Raised to New Life
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Today's Truth is so important.  It's a Truth that has the power to set you free from the bondage of sin and rescue your very soul. 

Saved, "to keep safe or rescue (someone or something) from harm or danger."  In most Christian churches I've been to, the idea of being saved means a person has made a decision to repent of their sins and follow Jesus.  "She believes in Jesus, she's saved."  And while yes, this is True, if we look at the definition in relation to what Jesus did for us, he RESCUED us from the greatest danger there is....eternal damnation. 

I've often thought, as indescribably good as Heaven is, Hell is indescribably bad.  We really can't fathom the blessing of Heaven or the curse of Hell, but Jesus has rescued us from Hell so that we may dwell with Him in Heaven for eternity.  Hallelujah!  Selah.

Now that we are rescued, we must be sanctified.  "set apart as or declared holy; consecrated."  There is much to be said about sanctification, so let’s start by looking at what the Bible says. In Romans 5:5 we learn, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Paul introduced an additional effect of God’s salvation: He not only gives promises, but also He pours out His Spirit into the core of our being that will begin a process of transformation from within.

Sanctification is a process. It takes time, our lifetime. There’s never a time here on Earth where we can say, “Yep, I’m Holy as God is Holy. I’ve made it!” We’re always growing, always changing from glory to glory.

God showed me something new today. How do we go from the moment of Salvation to the process of Sanctification? The answer - Surrender. It’s the key! A surrendered life allows Jesus to become Lord of everything. It’s a voluntary surrendering of one’s will that provides fertile ground where sanctification can grow.

Have you fully surrendered your entire life to Jesus? If not, what specific pieces are you holding back? Pray for God to help you in discerning those hidden places. Selah.

I Surrender All - CeCe Winans

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation.”

— Romans 10:9-10 The Living Bible

Soul at Rest
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Good Morning Beauties!

Righteous.  I love this word!  Being in "right standing" with God.  No more trying to be good enough, we already are good enough.  What does God’s Word say, “For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. This Truth relieves the pressure and stress from our minds, our souls, our hearts. We can find rest when we believe in our righteousness. Thank you Lord Jesus!

What lie are you believing that says you're not good enough, that you have to keep striving for something more.  Are you ready to lay that lie down and pick up the Truth?   You ARE righteous, and even when you make mistakes, you are still righteous.  There's nothing that you've done to earn it, you need only surrender all your striving and receive the gift from Jesus, who died for you.  Selah.

Find Rest - Dara MaClean

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.”

— Matthew 11:29 The Passion Translation

Dancing in His Splendor
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Congratulations! You are half way through your journey. Let that soak in. Every day, for 20 days, you have placed yourself before God and allowed Him to reveal lies you’ve held on to - some for years. You’ve been willing to let God show you some painful things as He showed you truth. Look how far you’ve come with the Lord. AMAZING!!

Today is a great day to reflect on the success of your journey so far. Success as defined only by you. The best way I’ve found to do it is to review your expectations, obstacles with action plans, and your motivation. Your journal probably has lots of notes about these three topics, so just look back and determine how this experience is going for you. What’s going well that you’ll want to continue? Are there any changes you need to make? Selah.

The purpose of the 40 Day Journey is life transformation. You may see small changes or large ones. Everyone will have a different experience. No matter what the changes have been, let’s pray with our Father today. We give Him thanks for the revelation He’s given us in theses first 20 days, and we also ask Him for even more revelation in the last 20 days.

What does life transformation look like? Isaiah 61:1-3 provides a perfect description of how Christ came to give us new life.

“1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
~ New International Version

When we reflect on all He’s done for us, we can’t help but praise Him. Our joy and praise is the perfect weapon against further attacks from the enemy. Let’s lift our voices and praise God with our whole hearts!

This is How We Overcome - Hillsong

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

— 2 Corinthians 3:18 New International Version

Royal Glow
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Good Morning Beauties!

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 TPT

There is so much truth in this verse. So much encouragement for our souls. What part stands out to you? The truth that you were CHOSEN by God? The truth that you are a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD? The truth you are GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION? The Truth that you are in a place to DECLARE HIS PRAISES? The truth you have been CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS? The truth you’ve been called INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT? Selah.

Beauties, soak up all these truths today. Allow God to remove the lies and place these glorious truths in your heart. Be sure to use your journal to help write down this beautiful transformation.

I Belong To You - Hillsong

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“How beautiful on the mountains are the sandaled feet of this one bringing such good news. You are truly royalty! The way you walk so gracefully in my ways displays such dignity. You are truly the poetry of God—his very handiwork.”

— Song of Solomon 7:1 The Passion Translation

Glow of His Glory
Photo by Emilia Syldatk on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

It's time to have a heart check - how's your glow?

In Matthew 5, Jesus gives us a description of who we are and the action to take because of it.  I love the Message Bible's version of Matthew 5:16 and how it describes our "Heaven's Glow."

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

Your Glow - it matters to The Kingdom!  Selah.

Shine a Light - Elevation Worship

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

— Daniel 12:3 New International Version

Victor or Victim?
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Good Morning Beauties!

Victory, sweet victory. We have been given the Victor’s Crown as part of our inheritance. Jesus earned it as He suffered and died upon the cross, and now shares it with us as co-heirs. Can you think of a better gift? Jesus’ death gave us victorious life!

Is it difficult to believe this gift of victory when your circumstances look like anything but winning? Do you feel tired and weak from the battle? Will you give in? Will you allow yourself to become a victim? Do you see how the choice is yours? Will you put on the Victor’s Crown? Selah.

The answer to accepting this gift of victory is trust. God is trustworthy and faithful. I’ve leaned on Him throughout this past year and a half by renewing my mind with Psalm 20 each morning. Here is what we are promised and where we can place our confidence…

“6 I know Yahweh gives me all that I ask for
and brings victory to his anointed.
My deliverance cry will be heard in his holy heaven.
By his mighty hand miracles will manifest
through his saving strength.
7 Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom,
but my miracle-deliverance can never be won by men.
Our boast is in Yahweh our God,
who makes us strong and gives us victory!
8 Our enemies will not prevail; they will only collapse and
perish in defeat while we will rise up, full of courage.
9 Give victory to us, O Yahweh!
The day we call on you, give us your answer!” Psalm 20:6-9 TPT

Beauties, trust Him, call on Him. He will strengthen you and give you victory. It’s His promise to you.

Victor’s Crown - Darlene Zschech

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!”

— James 1:12 The Passion Translation

Daddy’s Princess
Photo by Henrique Malaguti on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

It’s fitting we should usher in this new attribute today, a day when we gather to celebrate and praise God. I also celebrate YOU today! You are still here and have shown your desire to grow deep in the knowledge of God and yourself. You’re willing to do the hard work which is a testimony of your love and dedication to your Father.

When you were a little girl, did you dress up as a princess? Most stories we heard or watched had a pretty princess who lived in a castle and was part of a royal family, and we longed to be her. As we grew into young women, we looked for our “Prince Charming” and planned a grand wedding. I realize this story isn’t everyone’s, but most of us can relate to it in some way.

What do you think of when you hear the word ROYALTY? I find myself sitting up taller just thinking of the word. It also leads me to think of the word REGAL, which means, “fit for a monarch, especially in being magnificent or dignified.” Beauties, we are ROYALTY and REGAL. Our dreams of being a princess in a royal family have come true. Listen to what the Word of God says about us…

“For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has. We will experience being co-glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings as our own.” Romans 8:16-17 TPT

Beauties, read this scripture a few times and take in all the truths He has for you. Selah.

Royalty - Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Redeeming love crowns you as royalty. Your thoughts are full of life, wisdom, and virtue. Even a king is held captive by your beauty.”

— Song of Solomon 7:5 The Passion Translation

Praising His Majesty
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Good Morning Beauties!

Our God is AWESOME and worthy of our praise! Let’s take time today to thank Him through our PRAISE. To get started, go back through your journal and put a star beside all He’s shown you and how He’s blessed you in your journey so far. You’ll find there’s so much to praise Him for, and there’s so much more to come.

But I will give my thanks to you, Yahweh, for you make everything right in the end. I will sing my highest praise to the God of the Highest Place! Psalm 7:17 TPT

Listen, everyone! Sing out your praises to the God who rules in Zion! Tell the world about all the miracles he has done! Psalm 9:11 TPT

Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together. Let’s make him famous! Let’s make his name glorious to all. Psalm 34:3 TPT

Then I will praise you wherever I go. And when everyone gathers for worship, I will lift up your praise with a shout in front of the largest crowd I can find! Psalm 35:18 TPT

Then I won’t be able to hold it in— everyone will hear my joyous praises all day long! Your righteousness will be the theme of my glory-song of praise! Psalm 35:28 TPT

A new song for a new day rises up in me every time I think about how he breaks through for me! Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until everyone hears how God has set me free. Many will see his miracles; they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him! Psalm 40:3 TPT

Lord, I will offer myself freely, and everything I am I give to you. I will worship and praise your name, O Lord, for it is precious to me. Psalm 54:6 TPT

Every Praise - Hezekiah Walker

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“I will worship you, Yahweh, with extended hands as my whole heart erupts with praise! I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works!”

— Psalm 9:1 The Passion Translation

Our Dawn Chorus
Photo by Levi Guzman on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

I was awoken this morning by the birds sining outside of my window. Their praise and worship could not be ignored, and it filled my heart with joy and wonder. “Why do birds sing in the morning?” I found myself typing that very question into my phone. The answer was beautiful. The orchestra of all the different birds singing is called “Dawn Chorus.” Magnificent!

Birds start singing in the pre-dawn minutes, that precious time before the light of day shines. This time of day has always been special to me. I love to get up early, while it’s still dark, and spend time with God, before the rest of the world wakes up, and it’s just Him and me.

Along with His creation, Jesus also spent this glorious time of day with His Father. “The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer.” Mark 1:35 The Passion Translation

It’s in these private times with my Savior that I find the greatest joy. His presence surrounds me with His love and I’m strengthened. Where do you find joy? Love? Strength? Is it the Lord, or do you look to something else? Selah.

Daylight - Darlene Zschech

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Come on, everyone! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord! Let’s shout our loudest praises to our God who saved us!”

— Psalm 95:1 The Passion Translation

Sweet Peace
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Good Morning Beauties!

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when Peter got out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. Did you catch that? He walked on water! He was brave, knew there was more, and looked to Jesus. It was all going so well until he took his focus off Jesus and back on his circumstance.

Can you relate to this story? I sure can. So many time I’ve trusted Jesus enough to follow Him, and I’ve gotten out of the boat. The moment I take my eyes off Jesus and turn my gaze to the reality of this world, I sink.

God has provided all the grace and favor we need to fulfill our life’s purpose. And, I believe, that grace is activated by our trust in Him. Trust is built when we know Him. We know Him by spending time with Him and listening to what He has to say. We have the privilege of partnership with God and sharing His very nature when we turn away from our desires of the world and what it has to offer.

Let’s look at what the Word says…

God’s Generous Grace

3 Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness. 4 As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.” 2 Peter 1:3-4 The Passion Translation

Beauties, this relationship with God, filled with His amazing grace, provides all the peace we seek. Look no more, you have found it!

Where do you need to focus your attention to God and not the world? Where are the places in your heart you need peace? Invite Him in today. Selah.

Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) - Hillsong

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ.”

— Philippians 4:7 The Passion Translation

The Beauty of His Word
Photo by Rachel Coyne on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

How are you doing? Are you finding your time with God everything you wanted? Is your relationship with Him growing? Are you beginning to sense a change in your soul?

Where are you meeting Him? Where is your special sacred space? Are you able to get there each day? Or are you squeezing a few minutes in your car, in the shower, between Zoom meetings? He’ll meet you anytime you come to Him. He’s patient. He’s kind. Most of all, He’s there for you at all times.

God’s speaking to me this morning through His beautiful Word. He showed me something today about our joy and freedom in Psalm 19. I hope this passage blesses you as it did me.

“7 Yahweh’s Word is perfect in every way; how it revives our souls! Yahweh’s laws lead us to truth, and his ways change the simple into wise. 8 Yahweh’s teachings are right and make us joyful; his precepts are so pure! Yahweh’s commands challenge us to keep close to his heart! The revelation-light of his Word makes my spirit shine radiant. 9 Yahweh’s decrees are trustworthy. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. 10 The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth. That’s why God’s Word is prized like others prize the finest gold. Sweeter also than honey are his living words— sweet words dripping from the honeycomb! 11 For they warn us, your servants, and keep us from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul!” Psalm 19:7-11 The Passion Translation

Where do we find our joy and freedom - in God’s Word! Do you think the enemy wants to steal our joy and destroy our freedom? The answer is YES! The enemy works through people and circumstances, but he also works through our own flesh. That internal battle between flesh and spirit is real, so what do we do about it? How do we win? Let’s continue reading …

”12 How would I discern the waywardness of my heart? Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever you find them. 13 Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins, may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. 14 So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, Yahweh, my only Redeemer, my Protector.” Psalm 19:12-14 TPT

What is God saying to you through His Psalm? Selah.

Your Words - Third Day

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.”

— Psalm 19:8 New International Version

Joyful Imperfection
Photo by Senjuti Kundu on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

We move forward in our journey this week as we discover a mighty attribute that keeps our strength…JOY! Even when life is imperfect, and well, even quite messy, we can still be joyful in the midst of it all.

In my quiet time with God today, He brought me to a blog speaking about joy and the scriptures supporting the ideas. It’s truly beautiful, and I thought it would be a helpful lesson for us all as we begin looking at this attribute. Joy Study

I pray you will take time to review all God has for you today. He died for you to make your joy complete. Selah.

Exceeding Joy - Miriam Webster

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. ”

— Romans 15:13 The Passion Translation

TRUTH

Good Morning Beauties!

How is it Day 10 already? You are doing great! Your commitment and devotion to our Lord to knock on His door each day to spend time with Him is to be applauded. It’s not easy to look deep inside, bring up painful places, and go through healing, but you’re doing it! You are brave and courageous.

Today we once again look at our familiar phrase, “You are beautiful.” The purpose for repeating it in the song is to emphasize its truth. Though the phrase may be repetitive, please don’t rush by it thinking you’ve done the work already. There are many layers to uncover and bring to the Lord. What new thing is He wanting to say today about your beauty today? Are you willing to go deeper with Him? Selah.

Today is also a good day to look back at your preparation topics and assess the success of your journey so far. Only you can make that determination. Review your expectations. Are they being met? Is there something more you want God to do? Is there something you need to do differently?

Have your action plans kept the obstacles at bay? Do you need better implementation of your plans, or new ones altogether? Have you discovered unexpected road blocks? How will you overcome them?

How is your motivation? Have you been excited to meet with God and willing to learn from Him with an open heart these past 10 days? Is your “why” still the same “why” or has it changed?

Beauties, there is so much the Lord wants to share about how incredibly beautiful you are. Life changing truth to replace dangerous lies that steal, kill, and destroy all God has for you. Listen to what He says about you, not the enemy. Remember, you are strong, courageous, and brave. You’ve got this!

You Say - Lauren Daigle

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“You’re so good! You’re my beautiful strength! You’ve never made a mistake with me.”

— Psalm 92:15 The Passion Translation

Strength. Tenderness. Love
Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Happy Mother's Day! Today is a great time to think of our Mothers and all the lovely ladies who have blessed our lives over the yeas. Some may have been spiritual mothers, mentors, big sisters, or close friends. Today, we celebrate them all!

Please take time to think about these ladies and what made them special to you. God put them in your life in specific times and for particular reasons. Let’s take time today to assess why God placed them in your life and what characteristics made them truly lovely. From what we’ve discovered in the past few days, was it their reliance on God for their strength, was it their gentleness? What was it that you gleaned from their uniqueness?

It’s wonderful to know we are sent treasured relationships from God to be His hands and feet. The spirit of God overflowing from special women He’s given to us. What a gift!

Something additionally to consider as you ponder these special ladies - what attributes do you now possess due to your relationships? Make a list. I’m confident you’ll find you’re just as lovely as they are. Perhaps you can send a note, write an email, or pick up the phone, and let them know what they mean to you.

Enjoy this special day, Beauties!

Somebody’s Hero - Jamie O’Neal

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Her children arise and call her blessed...”

— Proverbs 31:28 New International Version

Let His Heart Shine
Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

 In our pursuit of knowing more about our "loveliness," let's look at what seems to be a contradiction:  authority and service wrapped into one.  Majesty, (power and authority) have been given to us through the Holy Spirit.  We are strong knowing Christ lives in us, and yet, there is another side of Jesus which is the perfect example of humility.  

What does the Bible say about this matter, and how are we to respond?  "Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross."  Philippians 2:5-8

Jesus loved us so much He left His throne and rightful place to come into the world as a human.  HIs life was filled with love through service, and then He fulfilled His purpose of reconciliation as He died on a cross for you and me.  Jesus' life is the perfect example for us to follow to indeed live a beautiful life. When the ugliness of pride creeps in, banish it with the truth of your humility.

How can we live our lives making sure His heart shines through us? Is He asking us to leave concern for ourselves to Him while we concentrate on loving others? If we are true followers of Christ, isn’t this our mandate through the Great Commission? What is God asking you to do to live a humble life filled with service to others?  Selah.

To Be Like You - Hillsong

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

— 1 Peter 5:5 New International Version

Indescribable Majesty
Photo by Joel Filipe on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

How much do you love the word Majesty? It's one of the most special words I know, but if I had to describe it, I think it’s pretty much indescribable. There are certain words that I use only for God. Awesome, Holy, and Majestic are a few of them. He is so worthy of special words.

If this is the case, how can we be clothed in His Majesty? We’re not God., we’re only human and incapable of having anything to do with this Majesty. The answer is simple - when we believe in Christ, He lives in us. (Galatians 2:20) His attributes become our attributes. He shines through us like the radiant sun. The enemy would have you believe it’s not possible. “Who do you think you are?” he taunts. Are you listening to the enemy? Are you doubting the truth of God’s Word? Selah.

Today let’s get a grasp on the idea of God’s Majesty and then start to believe we share this quality as well. I absolutely love the beauty of His majesty found in Psalm 93. Read these gorgeous words and let them give you confidence today as you read about God’s strength and might.

The Majesty of God - The Passion Translation

“Look! Yahweh now reigns as King! He has covered himself with majesty and strength, wearing them as his splendor-garments. Regal power surrounds him as he sits securely on his throne. He’s in charge of it all, the entire world, and he knows what he’s doing! Lord, you have reigned as King from the very beginning of time. Eternity is your home. Chaos once challenged you. The raging waves lifted themselves over and over, high above the ocean’s depths, letting out their mighty roar! Yet at the sound of your voice they were all stilled by your might. What a majestic King, filled with power! Nothing could ever change your royal decrees; they will last forever! Holiness is the beauty that fills your house; you are the one who abides forevermore!”

WOW! Our God is AWESOME!!! Looking back over your life, where are the places the Lord has calmed the raging waters? How did He show His Majesty? Selah. (You may want to write them in your journal)

Please join me as we sing of the indescribable majesty of our Great God!

Indescribable - Chris Tomliin

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty...”

— Psalm 93:1 New International Version

Tender Love

Good Morning Beauties!

Welcome to the second stanza of the song and the second attribute of who you are in Christ….You Are Lovely. Thanks for making the effort each day to say, “YES!” to God by spending time with Him. There is nothing better than an intimate relationship with GOD. Nothing will ever satisfy your soul completely like knowing Jesus. The blessing is all your if you want it.

Let’s look at the word, lovely. What’s the first thing you think of? How would you define it? How do you see yourself compared to your definition?

No matter how many times I take another 40 Day Journey, I always see this attribute in the same way. I see a sweet gentleness. A softness, a femininity - and usually the color pink. And each time, though it’s getting better, I still don’t see myself as very lovely by my own definition. I see myself as bold, strong, and controlling. Can you relate? I tend to surround myself with the same type of women.

One of the goals in our journey is to see how we are made in the image of Christ. So let’s look at what the Word says about the loveliness of Jesus. “But Lord, your nurturing love is tender and gentle. You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love. You are full of abounding grace and truth.” Psalm 86:15 TPT Jesus is tender and gentle. Is this how you see Him?

We are created like Hm, so let’s look at what the Bible says about us, “What blessing comes to you when gentleness lives in you! For you will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 TPT This truth is taken from one of Jesus’ best known sermons - The Sermon on the Mount. Is this how you see yourself? If not, write down what you see instead. Is it a lie? Pray for God to reveal His truth to you in this area of your identity.

For all those “control freaks” out there, I implore you to lay it down, (I’m speaking to myself as well.) Jesus is all the strength we need. He allows us to be the gentle and tender women He created, because He is our strength. I love what the Bible says about it, “Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom, but my miracle-deliverance can never be won by men. Our boast is in Yahweh our God, who makes us strong and gives us victory!” Psalm 20:7 TPT Did you see it? Our strength and victory are given to us by God. We can relinquish our need for control and give it back to Him. What a blessing, indeed! Selah.

Strength of My Life - Vertical Worship

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“My darling, you are so lovely! You are beauty itself to me. Your passionate eyes are like gentle doves.”

— Song of Solomon 1:15 The Passion Translation

Waiting for Our Wedding Day to Come
Photo by Jeremy Wong Weddings on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Today is the third time in this short stanza in the song we’ve heard the same truth - You Are Beautiful. After a day of preparation and following your journey for the past few days, are you beginning to see a shift in your thinking? Are you allowing God to speak to you and reveal the destructive lies of the enemy? Only then will you be able to release them and allow Truth to take its rightful place in your heart.

The Lord brought me to Psalm 45 today. That special chapter which describes the beauty of the Groom and His Bride as well as their wedding day. Most of us have dreamed of our wedding day since childhood. What are husband would be like, what our dress would look like, all the details like color schemes, flowers, and music. Our ultimate wedding day is when Christ comes for us - His Beautiful Bride. What a glorious day that will be. I can’t wait!

Below is the description of us as His Bride. Notice in verses 9 and 10, we are told to forget the past, and all those lies we’ve been told from those around us, and look to the future with our King. We are to worship Him, not those we tried to please in our past.

Take time to read each verse, slowly, visualizing yourself as His Bride. Allow your feelings to flow and remain in God’s presence as He speaks tenderly to your heart. This Beautiful Bride is YOU!

Her Royal Majesty

9 The daughters of kings, women of honor,
    are maidens in your courts.
    And standing beside you,
    glistening in your pure and golden glory,
    is the beautiful bride-to-be!
10 Now listen, daughter, pay attention, and forget about your past.
    Put behind you every attachment to the familiar,
    even those who once were close to you!
11 For your royal Bridegroom is ravished by your beautiful brightness.
    Bow in reverence before him, for he is your Lord!
12 Wedding presents pour in from those of great wealth.
    The royal friends of the Bridegroom shower you with gifts.
13 As the princess-bride enters the palace,
    how glorious she appears within the holy chamber,
    robed with a wedding dress embroidered with pure gold!
14 Lovely and stunning, she leads the procession with all her bridesmaids
    as they come before you, her Bridegroom-King.
15 What a grand, majestic entrance!
    A joyful, glad procession as they enter the palace gates!
16 Your many sons will one day be kings, just like their Father.
    They will sit on royal thrones all around the world.
17 I will make sure the fame of your name
    is honored in every generation, as all the people praise you,
    giving you thanks forever and ever!

I Can’t Wait - Merchant Band

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Every part of you is so beautiful, my darling. Perfect is your beauty, without flaw within.”

— Song of Solomo 4:7 The Passion Translation

My True Self
Photo by Juno Jo on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

How are you feeling today? Are you ready and excited to see what God will speak to your heart? I’m feeling a bit sleepy today, but I’m here with you after a wonderful quiet time with Jesus. He always meets us when we drawn near to Him. He’s so faithful, loving, and kind. Don’t you agree?

Today we look at the truth of our beauty again. On Day 1, we looked at how the enemy dims the light that shines through us when we believe his lies and deceptions. I thought today it would help to look at our personal definition of what beauty is and means to us.

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” - Coco Chanel

This quote is not directly from scripture, but I believe it! There is something truly beautiful when you see the true essence of a person. God made us all different, and when we are free to be our true selves, it’s the uncontaminated revealed truth of God shining through us.

I love the description found in Psalm 139:14-16 from The Passion Translation, “I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord! You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place; carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something. You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day. the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book.”

So, how do you define beauty? Where were your beliefs formed? Is there any hint of deception in your beliefs? What is God speaking to your heart about beauty today? Selah.

Free to Be Me - Francesca Battistelli

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

— 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

The Rock of Your Foundation
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

What a wonderful way to start the week. Waking up and knowing we’re on this journey together. We’re not going it alone, but have beautiful ladies to share the experience. Does it bring you comfort as it does me?

Today’s truth is life changing. It’s simple, but hard to drop from our head to our hearts - from our minds to our belief system. The lies preventing us from believing this truth are tremendous in number and destruction.

Why does the enemy work so hard to keep us from this truth? Let’s take a look. “Perfect Love casts out all fear”, (1 John 4:18) and fear is where the enemy binds us. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you with loving devotion.” (Jeremiah 31:3) God’s love for us is not conditional, it is eternal and brings us closer to Him. His love is forever, it is safe, it is pure, and we can trust it.

God’s love is not dependent on how good we behave, and the enemy loves to tell us otherwise. He is a master at causing us to feel shame for our behavior, but our actions have nothing to do with how God loves us. He loves us, the person, despite our behavior.

I have found the greatest freedom when I believe and live this truth. I no longer have to spend all my time assessing my behavior to make it “good enough” to be deserving of God’s love. Guilt (regret of bad behavior) and shame (believing you’re a bad person) are tools of the enemy to keep you from the abundant life Jesus died to give you.

So ladies, are you ready to trample the lie of “not good enough” under you feet? Are you able to believe you are accepted and loved just the way you are - above all your sins? Will you start living your life knowing your behavior does not qualify or disqualify you for God’s love? Selah.

You Are Loved - Stars Go Dim

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!”

— Romans 5:8 The Passion Translation