I Am Joyful and I Will Praise My God

I don’t share that I am a single mom for sympathy nor do I use it as an excuse. I am not mad or upset or resentful.  In fact, I am joyful and well, yes I am tired, but what mom isn't?

Did you hear what I said though?  I said I was joyful and while I’m at it let me add thankful too! These words aren't mere expressions because I may be in a good mood. I’m totally and completely serious. I say that because I know some of you may be thinking I might be a bit, well, out of my mind? I can say I AM not!

Do you want to know my secret? Come in real close and I will tell you. Ready?

JESUS CHRIST!

Do you know Him? 

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As I look back over my life, I know right now I am in my single mom season and I have many reasons to praise God for this season I am in, but the most important reason is this. In this season, I found Jesus!

So, not only does He fill me from the inside out with joy, but what blows my mind is how He orchestrated the events in my life to bring me right into His loving and accepting open arms!  

See, the world may see me as all alone and make comments such as, “I don’t know how you do it.” Or “You know, you don’t need to do this all alone.” But, I am NOT alone!  

I used to think I don’t care how the world sees my situation, but you know what? I have started thinking maybe I should because instead of being silent when those comments come my way I will boldly say out loud, “I am not alone. My strength comes from the Lord. He alone is my rock and I couldn’t be doing what I am without Him.”

“He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close

 to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” Isaiah 40:11

"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, 

and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

Praise you Father God for your love that is so overwhelming! Even though we may not understand the events as they unfold in our lives we will trust in You because Your plan is always perfect. Help us to stay strong in You all the days of our lives!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen


Have a blessed day!

I AM

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10

Wednesday's are my L O N G E S T day. But, they also mark the middle of the work week, so YIPPEE for Wednesday's! 


I'm writing over at Bloggers in God today. Grab your coffee or tea and come on over and join me! We would love to have you!


Have a blessed day!

Clean the Inside First

My dishwasher is broken. It doesn’t clean anything on the top rack, only the dishes on the bottom get clean. So for the time being, I am the dishwasher. Last night, while I was washing the dinner dishes the scripture about cleaning the inside of a cup popped into my head. Oh, I love when that happens! So, I quickly finished the dishes and went to get my Bible to read it.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Matthew 23:25-26 (NIV)

How often are we like the Pharisees and get caught up in how we appear on the outside? Too concerned how the world sees us or when we become self-centered.

The Pharisees went through great measures to ensure the outside of their cups were clean, even though what was on the inside was filthy because it was obtained unjustly.

I love how Jesus says first clean the inside and then the outside will be clean. He is telling us to first purify our hearts. How can the Holy Spirit live within us if we are harboring sin? We cleanse our insides, our hearts by confessing our sins and inviting God to move in to restore and transform us. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are made new in Him! What an amazing gift! And when our insides are purified and cleansed our outsides will shine oh so bright!

“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs 27:19

I always like to make sure I get the full meaning of scripture and also to make sure I’m not interpreting it in my own understanding. Often, I will look up a verse using different versions (love my smartphone app!) I explore commentaries and refer to my daily bible study. What my bible study said had me thinking even more. It says earthen vessels are hollow and become unclean only on the inside. They can only be cleansed by being broken. I couldn’t help to think how an earthen vessel is like our own bodies. We are vessels to be used by God and we are empty or hollow before we ask Jesus to come into our hearts. The more time we spend with Him and in His Word the more we are filled. In addition, earthen means from the earth and isn’t that how God made us? “Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nose, and the man became a living person.” Gen 2:7

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying we must be broken first to obtain inward purity. But think about it, aren’t we broken if we don’t have Christ? God made us in His own image, to fellowship and have a personal relationship with him. If that is missing from our lives we are not living like God intended us to. In essence, the relationship is broken, we are broken. I know before I accepted Christ in my life there was something missing; a deep void, an emptiness that I tried to fill on my own. I felt something was not right…indeed broken.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your word and teaching us what we must do. We conscientiously confess our sins to you and proclaim Jesus is Lord. Purify our hearts and help us to walk daily in obedience and fellowship with you.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Have a blessed days!

Dawn

Get Ready For Something BIG!

It is a new year and excitement is just buzzing in the air. Can you feel it?

I just love how God orchestrates things in our lives to put us in the right place just at the right time. About two years ago when I really began to follow Christ the first devotional I ever signed up to receive daily was from Girlfriends in God. Just by chance, I found them while searching the internet.

Then just a few months ago, through a GiG's facebook event I met some wonderful women. Shortly after that I joined the GiG's Impact Team to lock arms and help spread God's Word. Once again, I met more wonderful women! Women whose hearts belong to God and who share the same desire to proclaim His Word through our writing. Coincidence? I think not! See how wonderful God is?

A few of us women really connected and decided to start a new group, called Bloggers in God aka BiG Sisters. I am so excited to see what God has in store for us. To use us to proclaim His Word to encourage and inspire others all for His glory! Amen!

Would you like to join us? The Bloggers in God blog is launching today! We invite you to stop by and introduce yourselves! We would love your company and to hear from you!







Have a blessed day!