Majestic Unity
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

Hello Beauties!

How much do you love the word Majesty? It’s one of the most special words I know. There are certain words I use for God alone. Awesome, Holy, and Majestic are a few of them. He is so worthy of special words, don’t you think so too?

In pondering today’s truth, how can we be clothed in His Majesty? We’re not God, we’re only human and incapable of having anything to do with his Majesty. The answer is simple - when we believe in Christ, He comes to live 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 description of His Majesty found in Psalm 104. Read the passage below and rejoice in the beautiful majesty of our Lord.

“Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” Psalm 104:1-4 NIV

Jesus deserves our supreme worship, so what better way to exalt him than with a full on choir singing Majesty?

Majesty - Jack Hayford, writer

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.”

— Psalm 93:1 New International Version

It’s a Matter of the Heart
Photo by Amy Shamblen on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Today we move on to our next attribute and truth, you are lovely. What’s your initial reaction to this truth? How do you define and describe it? Do you feel lovely? Please write down your answers as you ponder them.

Let’s take a look at the word lovely and pray the Spirit will reveal truth in a personal way for you as you lean in to his whisper. The Oxford Language Dictionary states the word “Lovely” is both an adjective and noun. “exquisitely beautiful” is how it is described as an adjective and “a beautiful woman” as a noun. Some synonyms include, “attractive, appealing, sweet, charming, engaging.”

The Bible goes beyond the external and goes straight to the heart. Here is an in depth study of the original language when lovely is used in the Bible as sited by the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:
luv'-li ('ahabh, 'ahebh; prosphiles): "Lovely" occurs only 4 times. In 2 Samuel 1:23 it is the translation of 'ahebh, "to be loved" ("Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant (the King James Version margin "sweet") in their lives"), where it seems to mean "loving" or "lovable." Two other words are so translated in the Old Testament: machmadch, "desire" a "desirable thing" (Songs 5:16, "He is altogether lovely," that is, "lovable," "to be desired," literally, "all of him lovableness," or "desirableness"); `aghabhim "loves," or "charms" (Ezekiel 33:32, "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song," the King James Version margin "a song of loves," the Revised Version margin "a love-song"; in 33:31 the same word is translated "much love," the King James Version margin "They make loves or jests"); in Philippians 4:8 we have prosphiles, "very lovely," or "lovable," "whatsoever things are lovely."

I can’t help but notice the common denominator here, LOVE. Are you an agent of Christ’s love? Have you accepted the perfect love of Jesus? Do you love him with all your heart, soul, and mind? Do you extend love to others? Even if you don’t love perfectly, you are still lovely. Selah.

Jesus Christ is altogether lovely. Let’s spend time praising our loving King today.

Lord Jesus, You Are Lovely - New York City Young People’s CD

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

— Philippians 4:8 New International Version

Yes and Amen

Good Morning Beauties!

I heard something this morning that stopped me in my tracks. “The enemy of my peace is my insistence on perfection.” Wow! Now that is truth, my friends.

What does peace have to do with beauty? Have you ever noticed when you stop to see something beautiful, for that quiet few seconds or minutes, you are at peace. Your focus is turned from the things of this world, and you are peaceful as you gaze upon the beauty of what captured your attention. It can be something in nature, an artist’s performance, a baby’s smile. What about the beauty of things we hear? A cardinal’s morning song, a choir singing your favorite hymn, a child’s laugh.

What does peace have to do with beauty? Selah.

I pray Jesus captures your attention today as you take time to let his beauty bring you peace.

Jesus, You Are Beautiful - CeCe Winans

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

— Isaiah 26:3 New International Version

One With All Creation
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

O the beauty of the Lord, Creator of the universe. I watched a few small birds playing amongst the snow covered trees this morning. The beauty of his creation is all around us. Think about the magnificence of planet Earth, let alone the entire Universe. Add to that the creatures of the air, land, and sea. Then, oh my goodness, is the human body and all of its marvelous systems that keep us alive and allow us to reproduce. Truly indescribable is the beauty of Creation and the Creator.

A scripture came to mind this morning and made me stop and ponder about how we are one with all of God’s creation. The scripture says if we don’t praise God, then the rocks surely will. (See scripture below) Take that in for a moment. We are connected with the literal rock formations of the Earth. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to worship anything other than my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I do believe, however, we are a beautiful part of God’s amazing creation. What are your thoughts as you ponder the grandeur of your part of creation? Can you see your own beauty in it? Selah.

“ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” Luke 19:37-40

Let’s praise God for his awesome beauty…

Indescribable - Laura Story

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

— Romans 1:20 New Living Translation

How Great the Love of Christ
Art by Peggy Collins

Good Morning Beauties!

To be loved above all things - can you imagine it? Above all sins of your past and your future. Sins of thought and deed. Everything! The Love of Jesus surpasses it all. Selah.

Let’s also look at this truth another way. You are loved above every good and perfect thing Jesus has created. His love for you is more! You are the apple of his eye, his favorite. Selah.

I truly believe it will take a lifetime to grasp the perfect love God has for each one of us. It’s a love like no other. We try to equate it with the love of a parent or a spouse, but our Earthly human love can’t compare to that of Jesus. No way!

Like Paul prayed for the Ephesians, this is my prayer for you today…
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

Most of us enjoy the “love chapter” in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. It’s probably the most used Biblical verse at weddings. I’ve always viewed it as God’s standard for me to love my husband and others. You too? Today he asked me to look at it a different way. I read it as a description of HIS love for ME. WOW! What a blessing!! Please take a moment to read the verse, in several translations, and then journal truth about the love of Jesus for YOU. Selah.

There’s a worship debate I’ve heard over the years which draws strong opinions from both sides. “Why do they just repeat the same words over and over and over again?” My humble opinion - just an opinion from my experience - is that singing Biblical truths several times allows us to meditate on God’s Word through song. Is it necessary for every song, every time we worship? No, but I do believe there’s a benefit to meditating in song. With this explanation, I’m excited to include a song today that has been important in my Christian faith. It’s easy to sing and easy to memorize so you can close your eyes and just get lost in worshipping Jesus and receiving the truth about his love for you.

Your Love is Deep - Jami Smith

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New International Version

TRUTH!
Proverbs 31 Ministries

Good Morning Beauties!

Being a daughter of Christ means that you have a forever father in Heaven. Someone who is dependable and strong, someone who will protect you and provide for you, someone who will never leave you nor forsake you - even if you disappoint him time and time again. Being a daughter of Christ means that you have the greatest love one could ever provide. Fully, unconditionally, and forever. What does this mean for you? Are you walking out your life as a true princess of the Most High King? Selah.

Have you ever noticed God’s blessings command action? We are not blessed to consume it for ourselves. No, our faith in Christ opens the opportunity to become his ambassador to the world. Just like a princess here on Earth represents her royal family, we represent Christ, and that comes with responsibility. We stay close to Jesus and follow his ways - anything he asks. We can rest assured his plan for our lives isn’t good, or even great, it’s perfect; therefore, we can trust him wholeheartedly. We can place our faith in Jesus without reservation and do anything he asks.

Let’s take a look at what God’s Word says about being set apart from the evil things of the world and our relationship with him….

“Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:

‘I’ll live in them, move into them;
    I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
    leave it for good,” says God.
“Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.
    I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you;
    you’ll be sons and daughters to me.’
- The Word of the Master, God.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 The Message Bible

Beauties, we are working on our insides - our very souls. Jesus is right here to fortify and strengthen us. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made, and that our soul know very well.” (Psalm 139:14)

Daughter of the King - Tricia

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”

— Mark 5:34 New International Version

Beauty of a Songbird
Photo by Jody Confer on Unsplash

Happy New Year Beauties!

Welcome to Day 1 of your journey. Your bravery has brought you here, whether it was to grow closer to God, learn more of your true identity in Christ, or know more about the person of Jesus, you are a brave warrior. Let’s all move forward with our armor in place as we take our first step onto the battlefield.

What are your rituals or routines on the first day of the new year? How long have you held them dear, and are you willing to make any changes to them?

For the past 20 years or so, I meet early in the morning with God to ask him what he wants me to know for the upcoming year. Sometimes he leads me to a scripture in the Bible as a blessing for me. At other times, he leads me to a scripture to bless others.

This morning before I could open my Bible, before I turned on the light, he spoke to my heart and said, “listen.” I quieted my mind as I sat down at my desk in front of my window and listened. There he was! I heard him singing a new song from within the barren trees lining the path a few yards from my home. It was the most beautiful sound of life coming from what looks like death. Light had broke through the darkness. Moments later, I heard the sweet words of this scripture in my mind, and I knew it was God’s Word for the year.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:3 NIV

This story of God’s awesome beauty is a wonderful way to start our journey. Beauty can mean many different things to many people. What does it mean to you? What do you believe when you hear the truth, “You are beautiful”? Try to capture everything coming to your mind. If you’re having a hard time believing it, what do you believe instead? God wants to uncover the lies from the enemy so he can bring you truth. Are you willing to seek him, to listen, and to believe what he says? Selah.

There is hope, healing, light, and life found in Jesus. Allow him to put a new song in your mouth today; one you will declare unto the world so all people will fear and put their trust in God.

New Song - Jason Gray

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’”

— Revelation 5:9 -10 New International Version

The Journey Begins

Good Morning Beauties!

You’ve made it! You’ve waited patiently, and the day has come to begin a journey with God like nothing you’ve done before. The experience is distinctive in that the 40 Days are derived from the 40 lyrics of a song, a song of God’s Truth, His Word, and The Gospel. And there could be no better time to begin your transformation than the beginning of a new year. 2023 will be a year to look back and remember how Jesus changed your life.

I believe this 40 Day Journey experience is a “narrow gate” which leads to the Truth of God few people find as written in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV)

How can we possibly navigate through this world without knowing who we really are? Our true identity in Christ? Without knowing the Truth, the enemy will continue to fill our minds with lies. Our belief in these lies only leads to our destruction. God desperately wants you to know the Truth about who you are and who He created you to be which will lead to a life of love, joy, peace, and purpose. A life of fulfillment. A life He died to give you.

This journey is also unique to each participant, just as you are unique. We will travel together and yet have individual experiences with God. The journey will provide different things for different people. One thing is for sure; if you commit to spending 40 consecutive days with God, you will be changed. 40 Days is significant in the Bible - it brings testing, trial, temptation, and transformation. Are you all in ?

The scripture God gave me while impressing on my heart to begin this women’s journal and ministry is John 10:10, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (NIV)

Have you ever noticed, that in any great adventure story, there is a fight between good and evil, the “good guy” and the “bad guy”? Beauties, the battle is real! The battle raging in the spiritual realm is very real. We fight it everyday whether we’re aware of it or not. In this journey, you will be on the offensive attack against the enemy, taking back ground he has stolen from you. It’s a fight. Are you ready?

Though you are waging war, you must not fear, but instead rise up in confidence. God is right by your side. You can trust Him. In the Bible, He promises, “But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” Thessalonians 3:3 New Living Translation. God has so much for you, far exceeding any expectation you have, so turn your fear into faith.

As you can see, this journey is significant, and with anything of great importance, we must approach it with meaningful intentionality. We must carefully prepare for our journey. God will do His part, and we must be faithful to do ours too.

What are your expectations for your journey experience? What exactly do you need God to do? What are you willing to do? Grab your journal and find a place you will return to often. Write down your expectations and what you’re willing to commit to in order to help meet your expectations. Include your prayer of what you need from God. Selah.

In this battle, there will be many road blocks thrown in your way. Overcoming obstacles begins with knowing what they are, then creating a plan of action to defeat them. A common roadblock is time. Write down any obstacles you anticipate being a problem, and then create an action plan to ensure they don’t interfere with your journey. The enemy will try everything in his power to stop you from silencing his lies on your journey, so you have to be prepared. Selah.

The last thing, but vital to the success of your journey is to find your motivation. Why are you taking this journey? When the enemy is pressing in and making it difficult for you to keep going, how will you continue to put on your armor and keep fighting? When you don’t see the results you were expecting by Day 20, what will keep you on the journey? Please write down your “WHY” and refer to it often. Selah.

Please feel free to use this blog as you want. Some meet me here daily, some as needed, and some not at all. Each is fine. I’m here to encourage and share revelations from my own journey. If you ever want to reach out for a conversation, please use the “let’s connect” page on this website.

Now that you’ve written down your expectations, obstacles with action plans, and your important “why,” it’s time to go before the Lord. Jesus, we pray you will use this journey to transform us. Jesus, we know you have the power to help us identify the lies of the enemy and to replace them with your truth so we can walk in freedom. Jesus, we pray for open and willing hearts and minds that will be ready for anything you reveal to us. We look forward to the transformation you have prepared for us, and are excited as we trust in you. Jesus, we pray you help us stay the course when it gets difficult. We understand this journey is a battle, so we pray for protection and that you remind us to put on the full armor of God found in Ephesians 6 each time we sit down to journal. In Jesus’ Holy and all powerful name, Amen.

Okay Beauties, as we prepare today, here’s our warrior anthem. Let the powerful lyric and melody strengthen and encourage you as we begin our 40 Day Journey.

Surrounded - Upper Room

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

— Ephesians 3:20-21 New International Translation

Vessel of His Hope
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

What a beautiful day to reflect on our 40 Day Journeys - with the tremendous blessing of Christmas still fresh on our minds and in our hearts. I pray your day to celebrate the coming of our Savior King was glorious.

In your journal is a couple of pages for you to write as you reflect on your entire journey as well as a space for your prayer as you move forward. You may want to look back at the attributes of Beautiful, Lovely, Joyful, Royalty, Righteous, Redeemed, Purity, and Child of God and write down where God spoke to your heart about something personal. Is this where you identified the lie of the enemy and replaced it with His Truth? Where do you see the most growth? Do you feel closer in relationship to God? What are the top three encouragements from your time spent with God? Selah.

Where has He brought Freedom to your life? Here’s my question….so what? What was it all for? I believe the Bible explains it best in Galatians 5:13. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” New International Version.

Jesus is HOPE and he brings hope to us and through us to others. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen people in such need of hope. Just like Jesus, we are not here on planet Earth for our own indulgences, we are here to serve others in His Name with the power of His Love. It’s as simple and complex as that. If we are weighted down by lies of the enemy, we are unable to live in the freedom we need to effectively care for others. They must see the hope we have in Jesus, otherwise they’ll just see our futile works.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. It has been a pleasure and honor to walk with you. I pray one of the first “serving others” steps you take is to share your journey experience with women in your life. I’ve learned that even the most confident and “well put together” women believe lies they need to replace with Truth.

Another way to encourage other women is to share your story on my website. Prayerfully consider how God wants to use your story to bless others in this way. Please just go to the “My40DayJourney” section and hit the “Share Your Story” button. It’s an easy process and will take only a few minutes.

One last idea is to buy a few journals and invite your friends and family to join the next journey with you. Not only will you draw closer to God, but you will draw closer to each other. It’s a beautiful way to lift up the ladies in your life. We start our 2023 New Years Journey on December 31st with our Day of Preparation.

Let’s pray together - Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for who You are. The Loving and Kind Father who loves us and calls us His own. We thank you Lord for this journey with You where You have lovingly taught us so much about You and ourselves. Be with each of us now as we take these truths and go make a difference in the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Let’s bring the Blessed Hope to everyone we meet! Here’s our last Christmas song to finish our Christmas Journey. I pray it fills you with joy and peace as you contemplate on the Hope of The World.

Hope For Everyone - Matt Maher

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. ”

— 1 Peter 1:3-4 New International Version

Grateful Celebration

Merry Christmas Beauties!

It’s time to Celebrate!!! There’s so much to be grateful for today….the Birth of Jesus and Day 40!!!

Let’s take our excitement to the Lord in prayer…Dear Holy Father, thank you for Your Love that provided us a Savior who left His place in Heaven to come down and rescue us and provide eternal life. Thank you also for providing the discipline, motivation, security and love throughout our 40 Day Journey together. You have spoken to our hearts and told us Truth. You have exposed the lies of the enemy and replaced them with your revelations of Truth. We thank you and celebrate you today, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Tomorrow on the Day of Reflection you will look back at your entire journey experience and journal about it as a whole. Today, let’s look at the lyric, “And you are Beautiful.” What does this word now mean to you? How has your definition of it changed over the past 40 days? What do you believe today about your beauty you did not on Day 1? What are the lies you no longer believe and the Truths that have taken their place? Selah.

As you ponder these questions, here is a song that speaks of God’s Truth about who you are, because that’s really all that matters…what He says.

You Say - Lauren Daigle

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

— Luke 2:13-14 New International Version

The Light Has Come
Photo by Tim Umphreys on Unsplash

Good Morning Beauties!

Happy Christmas Eve Day to you all. I think this day for me has more meaning that Christmas Day. Tonight is when we celebrate Jesus’ arrival. The Light that took away the darkness has come. It brings back memories of Midnight Mass with a choir of Angels singing from the balcony behind me. It was absolutely beautiful.

For some of you, this may not be a day of warm memories, and to that I say, “I’m so sorry.” Ask the Holy Spirit to help you process those wounds and allow him to heal your heart. Let the light of Jesus illuminate those dark, hurtful places and leave only his perfect love. Will you do it?

For all of us, today we can celebrate the true gift of Jesus. I’ve made a list of the many benefits of this beautiful gift in my life:
He protects, provides, loves, encourages, delights in me, will never leave me, created the unique me.
I am cherished, adored, treasured, beloved.

My list is just the highlights, of course, because the benefits of knowing Jesus are endless. What’s on your list? What does having the true light of the world in your life bring? Selah.

There are so many deeply meaningful songs to celebrate Jesus’ birth, and I’ve shared a couple with you here. First is “O Holy Night.” It brings a special reverence to the significance of Jesus coming to the world as a baby so that one day he could die for our sins - to become our Savior. Please review the words, let them sink in, and then watch my favorite rendition of this beautiful song.

Second is my all time, non-traditional Christmas song. The joy expressed in the song perfectly describes the excitement I feel on Christmas Eve. I’m in awe and wonder at how much God loves me to send his son, to save me and reconcile me back to my Abba Father. I am a Child of God - The greatest gift I could ever receive!

O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

O Holy Night - Hillsong

Hallueujah (He is Here) - Darlene Zschech

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“ I have come as a Light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer wander in the darkness.”

— John 12:46 The Living Bible

The Light, Our Treasure
Photo by Ashin K Suresh on Unsplash

Hello Beauties!

Oh my goodness! There’s so much to say today, but there’s simply not the space here for a full on Bible study. I trust you will do your own digging in God’s Word from the brief encouragement on today’s blog entry.

As I’ve openly shared at several women’s retreats, today’s truth was life changing for me on my very first 40 Day Journey several years ago. On Day 1 God revealed my deepest wound - not feeling valued. That was my core issue that remained even though I was a Holy Spirit filled sold out follower of Christ. I didn’t even know it was there.

On Day 38, Jesus brought me to this passage and changed my name to Segullah, God’s Treasured Possession.

“For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:6-9 New Living Translation

For Biblical context, Moses shared with the Israelites why God chose them as His treasured people. A big part was their obedience to his commands and remaining holy. In fact the heading of chapter 7 is called “The Privilege of Holiness.” God asked the Israelites to remain set apart from other cultures - they were special to God and He did not want them defiled.

Please read all of Chapter 7 for more details and further study. This passage in Deuteronomy wasn’t the first time God had made this statement - please read Exodus 19 for more history of when Moses delivered the message to the Israelites after God saved them from Pharaoh.

So, how does this scripture spoken by God to the Israelites relate to us today? Let’s look at the main scripture again. “For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.” Read it a few times slowly. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir your heart to the revelation he wants you to know. He calls us “holy” - do you believe you are holy in the eyes of God? He says you belong to him. Do you know that he accepts you? He says in essence, “take a look around - of ALL the people on Earth, I chose YOU.” Do you believe it? Does that sound possible? Are you walking in this powerful truth? And lastly, the part that changed me - he calls you his own special treasure. Is there anything he’s wanting you to know about that part of his declaration? Selah.

There’s much to ponder, and we’re not quite finished. Be completely honest with yourself and answer these questions - Do I compare myself to others? Do I catch myself feeling insecure in certain situations? Am I always seeking others’ approval? Do I still struggle with perfectionism? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you may need to pray you will believe the truth about how God loves you and says you are a special treasure. Selah.

There’s even more to ponder - our part of this equation is obedience to God’s commands. I’m referring to the summation of all the law in the three commands Jesus gave us: Love God, Love Others, and The Great Commission - making disciples of all nations.

The blessing of being God’s chosen treasured possession can’t stop there. We must take this blessing, believe it, and walk it out in our lives with others. What does this look like? I invite you to look at your answers to the previous questions. On reflection, are you self-focused or others-focused? Beauties, if we are to live holy lives as God’s treasures, we have to set our minds on Jesus and how he wants to use us for others.

Pride is ugly and a tool of the enemy. He is a master of deception. Have you been deceived? A simple definition of pride is being self-focused. If we are constantly wondering what others think of us, how we look to others, (literally and figuratively), if we are easily offended, and generally fixated on our feelings, there’s a pride issue. Now is the time to bring this sin before God and ask for purification. Selah.

Beauties, I could have stopped at the “feel good” part of today’s lyric about how you are God’s treasure, but there’s always more growth he wants for you. Please take time to do the hard work in this area. It can be life changing for you as well.

Transformation starts by focusing on Jesus. Let’s lift up our voices and praise our coming King, the greatest treasure of our hearts.
Jesus, My Treasure - Canyon Hills Worship

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“ For you are a holy people [set apart] to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be a people for His own possession [that is, His very special treasure].”

— Deuteronomy 7:6 The Amplified Bible

Daddy’s Girl

Hello Beauties!

It’s a beautiful Winter’s day with a blanket of white covering the Earth. Oh He is a most magnificent Creator, isn’t He? Makes me feel proud to be His daughter. That’s my Abba Father - my Daddy!

With the title of “Child of The Most High God”, we immediately see God as our parent, our Abba Father. Why does the Bible describe us in this way verses God’s creation alone? The answer is simple…His great love for us. It wasn’t enough for Him to be our Creator, He wanted a more intimate relationship with us.

The heart of God is that of a loving Father. The Holy Trinity is made up of God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Bible is jam packed with scriptures describing The Father’s love for us. One of my favorites is found in 1 John 3:1, (we read it as part of yesterday’s blog,) “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us—He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children.” The Voice Translation. How incredibly beautiful is this Truth?!

What is your favorite verse that speaks of how God loves you? If you don’t already have one, I recommend you find one that speaks directly to your heart. How deep is the hole in your heart that only His love can fill? Selah.

As you spend time with Jesus today, listen closely…do you hear Him singing over you? Selah.
Father’s Song - Matt Redman

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

— Galatians 4:6 New Living Translation

Precious in His Sight

Hello Beauties!

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1 NIV

Hallelujah! Praise God! Can I get an Amen? Oh how I love this verse, this promise. It proclaims our true identity in Christ in a bold, indisputable way!

You ARE a Child of God!! What does that mean to you? How do you respond when meeting someone new and they inquire, “tell me about yourself.” Is Child of God the first thing you think of, or do you immediately share your job title? Do you feel the need to rattle off your list of credentials? What you do is just that, it’s the job or duties you perform. It’s not who you are as a person. There’s a big difference.

If you met me for the first time, how would you respond when I request, “tell me about yourself.” Selah.

Let’s take a look at God’s Word and more wisdom about our identity as Children of God.
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:12-17 NIV

What words or sections of this passage were illuminated for you? Pray God continues to reveal your identity as his child. Selah.

Who You Say I Am - Hillsong Worship

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

— John 1:12-13 New International Version

TRUTH

Hello Beauties!

Do you feel an excitement in your Spirit? We celebrate the birth of our dear Lord and Savior in just 5 more days. If we truly focus on Jesus, and the Grace of God to send him to Earth to save us, this next few days will be glorious.

The world also has a pull on us at this time of year. It can be very exciting - getting together with loved ones, shopping in decorated stores, sharing Christmas stories, and the list goes on. It can also be very lonely for a lot of people who then suffer from depression. One thing I think all of us can say is that we’re very busy!!

Today, let’s prepare for the arrival of Jesus. Let’s cleanse our hearts from all sin, allow the Lord to restore extravagant joy, and be ready to share our salvation stories with those he leads us to this Christmas. Remember, we are his masterpiece - for sure, but we’re created to share the Good News to others.

Everything - EVERYTHING is for HIS GLORY!

Lord, hear our prayer…

1 “Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
    teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins,and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.”
Psalm 51:1-13

O come let us adore him…

Messiah - Francesca Battistelli

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

— Ephesians 2:10 New Living Translation

Unique Perfection

Good Morning Beauties!

There is no darkness in you. There is no flaw in you. You are purity. Do you believe it? What part of this truth is still difficult to claim as your own? Selah.

The Lord has shown me a correlation between our uniqueness and our purity. We are truly pure when we are living as our unique selves - no pretending, no conforming to the world, no hiding. God has made each of us as individuals, distinct in our characteristics and features, so any adulteration diminishes our purity.

Psalm 139:13-16 in the Message Bible describes the beautiful way God created us. “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”

Are you able to recognize the unique person Jesus created you to be? (Not the person you think others want you to be, or even who you want yourself to be - but the true unique person you are.) Selah.

Jesus is our magnificent creator. Like the intricacies of each snowflake, he designed us with precision and care. He deserves our praise for creating us with unique perfection.
Lord of Lords - Hillsong

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Still, God, you are our Father. We’re the clay and you’re our potter: All of us are what you made us.”

— Isaiah 64:8 The Message Bible

Beautiful Perfection

Happy Lord’s Day Beauties!

This word, "perfect"....do you struggle with it like I do? What lie does the enemy tell you as he torments you with perfectionism?  "You're not good enough."  "You must try even harder." "You still didn't do it right."  The lies in this area are harsh and long lasting. The enemy throws in words like rejected, unloved and unwanted.  Does that sound familiar?

We go about trying to be perfect to avoid rejection and to gain everyone's love and approval. Others may reject you when you don’t live up to their expectations, that’s true, but who’s standards really matter most? You can stand on his promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

What if the opinions of others didn’t matter to you? What if the only opinion you valued was that of Jesus? What would happen? Is Jesus and his opinion of you truly enough? Selah.

Through all our failings, flaws, and faults, God sees us as absolute perfection. How can this be? The blood of Jesus washes us clean and continues to cover us so that we can be in the Holy presence of God. There’s no other way.

Perfection - Switch

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”

— Song of Solomon 4:7 New International Version

The Light of the World Has Come
Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR on Unsplash

Hello Beauties!

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:5 NIV

This verse, this truth, changed my life! For the first time I spoke angrily to God asking, “If your spirit dwells in me, and there’s no darkness in you at all, then why do I still have so much darkness in me?” This question was logical and came from an emotional place of desperation.

The next six months would blow my mind. God revealed himself to me like never before, because I was seeking him and wanting to know truth like never before. In our desperation, we lay it all down, all the pretense, pride, and polish, and humbly lay prostrate at his feet. He rid me of the darkness and filled me with his overflowing light. Jesus healed deep wounds, satisfied every need, and gave me a purpose for living life in the light.

Will he do the same for you, of course. Jesus is not a respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) Open your heart to his truths:

“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” 2 Samuel 22:29 NIV

“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” Psalm 18:28 NIV

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?” Psalm 27:1 NIV

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47 NIV

“The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Isaiah 60:19 NIV

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
Micah 7:8 NIV

…”that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Meditate on these truths. Turned them into songs, so you can sing them when you’re needing an extra dose of light on those dark days. We must fight the lies with TRUTH! Are you up for the battle? Are you willing to raise your voice and ask for revelation of God and his truth? Selah.

Jesus is so worthy of our praise!
Light of the World - Lauren Daigle

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. ‘I am the light of the world,’ he said. ‘Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.’”

— John 8:12 The Good News Translation

Majestic Purity

Hello Beauties!

I was absolutely overwhelmed by God’s beauty as I traveled to an early morning meeting today. All I could see was a beautiful covering of white - the trees, the road, the sky. Brilliant and pure white. Nothing had defiled the landscape - it was unblemished by machines of man. (Snow plows and automobiles)

What an inspirational portrait of our completely pure Jesus who was without sin, shed his blood to save us.

“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” Hebrews 7:23-27 NIV

Our glorious Lord and Savior Jesus! He gave us life and there’s nothing we could or can ever do to earn it. Stop trying, stop striving. He’s done it all. There is, however, something he asks of us. Let’s take a look at His Word…

Psalm 24:1-10 NIV
1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.

3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.

5 They will receive blessing from the Lord
    and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob.

7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory.”

Did you catch it? He asks that we have clean hands, a pure heart, and a devotion to him - not idols or other gods. Jesus wants all of you, including your undivided heart. If you had to draw a picture of your heart with all the things that may be taking you away from intimacy with Jesus, what would it look like? Selah.

Let’s make this praise song our prayer today….

Give Us Clean Hands - Chris Tomlin

In the Spirit of the birth of our Savior, here’s a beautiful song rightly fitting for our King.

Handel Messiah - Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates - Brussels Choral

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

— Matthew 5:8 New International Version

Sacred Place
Photo by Kendra Brown

Good Morning Beauties!

What a stunning day the Lord has provided. Here in Minnesota, I look outside my window and the biggest snowflakes known to man are gently falling before my eyes. My office is on the second floor, so I feel suspended in a life-sized snow globe. I stop everything and behold the wonder of God’s Creation.

Today we complete the last day of the 6th attribute, REDEEMED, and selah once again as we reflect the beauty of Jesus. Take time to enjoy your physical surroundings in gratitude for all Jesus has given you. Thank him for your sacred place.

Let’s engage in His beauty in a couple of creative ways. Below you will see a hymn written by a treasured servant of the Lord, Saint Francis of Assisi. Be blessed by his creativity and picture each word in your mind.

“All creatures of our God and King”

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Refrain:
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

(By Saint Francis of Assisi in 1225. Paraphrased by William H. Draper in 1901.)

The second way to engage is by listening to the beautifully written and played songs from George Winston. The album is appropriately called, “December.” Close your eyes as you listen. What do you see? Perhaps this is a good time to use the creative pages in your journal as you listen.

Enjoy the absolute beauty of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Winter (full album) - George Winston

Love and Blessings,
Kendra

“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

— Psalm 27:4 New International Version