheriting yours.
Conversations with other believers:
Know which category the disagreement falls in before you engage. If it is primary — stand firm, graciously and clearly. If it is secondary — have the conversation with humility and respect. If it is tertiary — let it go. Not every conversation needs to be a debate and not every difference needs to be resolved.
COMING UP NEXT
Are denominations helpful or hurtful to the church? And how do you prayerfully consider whether your denomination is right for your family? That is the next episode — do not miss it.
SCRIPTURES REFERENCED
1 Timothy 1:3-5 ESV — the weight and aim of sound doctrine
1 Corinthians 13 — without love, doctrine is a clanging gong
1 Corinthians 10:23-31 ESV — Christian liberties and conscience
Philippians 4:8 ESV — a filter for Christian liberty decisions
2 Timothy 2:22 — pursuing the Lord from a pure heart
James 3:17 — seeking wisdom first
RESOURCES MENTIONED
The Nicene Creed — search it; written around 325 AD; the foundational statement of Christian primary doctrine
The Apostles' Creed — a companion creed; another excellent primary doctrine reference
Gavin Ortlund — pastor and author who has written on theological triage and which hills are worth dying on
Episode 9 (previous episode) — referenced but not named
Episode 11 (next episode) — Denominations: helpful or hurtful?
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Drop a comment below — if you are comfortable, share one thing you were taught growing up that you later realized was tertiary doctrine being treated as primary or secondary. Was it a dress code? A worship style? A holiday conviction? A personal standard someone else handed you as though it were scripture?
You are not alone. And knowing the difference changes everything.
If this episode helped you, share it with a friend who is navigating a church transition or a theological disagreement in her marriage. And leave a review — it helps more wives and moms find the show. 🤍
This is Miki with in case i forget — theology and testimony for busy wives and moms.
New episodes every Friday | theologyandtestimony.com
🌐 theologyandtestimony.com | 📧 [email protected]
17 min
February 27ep. 9 - If I Just Had More - Break Free From Discontentment | Testimonies and Theology for Wives & Mothers
On the outside, I had everything. The husband. The kids. The home. By every measure I should have been happy — and yet I was living like a woman dying of thirst standing next to a river. For four or five years I struggled with discontentment and didn't even have a name for what I was dealing with. In this episode I'm sharing the three things that finally helped me break free — and y'all, they're not complicated. But they will change your life if you actually do them.
This is not a prosperity gospel message. This is not a live your best life now message. This is just Scripture, real talk, and some things God used to pull me out of a pit I didn't even know I was in.
WHAT IS COVETOUSNESS ANYWAY?
About three to four years ago I was reading Ephesians 5:1-5 where Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus and literally lists covetousness among the sins that should not even be named among believers. And I realized I didn't actually know what covetousness meant beyond "don't do it."
So I did the research. Here's the definition:
Covetousness — an inordinate desire for wealth or possessions, or wanting what someone else has so badly you're almost willing to do anything to get it.
Y'all. When I read that definition, God turned the mirror on me fast. I thought I just had normal wants. A bigger house so my kids had more room. A way to make income so I felt like I was doing something. A little more, just a little more. I didn't even realize I was struggling with covetousness. But I was. And it was making it increasingly harder to be grateful for anything I actually had.
THE VERSE WE'VE BEEN MISQUOTING
Before we get into the three things, we need to talk about Philippians 4:13 — one of the most misquoted verses in the entire Bible.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
— Philippians 4:13 ESV
You've seen it on shoes. On face paint at football games. On motivational posts everywhere. And listen — none of those things are bad. But here's what we're missing: the verse right before it.
"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need."
— Philippians 4:12 ESV
Paul wrote Philippians from prison. He had been shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, and left stranded. He had also been one of the greatest Pharisees — a man who probably had wealth and status and every earthly thing. And he says he learned — it took time, it took practice — to be content in both plenty and in little. And that is what makes verse 13 so powerful. It's not a promise that you'll get everything you want. It's a declaration that Christ is enough no matter what your circumstances look like.
THREE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY HELPED ME
1. Decide That Enough Is Enough
"Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and a striving after wind."
— Ecclesiastes 6:9 ESV
Solomon — the wealthiest man who ever lived — calls the constant wandering of desire exactly what it is: chasing wind. You can't catch wind. You can't hold it. The moment you finally get the thing you've been striving for, the desire just moves. You think you finally caught it — and then you realize you need just a little more to actually be happy.
That's what discontentment actually is. A wandering desire. And the first step to breaking free of it is just deciding — out loud, intentionally — that enough is enough. Tell yourself. Mean it. And keep telling yourself until your heart starts to believe it.
2. Practice Gratitude — Actually Practice It
I know this sounds cliché. But there is something real that happens when you start speaking gratitude out loud. Your mouth leads your mind.
Start naming things. God, thank You for a home that gives my family shelter. God, thank You for a car that gets us from point A to point B. God, thank You that we have what we need even when it's not what I wanted.
When we had a winter storm here and I watched ice rain fall for 24 hours straight, I started thinking about people without homes. And something shifted in me. My house has issues. It needs work. The people who lived here before us did not take great care of it. But God gave us shelter. And when I started framing it that way — genuinely, not just saying the words — it started reframing my whole mind.
Discontentment will always find a reason to want more. Gratitude finds a reason to be thankful for what's already here.
3. Seek God — Actually Seek Him
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
— Matthew 6:33 ESV
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
— Romans 12:1-2 ESV
Here's what I finally had to admit: I was not strong enough to pull myself out of discontentment on my own. I had everything I had prayed for — and I was still not satisfied. The problem was bigger than me. I needed a power outside of myself.
The more we seek God, the more our desires start to look like His desires. The Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out — not because we've white-knuckled our way to contentment, but because we've gotten close enough to God that what He loves starts to be what we love too.
And y'all — if Paul could write "Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice" from a jail cell (Philippians 4:4), we can find contentment in our homes, our cars, our marriages, our churches, and our everyday ordinary lives. Not because everything is perfect. But because Christ is enough.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Discontentment is not a small thing. It gives the enemy a foothold — and that foothold can become depression, bitterness, ingratitude, and a never-ending cycle of wanting. But God does not want that for you.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
— John 10:10 ESV
That abundant life isn't waiting for you at the next income level or the bigger house or the newer car. It's available right now. Today. In the life God has already given you.
Enter His courts with thanksgiving. Find contentment. And live the life He's actually called you to live.
SCRIPTURES REFERENCED
Ephesians 5:1-5 — covetousness listed among sins that should not be named among believers
Philippians 4:4 — "Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice"
Philippians 4:12 — Paul learned to abound and to be content with little
Philippians 4:13 ESV — "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
2 Corinthians 11 — Paul's account of shipwreck, beatings, and suffering
Ecclesiastes 6:9 ESV — "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire"
John 10:10 ESV — the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus came to give abundant life
Matthew 6:33 ESV — seek first the kingdom of God
Romans 12:1-2 ESV — be transformed by the renewing of your mind
Psalm 100:4 — enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise
Isaiah 55:8-9 — His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways
LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
What have you been struggling with when it comes to contentment? Drop it in the comments — I genuinely want to hear from you. And if this episode helped you even a little, send it to someone else who needs it. If it helps just one person, that's enough for me. 🤍
Have a testimony about how God brought you through discontentment or a hard season? I would love to hear it and potentially have you share it on the podcast. Reach out at [email protected].
This is Miki with in case i forget — theology and testimony for busy wives and moms. Peace and blessings to you. I'll catch you at the next one. ✌🏽
🌐 theologyandtestimony.com
17 min
January 16ep. 8 - Can We Trust the Bible? Here's What the Evidence Actually Says
CHAPTERS:
01:56 – Who wrote the Bible & why consistency matters
02:16 – What Scripture did Jesus use?
05:45 – Why do Protestants have 66 books?
07:12 – Tanakh: Torah, Prophets & Writings
07:50 – How the Old Testament was already established
10:59 – New Testament canon criteria explained
14:59 – Council of Nicaea myths
15:58 – Manuscripts & historical reliability
EPISODE OVERVIEW
"The Bible isn't reliable — it's just a translation of a translation of a translation, and what we have now is a watered-down version of the original."
Sound familiar? If you've spent any time around skeptics — or wrestled with this yourself — this episode is your answer. We're going rapid fire through some of the biggest questions people have about the Bible: where it came from, who decided what went in it, what the manuscripts actually tell us, and why we can trust what we have in our hands today. This is the stuff I wish someone had walked me through sooner.
🌸 SPONSOR: MILES OF ROSIES FLOWERS
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FIRST THINGS FIRST: WHAT EVEN IS THE BIBLE?
The word Bible comes from the Greek word biblio — which simply means books. Our Bible as we know it contains 66 books, written by 40 different authors over 1,500 years — and despite all of that, it tells one singular, cohesive story. That alone should make us stop and think.
WHAT DID JESUS USE AS SCRIPTURE?
A great starting point is asking what Jesus himself used as Scripture. When He was in the desert after 40 days of fasting and Satan came to tempt Him, He responded with "It is written" — referring to the book of Deuteronomy. He wasn't making things up. He was quoting from something already recognized as authoritative.
A few other examples of Jesus treating Old Testament writings as authoritative:
Matthew 5:17 — Jesus says He didn't come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them
Matthew 19 — Jesus quotes Genesis when answering the Pharisees about divorce, using Moses as an authoritative standard
Matthew 9:12-13 — Jesus quotes directly from Hosea — a book written hundreds of years before His birth — and applies it to Himself
Jesus consistently validated these written words as the authoritative Word of God. That matters.
HOW DID WE GET THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS?
The Old Testament wasn't chosen at random. The Jewish people had already been recognizing and acknowledging specific books as the written words of God for centuries before Jesus arrived. This is called the Tanakh — an acronym from:
Torah (the law)
Nevi'im (the prophets)
Ketuvim (the writings — psalms, poetry, lamentations, etc.)
God also gave Israel a very specific way to verify a true prophet: if what they said came to pass, God sent them. If it did not, they were to be stoned. That's how seriously God took His messengers — and how seriously Israel scrutinized what they accepted as Scripture. The scribes were responsible for studying, copying, and preserving those records with extreme care.
The Septuagint — completed in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC by 72 bilingual scholars before Jesus ever walked the earth — translated the Tanakh from Hebrew into Greek for Greek-speaking Jews. This gives us an incredibly early and reliable reference point for the Old Testament texts we have today.
WHAT ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT?
The question for the New Testament wasn't whether the Old Testament was canon — that was already established. The question was which books would be recognized as New Testament canon.
According to Answers in Genesis, five criteria were used — sometimes called the Five A's:
Apostolic — written by or directly connected to an apostle (this includes Paul, whose radical encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus established his apostleship)
Authentic — not someone else's ideas with a famous name slapped on top (think the Gospel of Thomas — written by someone other than the Apostle Thomas, and its content is immediately inconsistent with the rest of the New Testament)
Ancient — not something that showed up 10 years later claiming to be Scripture
Accepted — acknowledged by the early church as authoritative at the time it was written
Accurate — consistent with the manuscripts we can verify
WHAT ABOUT KING JAMES? DID HE PICK THE BOOKS?
No. Let's just clear this up once and for all.
King James did not choose which books went into the Bible. What he actually did was commission 50 scholars, divide them into six groups, and assign each group a section to translate — the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Apocrypha. He gave them 14-15 strict rules to follow to ensure accuracy, including sticking to the English predecessors (the Bishops' Bible, Tyndale, and Geneva) that came before. They could not change names. They had to stay true to what came before.
Is King James a perfect human? No. But Proverbs 21:1 says "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." God uses broken people. He always has.
One more thing — the Council of Nicaea. That was not about choosing books of the Bible. That council was convened specifically to address Arianism — the heresy that Jesus was not fully God — and to affirm the deity of Christ. Different council. Different purpose.
THE MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE — THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF
Manuscripts are handwritten texts that scholars use to verify the authenticity and accuracy of ancient literature. The more manuscripts we have, the more we can cross-reference and confirm consistency.
Here's some context:
Julius Caesar — fewer than 100 manuscripts
Genghis Khan — very few manuscripts; mostly a 15-book chronicle
Plato — a few hundred manuscripts
Aristotle — about 49 manuscripts, with the earliest copy written 1,400 years after Aristotle lived
And yet we accept all of these as reliable historical documents without question.
Now for the New Testament:
Over 24,000 manuscripts — and scholars are still finding more
99.5% accuracy across all of them
Written within 50 years of Jesus's ascension
Y'all. 24,000 manuscripts with 99.5% accuracy, written within living memory of the events. Compared to the 1,400-year gap on Aristotle. I'm just saying.
As new manuscripts are discovered and cross-referenced, scholars continue making refinements to ensure accuracy. This is actually a sign of integrity — not instability. For example, John 5:4 appears in the King James Version but not in some later translations, because earlier manuscripts don't contain it. This process is exactly what it should look like.
SO DO WE STILL NEED THE OLD TESTAMENT?
Absolutely. When Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that He came to fulfill the law and the prophets — that Greek word (pleroo) means to complete. Not to eliminate. Think of it like the missing piece of a puzzle. If you throw out the rest of the puzzle just because you found the last piece, you've lost the whole picture.
As St. Augustine put it:
"The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed."
You need both to understand either. And as Augustus Strong wrote in Systematic Theology — Jesus fulfilled the law by bringing out its inner spirit in His perfect life, not by making it obsolete.
WHY WE CAN TRUST THE BIBLE
It has been around for thousands of years — this is not something anyone just made up or assembled recently
The Old Testament canon was established and recognized by the Jewish people long before the church existed
The Septuagint gives us an early pre-Christ reference point for Old Testament reliability
The New Testament canon was determined by five rigorous criteria, not one person's opinion
Over 24,000 manuscripts with 99.5% accuracy — no other ancient document comes close
Jesus himself validated the Scriptures repeatedly throughout His ministry
40 authors. 1,500 years. One story. You can see Jesus on every single page — if you're reading to find Him
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
SCRIPTURES REFERENCED
Matthew 5:17 — Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets
Matthew 9:12-13 — Jesus quotes Hosea; those who are well need no physician
Matthew 19 — Jesus quotes Genesis on the topic of divorce
Matthew 4 — Jesus tempted in the desert; quotes Deuteronomy
Proverbs 21:1 ESV — the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV — all Scripture is breathed out by God
Hosea 6:6 — "I desire mercy and not sacrifice"
RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED
Logos Bible Software — used for study and research
John Piper — reference to Matthew 19 and Jesus quoting Genesis
Wes Huff — scholar; example of pseudepigrapha and authenticity
Augustus Strong — Systematic Theology; quote on Jesus fulfilling the law
St. Augustine — "The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed..."
Answers in Genesis — the five criteria for New Testament canon
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible — reference to the Septuagint
Miles of Rosies — milesofrosies.com | use code YOUTUBE10 for 10% off 🌸
LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
What's one thing from this episode you didn't know before? Drop it in the comments — I genuinely want to hear from you. And if this helped you or someone you love who's been wrestling with whether they can trust the Bible, please share it. That's exactly why I make these.
Have a testimony you'd love to share on the podcast? Reach out at [email protected] and let's connect. 🤍
This is Miki with in case i forget — theology and testimony for busy wives and moms. I'll catch you at the next one.
🌐 theologyandtestimony.com
#BibleReliability #CanWeTrustTheBible #BiblicalCanon #BibleTranslations #ChristianApologetics #JesusAndScripture #FaithAndHistory #BibleManuscripts #ChristianYouTube
24 min
January 01ep. 7 - Testimony Time! The Story of One Time God Provided For Our Needs | Faith As Big As A Mustard Seed?
I was stressed, burnt out, and watching our savings account go down month by month. The night before this testimony happened, I was basically falling apart trying to figure out how to keep our family afloat while staying home with my kids and building a business from scratch. And then the next morning — two envelopes showed up in the mail that I almost threw away.
This episode is a real, unfiltered testimony about God showing up as Jehovah Jireh — the God who provides — in a way I absolutely did not see coming. Plus we're going to talk about what Jesus actually meant when He talked about faith the size of a mustard seed, because I don't think we've been reading that right.
🌸 SPONSOR: MILES OF ROSIES FLOWERS
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THE TESTIMONY
About seven to eight months ago I stopped working after the birth of our third baby in February. We had been living off our rainy season fund — which, if you don't have one, let this be your sign to start one. Three to six months of savings set aside for exactly these moments is not optional, y'all. It is a gift to your future self.
But here's the thing about a rainy season fund — every month you watch it go down, your heart rate goes up a little. And with three kids, homeschooling, and a business that still needs time to grow, I was feeling it. We had also taken a 40% pay cut when we moved, so the math wasn't exactly encouraging.
On a Wednesday night I sat with my husband, frustrated and stressed, trying to figure out if I needed to go back to work. We prayed about it. And I went to sleep still a mess.
The next morning my husband brings in the mail before heading to work. Two envelopes — no return address, just my name and our address. Suspicious enough that I almost threw them away.
Inside? Two checks.
They were labeled as a student loan refund . . . which made zero sense to me because I hadn't taken out any student loans recently. So I started making calls. Liberty University. The Department of Education. FAFSA. And that's when I found it . . . an application I had completely forgotten about from 2023.
The backstory: Back in 2013, I enrolled at a school that offered me a scholarship. Two weeks before final exams, they came back and said it was given to me in error and they needed the money back . . . which meant I owed the school more than I could afford and couldn't finish the semester without paying it. I packed up and drove home. It was honestly devastating.
When the student loan borrower's defense program opened up for people who felt they had been misled by their institution, I quietly submitted an application, not expecting much, but figured it was worth trying. My husband and I had already paid our loans down to zero following Dave Ramsey's principles, so this wasn't about avoiding debt. It was about what had genuinely happened to me.
I had forgotten about that application entirely.
When FAFSA confirmed that it had been approved, and that the money in those two envelopes was mine to keep, including the interest we had already paid, I got off the phone trembling.
God. You actually provided. The night I was falling apart, you were already working.
It wasn't millions of dollars. But it was exactly enough to carry us through to next year, which means I can now build this business steadily, sustainably, and without panic. In peace.
That's Jehovah Jireh.
WHAT THIS TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAITH
Now I want to talk about something I've been sitting with because I think we've been misreading a really familiar verse.
In Matthew 17, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy after the disciples couldn't. When they ask Him why they failed, He says:
"You didn't have enough faith. I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
— Matthew 17:20 NLT
Growing up I always heard this as: just have a tiny little bit of faith and God will move. Like the smallness of the seed was the point.
But here's what I learned recently . . . and it kind of wrecked me in the best way.
A mustard seed is incredibly small. But when it gets planted, it becomes invasive. It takes over the entire area. Farmers actually dislike mustard plants because they crowd out everything else around them.
So when Jesus said faith like a mustard seed to an agriculturally minded audience of disciples who knew exactly what mustard plants did . . . He wasn't talking about the size of the seed. He was talking about what it grows into.
Faith that starts small but grows so invasively that it takes over everything ----> including the way you see your circumstances. It crowds out the fear. It crowds out the panic. It crowds out the evidence stacked against you. Because you're no longer walking by what you see. You're walking by faith.
And that right there is what I was not doing the Wednesday night before those checks showed up. I was walking by sight. Watching the account balance. Counting the months. Calculating the risk.
I'm not hard on myself for it . . . but I'm challenged. I want to be a woman who walks by faith that grows so wide it covers what my eyes would otherwise fixate on.
A WORD IF YOU'RE IN A HARD SEASON
I want to be honest with you: God does not always show up the way He showed up for us with those two envelopes. Sometimes we pray and we wait. Sometimes we wait and the answer is no. Sometimes the provision looks nothing like what we expected.
But here's what I know AND what Scripture confirms:
He is faithful even when we don't understand what He's doing. He is still God even when the answer isn't the one we wanted. He still deserves our wholehearted loyalty even when things are hard. I've watched people I love walk through situations I wouldn't wish on anyone, and the ones who had God walked through differently than the ones who didn't.
So whether He shows up with two unexpected checks or He asks you to keep trusting in the silence . . . He is Jehovah Jireh. He knows what you need. And He provides according to His will and His perfect timing.
Trust Him anyway.
SCRIPTURES REFERENCED
Psalm 23:1 — "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want"
Proverbs 3:5 — "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding"
Proverbs 22:7 — the borrower is servant to the lender (referenced but not quoted directly)
Matthew 17:14-20 NLT — the demon-possessed boy; faith like a mustard seed
2 Corinthians 5:7 — walk by faith and not by sight (referenced)
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAY
If you don't have a rainy season fund ----> make that a priority. Three to six months of living expenses set aside so that when life happens, you have space to breathe, pray, and make clear-headed decisions instead of panic-driven ones. It is one of the most practical ways to steward what God has given you.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Dave Ramsey — debt payoff principles and emergency fund strategy
Miles of Rosies Flowers — milesofrosies.com | luxury rent-and-return wedding flowers 🌸
Liberty University — current school Miki is attending
FAFSA / Department of Education — student borrower's defense program
LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
Has God ever provided for you in a way you didn't see coming? I would love to hear your testimony . . . drop it in the comments or send it to me at [email protected]. Your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear right now. 🤍
And if this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who's in a hard season and needs the reminder that God is still Jehovah Jireh.
This is Miki with in case i forget — theology and testimony for busy wives and moms. I'll catch you at the next one.
🌐 theologyandtestimony.com
15 min
December 26, 2025 ep. 6 - Honoring The Lord with My Gifts | Theology for Proverbs 31 Wives and Mothers
#smallbusinessjourney #Faithbasedbusiness #weddingflorist

What does it really mean to steward your gifts well?

In this episode, Miki reflects on responsibility, humility, and the weight that comes with being gifted, drawing inspiration from the Parable of the Talents. Through the lens of faith, business, and personal experience, she explores why burying your gifts isn’t humility, but avoidance, and how recognizing God’s role in our abilities actually frees us to use them boldly.

As a self-described polymath, Miki also opens up about the tension of having many skills but struggling with follow-through, the dangers of pride and false humility, and why stewardship matters in every area of life . . .not just business.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt torn between downplaying their abilities and stepping fully into what they were created to do.

🤍 Sponsored by Miles of Rosies Flowers

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🧠 Key Takeaway:
Your talents were never meant to be hidden. They were entrusted to you—for a purpose bigger than yourself.

🎧 Chapters
00:00 Navigating Business and Faith
02:10 The Balance of Humility and Skill
03:55 Understanding the Polymath Experience
06:02 God’s Gifts and Our Responsibilities
08:20 Stewardship of Talents and Gifts

🔍 Keywords:
talents, humility, stewardship, faith and business, christian entrepreneurship, parable of the talents, responsibility, polymath, gifts from God, purpose driven business, faith led life
16 min

About in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other

From the publisher's feed

If you are anything like me, it does not take much to forget God's faithfulness and His goodness. Between social media distractions and life's everyday dose of hardships, I am fighting for my life trying to hold on tight to the hem of Jesus. Don't think I've got it all together. I don't. But that's why I'm inviting you into this space with me for on-point and on-time biblical truths to help us anchor when life would have us burn out and drift. This is in case i forget. I am your host Miki. Let's get to it.

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in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other

in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other episodes

About in case i forget | Bible Studies | Testimony | Busy Wives | Busy Mothers | Christ Centered Pen Pal Community | Connecting Women To Christ and Each Other