June 16, 2026 – Sovereignty
[Sneak peak at my mother-of-the-bride dress!]
I have tried, unsuccessfully so far, to start today’s blog. I type a line and then backspace it out or press return a few times in order to save the rejected verbiage down below just in case I might figure out how to use it. The other day I got sucked into watching the beginning of a Hallmark movie in which a young woman, with a deadline looming for a book outline, was staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. I initially judged her (and the Hallmark writers) for making her frustration so dramatic as she kept trying different things to inspire some ideas (a sip of something, jogging in place, crumpling what looked like blank paper, etc). However, I am similarly stalled this morning (and honestly have been many times in the past).
I find myself at a crossroads of whether to just jump into the devotion books or to delve into writing about why I’m stalled. It has to do with the realization that I am closing in on a year of blogging. (Yay! I used one of the rejected lines!) I have settled in front of my computer, almost daily, reading and recording the insights of my devotion book friends as my relationship with God has strengthened and deepened.
I decided to read some of the entries from the first few months to see if I’d veered much from the original design. Some days yes, some days no. I was much more talky in the beginning. (It seems I have fallen back into that today.) Though a consistent structure may be easier to follow, I suppose it could be interesting to watch the evolution of someone’s writing style. Or, maybe the inconsistency is frustrating to the readers. Since I’m pretty sure I only have two (and they love me), I think I’m safe to continue on as inspiration leads me, for now. Rewrites are always possible.
I stopped reading after the “Sept 9 & 10” entry when I saw that that was the day I was starting my walking plan, eh-hem, which I restarted this week. I would like to insert that cringe-face emogee here. Just think how I’d look right now if I had continued with the walking and had begun feeling healthier sooner. For sure I wouldn’t have had to buy my mother-of-the-bride dress three sizes larger than I thought I’d need. The logic, though, is that “we can always take it in, but we can’t let it out.” So let the walking (and arm exercises) begin (again).
I finally started that dress search four days ago because I had been getting a little worried that I had waited too long. Besides wanting to trim down a bit before trying on dresses, I had been putting it off in favor of doing some projects in the house that have been piling up (literally). I knew that, once I got started on the search, it would likely take many hours and many days to go through rack after rack trying on dress after dress and I might not have the energy to tackle the house projects (decluttering, cleaning, organizing, repairs, and writing) that need to happen before the company arrives for different weekends this summer.
I also knew I needed to get on this search sooner than later because of how long it takes for some dresses to be ordered. I’m typically an off-the-rack kind of shopper, but I wanted this dress to be a little more than that. I needed this dress to be a little more than that. I will only be mother-of-the bride one time in my life and I would like to have THE dress not simply a nice dress as if I’m just another guest at the wedding. I’m getting a little off topic; so, I need to get back to the reason I brought this up. God cares about all of the details of our lives, the big ones to the small ones, the spiritual and the earthly. I have always kept the thoughts from one of Joyce Meyer’s sermons tucked in my mind about how God provides for her when she shops. He leads her to what she needs and pretty efficiently as well as cost effectively.
I was a little frustrated as I was looking through the first rack in the first bridal salon I went to. The dresses all seemed nice enough, but they weren’t IT. How would I find IT and how would I decide I could stop looking when I find one that seems good? I finally saw one that had a wrap for my shoulders (to cover my arms if my exercise plan doesn’t get me as far as I’d like). Once I sucked in my breath and was zipped in the dress (definitely not able to sit down while in it – another emogee face here) and on the runway, I had no desire to look further. This knowing reminded me of when I saw I saw my house – this one that I’ve lived in for over 30 years, I just knew it was the one even before going inside. And though the price of the dress was a little more than what I had anticipated, I can reason that I’m saving time and gas since I don’t have to drive all over town (and perhaps beyond) for however long it would have taken for me to settle on the right dress.
I believe, the key reason for this success (of the first dress I tried on in the first shop I went to being the one) was that I indeed did commit this search to God. For a while I had been sharing my concerns with Him about not having this handled; and, even though I hadn’t planned to shop that day, I found myself changing my plans. He changed my plans with a whisper, and gave me my summer days back.
Power – Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” Joyce points out, “Thousands upon thousands of thoughts are presented to you every day. Once you decide to be like-minded with God, then, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will need to choose and continue to choose right thoughts that line up with His Word and His will for your life. Our thoughts become our words, and our words become our actions. Therefore, it is vitally important that we choose life-generating thoughts. When we do, we will begin to enjoy the lives Jesus wants us to live.”
JC – “Stay on the high road with Me. Many voices clamor for your attention, trying to divert you to another path. But I have called you to walk ever so closely with Me, soaking in My Presence, living in My Peace.” I definitely feel peace having that decision made.
Streams – Psalm 62:5 – “My hope comes from him.” Since my sharing took up so much of our time today, I thought I’d cut the other contributors short, but each one so far has had something helpful to add about decision-making and asking for God’s guidance; so. I’ll open the floor and let today run long. Cowman writes, “So often we simply neglect to look for the answers to what we have asked, which shows the lack of earnestness in our petitions. A farmer is never content until he reaps a harvest…. Should a Christian be any less careful regarding the effect of his labor in prayer? “
She explains, “Every prayer of the Christian, whether for temporal or spiritual blessings, will be fully answered it if meets certain biblical requirements. It must be prayed in faith and in accordance with God’s will. It must rely on God’s promise, be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, and be prayed under the influence of the Holy Spirit. God always answers the general intent of His people’s prayers…. to reveal His own glory but also to provide for the Christian’s spiritual and eternal welfare…. we can believe that no prayer made in His name will be in vain.”
Charles H. Spurgeon encourages, “Delayed answers to prayer are not only trials of faith; they also give us opportunities to honor God through our steadfast confidence in Him even when facing the apparent denial of our request.”
JA – “I HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS FOR YOU. They may be radically different from what you hoped or expected, but they are nonetheless good…. So look for My Light in all your circumstances…. be open to Me and My ways with you. Sometimes this requires relinquishing things you had planned or dreamed…. I don’t shield you from things I intend for you to deal with, for you have an important part to play in this world. However, I protect you from more dangers and troubles than you can imagine. So make every effort to live the life I have assigned to you. Do this in joyful dependence on Me, and your soul will be richly satisfied.” See 1 Corinthians 7:17 and Psalm 63:5.
Prevail #167 – Isaiah 9:6 – “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.” Though God delights in blessing us with answered prayers, His greatest gift was His Son. Larson points out, “He surrendered His perfect, beautiful, joyful, grateful, obedient, sinless Son for an imperfect, disgruntled, ungrateful, disobedient, sinful people. Why? Because He loves us like He loves His own Son. He envisioned an eternity with us…. Thank You, Lord.”
Utmost – John 15:13, 15 – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends…I have called you friends.” Chambers explains, “Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him…. It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling…. For thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, ‘we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.’
Days – Simpson reminds us that, “God takes a peculiar pride in showing His love to the heart that wholly chooses Him. Heaven and earth will fade away before its trust can be disappointed. Have we chosen Him only and given Him all our heart?”
JL – “Sovereign Lord, Teach me to trust You – really trust You – with my whole being! If I learn this vital lesson, then nothing will be able to separate me from Your Peace…. As I concentrate on trusting You, please help me relax in Your sovereignty – remembering that You go before me, as well as with me, into each day…. I will fear no evil, for I know You can bring good out of every situation that I will ever encounter! In Jesus’ exalted Name, Amen.” See Psalm 23:4.
