Darkness sometimes seems to win and the world often feels like it’s crumbling; In moments like these we shout and ask – Where are you God? The psalmist explains that “God is the lifter of our head”, He can change our body language so that we don’t adopt a position in which our heads hang low due to the weight of our woes. In this month, as you call out to God, May He lift your head above the waters, above your troubles and onto higher grounds.
Have an optimistic October!
Dara x
If the birds & lilies are taken care of, how much more will he provide for us; His image-bearers. Jehovah Jireh means “The Lord will provide.” God does not hesitate when it comes to meeting our needs; it’s in His nature. Make this declaration: I declare that God shall supply all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. As I delight in Him, He will give me the desires of my heart. I am fully equipped for the journey ahead. God has provided a way of escape during trials and temptation. His provision will arrive at the appointed time. He will not withhold his limitless provision. I declare that Jehovah Jireh will be evident in my life.
Have a Marvellous March!
Stay blessed
Dara x
“Coincidentally” April fools aligns with resurrection Sunday this year. Satan has been fooled big time. Because of what Christ did on the Cross we only face the “shadow of death”, death lost its sting. We face the shadow of death because Jesus took the full reality of death in our place. The shadow of a dog can’t bite, the shadow of a sword can’t kill and thus the shadow of death and all the devil throws can’t destroy us. Whatever you may be going through be assured that the victory is already yours. You will have the last laugh! Have an amazing April!
It has quickly come round to that time of the year again, students preparing or sitting exams, completing assignments and meeting various deadlines. Some people have actually already finished their exams wow! – I don’t even start until July 😔 Anyway, there is no time like the present to share what I wanted to share with you.
There are certain times in our lives when fear begins to creep into our minds, specifically for students that time is now, not forgetting non-students who have other fears which don’t revolve around sitting exams. Fear feeds on the uncertainty of the unknown in an attempt to consume us. What is your coping mechanism for when fear creeps in? Do you distract yourself, use breathing techniques, face the fears, imagine the worst case scenario, examine & assess the situation, go to your happy place or (a favourite amongst us all) procrastinate?
Despite the fact that those options can sometimes be effective, research shows that spirituality can boost happiness in times of stress and those with some form of religion cope with their fears better. So, how can you incorporate your faith when times get rough and fear creeps in? By relying on the word of God and holding tightly onto his promises. I’m going to share some Bible texts which you can meditate on and declare over your life so you can live victoriously, especially during fearful moments.
Psalm 121:1-3
I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Did you catch that last line? God does not sleep on the job! The reason why a few of our coping mechanisms aren’t effective is because we are looking inwardly for help when we should, in fact, be looking up to God. When you start to trust in your own strength and abilities you ultimately set yourself up for failure. We have to accept that there are many things in life that we simply cannot handle with our own might. It doesn’t mean we are weak it demonstrates that we understand the difference made when God is in the equation.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
I love this text soooo much! As humans, we find it difficult to grasp the fact that God is all-knowing and there is a reason for everything that happens. That is where the problem is, we attempt to journey through life with our limited knowledge. We can only see what is right in front of us, so fear, worry and anxiety creep in because we have a limited understanding. But God sees what is around the corner, down the corridor and far beyond into the future, so why don’t we submit ourselves to this knowledge. It is only when we seek His will that we will be shown what path to take, God would not impose himself on us.
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Pray about everything, no matter how small or big the situation. Fear, worry and anxiety creep in when something goes ‘wrong’ and we try to figure it out on our own. Numerous times in the past, when I can’t figure out something I’ve found myself having a tantrum and crying my eyes out instead of getting down on my knees and seeking the Lord in prayer. I wonder how much heartache, tissues and time I could have saved by simply praying from the start. Prayer enables us to exchange our doubts, worries, anxieties and fears with PEACE. What a beautiful exchange!
Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yolk upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.
We all have burdens that weigh us down by stressing us, making us anxious and instilling fear in our hearts. But what does God say about that, HE WILL GIVE YOU REST. All you are required to do is: simply come to Him. In His presence, there is fullness of joy and peace no room for fear and anxiety.
To finish off I want to share a familiar passage from Exodus ( just before that big big miracle at the Red Sea)
“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.””
Exodus 14:13-14 NKJV
I want you to personalise this in your situation;
“[Name] Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the [your fears and troubles ] you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for me, and I shall hold my peace.”
So 4 key undiluted words to take away from this text:
When you are faced with a Red Sea circumstance, you need to realise that you are not fighting FOR victory you are fighting FROM victory. It changes the way you face the Red Sea circumstances of life. If God’s word says that we are more than conquerors through Christ, then we are period We are not going to become conquerors, we already are. We may be experiencing some failures or setbacks but only good will come out of these circumstances because God says – In all these things we are more than conquerors. We have victory.
Praying for my fellow students & wishing you all the best for your upcoming exams and if you have already sat them, remember you are fighting FROM victory.
Stay Blessed & Share to be a blessing to another,
Dara x
P.S – check out my previous exam posts which have many prayers – one especially for procrastinators ( Do your BEST and He’ll do the REST ) and a revision tool that works for ANY and EVERY subject (Commit it to the Lord ).
God has already granted you victory over whatever it is you are going through. Isaiah 43:13 says When I act, who can reverse it?? No matter how much the devil makes you feel like you’ve been defeated, keep your head held high. Don’t put a full stop where God has put a comma. God is taking you to a new level. Have an outstanding October!
Did you know that God specialises in making what seems impossible, possible? Mark 9:23 says: “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Believe that in March you shall be BLESSED BEYOND BELIEF, financially, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. I pray that you shall experience God’s favour and operation in making the impossible in your life possible. Happy New Month! x
Finally we’ve reached another July! My favourite month. You may have expectations and desires that don’t seem to have been fulfilled yet, but there is still a lot to be thankful about. A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. The God we serve is a supernatural one. He is working things out for you, even if you don’t feel it. Have faith and be thankful. Where faith and Hope grows, miracles blossom. Have a Jubilant July, I know I will ! x
I believe that my God is mighty enough to do the unfathomable, indescribable and incomprehensible in my life and in your life. Just because you don’t see anything happening instantly doesn’t mean that God isn’t working behind the scenes. Remember NEVER let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually. Have a joyful June! x
So it’s Valentine’s day…Love is in the air. 💘 You may be celebrating the day with that special significant other ( aka your bae) or maybe like me you are spending the evening indoors with siblings, whatever it is you are doing I just wanted to share with you a love that is true, real and genuine. This sort of love can be extended into ALL our relationships, not only the lovey dovey ones. 💑 In our 21st century society we are constantly bombarded with adverts, movies and songs that display shallow love. However the Holy Book itself has something to say about love.I’m sure we are all aware of this very famous passage in 1st Corinthians 13, which describes what love is;
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Our society often confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God’s kind of love is directed outwards towards others, not inward towards ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This type of love is not natural. It is only possible if God helps us set aside our own desires and instincts, so we can give love while expecting nothing in return. Thus the closer we become to Christ, the more love we will be able to show others.
Now what is the greatest love? “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” John 15:13. Christ’s love towards us all was demonstrated not only in his words but also in his sacrificial death. We are to love one another as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. Woww!! even though he knew that we might not love him back. No, I’m not saying we are going to have to die for someone, but there are other ways to practice sacrificial love: listening, helping, encouraging, giving. On this day think of someone in particular who needs this kind of love today. Give ALL the love you can towards him/her.
Blaise Pascal said: There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man (& woman) which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. Today in our society it is very common to see couples together, treating themselves and displaying their love for one another. For someone that is single like myself, it is possible to question how can I fill that “empty” vacuum in my heart. “I want that love, affection that others receive”, but the truth is that nobody on earth is capable of making you complete. No matter how many love letters, surprising gifts, warm hugs or sweet kisses one receives they are not able to fill that vacuum in your heart. Don’t get me wrong you can gain happiness in such a relationship but you may find yourself still longing for a greater love. This greater love that will fill the vacuum in your heart is that of Christ who died JUST FOR YOU! What you long for is the love that is never ending and unconditional.
Now ladies listen up💃 … whether you are single, dating, married, young or old there is a man who is passionately in love with you. That man is Jesus Christ! He loves you soooo much more in a second than your future husband or boyfriend can in your entire lifetime. His love is everlasting, no matter how many times you fall out, disagree or forget/neglect him ; He will always be around waiting for you to come rushing into his wide arms. Guys… it’s okay to love your ladies. But you should always remember that “You shall have no other gods before God” Deuteronomy 5:7. Don’t put the love you have for others, higher than the love you have for God. If you love God with all your heart, when the time is right you’ll find your perfect match. Till then focus on your loving father in heaven.
Whether you are alone on this Valentine’s day or you are being showered with love by your significant other, always remember that God shows his love towards you everyday through his Grace. Even though he cannot buy you flowers and chocolate, he bought YOU eternity with Him when he sent His Son to you. Check out No greater love by Smokie Norful (below)
Stay Blessed,
Dara x
The Undiluted Word 