This week, our ladies book club gathered for Chapter 3 of What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me About Men (Purchase the book here), and what unfolded was far more than a discussion about relationships—it was a sacred invitation back to the heart of Jesus.
The morning after we met, I woke up with a song echoing in my spirit: “Holy & Anointed One.” Over and over the words repeat, “Jesus, I love You.” It speaks of His name being like honey on our lips, His Spirit like water to our souls, and loving Him more than anything else. As I reflected, it became clear how deeply this aligned with our conversation the night before.
We talked honestly about expectations—where we place them, and who we look to fulfill them. And the truth we kept coming back to is this: Jesus is the only One who will never fail us. When we look to people to meet needs only God was meant to fill, disappointment and confusion follow. But when we turn first to Him, we find stability, peace, and truth.
In one version of the song, there is a spoken word that describes Jesus “cleaning house”—sweeping out what doesn’t belong and making space for Himself alone. That image lingered with me.
Scripture reminds us:
“Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” —John 15:2
Pruning is never comfortable, but it is always purposeful.
Our conversation that night was rich and honest. Each woman brought a desire to understand, to grow, and to wrestle faithfully with what the Lord is revealing. There was a moment when the Holy Spirit moved so strongly that I honestly couldn’t tell you everything that was said afterward. What I do know is this: God is good. He is faithful. And He will never fail us.
He is calling His daughters to be set apart—to live differently than the world around us. The world teaches us to look outward for identity, worth, and love. God calls us inward, to Him. The world operates in contractual love—love based on performance and conditions. God invites us into covenant love, clearly defined for us in 1 Corinthians 13. And covenant love doesn’t always feel good to live out.
We closed out our time together with confirming Romans 8 that:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
There is no condemnation for those in Christ. Yet there is conviction—and conviction is a gift. When we walk according to the flesh—our selfishness, our unmet expectations, our sinful nature—we experience the weight that feels like condemnation. But when we walk according to the Spirit, conviction becomes a loving invitation to healing, correction, and growth.
This journey of keeping the Lord first—in every way—is simple in theory because it is clearly laid out in Scripture. But it is not easy. Dying to ourselves daily, choosing Jesus again and again, often goes against what feels natural. I am still learning how to walk this out with grace, mercy, love, and above all, joy—even in the midst of life’s rollercoaster.
There is so much more conversation to be had, and we are grateful for the space to have it together.
As we celebrate Christmas and step into a new year, my prayer is this: that we would place our hope, our joy, and our expectations fully in the Lord—and that everything good we experience would be recognized as the overflow of a faithful, loving God.
These conversations are not meant to stay within the walls of one gathering. They are part of a greater invitation—to reboot how we approach our faith, our relationships, and our expectations.
For couples, the Marriage Reboot creates intentional space to reset patterns, realign priorities, and rebuild marriage on a Christ-centered, covenant foundation.
For individuals—whether single, dating, divorced, or simply seeking deeper spiritual clarity—the Individual Reboot offers a focused opportunity to place Jesus firmly in the center, allowing Him to heal, refine, and reorder every area of life.
Our ladies study of What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me About Men by Julie Gorman is one of the ways we create safe, honest spaces for women to grow in truth, wisdom, and freedom. If you are interested in joining a future study, we would love to walk alongside you.
We also encourage you to purchase the book, as it provides layers of perspective and personal testimony that extend far beyond what we can cover together. Reading alongside Scripture allows the Holy Spirit to deepen understanding in powerful, personal ways.
If you are longing for clarity, healing, or a renewed foundation—whether in marriage or in your individual walk with the Lord—we invite you to explore what a Reboot could look like for you.
© Leslie Funk — Tactical Marriage
