Thought by Thought

From Janine

Choosing truth over emotion, one step at a time.

What we choose to think—and how we choose to speak and act—shapes how we see the world around us. It shapes our relationships, our sense of identity, and our day-to-day decisions.

But most of us don’t think about our thinking.

We fall into old patterns. We rehearse the same stories, the same fears, the same shame—until it feels like truth. Over time, we begin to believe that we are what we feel. That we must think this way. That we have no choice.

But we do.

We choose thoughts the same way we choose to forgive. It’s not always easy. But it’s always possible.

At Destiny Haven, many of the women we support arrive with years of unchallenged self-talk—usually rooted in pain. Decisions have been made from emotion, not truth. Their lives shaped by what’s felt, not what’s real.

But slowly, that begins to change. As they start choosing truth—about who they are, about others, about God—their thinking shifts. And when the thinking shifts, so does everything else.

They stop blaming.
They take ownership.
They realise they’re not victims of emotion—they’re women with the power to choose.

Romans 12:2 reminds us to renew our minds—to actively choose what we think.

Nowhere in Scripture are we told to be led by our feelings. Feelings are real, but they’re not always reliable. They can’t guide us. But they do respond to what we choose. When we choose truth, even when we don’t feel it—our emotions begin to follow. When we choose right thinking, our actions line up too. It takes time. But it works.

The thoughts we choose become the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives.

What are you painting today?