A Blog From Life On Earth Ministries

By Nancy Duarte — Teacher & Founder, Life On Earth Ministries & Bible Chicks

Have you ever done something you knew was wrong and then asked yourself?

“Why do I keep doing this?”

You are not alone.

Today, I want to share a truth that turned my world upside down and just might transform the way you see your own struggles.

Because once you discover the real reason behind your struggles,

You can finally stop blaming yourself for simply being human.

🌱 THE GARDEN WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Picture yourself standing in a breathtaking garden.

Everything is flawless. Every need is met. There is no fear, no shame, no pain—only peace and abundance.

God looked at everything He made and called it good.

But in the heart of that paradise, two people made a single choice that would ripple through every life that followed.

Adam and Eve chose to disobey God.

In that single heartbeat,

Everything shifted.

Not just for Adam and Eve.

For you,

for me,

For every soul who has ever drawn breath on this earth.

🍂 THE THING THAT GOT WOVEN INTO ALL OF US

Here is the heart of it all:

When Adam decided to disobey God and do things his own way. That choice became part of the very fabric of every human heart.

Theologians call this the depravity of man.

But let me put it the way I would if we were sharing coffee as friends.

We all came into this world with an inner tug toward things that miss the mark.

It is in us.

Not because God made us bad.

But because we entered a world already fractured, carrying a legacy of brokenness.

Here is how I like to explain it: Imagine a river that starts off crystal-clear and pure at its source, representing humanity’s creation.

Now, picture someone far upstream pouring something dark and toxic into that clean water, the moment Adam made the choice to disobey God.

Now, imagine somewhere upstream someone poured something dark and toxic into that water.

By the time the river reaches you.

The water is already polluted.

You did not put the poison in.

But you are drinking from a river that was poisoned before you ever arrived.

That is what happened to the human race in the garden.

👶 THIS IS WHY YOU DID NOT HAVE TO TEACH YOUR KIDS TO SIN

Can I get an amen on this one?

You never sat your child down and said.

“Okay, honey, today we are going to learn how to lie.”

“Let me show you how to be selfish.”

“Here is a lesson on throwing a tantrum to get what you want.”

They mastered all of that without a single lesson.

Because it is already woven into each of us.

It is already IN all of us.

This is not an excuse.

This isn’t an excuse; it’s a foundational reality. This is what we’re up against, and understanding it is the start of real change.

💔 THE PART NOBODY TALKS ABOUT — EVEN AFTER YOU ARE SAVED

Now, we unveil and open up with some real honesty.

Because I think a lot of us became believers and thought.

“Okay. Sin problem — solved. I should be good now.”

But then the struggle resurfaced.

And shame in.

And we thought something must be wrong with us.

But here is what Romans 7:18 tells us.

When we become believers, the POWER of sin is broken.

But the PRESENCE of sin. Repeat that, because it is life-changing and important.

The power is broken, but the noise persists.

The presence is still there.

Picture you have a weed in your garden. You go outside and cut the weeds down to ground level, removing everything you can see above the surface.

It appears gone, but deep below the dirt, the root remains hidden and alive. If you do not keep watch or take further action, that root can grow back, and the weed will return.

It is just like this: after you become a believer, sin’s grip is broken, but its root—the potential for it- remains on the surface.

You go outside, and you cut that weed all the way down to the ground.

It is gone. You cannot see it anymore.

But the ROOT is still there.

And if you are not paying attention.

That weed will try to grow back.

That is what sin is like in the life of a believer.

The power has been cut down at the cross.

But the root, the ring presence, will try to push through again.

That does not mean you are beyond help.

That does not mean you are a bad Christian.

It simply means you are human, and you need Jesus every single day.

🐍 NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT SATAN’S GAME PLAN

There is something I really want you to grasp.

You’re merely a random target.

Satan is not tossing temptations into the air, hoping they land somewhere.

He precisely knows how you were made.

He knows exactly what you need.

He knows exactly what desires God placed inside of you.

And every time he tempts you, his aim is simple.

To get you to meet a God-given need in a way that is outside of God’s boundaries. This doesn’t just happen in vague or distant ways, it shows up in real life all the time.

For example, the desire for acceptance might lead us to pursue social media likes or validation, masking our true longing for genuine belonging.

The need for comfort sometimes tempts us into impulse shopping or scrolling, providing short-term relief instead of true rest.

Even hidden addictions or habits, whether it’s binge eating, secret spending, or a night of streaming, can act as counterfeit candy for needs God wants to satisfy in more lasting ways.

Take a moment to think: what “candy substitutes” do you turn to when you are hungry for something deeper?

Break it down even more.

God gave you the desire for love — Satan offers a counterfeit.

God gave you the desire for belonging — Satan offers a substitute.

God gave you the desire for comfort — Satan offers something that feels good for a moment, but costs you everything.

He is not inventing new cravings inside you.

He is hijacking the longings God already placed in your heart.

Imagine you are truly hungry, your stomach is empty, and you crave real food that will nourish and satisfy you. God has a beautiful, wholesome meal prepared just for you.

But before you make it to the table, someone hands you a bag of candy and encourages you to eat it, promising it will tide you over.

The candy is sweet for a moment, but it leaves you empty, and soon you feel both sick and unsatisfied.

This is exactly Satan’s strategy: he offers quick fixes that are never fully satisfying, distracting you from the real nourishment God has prepared.

God has a beautiful meal prepared for you,  nourishing, satisfying, good for you in every way.

But before you get to that table.

Someone hands you a bag of candy and says.

“Here. This will hold you over.”

And you eat it.

For a moment, it tastes sweet.

But it leaves you empty.

And now you feel sick.

And you are still hungry.

That is exactly what Satan does with temptation.

He hands you candy when God has a meal waiting.

He offers you something that looks like what you need, but can never truly fill you.

So what does all of this mean for your everyday life?

Let me give you something practical. Sometimes it helps to have simple, everyday rhythms to bring these truths into real life, not just keep them in our heads.

Here is a daily rhythm you can try:

– Morning: Start your day with a short prayer, asking God for strength and guidance. Even a simple “Jesus, help me to walk with you today” sets your intention.

– Midday: Pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and check in—how is your heart? Whisper a quick prayer if you’ve gotten off track or need patience.

– Evening: Before bed, reflect on your day. Thank God for where He helped you, and bring to Him anything you wish you’d handled differently. Ask Him to renew you for tomorrow.

Use these small anchors to make space for grace, truth, and connection with God throughout your day.

First.

Start by giving yourself grace. I may remember a morning when you messed up, raising your voice with your kids before you had even finished breakfast.

The guilt hit hard, and my old habit was to beat myself up for hours.

But that day, I paused, took a breath, and whispered, “Jesus, thank you that your patience covers where mine falls short.”

Instead of letting shame spiral, I hugged my kids and apologized, then moved forward with a lighter heart.

Moments like that remind me grace isn’t just a nice idea; it’s something we actually get to live out with ourselves.

Remember, you were born into a river already polluted.

You are fighting a battle that started before you took your first breath.

Struggling does not make you weak.

You are human.

Second.

Stay close to the One who shattered sin’s power. This isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a daily practice.

Try memorizing a simple Scripture like Romans 12:2, so you can recite it when temptations come.

Play a worship song that lifts your focus to Jesus, like “Goodness of God,” when you need hope and strength.

Let these small rhythms help you remember that God is present and powerful in every ordinary moment.

The presence of sin remains, but so does God.

His presence within you is stronger than any pull you will ever face.

1 John 4:4 says — “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

Third,

Do not try to fight this alone. Reach out and connect with others. In our Bible Chicks community, you can send me a direct message, join our weekly Zoom calls, or meet in one of our local Bible study groups.

Taking that step to connect with someone lowers the barrier to support and helps you remember you are never alone in this.

You were never meant to fight alone.

🐥 A PERSONAL INVITATION FROM MY HEART TO YOURS

Not a member yet? Join Bible Chicks today.

I would love to personally invite you to show up just as you are.

Bible Chicks began during COVID and has blossomed into a sisterhood of women from all across the United States.

We are not perfect women.

We are real women.

Raw. Authentic. Honest about our struggles. Yet we also see real hope and transformation every single week.

Time and again, I have watched women experience breakthroughs, find freedom from shame, and step into a new sense of joy.

We do not stay stuck together; we move forward, celebrate victories, and support each other as God changes lives from the inside out.

And we are wildly in love with a God who meets us exactly where we are.

We dig into God’s Word together.

We ask the hard questions together.

We grow together.

If you are searching for women who will not judge your struggles but will sit beside you in them and gently point you back to the truth,

Then this is your group.

Come find us. You truly belong here. 🐥🙏

With love and honesty,

Nancy Duarte, Teacher & Founder, Life On Earth Ministries & Bible Chicks

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

📖 Want to join Bible Chicks Bible Study? Reply YES or click the link below and come do life with us. All women welcome — come exactly as you are.

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