Posts tagged christianity

I am forgiven

Christianity Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – January 24, 2022

I AM FORGIVEN

‘I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. ‘ 1 John 2:12

Read:

John 8:1-11

'Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” ---------- '

Reflect: 

Guilt is a heavy emotion. I think of it as a pandora box stuffed with other not so lovely ones like fear, anxiety, condemnation, self loathing and depression. There were days when guilt weighed so heavily on me that I was sure at any moment some freak accident would take me out. The truth is, I knew for certain I was guilty of a lifestyle that dishonored God. 

There were times though I felt nothing. It was as if I was unaware of my sin, at least until I got into God’s presence. Like Isaiah I had to declare “woe is me for I am undone. I am a man of impure lips.” I used my own words though. 

Contrast these to the feeling of absolute freedom when God lifts the weight of sin from our hearts. The relief makes you feel like a whole new person. To the sinner (in other words ALL of us) God says… neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. 

So my friends, let us confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. The best part is He wants to forgive. The only prerequisites are confession and asking for it.

Song of the Week:

This is a powerful oldie but goodie. The lyrics are are powerful scriptural imagery of how God deals with our sin. The song is: East from the West by Casting Crown

Journal Prompt:

  • Is there any area in my life where I am holding on to shame inducing guilt?
  • Why is it so hard to release the guilt and accept God’s forgiveness?

Pray:

Jesus I do not deserve your forgiveness, yet You offer it. I am extremely grateful! Forgive me for every sin and cleanse me deep within of everything that offends You. I thank You, that once I confess my sins You are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I accept your forgiveness in Jesus name AMEN.

Affirmation:

I am forgiven. No accuser within or without has the power to condemn me because Jesus has already removed my sins. As far as the east is from the west so far has He cast away them. I AM FORGIVEN

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

I am loved.

Christianity Devotional

Monday Devotional – January 17, 2022

Mocha Monday – I AM LOVED.

This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (TPT)

Read: 1 John 4:7-13

“Those who are loved by God, let his love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him. The light of God’s love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. The one who doesn’t love has yet to know God, for God is love.

This is love: He loved us long before we loved him . It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life! No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor. But if we love one another, God makes his permanent home in us, and we make our permanent home in him, and his love is brought to its full expression in us. And he has given us his Spirit within us so that we can have the assurance that he lives in us and that we live in him.”

The Passion Translation

Reflect:

My husband and I had a debate about who said “I love you” first. I won’t tell you who won (Hint: not him). The truth is, declaring your love to someone for the first time requires bravery because the truth is we don’t know if they feel the same. The possibility of rejection looms over your heart and anxiety about what happens after this moment arrests your heart. 

Fortunately, when it comes to our relationship with Christ, we have no reason to fear. The scripture says it plainly. He loved us first and gave the ultimate sacrifice to prove it. Jesus came to earth to fix the thing that separates us from Him. He fixed our sin problem by offering Himself as a sin offering permanently and perpetually for our sin. Now, once we accept his gift, we are free from sin’s dominion over our lives. 

Oh what love! We can be free of the anxiety and fear that God doesn’t love us back. There is no debate on the matter. You are loved! I am loved.

Today as you go through the mundane or unexpected, thrills or pain of the day, rest in the knowledge that you are loved by God who is Love. You are loved by Love Himself.

Affirmation:

I am loved. FULL STOP. There is no debate. According to 1 John 4, I am loved by Love Himself!

Journal Prompt:

How does knowing you are loved by the author, incarnation and essence of love change your perspective?

Song of the week:

Pray:

Jesus I thank you for your love. I thank you that I am loved beyond measure. Help me Lord to live in that truth today and always. Let this truth transform how I interact with you and all those You love too. Amen.

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog or her books

Imposter Syndrome

Christianity Grief Life 3 Comments

I’ve had the title of this post in my draft for a long time. When I say a long time I’m talking about more than a year. It started during the process of designing the cover for my second book. My coach reminded me to use my best selling author title and I cringed. I stared at the evidence, I shared it with the designer but I still felt inadequate and undeserving. I struggled and I still struggle with balancing the concept of humility with the fact that I have a God given message and mandate that I need to have heard. I know for sure that I am Worthy of Life and Love yet my insecurities whisper… “imposter”.

But what place does an imposter syndrome have in the heart of one called chosen by God? God says I am royalty even before I wrote the first word in my books or started a blog page. As a daughter of the God who calls Himself Love, I am loved immeasurably, immensely and immutably. Shouldn’t that be enough? It should be. It is. So why struggle Kavanaugh? Immediately my mind recalls a quote from Marianne Williamson. It’s a popular one. I remember I printed it and had a copy posted on my desk some years ago. It speaks to being intimidated by the light and power within us. Christ is my light. Why would that cause me to retreat or feel insecure?

As I grapple with these thoughts I realized a truth in my own heart. I’m afraid to be different. I’ve always felt “not like the others”. I was either too young, too smart, not smart enough, too small, too quirky, not rich enough, not poor enough. I spent lots of time trying to blend and to be a part of. My special skill is bringing people together, assimilation and finding that middle ground. If I am all things to all people then it increases my chances to be loved by many. Alas my heart needs more healing. So grateful to Holy Spirit who heals in layers. While my skill is usable by God, motive is always the heart of the matter. A good thing can become a bad thing if the motive or rationale is rooted in wrong thinking. I must unlearn any wrong thinking that inhibits me from being who I am called to be.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” M. Williamson.

Here’s my challenge to myself. I’m putting it out there because I need you to keep me honest.

  • I will embrace my different
  • I will not dim my light or retreat to safety
  • I will speak up more frequently

What promises do you need to make to yourself? What wrong thinking is keeping your light hidden? I leave this scripture with you: “So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭TPT‬‬
Write Fully Yours,

Lady Kavan

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For Anty

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I can’t remember her not being there. I’ve known her all my life. She was… so strange to use that tense … it must not be true. Why should I have to count you among the precious treasures lost in the year that was 2020? Grief comes in waves and I suppose my thoughts of you today beckoned this  tumult over my soul.

Aunt Novlyn was my mother’s best friend and at some point was also her sister in law. I simply called her Anty. In Jamaican parlance, we would tease them as “bench and batty” in other words inseparable. Few people could engage my mom in long conversation without her recoiling to her introverted shell. Anty could. Let’s not get into the shopping expeditions, the baking and cooking marathons or the vacation trips they did together. They were sisters-in-love; sisters by choice.

She was present at every one of my major life events that I can remember except one. She would say “niecey, you alright? We have to be grateful for another day.” I would respond, “Yes Anty, I’m okay.” Only now, with this, I am not okay. My mom is sad and I didn’t get to say goodbye. Regret is grief’s worse enemy. I hadn’t told you I love you in a while. I hadn’t shared how happy I was with how you looked after mom since I’ve been away, since always really. I hadn’t told you that your friendship was a goal for me; 4 decades, 4 children, 3 marriages, divorce and widowhood. Your relationship stood the test of time and I admired it. I suppose I assumed you would be here longer. I didn’t realize you were so ill but it is my fault that I hadn’t checked in. I didn’t tell you how I appreciated every sumptuous meal, every scavenger hunt to the stores in town to get what I needed and your words of encouragement when I became a widow because you had been on that road before. You understood my pain and you gave me hope. My Anty, I will never forget.

Loss and pain is a difficult part of the human experience. You can expect it but nothing quite prepares you for it. Emotional resilience is not achieved by ignoring how you feel. It is acknowledging, embracing and releasing the pain when it subsides. Emotional resilience is an adaptation within your being. It is the building of emotional muscles to lift the heavy weight of pain, grief and suffering. Fortunately, we need not suffer alone.  The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one. Psalms 34:18 TPT.

Write Fully Yours,

Lady Kavan

PS. I want to pray for those of my readers grieving or hurting. Message me in the comments or send me an email.

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Fearless?

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Before I get into my thoughts for the title, I want to check in with you. How are you doing really? Are you scared out of your rational mind? Are you just chilling waiting for this to be over? Leave a comment below or send me an email. I really want to hear from you.

FEAR… Big topic right now, huh. Anyone with a platform is sending well wishes. Among them these phrases are on repeat: Don’t be afraid, it will be over soon and we will get through this. Oh and this one: Troubles last for a night but joy comes in the morning. Maybe you are asking which morning because the permanently recurring weekend has you confused about which day it is. Do – not – fear. The Bible says it more than 100 times. So why do I sometimes feel this heart wrenching, breath pausing, nagging sensation when I think of the effect of this pandemic on our collective future, on my plans, on my children’s education, on my plans and on my money? Did I say my plans already? Oh yes I did. Am I the only one who now pays attention to every scratch in my throat, every cough, every hint of a symptom. I see you boo. I am not alone.

I think more than the invisible viral enemy, fear is having a rave party. If fear were a person he or she would be living their best life right now. Imagine an endless pool party, the drinks keep coming the staff serve the most exquisite foods. Fear is lying back on the pool chair watching us bob and weave in the deep end, panic on our faces, as we search for the nearest lifesaver but we are going down. So I have been wondering is it possible to be fearless, to not be afraid, to walk around with this impenetrable cloud of faith, confidence and joy. The short answer is yes. Now here is the long version.

There is a difference between feeling fear and walking in fear. Fear is a natural emotion meant to prevent us from walking unprepared into a dangerous circumstance. Our fear of falling for example, prevents us from skipping around on the ledge of a high rise building without a harness or rails. To feel fear is an innate temperature check. It is data that we need to process into usable information. How we process that data determines whether we operate in fear or faith. Is COVID-19 a real threat and danger? Rhetorical question; no response is required. Should your spidey senses go off when you are in public. Yes. Should you feel fear? You can, if it reminds you not to scratch your face or prompts you to wash your hands whenever you touch an unsanitary object. Should it cause you to build a safe room and never leave your house for 30 years? Maybe not. Should I feel a measure of fear or concern going into an examination? Sure if it pushes me to study and prepare. Susan Jeffers an American Psychologist wrote a whole book entitled “feel the fear and do it anyway”.

So what does the scripture mean when it says DO NOT BE AFRAID? Like I said, depending on the translation you use that phrase is used more than 100 times. I think it means just that; do not BE (state of being, according to Merriam Webster “to have, maintain, or occupy a place, situation, or position) of fear. Getting personal now; for me there is a lot that scares me about sharing my story with John Public. Being vulnerable carries with it a feeling of fear as my heart wants to protect itself from the onslaught of public opinion. I do it anyway. Why? Well. first of all, God said to and second if I can help someone struggle a smidgen less than I did, then my vulnerability and my experiences would not have been wasted. Do I feel fear? Yes. Do I walk in it… I try not to. Seriously guys.. still human and still working hard to get it right. I feel like its one of those life lessons that never end. You start out in kindergarten trying to understand 1 + 1 = 2, and basic concepts you will need to solve more complex calculus questions if you decide to pursue math to that level. My point is, feeling fear but learning to walk in faith is an ongoing lesson. We can and we must walk in faith over our fears. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Process the data, why do I feel this fear? What can I do to mitigate the danger? Do the benefits of my action outweigh those of my inaction?

I was in devotions one morning when I was sitting still listening for a word for ME. It’s mine guys you can’t have it. I’m kidding. It was quite simple really, “Do not be afraid from I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). If you’re nice I’ll let you share my word. Anyway. I did a quick search of the NLT version of the phrase “I am with you” and I’m gonna let you in on the scribbles in my prayer journal.

I’ve counted 14 (2 x 7 – number of agreement x number of completeness) times when God says I am with you . Usually preceded by “do not fear” i.e. do not operate in fear. We can feel fear (natural response) but the command is do not be afraid, state of being. The reason I can operate without fear, is that God is with me. Why say do not be afraid if He didn’t recognize we would feel the emotion? He knew we would and therefore reminds us that the key to walking in faith is
“I am with you.”

Journal Entry – April 8th

So back to the impenetrable cloud of faith, confidence and joy. This is ONLY possible if I accept, believe and remind myself that God is with me. Have a bill to pay and no possible way to pay it? GOD IS WITH ME. Someone in my family dies and the pain is indescribable. GOD IS WITH ME. I lost my income or it was reduced. GOD IS WITH ME. I’m stuck in a foreign country and I can’t go home because the borders are closed. GOD IS WITH ME. I’m at home worried about whether COVID is going to snatch me. GOD IS WITH ME. The church is His Bride and He promised to be with us for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us meet. Since He is with me I can be confident that, as dark as the day may be, it will eventually be okay. Do you believe that?

Write Fully Yours

Lady Kavan

P.S. I am with you, says God.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

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Photo by Melanie Wasser on Unsplash

Up and Thankful

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I have a friend Liz (Elizabeth Stanley) who is battling with cancer. Each morning I look for her status updates on WhatsApp…. “Up and thankful” she says every morning. She goes on to extol God in a few updates declaring Him her healer or whatever perspective she has of God that morning. It’s never the same updates either, not copy and pasted from yesterday. She posts pics of her family and all the people she loves. It is beautiful. She battles the scary monsters in her life with gratitude.

I imagine that every morning can’t feel like sunshine and roses but she declares who her God is, not what she is going through. Scripture says in everything in all circumstances give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Everything? All things? Nah maybe that should read most things or some things. Yet, when I get complainy and agitated that my circumstance doesn’t reflect my expectation, that scripture whispers to my soul. I’ll admit, sometimes I do an internal eye roll and think You must be kidding. I take a deep breath and I start grasping at what feels like straws scattered across motionful ocean. But as I begrudgingly note the little things I am grateful for I start finding more. The straws become logs or a door I can lay on until the rescue boat arrives. I’m sorry if you didn’t get that Titanic reference but it was too easy not to use. I digress.

Up and thankful! I am alive and clearly if you are reading this so are you. Believe me, if you think of your darkest day, the day that makes you cringe when you think about it, even that day has some thing you can be grateful for. On my darkest day the best of us was stolen from us but it could have been six of us. On that day every device of value was stolen except the one resting prominently on the chest of drawers a gift Chris had sacrificed to buy for Matthew. It would be the last one. See gratitude is possible.

Think back on your D-day. What can you be thankful for? And if that day isn’t today it should be easier to make a list. If you need to write them down so you can repeat them through the day. Do that.

Today I’m grateful for…

You taking the time to read my posts

I am physically well

I am loved and I know it

My boys did not wake me up early, they let me sleep in

My Family

God’s peace that rests in my heart in a way I cant understand

The deals I’m believing for when I go to the supermarket today. 🙂

Now it’s your turn. Post your gratitude list in the comment section below.

Write Fully Yours
Lady Kavan