The 10 minutes that will change how you hear God

Fine Natural Hair & Faith * Sunday Edit

The Faithful Strand

Natural Hair Care with faith as the foundation and intention as the guide

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Vol. 2 Issue 30

The reason you're not hearing God is not because He isn't speaking. It may be that your day never gets quiet enough to hear Him.

Happy Sunday my friend. Somewhere this week you probably asked God for direction. Maybe it was about your hair; maybe something much bigger. And, maybe you didn't hear an answer right away. It wasn't because He wasn't speaking though, but because there was not enough quiet in your day.

That's what today's issue is about. I encourage you to take time to pause so you can make space to hear from Him.

In Today's Issue:

→ A quieter way to hear from God

→ The pause many of us skip

→ A morning practice to protect

Stage: CLARITY

GUIDED GROWTH

This month's featured faith reading

Faith Journaling 101: How to Hear God Through Writing

If you're anything like me, you've wondered what it would take to hear God speak to you. Maybe you looked for a sign or a feeling to sweep over you. What I've realized is that God can speak in many ways and one of those ways is through writing.

TREASURE THIS

This week's focus

The Pause That Lets You Hear God

Let's face it. Most of us don't skip time with God because we don't love Him. We skip it because the day fills up before we've had a chance to breathe. And "journaling" starts to feel like one more task with a deadline we're already behind on.

So let me reframe it. Faith journaling isn't a chore to add to your list. It's the pause that lets you hear God before the day gets loud. It's the difference between reacting your way through the week and moving through it with clarity about what matters.

Here's a little something I want you to hold onto: you don't journal to get everything written down and out of your head (although there is a time for that). You journal to quiet your mind down long enough to listen. It's very difficult to focus on other things when you are writing what comes from your heart or your mind. The writing keeps your hands busy while your spirit is calm. When the noise is shut out, the things God wants to say to you all week finally have room to be heard.

"Clarity so often comes with a pen in your hand. Not because writing is magic, but because it makes you slow down long enough to receive it."

One thing that makes this easier is having an aesthetically pleasing place to write. I came across a Bible journaling set that's both pretty and functional. It offers you a dedicated space to journal with room to journal your faith in whatever way makes most sense to you. There's something about a lovely place that's just for this that makes you far more likely to sit down and just do it.

Take a look and see if it's a good fit for your quiet time.

See the Journaling Set

SACRED REFLECTIONS

"Be still, and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

We usually read this as a command to calm down. But sit with the order of it. Be still comes first. The knowing comes after.

Stillness isn't just a command to stop. It's what positions you to know God more intimately.

SACRED SELF CARE

A five-minute morning to hear from Him

Set your alarm a little earlier, before the day gets ahead of you. Light a candle. Pour a cup of tea. Grab your journal. Say a quick prayer and ask God for guidance and clarity. Then simply write. It might be a prayer or a scripture you want to examine more closely. Let the Holy Spirit lead, and don't rush to fill every line.

You're not trying to produce anything. You're making a quiet place to hear from Him before anyone else needs you.

Many Blessings,

Michelle

Michelle Smith

Ordained Evangelist & Natural Hair Coach
Founder, Fine Natural Hair & Faith

The Framework

IDENTITY instead of comparison.

STEWARDSHIP instead of striving.

CLARITY instead of confusion.

CONSISTENCY instead of starting over.

Because your hair journey was never meant to be a cycle of frustration. It can be an act of faith, wisdom, and intentional care.

Start Your Faithful Strand Journey

If you know anyone who would enjoy the Faithful Strand newsletter, please forward this email or this link, and they can sign up any time.

My emails sometimes contain affiliate links for products I use and love that earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you missed a previous issue and want to catch up, read past issues here.

Oh hey, way down here! If you forgot why you're hearing from me, Michelle - the creative woman behind Fine Natural Hair and Faith, it's probably because you purchased one of my digital products or signed up for a sweet freebie on my website. I focus on 3 areas: 1) Teaching fine haired naturals how to elevate their hair routines so they can reach their hair goals. 2) Helping Christians how to tighten up their Faith walk 3) Inspiring and supporting women to prioritize their self care. My emails sometimes contain affiliate links which pays me a small commission for recommending the products at no additional cost to you. Of course, I never recommend anything I don't use or have experience with. Thank you. If you aren’t vibing with these emails, you can say no-thank-you at any time, no hard feelings.

The Faithful Strand: Nurturing Crown & Spirit

The 10 minutes that will change how you hear God

Moisture or Protein? How to Read What Your Fine Hair Needs

Here's Why Her Hair Stays Healthy When She Travels

How I finally stopped losing the length I grow