That's a Good Question, too!

So I responded to this struggling mother, and she came back with a few more questions.

You say "He strengthened my heart and carried me through each moment" ???
"Strengthen" your "heart"--what does that really look like?
"Carried" you how?

Her questions made me realize how - in many ways - I have created my own language. And I am so glad she asked the questions, in case anyone else is wondering, too.

So I told her what I mean when I use those terms:
When I say God strengthened my heart, I mean He reminded me He is strong enough to handle my circumstance and I can trust Him. It may come in the form of reading scripture, or remembering verses I have memorized which tell of God’s strength. One of my favorites is Exodus 14:14, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (That's why I have it on my sidebar here, called My Strength.)
So as far as what it looks like, most often it comes from reading and remembering the Word of God and the Truths He speaks through it.

And regarding the question, "Carried" you how? I told her:
This comes back to me trusting God to handle my moment.
For example, homework is one of our big challenges. My boys have ADD and ADHD. Homework is NOT a good thing for them, and I enter those moments with fear and trepidation. OK, I try to have a good attitude going into it. I try to be positive and encouraging. But it almost never fails that in the middle of an assignment I want to scream and run away.
That’s when I know I need God to “strengthen my heart and carry me”. And that’s when I most often recall Exodus 14:14. “God, I need You to fight for me. Please help me to be still. Help me to not yell and nag.” I pray for my boys, asking God to help them with their focus and desire to get the work done.
I recognize that I cannot navigate through the moment on my own. I cannot MAKE my boys do their work they way I want them to. Trying to will only result in me yelling and being “annoying”. (Their words!) So I get as still and quiet as I can (with lots of deep breathing) – speaking only when necessary – and I pray through the circumstance.
And when we have made it through, I recognize that as God “carrying” me. Helping me to do that which I cannot do on my own.

What do you mean when you say things like "God strengthened my heart and carried me"?