allison elaine writes

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I have a heart for advocating, encouraging, and empowering people, and for giving God the glory in every season of life. I’ve spent the last 19 years serving vulnerable individuals in the social service field, an experience that has both humbled me and strengthened my faith. My deepest desire is to be used by the Lord to share the wisdom and experiences He has given me. While faith is the foundation of everything I do, this space also reflects the practical work I’ve been called to—supporting trauma healing, understanding how the brain responds to stress and suffering, and helping people grow in compassionate, effective communication. Much of my work has focused on walking alongside those who are struggling and equipping others to connect people with helpful resources and meaningful support. I am a follower of Christ first, a wife, a mama to two adult children and one teen, and the grateful grandma of a sweet little toddler who fills our family with joy. Here, you’ll find faith, honesty, and hope—rooted in Christ and shared through real-life experience, practical insight, and a deep love for people.
  • Getting Out of God’s Way

    Getting Out of God’s Way

    How Daily Surrender, Obedience, and the Holy Spirit Transform Relationships

    Strong personalities can build things—or break them.

    I was raised by two very strong people. Their strengths were ambition and passion. They were driven, capable, and unapologetic. But those same strengths came with weaknesses: quicker frustration and very little tolerance for baloney.

    That shaped me more than I realized.

    It took significant life events—and a lot of humility—for me to understand how often my strength was actually getting in God’s way. What I once saw as passion, God revealed as self-reliance. What I justified as honesty, He exposed as fear and control, showing me that daily surrender to God was the only path to spiritual growth and freedom.

    Scripture makes it unmistakably clear:

    “I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord—I die every day!”
    1 Corinthians 15:31

    Dying daily is not metaphorical. It is a conscious, repeated choice to step aside and let God lead.

    When my daughter was around 18 or 19, I found myself deeply frustrated and heartbroken. I felt distance growing between us, and I didn’t know how to close it. In desperation, I cried out to God, asking why I felt like I was losing connection with my oldest daughter.

    And God answered clearly:

    She just needs to see Jesus in you.

    My response was honest and immediate. I told Him I didn’t know how to stop expressing fear. I didn’t know how to stop letting anxiety, control, and unhelpful words seep into that relationship. I told God I didn’t know how to simply show Jesus instead of my fear.

    His response was gentle—but firm:

    I’ll do it for you.

    In that moment, something shifted. I can only describe it as the Lord removing fear from that relationship. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I was given the ability to bridle my tongue, release unhelpful reactions, and stop operating from fear—not through willpower, but through dependence on Him.

    “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness…”
    Romans 8:26

    What I didn’t realize then was that obedience often requires patience.

    Nearly seven years later, my daughter shared something that marked the fruit of that obedience:

    “Mom, you’re one of my best friends.”

    The beauty that has come from submission and obedience has been immeasurable. Getting out of God’s way—dying to myself—has allowed me to witness His mighty hand at work. And every time, it has been for His glory and for the greater good.

    The enemy’s strategy is subtle but effective: to lead us into self-reliance. When we depend on our own strength, wisdom, or control, we become ineffective—not because God steps back, but because we never stepped aside.

    What I’ve Learned

    • Die to your fleshly nature daily
    • Put on the whole armor of God
    • Rely fully on the Holy Spirit

    Reflection & Action

    Where might God be inviting you to get out of His way?

    Is there a relationship, fear, habit, or form of self-reliance that needs to be laid down—not through striving, but through surrender?

    Call to Action:
    Take time today—intentionally and without distraction—to ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area where you are holding on too tightly. Write it down. Pray over it. Then take one deliberate step of obedience that reflects trust instead of control.

    Getting out of God’s way is not passive—it is an act of faith.
    And it may be the most obedient, powerful step you take today.

  • When Frustration Becomes Formation: To the Glory of God in the Everyday

    When Frustration Becomes Formation: To the Glory of God in the Everyday

    Your call to holiness. 

    Every day comes with frustrations—someone cuts us off in traffic, our children talk back, a stranger is rude, or a misunderstanding disrupts our peace. These ordinary moments often stir irritation or impatience, but Scripture reminds us that even these can become places where holiness is formed.

    Many believers have heard the phrase that marriage isn’t designed just to make us happy but to make us holy. But what if that principle extends to all of life? What if the real invitation is that every response to everyday life—every disagreement, every inconvenience, every frustration—is an opportunity to glorify God?

    “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31

    In these moments, our opinions often matter far less than the condition of our heart. Our responses become the testing ground of our holiness—showing how closely we’ve been walking with Jesus and what our priorities truly are.

    “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart.” — Matthew 15:18

    “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

    When we are resting in the Lord—allowing the Holy Spirit to shape our attitudes, desires, and reactions—the fruit becomes unmistakable. It shows up in the way we treat others, even under pressure.

    “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” — Galatians 5:16, 22–23

    Holiness is not primarily revealed on mountaintops or in the big spiritual moments. It is revealed in the small, hidden responses of daily life—the places where no one is watching but God. These moments serve as a mirror, reflecting how much time we’ve been spending with Him and how willing we are to submit to His shaping.

    “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

    “Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” — 1 Peter 1:15

    Every irritation becomes an invitation.

    Every frustration becomes formation.

    Every response becomes a chance to reflect the One we follow.

    Holiness grows in the ordinary. And God uses these moments—large and small—to make us more like Christ.

    Thanks for reading 😊