Ladies, can you believe we’ve reached the end of our 13-week journey through Nehemiah? This has been our longest study yet, and what a rich, meaningful season it’s been! Before we even opened the first page together, I spent several months writing and studying this book in depth—and now that we’ve wrapped it up? I’m ready for a bit of a break.

I’m planning to step back for at least six weeks to rest, pray, and return to a study I began a while back. Of course, everything is in the Lord’s hands. Sometimes I get five chapters in and He redirects my steps—so we’ll see what He has in store for us this time.

I’ll keep you posted once all the fluffy little ducks are in a row. Until then, enjoy this beautiful autumn season, breathe deep, stay rooted in the word, and I’ll talk to you soon!

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Have you ever been torn between keeping the peace and honoring God? Have you held your tongue when you knew you should’ve spoken? Not because you didn’t care—but because you didn’t want to rock the boat. I’ve done that. More times than I’d like to admit. And every time, I’ve walked away wishing I could turn back the clock to rewrite the script.

My dad used to say, “It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday—God wants to know what you’ll do today.” That’s the beauty of walking with Him. He gives us room to grow. Room to choose obedience. Room to choose courage.

And courage doesn’t have to be a thunderous roar. Most often, it’s quiet. It’s steady. It’s that simple choice to speak when silence would be easier. One sentence today. Two more tomorrow. That’s how the Lord shapes us—little by little—into women who stand firm and speak with grace when it counts.

Now, I’m not talking about letting your emotions drive the conversation. This isn’t about lashing out when the drive-thru messes up your order, or snapping at someone because your patience ran thin. That’s flesh on display.

Holy courage is different. It’s measured. It’s purposeful. It’s anchored in truth and driven by love.

That’s what we see in Nehemiah chapter 13.

Nehemiah didn’t come back to Jerusalem looking for a fight—but when he saw sin creeping in and God’s people compromising again, he didn’t brush it off. He addressed it head-on. Not to prove a point, but to protect what was sacred. Nehemiah loved God’s name more than his own comfort. That’s leadership. That’s obedience.

His actions in this chapter are more than a history lesson—they’re a model for us. He spoke up when silence would’ve been easier. He made hard decisions. He put boundaries in place. And through it all, he kept bringing his heart before the Lord.

So what might this look like today?

• • Setting boundaries with friends: This might mean stepping away from old habits or conversations—even if it’s uncomfortable, awkward, or costly—because your obedience to God matters more than fitting in.
  • Guiding your home: This could mean gently calling your family to refocus on the Lord, choosing spiritual priorities over convenience, even when it disrupts the usual rhythm.
  • Parenting with clarity: It may mean confronting entertainment, language, or attitudes that dishonor Christ—not to win approval, but to raise children who know what it means to walk in holiness.
  • Speaking up when truth is ignored: This might look like holding firm to God’s Word when others want to blur the lines, and choosing to please Him even when it’s not popular.
  • Having hard conversations in love: Sometimes it means addressing sin or setting boundaries—not to make a point, but to protect your own walk with the Lord and respond in a way that honors Him.

Holy courage isn’t about polished words and perfect prose. It’s about having the right heart—a heart willing to speak truth, even when silence might feel safer.

Before you speak, pause and ask yourself: 

1. Am I doing this for God’s approval—or someone else’s?

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
—Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

2. Can I speak with grace and self-control?

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
—Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

3. Is this mine to speak into—or do I need to be quiet and pray?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
—Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

 4. What action would actually bring change—not just relief?

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
—Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

5. Have I asked God to search my heart and purify my motives?

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
—Psalm 139:23–24 (NIV)

Before you step forward in courage, pause. Let the Lord examine your heart. Let Him lead your words.

Because when our motives are anchored in love—when we speak from a place of humility and love, not control or frustration—we reflect the heart of Christ.

Holy courage may stretch you. It may cost you. But choosing God is always worth it.

This Week’s Printable

Here is this week’s printable. Click the image to view and print a higher resolution.