i recently met the most beautiful woman i’ll ever meet, i’m sure of it. the beauty she exudes, in all areas of her life, blows me away. not only physical beauty but a soul so beautiful i cry just thinking about her.
. . .
this year i’m trying my very hardest to be brave. i’m trying to let The Lord lead me to speak out, to stand up, to take risks, to say yes… all to glorify His name. it has been amazing to see the way He is working, not only in my own life, but also how everywhere i look i see the glimpses of bravery. when seeing someone i love so much be brave, it does amazing things to my heart. it pushes me, it makes me proud, it makes me realize, over and over again, how Christ desires us to be brave.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
and this woman. she is brave. in my mind, she is the definition of brave. and i know she would tell me that it’s not her. it’s Christ in her. and i know that. but sometimes i wonder if i was in her shoes, if i would choose to the bravery she has. her life is filled with truth, and love, and light. being in her presence has changed me.
you see… when i think about this life, and what Christ wants from me in it, i know what the answer is. i know the answer is everything. i t ‘ s . e v e r y . t h i n g . he wants my devotion, he wants my time, my home, my finances, my relationships, my husband, my children, my head, my heart. my everything.
but, for me. there’s always that thing. that one thing, or that one person that i don’t want to give up. or that one road i don’t want to walk. and selfishly, my prayers turn into: Lord, take anything away from my life that you need to. strip me clean, take my house, take my money, take my words, but Lord, whatever you do, please don’t take them. or that. or this. please don’t take me down that one path, oh anything but that, Jesus.
…or whatever it may be at this point in my life. or your life. it’s me saying Lord, I will serve you and only you, I will live my life for you… but only on these conditions. only on my conditions. I just can’t imagine, Lord, that if you take that from me, that i could still walk worthy. that I could still praise Your name. so, Jesus, know that i’ll give you my almost everything.
Jesus says to me: precious child, i want all of you, that very last thing, that very last person you are holding on to… be willing to lose that too, in order to gain Me.
Matthew 22:37:
And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 16:25:
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
. . .
so much of the beauty and bravery i see in this woman is not only that she has had to walk some many of the paths that are my one things i don’t want Jesus to take me through but that she has walked them, and lives to tell of protection, love, and guidance of the Lord in her life. she has made her story His story. her view of Jesus is not just the same as it was before those trials. it’s a constantly growing admiration and love for her Savior. it’s an unwavering faith and devotion to our God. a woman filled with so much grace, a woman who challenges me with the question that i’m asking myself today
are you willing to give Christ everything you’ve got?
are you willing to give Christ everything you’ve got?
beautifully written, danielle. i weep now in thanksgiving for all that i have lost, because God has become so personal to me in my suffering. i seems absurd to recommend losing it all to someone, but in my loss i have gained so much more than would ever had been possible before. wishing you courage in this part of your journey. ~melonie
I have to know where you got that necklace. I need it.
tears and agreement here.
it's a beautiful thing, to see my friends grow and get stretched by jesus' way with their hearts and affections. i sure love you!
Beautiful! I so so so understand about wanting to give God everything yet still wanting to hold on to this or that & not give Him full control. And, I know that sometimes going through a terrible trial or suffering can bring about the biggest heart changes. That is the place where I really & truly met Jesus. They are not fun, but looking back I know I would not be the woman I am today without having gone through it. Thanks for sharing Danielle!
i love you so
you write beautiful.
This is amazingly beautiful.
Just beautiful Danielle.
thank you for the reminder. it's so hard to give Him everything. but it's so worth it.
So beautifully written and true. It's an important reminder everyday. Thank you for "introducing" us to this wonderful woman who God is using now to bless each of us who reads this. 🙂
I think I struggle so much in fear because I always think what if, what if…
What if someday I can't have children I want?
What if God wants me to have the future child that struggles with a disability?
What if we are called to leave here?
I have so many what ifs and it's so hard to just place them all in the hands of Jesus. I am trying though. With his help, I am trying.