A Setback Or A Set Up

Perception is often wrong because our vision is limited. We allow one stretch of immobility to cause us to believe the lie that because we’re not moving He’s not working.

We can't see beyond the circumsatnces to know it is for our safety and for our good that we were being detained. We don't realize that stopping on this stretch will allow for improvements on the next one. 

Sometimes when we can't see beyond our circumstances we assume it is a setback when it is actually a set up. 

After 14 months of not knowing why I have been having health problems I finally got some answers this week. Mercury poisoning has been the culprit of my health issues for over a year now. Detoxing and The Good Lord above has saved my life! Thank you Jesus!!! 

So many good things are happening in my life right now and I look back and see that what I thought was a setback has actually been a set up. GOD IS SO GOOD! 

Remember, that place with no forward movement, that dream you’ve let die because it didn’t look like anything was happening—those are the places He’s working on. Don’t assume that because you’re still now you won’t be moving later. He is always working on our behalf—in ways we can’t see, in places we don’t understand. He hasn’t forgotten you; He knows right where you are. He has gone before you to prepare the way.

Blessings,

Dalinda

As A Follower Of Jesus, I Work 'With' God, Not 'For' God

Jesus came to free us from the slavery of religion....A list of check boxes that we can daily say we haven’t broken. Some how it makes us feel safe. But the life Jesus calls us to is far more risky, far more unsafe – but it is the only life that is free.

As a follower of Jesus, I don’t work for God. I have learned that I work ‘with’ God. I need to go out and find where He is and join Him. When God chose to come down and show us what Love looks like, He came as one ‘with’ us. That is the point of the incarnation. He sojourned with humanity. Jesus asked people to follow Him, to come ‘with’ Him. In His absence, He now comes ‘with’ us and we ‘discover’ Him and join Him.  

Blessings,

Dalinda

Replace Doubt With Expectation

My expectation is not built on someTHING but on someONE. 

When God doesn’t do what I want, I must expect Him to show me more of Himself....Because every unmet expectation is an opportunity for an upgrade in revelation of who He is.

Doubt is a fear of negative things happening, but faith expects good things to take place. It actually takes less emotional energy to walk in faith than in doubt and fear. 

When we allow doubt and despair to take over, that's when the wall to God's blessings starts going up. Don't let that wall even begin to build in your life.

I have discovered that doubt is a thought planted in our heads by the devil. He uses it to keep us from enjoying life and making progress in God's good plan for us. Be confident even when you don't FEEL confident and watch God work! 

God loves you and wants to use you in powerful ways to help other people. Don't ever let anyone tell you that God cannot or will not use you. 

When God gives us a job to do, we often think it will be easy to accomplish. However, most things are harder than you ever thought they would be, they take longer than you ever thought you could endure, but they also pay greater dividends than you could ever imagine. 

Discovering God's plan for our lives is as exciting as opening presents on Christmas morning. 

Blessings,

Dalinda

Stop Looking For A Way Out And Start Asking Jesus To Take You Through

Jonah was given a clear directive from God. He was to travel to Nineveh and confront the people living there of their wickedness. They were guilty of pride, greed, brutality and adultery. God was not pleased with them.

Jonah did not agree with God’s calling for him. He wanted “out”. Instead of fulfilling God’s Will, he chose to attempt to hide. He wanted to get as far away from God as he could. No way did he want to confront the inhabitants of Nineveh. So he stowed away on a ship to Tarshish; thinking it would solve his predicament. Instead, it only made things worse. The ship succumbed to a mighty storm at sea and Jonah found himself, not only overboard, but swallowed alive by a large fish. 

Jonah’s story contains a strong warning to all godly people. We can easily miss the blessing of God’s grace when extended beyond our comfort zone. In our human-ness, we only have enough vision to see our circumstances where we are at. God, on the other hand, sees the whole picture. He has planned our lives, and He will fulfill all His plans if we trust Him.The scene of my greatest disappointment can be the setting for my greatest miracle. 

Blessings,
Dalinda

Remembering

Remembering those who sacrificed for our freedom. Thank you!

And most importantly, remembering the One who sacrificed His life to free us from our sins, so that we will never have live separated from our Heavenly Father. 

Happy Memorial Day!

Blessings,

Dalinda

There Is Purification In Pain

Our lives are for the purpose of glorifying God. It is a privledged position to go through something that is awful because it helps you clearly see what really matters.

There is purification in pain. Don't let your pain be wasted.

If you never step out and depend on God to come through, you will never get to see Him come through. Risking for God's glory is not foolishness, it is a beautiful reliance upon His providence. It is leaving room for God to come through.

When we leave room for God it allows Him to show Himself great. Just as a fruit doesn't grow because it tries real hard but because it yields itself to the vine, so must we. Recognize that we can't...but that God can and ask Him to do it in us. And as we keep our attention, our gaze fixed on the Lord, He does it.

How awesome it is that we get to be a part of this amazing revival, through the power of the Holy Spirit leaving results to God! Let's not rob God opportunities to show off.

Blessings,

Dalinda

You Will Never Influence The World By Trying To Be Like It

Our attitudes act like a buffer between ourselves and the world, and when we keep a check on our behavior and reactions it makes it easier to deflect worries and negative thoughts.

Life is all about how we react to circumstances that we face and our determination to endure. We have to bring our attitudes into obedience with God’s Word, apply discipline to our thoughts, and believe that all good things are coming to us today; then do what is necessary to make it happen. If we keep this in our daily thoughts it will give us a sense of hope and it will put us on the fast track as we go forward with God into the better life that He planned just for us!

It’s a good habit to get into when we actively search for the positive side of everything, because when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change!

Blessings,

Dalinda

Seasons In The Dark Make The Light That Much Brighter

None of us are immune to tragedy, and we never know if or when it might affect us. We all seem to find it difficult to focus on purpose, when pain is overwhelming. I need to remind myself that when I say I am a follower of Jesus it’s not because of the road behind me, but instead it’s because of who is ahead of me. We serve a God who wants His people to believe. Really believe. And live like we really believe.

We serve a God who responds to thankful people even when we don’t see immediate answers to our prayers. We can’t expect a sovereign God to explain Himself, but we can expect Him to show Himself. And when we ask Him, He does.

I stand in awe and admiration of the teacher of Oklahoma who chose to embrace God in her greatest time of need and to praise Him. She not only covered the kids physically, she covered them spiritually. Her prayers to God for divine intervention and protection did not go unanswered, and He supernaturally provided a bubble of protection over their little bodies.

Her loud, desperate, relentless cries were music to our Savior’s ears.

She wasn’t supposed to do that! Teachers are not supposed to talk about God in public schools, much less pray out loud and boldly on the behalf of the children they are responsible for. She fearlessly   glorified God’s name with confidence and boldness – and choose not to let the world tell her what we are supposed to do, think, feel or believe. 

I wonder what this world would be like if we all did what we weren’t supposed to do, just a little more often.

In Matthew 20: 29-34, two blind men were sitting on the side of the road. They cried out for help and the world told them to be quiet. But they continued to cry out even louder and Jesus heard their cry and healed them.

I wonder if these two men ever reminisced about the day their rescue showed up?  I wonder if, when seasons in their life grew dark again, they would think back on that one moment when Jesus came along and did the impossible. I wonder how often their memories of time spent in the dark encouraged them to get through more dark times.

They knew with certainty that the light of the One they followed was so much brighter and bigger than any darkness that might come their way. They knew it!

Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. - Jeffrey R. Holland

Blessings,

Dalinda

Joymentum

We live in a world inundated with negative headlines that spread images of despair and defeat around the globe in a matter of seconds. Tragedy strikes. Storms rage. Debt grows. And as a result, some may raise the question, "With so many bad things going on in the world, how could there be a God?" Bad things do not come from God. He may ALLOW them to happen, but He will bring good through them.

What we should really be asking is, "With so many good things going on in the world, how could there not be a God?" ALL good things come from God!

Yes, our world is tainted with sin. But we all have the power to encourage, shape, and change lives. 

While trials and tribulations are permanent fixtures of this world, our attitudes toward them can help soothe the wounds and bring about solutions while glorifying our Heavenly Father in the process.

A simple compliment is more energizing than a B-12 shot.

If you dwell on your strengths, your blessings, your goals, and all the people who love you, then you will attract even more blessings, even more love, and even more accomplishments. It's a powerful truth.

I am so excited for the things to come! With every new sunrise, new blessings are on the way! GOD IS SOOOO GOOD!!!

Blessings,

Dalinda

Uncomplicating Our Lives Is Complicated

We live for results. But life isn't about the acceptance of information, it is about the opportunity of transformation. When I am at work in His life, He is at work in my life.

Uncomplicating our lives is complicated, but maybe endurance is the miracle.

I think too often we miss what God does because of how God does it. A miracle is a miracle, it doesn't matter how deep the water is. 

God orchestrates life amongst all the living, and those of us who can witness it, can be changed by it....Jesus is about Life not death, about Freedom not control. 

Belief is not just about knowing God, but joining God. It's not just about trusting that God is at work in our world but trusting that we can be at work in His-partnering with what He's already up to. The miracle is already started, but the question is: Are we going to be part of the miracle?

Sometimes it takes more faith to let Jesus into your boat than it does to get out and walk on water. - Aaron Holbrough

Blessings,

Dalinda

Whatever Holds Our Attention Molds Our Intention

We all make mistakes—it’s the nature of our condition. We have to remember, it’s what we do in the moments after our mistake that determines our course, not the mistake itself. 

Our lives tend to imitate the thoughts that we entertain most consistently....We feel what we dwell upon. On the flip side, whatever you ignore, or cease thinking about, begins to fade away. 

Love this quote because it is so very true for ALL of us!....."Part of our sinful nature instinctively chooses to see what we want to see and to ignore what we want to ignore." - David Platt....But, I am so thankful that even though I sit here in a broken world, small and dirty at His feet, He who sits on high chooses to commune with me and love me anyway.

When you get serious about worshipping Jesus, you want to capture the attention of your Savior....I am going to worship Him because He deserves my worship. And I'm gonna give Him my best.

Blessings, 
Dalinda

Time....We're Only Given So Much

Time....I want it to count...to mean something....and use it well.

Each of us has our own unique voice, our own style. God needs you to be who you are. He needs each and every one of us, just in a different way—for a different purpose. 

So what that I don’t do things the same way everyone else does? Why am I worried about fitting into a mold that wasn’t made for me? My specific calling hinges on the fact that I am me. If I try to be someone else my purpose is compromised. 

No one else has your irreplaceable voice or distinctive story. No one else can do exactly what you can the way you can. No one else is specifically designed to reach the people He has prepared for you. He made YOU with others in mind, so be who you are—that’s who He needs you to be.

I am thankful for people everywhere who stand up, follow their hearts, have their voice and are making a difference in other people's lives because they are making a difference in God's Kingdom. 

Blessings,
Dalinda

Small Miracles Lead To Big Victories

Jesus was immediately able to save Peter and He is immediately able to save us in our time of need! We will have many moments in our lives when we have to get out off the boat and walk in faith. As long as we keep our eyes on the Lord, we will walk in victory and in peace. It is when we try and handle the trials in our own strength that we begin to sink. I am so glad that when we have a lapse in faith or lose our way our heavenly Father is IMMEDIATELY ready to intervene.

Often times God will use the same situation that has destroyed our faith to build our faith back up again. And let me tell you this from personal experience, when God builds back your faith…it is a faith that will not falter.

Our problems have always been His possibilities...Christ entered the world by a surprise pregnancy and redeemed it through His unjust murder.

Blessings,

Dalinda

No Story Worth Telling Is Devoid of Struggle

Weakness is not popular in a pride-driven world. Yet as a believer of Jesus Christ, weakness is an opportunity for God to pour more of Himself into His Children.

Sometimes the only way to know what’s in our heart is for God to squeeze it by circumstances…He already knows, it’s we who need to be made aware. He doesn’t reveal our heart to condemn us but to give us the opportunity to humbly ask for His help…to recognize our dependence upon Him. 

Suffering is not a punishment but empowerment. It allows us to clearly see insufficiencies in our faith and quickly allow God to fill those areas with His Power

Don’t attempt to sugar coat your struggles. Be real with people. Be honest about what you’ve gone through…There are hurting people everywhere aching to be understood, to know there is hope in the hopeless looking struggle they face. Use your story to point them to Christ. He is the answer. Not you. Not me. Christ and Christ alone. He said ; “If I be lifted I will draw all men unto me.” Exalt Him through your testimony.

The word “struggle” means to contend with an adversary. It is to cope with inability to perform well. To make one’s way with violent effort. This word could be applied to various situations. However, as Children of God we do live in the natural realm but are merely visiting or passing through on our way to Eternity. Therefore, we must apply these terms and conditions to the Kingdom of God. The challenges of today are paving the road to Destiny for tomorrow. They are momentary. However, in each trial overcome by the steadfast heart of a believer through faith and trust in God, there is victory. The struggles in life are not about you, but rather a Kingdom force pushing its way through to your life. When you choose to grab hold of the Lord and make Him the anchor for your hope – you will not be moved. Struggle is not about defeat but overwhelming victory. It is God’s Power and Strength being manifested in your life.

Blessings,

Dalinda

Gods Never Calls Us Out In Order For Us To Play It Safe

Every day, we make a thousand little compromises, avoid opportunities, actions and people--all so that we can stay away from the emotion of fear. 

Sometimes God's plan doesn't involve a small timid step. Sometimes His plan involves a bigger leap of faith.

God never calls us out in order for us to play it safe. God desires to use each of us in a unique way…and, most likely, the journey will involve some scary stretching! There will always be risk involved when He invites us to take a leap of faith. Yet, if we choose not to trust Him or to follow His lead, we risk something far greater.

I don’t want to miss moments of opportunity. I want to go where I’m being called. I want to be brave enough to take the next step.

Blessings,

Dalinda

Remembering Mom on Mother's Day

May is a big month of memories every year. I think about my mom quite a bit with Mother’s Day and her birthday and wedding anniversary on May 6th and my birthday on May 5th. It has been nearly 7 years since she passed and I can still hear her beautiful laugh.

The memory that comes up most when I think about her is memories of our many beach trips to our condo in North Myrtle Beach. My husband and I are celebrating my birthday and Mother's Day at the condo this week. She and my dad would be so happy that we are still enjoying their little piece of heaven on earth. 

I’ve learned so much from my mother. Most important of all, her faith and love for God made a huge impact on my life. It prepared me to be the mom and wife God commands me to be; and to develop a faith that trusts God in all things.

One of the best things you can do as a mother is to give your children Jesus and teach them about the ways of God. In fact, God commands that you do.

Happy Mother's Day!

Blessings,
Dalinda

We All Lead Toxic Lives - Part 2 - Functional Funk

Are you in a functional funk? Forget all the rules and regs... Find something that stirs a passion inside of you. If you find what works for you, changes will happen.

Whether it's with your health or your spiritual life, you pave your own path. Remember, if you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. 

One of the main reasons we are struggling is because we are working hard on the wrong things. When it comes to results, it's not always about the weight you lose, whether it be a weight from a burden or body weight.

Toxins are poisonous to our bodies, just as sin is poisonous to our spiritual lives. A detox can help your body to rid itself of toxins, naturally, while also giving your body a chance to rest, repair and regroup. 

How can you be there for the people you love if you can't take care of you?...Stress is a form of toxin, too, which will slow down your body’s elimination processes. So focus on healthy forms of stress relief, relaxation and positive emotions during your detox. You can be fit for everything if you deflect and re-direct the negative. 

Any good dietary program should include a regular regime to detox your body for optimal health. It is not just for weight loss, a body detox also helps clean your organs, glands and bloodstream.

Nothing works unless you are committed to it. You get better and better each and every day if you stay consistent. 

When it comes to our physical and spiritual health, we can benefit from some extra attention. With better health and a better spiritual life, you can get out of your functional funk and life a more productive life. All it takes is a few minutes each day....Big results, little number - a good thing, since a lack of time is the most common excuse for not exercising or spending time alone with God. 

If variables that affect your schedule change, change with them. Stop searching for ways to talk yourself out of doing things. It may the the very thing that God uses to change your life.

God and Goga have definitely changed my life for the better! I have found balance, and am growing stronger - both physically and spiritually. God is not only detoxing my body, but my heart as well. 

BALANCE - With Goga, the platform oscillates - forcing your body to balance. The more you have to balance, the more muscles you use - and the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn. 10 minutes is all you need to burn, baby, burn! 

BALANCE - With God, realize that He is for you, not against you. God wants to hear from You. Your prayers certainly don't have to be elaborate or polished. God does not judge your way with words. He knows your heart. But you have to do your part. You have to go to Him all the time, not just when things go wrong. Always go to Him first, not because that means you won’t have problems, but because that means you are promised His grace, protection, peace, hope and joy when you do. 

This week, my husband and I are celebrating my 42nd birthday and our sweet life together at the beach....Stress is a toxin, so I am detoxing at the beach...Wink, wink!

Ever noticed how clean you feel after swimming in the ocean?  The salt water draws out the poisons from your skin. Your skin is your largest organ of elimination and the hands and feet are the places where much of that trash accumulates.  

God is putting us to the test. Life is not a sprint, it's a marathon....And He is training us to reach the finish line. So don't choose to run solo. Focus on the power that's inside you...His power. Balance your life so that your physical and spiritual health are thriving - so you can be fit for everything.... A transformation of God's ideal. 

"C" you at the finish line.

Blessings,

Dalinda

Shine

Being a light of the world is not about being a Bible thumper or bashing others over the head with religion. It's about living genuine faith that allows Christ's light to break through our everyday lives.

First, live the life God call us to - not sinless, but forgiven. Second, sprinkle our conversations with evidence of our faith. If something good happens, share the blessing with others and give God the credit for it. When someone asks about the peace they see in you, share the joy of Jesus. 

None of us will be perfect, but we know that God's grace has us covered. With this in mind, shine!

Blessings,

Dalinda

Our Last Resort Rather Than Our First Choice

Are you one of those people who want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires sacrifice? 

As long as things are going well, God goes unnoticed. But when things go wrong, He’s the first to get the blame. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."

God is always there. He is waiting and watching and ready to help all the time. He is working even when we don’t have any clue or refuse to see His hand; He often doesn’t have our attention until something breaks or goes wrong in our lives.

The great God of the universe, the only One who can save, deliver and heal is our last resort rather than our first choice. But He keeps coming back day after day because He doesn’t want anyone to perish....because He loves us more than anyone else ever could....because He is good and gracious and faithful.

Realize that God is for you, not against you.

God wants to hear from You. Your prayers certainly don't have to be elaborate or polished. God does not judge your way with words. He knows your heart. But you have to do your part. You have to go to Him all the time, not just when things go wrong. 

He is always there; He never moves, but you cannot do whatever you want to and then blame God when things don’t work out. You can’t never pray and then expect Him to swoop down and save you from your misery. His promises are not one-sided. You have to do your part if you expect Him to do His. He's not asking for perfection; He's asking you to come to Him. 

Always go to Him first, not because that means you won’t have problems, but because that means you are promised His grace, protection, peace, hope and joy when you do. 

Blessings,

Dalinda

Gardener Of My Soul

God wants us to be willing to embrace change that He brings into our lives. Even unbidden change. You may feel as if you're out on a limb, but don't forget that God is the tree trunk. He's not going to let you fall.

So many things have begun to stir. God seems to have fondness for change. But when I do the part of God’s will that I can control, He will do the part that I cannot control. God has opened so many doors for us!!! I can’t even start to describe the power and joy I feel. He is teaching me the power of faith and trust.

For the first time in my 42 years of life I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am smack-dab in the middle of God’s will!!! I know God is with me, guiding me, blessing me, showing me, strengthening me, preparing me for His plan.

The application to our lives is twofold. First, be a perennial - long lasting, enduring, slow growing, steady, and faithful. Second, don't be discouraged by your inevitable dormant seasons. Let God be the Gardener of your soul, and you will be rewarded with years of lush blossoms.

Blessing,
Dalinda

I Don't Want To Stay The Same....

This coming Sunday, I will celebrate my 42nd birthday with my friends and family! I feel so very blessed to celebrate another year of life! I know God is doing a new thing in me each year.

As I get older, I am beginning to notice all of the things everyone warned me about. Little jewels like crow’s feet, grey hair, creaky bones, and a spare tire….amongst other things. :)

So, although I am not so excited about my body getting older, I am thankful for birthdays because I want my spirit to mature…I want to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I want to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I don’t want to stay the same! I want God to continue to grow me and change me and mold me. I don’t want to make the same mistakes year after year, but I want to learn from them and overcome them. I want to look forward to what God is doing in me and through me TODAY.

As I celebrate my 42nd birthday, I will rejoice!....Because God's grace is the ultimate, unlimited gift to ME and to YOU - the undeserving!

We don’t have to dread our age in Christ because with Him life only gets sweeter. That’s not to say that we will sail through life without problems, but Christ gives us grace and love that helps us handle the years. What a thrill that as we age we know that the joy of being with Him in heaven gets closer and closer. There is so much that Christ gives us when we become a child of His and accept Him as our Savior.

Blessings,
Dalinda

God Has Positioned Us High And Lifted Up

Do you dare believe it? That often times is just where the problem is. We don’t see that we have been placed at such a high elevation. We don’t view ourselves above life circumstances. We become like the little bird whose cage door is wide open but who never flies out because he doesn’t know he can fly.

My primary job is to let the Creator shape me into who He wants me to become. He knows how much potential I have when I am put together properly.

God's vision is so different from ours. He examines us and sees the potential that others might not recognize. God looks at each of us and sees what we can become if we will only yield ourselves to His purposes.

God is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think, and we are in danger of limiting Him, when we confine our desires and prayers to our own thoughts of them. The trials of life will either prove our lives are flavored by God or they will reveal how much we truly lack. Will I trust God enough to see me through to the other side even when I can’t see the edge?

Remember, the walk of faith is a blind one. You may not be able to see where you are, but He sees, and you’re closer than you think.

God's plan, in God's time, with God's people always produces fruit, but that doesn't mean we won't stumble and fall on our way.

There is a seed in each of us, and God is our amazing botanist. He will nurture, water, fertilize and provide us all the sunshine we need to grow. But I need to be a humble seed and allow the Botanist to germinate me into the wonderful thing He wants me to be. I need not envy all the other flowers, grasses and trees in the field, for I am special – so special – in exactly who God wants me to be.

Romans 8:28 says, “ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord, who are called according to His purposes.”......ALL things – even your trials and afflictions.

When our spiritual eyes are opened to this incredible truth, we will automatically see from a very different perspective. We will begin to realize that we are no longer looking from the bottom up but instead, we are looking from the top down. And boy what a view!

Blessings,
Dalinda

CELEBRATING 500 BLOG POSTS!!!

Today's blog post is my 500th post!....I want to rejoice over possibilities that come when doors open AND close. Each one has the potential to lead some place beautiful!

As I look back to June of 2011, when I first started blogging, I have definitely grown in my spiritual walk, as well as my blogging walk with The Lord. I would never have imagined, in a million years, that I would be celebrating 500 posts today.

So, my encouragement for you today...If you think you can’t do something. If you think you are too far gone to be of any use to Him. If you think you have made one too many mistakes. Chances are you are the perfect person for the job.

A big thank you to those of you who have read my blog. I hope that it has been an encouragement to you as much as it has been to me. If it has changed just one life, it has all been worth it. I look forward to 500 more...God willing! ❤

Blessings,
Dalinda