worship – Ribbons and Lace

Choose His Forgiveness

August 11, 2024 Emilydvsn

This morning I had an ah-ha moment as I was reading Priscilla Shirer’s book The Resolution for Women. This book is broken up into twelve resolutions and then individual chapters. I am now on the resolution about forgiveness.

This whole section has spoken to me quite a bit because forgiveness is something I struggle with at times. Today, though, stood out to me more than any other.

She tells the story of a girl asking how you forgive yourself. It’s a question I’ve asked and wandered myself more times than I can count. How do I get ride of the shame? Her answer hit me to my core.

She told the girl simply, you can’t.

You can’t forgive yourself.

Only Jesus can.

And if we have accepted His gift of salvation, then He has forgiven us. Romans 8:1 says,“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.”
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That guilt and shame you and I feel is from the devil. If you are a child of God, you have been forgiven. Jesus took it all upon Him when He died on the cross for us. You are not responsible for forgiving yourself.

Psalms 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” We must choose to accept His forgiveness and live in freedom with Him.
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If you’re looking for a great book for women, I recommend the one above!

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I’d love to talk to you.

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Finding Joy in the Pain

February 8, 2024 Emilydvsn

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17

Our church has been reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I can remember reading this book early in my Christian walk and not fully understanding or grasping everything he was saying. As I read through it a second time, I’m blown away at the times God speaks to me.

Today, I read the chapter “Transformed by Trouble”. This chapter really hit home with me. I feel like when live in a culture today where we measure other people’s godliness by how much stuff they have equating that to God’s blessings. But that is such a distorted view of God’s Word.

Joni Eareckson Tada said, “When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only in suffering will we know Jesus.” If everything is always good, why would we need a Savior? It in the pain and suffering that grow.

Rick Warren uses an example of a jeweler to illustrate how His use’s circumstances to hammer away at our impurities. Now, I’ve never been hit with a hammer, but it can’t feel too great. The Bible uses the term “refiner’s fire” to show how God makes us like Him. This is another example of how pain forms and molds us.

We can’t rely on prosperity gospel in our Christian walk. When we think of the people in the Bible who were highly favored, they were nobody in the world’s eyes. There’s even a prostitute in the lineage of Jesus! God will use our past, our sins, our hurts, and our regrets to transform us if we will let Him.

James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” So, today I’m going to look at my circumstances differently. I’m going to trust God’s plan and purpose for my life. I know He is working all things out.

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For God’s Purpose

January 17, 2024 Emilydvsn

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Romans 11:36

This school year has been difficult to say the least. I’ve questioned everything I know, and I’ve spent more hours at home trying to help students understand the material. I have students this year that just don’t care. These aren’t students who can’t do. They just don’t want to do.

I’ve done everything I know to do from taking away recess to giving lunch detention and calling home. I’ve reached out to administration to no avail. I feel lost. And yet if these students don’t do the work, they don’t learn. Then that is reflected in state testing.

I’ve cried more and been more frustrated than I have in a long time. Then I began reading the book, The Purpose Driven Life. As I came to Day 7: The Purpose of Everything, this verse was at the top. As I read through the chapter, I couldn’t help but think about my students.

We are all here for a purpose, God’s purpose. No matter how frustrated or upset I get, I must remember that God created them for His purpose. In the moment, this can be so hard, but there are ways to remember they are God’s workmanship.

1. Pray for your students.

This is something I have started todo each and every day. I pray before I come to school. I pray during our moment of silence, and sometimes I even pray throughout the day when things get hard.

2. Take a deep breath.

Sometimes when I’m so frustrated, I need to walk away from the situation. This helps me remind myself to give grace to my kiddos. Even on the hard and trying days, I give grace because Jesus gave me grace.

3. Know your students personally.

One thing I began last year was circle up time. We make a big circle and pass a bear around. When you have the bear, you share something you did the night before or over the weekend. This opens the lines of communication, and if I ever forget, they remind me. I’ve also started going to my students’ ball games. They love when I show up to support them.

All of these things help me remember they are created for God’s purpose and so am I. I am asking God to see others as He sees them. I am striving to live my life surrendered to Him.

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We Were Made to Worship

October 20, 2019October 20, 2019 Emilydvsn

We were made to worship.

That sentence has played over and over in my head for the last two days. We were made to worship. It has been as if God has been calling me into His presence more and more. When things are easy: We were made to worship. When things are hard: We were made to worship.

Yesterday morning Witten and I both ended up around 6:30. In addition to his lack of communication, my poor baby is suffering from extreme eczema on his face that makes it look almost burned.

After changing his diaper and giving him medicine, I began to sit with him and read my Bible while he watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. After sitting for several minutes, his poor face began to irritate him again. I simply got a cool wash cloth and began patting his little face. I put on the song “By His Wounds” and just became to claim those words over my baby. We were made to worship.

Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” We were made to worship.

Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No matter what you’re going through today, He is with you. If you’re on the top of the mountain, worship Him. If you’re in the lowest valley, worship Him. He is there with you. And don’t just worship Him for what He’s done for you, worship Him for who He is. He is the Lord God Almighty. He is the Lord my provider. He is God, the mighty Creator. He is the Holy Spirit, my comforter. He is the Lord my shepherd. He is my God, the healer. He is peace. He is the Lord who predicts. He is the Lord of hosts. He is the Lord Most High. He is the faithful God. He is the God of mercy. He is the Consuming Fire. And He is God, my exceeding joy.

That is who He is and He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So no matter your circumstances, you can still worship Him for who He is. Take some time today to worship the Almighty God.

We were made to worship.

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It’s All About a Relationship

December 8, 2018December 9, 2018 Emilydvsn

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7

I have spent my whole life in the church. I can remember my Grandma carrying me to revivals at her charismatic church, while we attended somewhere much more reserved. We eventually changed churches, hopping from one denomination to another. Nothing shocks me in worship, as I’ve experienced it already at some point in my life.

But sometimes, we can become numb. Even though, I have experienced true worship with my Savior, I still sometimes feel as though I’m going through the motions. This morning while doing my Beth Moore Bible study. I became convicted. This Bible study is going through the Psalm of Ascents, and today we were talking about hardships. Sometimes those hardships move us to push God away, and our worship becomes less than authentic. We want to keep Him at a safe distance, but not too far away.

It’s all about a relationship.

That’s what I could hear Him whisper in my spirit. No matter what is going on in our lives, we should bring it all to Him. The great thing about being in a relationship with our Savior is that He allows us to give it all to Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

He tells us to come to Him. Come to Him when your world is falling apart. Come to Him when life is messy. Come to Him when your heart is in a million pieces. Come to Him because He already knows. He’s not surprised by your anger or your fear or your doubt. He wants you to give it all to Him, so He can begin to heal you.

We don’t understand all that God does. Isaiah 55:8 says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.” However, part of being in a relationship, is being able to voice those things we don’t understand.

We need to realize that God is here for us. We don’t always understand Him, nor will we until we get to heaven. We need to realize that salvation isn’t just fire insurance. It’s so much more. He is inviting us into a real relationship with Him, an authentic relationship.

If you don’t have a true relationship with my Savior today, and want to know how to do that, please reach out to me. There is nothing greater than a real relationship with the Creator of the universe!

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In His Presence

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 Emilydvsn

You will show the path life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11

Some days are just hard. Not because of anything particularly disturbing. It’s just that, right now, with little kids, I feel like I’m in the trenches. Today was a hard day, and I just feel defeated. After taking off and lugging three kids to the dentist, the doctor for flu shots, and to Kroger with a screaming toddler, I’m exhausted. I haven’t been able to do much more. As I sat and listened to Ann Elizabeth read her devotional, I realized that my joy and hope do not rely on my outward circumstances.

I know that my Spirit is renewed when I spend time in the presence of my Savior. You see, when I really spend time with Him, my shift focuses. I’m no longer focused on me and my situation. I can’t if I’m truly in His presence. It becomes all about Him.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Psalms 95:2

You see, when you come before the God of creation, you become humbled. You realize that whatever is happening in your life is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. You begin to worship, and your worship begins to change things. In Joshua 6, God tells His people to march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they were commanded to march seven times. On the seventh time around, the priests were to blow the trumpets, and then the people were to shout. On that seventh day, the walls of Jericho fell down flat. When we praise Him, strongholds begin to fall.

I realized tonight that even though,my day turned out less than ideal, that all I needed was time with my Savior. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” I know that my spirit is truly refreshed when I’m in His presence. I just have to take it all to Him.