Freedom for Ladies: A Journey to Freedom in ChristExemplo

The Gift of Knowing Him

Ladies, you’re invited to take a journey with me over the next 12 days. It’s a journey I took 30 years ago, and I’m still thrilled that I said yes. I’ll be sharing stories of everyday women I met along the way who have applied the biblical lessons we’ll explore together. They’ve seen incredibly positive changes in their lives. God has placed beautiful “diamonds” in each person’s DNA, but it can take time and effort to discover them, polish them, and let them shine. It’s worth it!

I am so grateful to God for healing me in so many areas that I was not even aware of! When I was younger, I was shy, insecure, and extremely afraid. I didn’t speak much, and when I did, I hid behind humor. But I began to find freedom when I attended a Bible study about healing from past pain. I tasted and saw that the Lord is good! I soon realized that this is God’s mission for me: helping women to be set free from the pain in their past. 

My prayer for you is that you would know the Lord in a new and beautiful way, and for you to begin to be still and hear His voice for your life and family. Each day we'll take time to read the Word, pray, and be still to ask the Lord what is on His heart for us.

Let’s start with this: How do you cope with stress? One woman told me, “I smoked this week.” I replied, “I ate pie this week.” We laughed together. I challenged her to take a two-minute praise break every time she was tempted to smoke, by opening her Bible or playing a worship song. The next week she reported, “I hardly smoked.” She had begun to seek the Lord first. 

Seeking God first is key in looking for freedom. How do you cope with stress and disappointment? What do you run to when you get stressed out? Is your first response to seek the Lord through prayer and His Word, or do you first phone a friend, eat a piece of chocolate cake, or drink a glass of wine? What other coping mechanisms might you have? Today let’s identify what we run to at times instead of Him.

Pray:

Search me, O God, and show me anything that might be hindering me in my calling. Show me who You made me to be in Christ. Freedom is in You, Jesus! Shine Your light on the diamonds of who I am and all that I am called to be in life. 

Be Still:

Pray Psalm 139:23-24, letting God search your heart. Ask God to identify your DNA diamonds! Ask Him to expose anything that might be hindering you from being all He made you be. Are there any blockages that you might need to remove, any walls you might have put up for protection? It’s time to get real.