Choosing Silence, Finding Strength: When God Fights Our Battles
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Release Date: 05/06/2025
When It Feels Safer to Hide: Overcoming the Fear of Being Seen
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Have you ever felt like it was simply safer to stay small? Maybe you've been putting off that dream, avoiding difficult conversations, or quietly convincing yourself that "someday" will be a better time. Maybe you've learned to hide in ways that don't even look like hiding anymore. In this episode of Peace in His Presence, Michelle shares the deeply personal story of how childhood bullying taught her that staying unseen felt safe—and how that same pattern quietly followed her into adulthood, even as she stepped into podcasting, coaching, and writing. If you've ever struggled with the fear of...
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When Your Inner Mean Girl Gathers Her Posse
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
When Your Inner Mean Girl Gathers Her Posse Why the voices telling you to stay quiet, stay small, and stay safe get so loud when you try something new. Have you ever wanted to start something new—a book, a podcast, a Bible study, a business, a ministry, or another dream you’ve carried for years—only to find that your inner critic suddenly has a lot to say? Who do you think you are? What if you fail? What if you don’t know enough? What if someone else could do it better? Sometimes the moment we begin moving toward something that matters to us, the negative self-talk gets louder. Fear of...
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When Worrying Doesn't Fix It
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
You've been worrying about them for months. Maybe years. And here's what all that worry has fixed: nothing. Not their pain. Not their situation. Not the ache in your chest that shows up every time your phone rings. You know worrying doesn't fix it. You know that. And yet you cannot stop. You replay the conversations. You brace for the next phone call. You carry their pain home with you and set it right down on your kitchen table like it belongs there. Friend — this episode is for you. What This Episode Is About In this episode of the When You Cannot Fix It summer series, we're talking...
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When You Cannot Fix It: Rest for the Weary Soul
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Are you a Christian woman who can't stop worrying about someone you love? Maybe it's your child who is struggling and won't let you help. Maybe it's a marriage that feels like it's slipping through your fingers. Maybe it's a parent's health or a situation at work or a relationship that keeps you awake at 3am spinning through every possible worst case scenario. You believe in God. You know He is in control. And your body still won't calm down. Friend — there is nothing wrong with you. And you are not alone. In this first episode of the When You Cannot Fix It summer series, I'm sharing...
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When Life Feels Overwhelming | God Walks With You (Isaiah 43)
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Maybe you've had the phone call you weren't expecting. The diagnosis. The season you didn't choose. Maybe you're watching someone you love suffer and there's nothing you can do to fix it. Maybe you're just bone-tired from carrying more than you were ever meant to carry. Whatever brought you here today — you are welcome. You don't have to have it together. You just have to show up. About This Episode Isaiah 43 opens with words God spoke to a people in exile — people who were far from home, overwhelmed, and wondering if God had forgotten them. And before anything else, before the command not...
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Can’t Sleep Worrying? Psalm 121 for Peace at Night
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
It's the middle of the night. Your mind is moving. Your heart is racing. Your body just won't settle — even though you know you need sleep, even though you've prayed, even though you trust God. You're not alone. And you're not failing. This episode is for you — the one lying awake in the dark, scanning for danger that may never come, carrying worry about someone or something you cannot control. About This Episode Psalm 121 was written for travelers on a road — people who didn't know what waited around the next bend. Maybe that feels familiar. Maybe lately you've been lifting your eyes to...
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Rest from Anxiety | Bible Verses for When You Feel Overwhelmed (Psalm 91)
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Are you carrying something heavy right now? Maybe it's fear about someone's health. Maybe it's worry about your finances, your children, or the weight of everything happening in the world — things you cannot fix no matter how hard you try. This episode is a place to slow down, breathe, and remember who holds you. This guided meditation on Psalm 91 is part of the Be Still Series on the Peace in His Presence podcast — scripture-centered meditations designed for the moments when you know what's true, but your body hasn't settled down yet. About This Episode Psalm 91 opens with a stunning...
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You Trust God — So Why Does Your Body Still Feel Anxious?
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Have you ever noticed your stomach clenching, your shoulders tightening, or your chest going tight — even when you know God is in control? Even when you trust His promises? You're not spiritually defective. You're not failing at faith. There's actually a beautiful, science-backed reason your body responds the way it does — and in this episode, Michelle explains exactly what's happening and why it makes complete sense. What This Episode Is About In this deeply personal episode, Michelle shares a breakthrough moment that connected years of theological study,...
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Rest For Your Soul:When the World Feels Shaken
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Does your heart feel shaken right now? Social media feels like a war zone. The news is devastating. People you love are tearing each other apart. And you're already carrying your own heavy weight—relationship struggles, financial stress, health concerns, kids you're worried about. You go online looking for connection and find division instead. The weight just keeps getting heavier. If you're exhausted from trying to hold it all together, if you're weary of watching people fight, if you're searching for peace when the world feels like chaos—this episode is for you. In This Episode, You'll...
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What To Do When Grief Shows Up
Peace in His Presence: Hope for the Anxious Heart
Grief doesn't follow a schedule. It shows up in the grocery store aisle, while looking through recipes, when you hear a certain song. And during the holidays, grief can feel even more intense. In this final episode of the Be Still series, I'm sharing what I've learned about welcoming grief instead of trying to fix it—and how Immanuel (God WITH us) meets us right in the middle of our pain. You'll discover: • Why "small" griefs matter just as much as "big" ones • The REST framework for processing grief when it catches you off guard • How to hold both grief and joy at the same time •...
info_outlineEpisode Summary
In this powerful episode of the Peace in His Presence podcast, Michelle Dericks explores how choosing strategic silence can become a source of strength when facing false accusations and shame. Drawing from her personal experience with false accusations and the biblical story of Rahab, Michelle reveals how El Chay (The Living God) fights our battles and brings redemption from the most broken places in our lives. As Mother's Day approaches, this timely message offers hope for anyone carrying burdens of shame, inadequacy, or painful circumstances they didn't choose.
Key Moments From This Episode
Michelle's Story of Strategic Silence
- Facing a situation with false accusations and choosing silence as a spiritual strategy
- Learning to surrender her defense to God rather than defending herself
- Finding peace in God's Word and worship during a difficult trial
- Experiencing God's faithfulness as truth eventually came to light
Rahab's Story of Redemption
- A woman with a shameful past living in Jericho during impending destruction
- Recognizing the power of the God of Israel and choosing to trust Him
- Hanging a scarlet cord as her thread of hope amid uncertainty
- Being rescued from the rubble and redeemed into God's lineage
Finding Redemption in Broken Places
- El Chay specializes in transformation and redemption
- Our struggles actually strengthen our ability to help and serve others
- God's grace covers our sins and His love is bigger than our problems
- The power of sharing our stories of redemption to help others
Scripture References
"As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs after you, O God." - Psalm 42
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you." - Isaiah 43:1-2
Application for Your Life
This message of redemption applies to various life situations:
- For mothers: Finding freedom from parenting mistakes and regrets
- For those falsely accused: Trusting God with your defense
- For those in broken relationships: Finding healing and restoration
- For anyone facing setbacks: Discovering God's redemptive purpose
El Chay meets you right in the middle of your rubble. He doesn't require perfection but offers redemption. Your struggles actually strengthen your ability to serve others as you experience God's redemption firsthand.
Connect With Michelle
If what I've shared today about El Chay who redeems us from brokenness resonates with you, I'd love to continue this conversation. I offer complimentary 50-minute consultation calls where I can listen to what you're going through and help you see a path forward through the lens of God's promises.
Ready to release the shame you've been carrying? Follow the link in the show notes to schedule your complimentary consultation today.