Posts tagged love

Even if

Christianity Devotional

Monday Devotional – August 15 2022

Even if

‘Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ‘ 2 Corinthians 12:9

https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/2co.12.9/46023?version=116

Read: 

'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” 'Daniel 3:16-18

Reflect: 

Some seasons in life are more difficult to navigate than others. We often do not see purpose in pain, strength in struggle or victory in the war till we are past it. The three Hebrew boys stood confidently before the threat of death and I wonder how or why? Our three Hebrew friends, though captive in a foreign land and stripped of their Hebrew names, worked diligently and by God’s grace lived in a measure of prominence and wealth. They were appointed to rule over the affairs of Babylon (Daniel 3:30) .  Their flaw was that they worshiped Yahweh and not the Babylonian gods. The other men of influence were not pleased that slaves were excelling in the way they were. Perhaps the question should be in whom did their confidence rest?

Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had an “even if” praise. They knew the same God that kept them so far, was able to keep them now. More importantly they understood His sovereignty. God does not need to answer their prayer favorably to remain God. He is the Great I am and He does as He pleases.

Can we choose to have an “even if praise” as we face our own “Nebuchadnezzan” obstacles that demand we bow in their presence? Will we choose to say: even if this relationship fails, even if I am overlooked for promotion, even if my gas light comes on, even if my family member doesn’t beat the illness, even if I still struggle with my health, even if my life doesn’t look like I expect it to, even if… ‘I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ Psalms 34:1?

Raise an “even if” praise today and throughout this week. For one, God deserves it and secondly worship shifts our perspective. A Godly perspective on our present circumstance is what make the difference in how we navigate life, whether miserably our confidently.

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

  • What is my Nebuchadnezzan obstacle?
  • How has God delivered me before?
  • How can I remain confident God has my best interest in mind.

Pray: 

Lord, I pray today that I will heed your word and praise you in spite of how I feel. I pray that even if You don’t move the mountains I will recognize and declare your sovereignty in all things. In Jesus name. Amen.

Declaration:

I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

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Have a great week!

See you next week for another 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

Breathe

Devotional

Monday Devotional – June 27 2022

Breathe

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! Psalms 150:6 NLT

Read: 

'God, the Lord , created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says, “I, the Lord , have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. ' Isaiah 42:5-7

Reflect: 

Happy Monday!? For many of us Monday carries a weight and a measure of anxiety not experienced any other day of the week. Monday for many of us is the end of the weekend, the beginning of the drudgery of a week of plodding through work. Work is the thing we have to do so we can do the things we need to do and then the things we want. Frankly I’m tired of it. Why cant Mondays feel like Friday? Why should one day feel so ominous? It shouldnt.

A perspective shift is required. If we worship, if we are using our breath to praise the Lord, then the day of the week doesnt matter. Secondly Isaiah 42:5 – 7 establishes purpose. God gave me breath and purposed me to use it to show His love and righteousness to the nations. We cannot do that if we embrace the cultural norm to dread Mondays. Instead Monday is another opportunity to walk out purpose and be a light in the spaces you occupy.

So lets slow down a moment. Inhale deeply, remind ourselves of what privilege it is to be able to fill our lungs with air. Exhale, release the anxiety and the fear. Again –  Inhale you are still here. Exhale, release your worship to the One who deserves it all.

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt:

What makes me so anxious about Mondays?

What can I do to remind myself to breathe intentionally?

How can God use me this week to demonstrate His love peace and grace this week? 

Pray: 

Lord, I pray today that I will heed your word and praise you in spite of how I feel.

Affirmation:

I will use my breath to worship. I will see my daily activities as an opportunity to be a light to others and to showcase the love and power of Jesus.

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Have a great week!

See you next week for another 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

Stepping into the Four O

Christianity Life 1 Comment

On the first of May, I crossed the daunting threshold of 40.  If you know me, you know I love my birthdays. Growing up, my mother made sure we felt celebrated on our day. It didn’t matter whether she had money. A cupcake, a tub of icecream and plenty love always made the day special. Gifts were extra.

But in the weeks preceding this milestone year, there wasn’t the usual countdown or excitement. To be transparent, I got sucked into the ingratitude rabbit hole when I started to think about all the things I thought I would have by now. I actually contemplated not celebrating because I couldn’t do it as big and luxurious as I hoped at “this age”. The root of that depression or funk was comparison. The Word and a couple friends slapped me straight.

The truth is, God has been convicting me about my definition of winning. His expectation is that we run the race set before us, not the one set for the next person. I grew up with the expectation that life would be a straight line; go to school, get a job, get married, buy a house and live happily ever after. Adulthood shakes that perception on the surface really quickly. And for me the events of December 2015 threw my life in such a tailspin, I still sometimes feel unbalanced by it. Deep inside, I long to get back on track to check off a list.

The question reverberating in my spirit is what if God’s plan is totally different from my own. I have been trying to unlearn my traditional views about what a successful life looks like. I remember countless prophesies that declare how much purpose has been tucked inside of me, waiting for revelation. A recent sermon series has me reflecting on Joseph. God foretold his purpose in a dream as a child and gave no clues about how it would come to be. Reading his story in a few chapters, if we don’t look deep enough, hides the fact that Joseph was 17 when he first dreamt of leadership. He was presumably almost 40 when his dream comes to pass. Between then, most of us know the story; betrayal, slavery, false imprisonment and forgotten – so not a straight line.

Yet God in His Omniscience is able to weave every part of Joseph’s story, mine and yours into a purpose filled tail of redemption, healing and victory. My goal is to be able to declare like Paul “Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord! To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.” Philippians 3:7‭-‬8 TP

In the meantime, I’m enjoying a perspective shift and embracing of a new freedom. My race is my own. I am my only competition and God truly is the Author and Finisher of my faith. What He started in me, He will finish. The path may be riddled with stuff I don’t like, painful, excruciating even but I don’t have to worry. God is fully in control.

Write Fully Yours

Lady Kavan

The Lord is close

Christianity 1 Comment

Monday Devotional – March 21, 2022

God is close

‘The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain…”

Psalms 34:18

Read: 

2. 'Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. 8.  “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” 10.  Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord . 12 - 17 As she was praying to the Lord , Eli watched her. Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord . Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” ' 1 Samuel 1:2,8,10,12-17

Reflect:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted” – that scripture has brought me comfort in many difficult moments. But as I reflected this time, I asked the Lord why He chooses to be close to the brokenhearted. Why did You ensure that this specific scripture was written? His response was one word: LOVE. 

Romans 8:38 reminds us that ‘there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. ‘

Yet so often when we are broken, depressed or drowning in sorrow our ability to sense love and the joys thereof diminishes. It is difficult to see anything beyond the pain. That is why He gets close. He chooses nearness so that we can sense His Presence. 

 I recently had to hold one of my sons close as he expressed his brokenness about losing his father. My job, at that moment, was to remind him by my presence that he was not alone. My touch was meant to communicate how deeply loved he is because love communicates safety and provides a space to heal. As I held him, tears streaming down his face and mine, whispering words of comfort I thought about the many times I felt the Holy Spirit do that for me. He cocoons me in a peace beyond human comprehension.

In times of turmoil and immense heartache, when we are broken and unsure if the pieces of our hearts are recoverable, God is close. It is hard to fathom, but it is true.

Today, if that is you, sit still enough to sense His presence, He longs to hold you and remind you that ‘He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.’ Psalms 147:3. Allow Him to heal yours. In the story we read Hannah brought her sorrow straight to the Presence of God. He granted her peace.

Song of the Week:

I found You in the middle of my mess
You had been there all along
Open arms and open heart,
You called me in
You didn’t hesitate at all

Prophesy Your Promise – Bryan and Katie Torwalt

Journal Prompt:

Share with God how you truly feel and then sit still and listen. Write what you hear.

Pray: 

Comforter and Friend, we need You today. Bring comfort to those who mourn. Bring healing to every place in our hearts that is broken and blocked by pain. Help us to remain aware of Your Presence. In Jesus name. AMEN

Affirmation: 

I am loved by God who chooses to be near

—————

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 seen” is a devotional about El Roi the God who sees me. A personal name for God who promises hope and a future

I am seen

Christianity Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – March 7, 2022

I AM SEEN

‘Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord , who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

Read: 

'Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord , who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” ' Genesis 16:6-13

Reflect:

At the burning bush Moses asked God His name: “Who should I say sent me?” In response God declares Himself as “I am”; a name that is both definitive and open ended. God cannot be confined to a box. As we progress through life’s journey our revelation of Him evolves. In different circumstances we are able to append different descriptors of Him. He becomes Ezer (our Help), Jireh (our Provider), or Rapha (our Healer). 

One of my favorite descriptions of God comes from the scripture we read above. Interestingly , this name appears only once in Scripture and I feel like it was added just for me. In Genesis 16, Hagar is placed in an awkward position. She is given to be a child bearer for her mistress and then is despised and mistreated for it. This was not her choice. With no seeming way of escape, Hagar runs away.

In this place of feeling lost, unworthy, betrayed, abused, despised, rejected and unseen, I Am sends help. He calls her by name and promises her a future. Thousands of years later, we know her name. In response Hagar calls God “EL ROI”. The Hebrew translation for The God who sees me. How powerful. 

Imagine, that as a servant girl, crucial  to the functioning of her master’s household she was part of the family but not a “main character”. How interesting that God pauses the story of Abraham and Sarah to validate this supporting character in the story. He makes it a point to affirm her value in the big picture.

Today He wants to do the same for you.

Have you ever felt unseen or unheard? Have you ever felt as though your contribution was not valued, not enough, not deemed worthy or taken for granted? This morning, the Lord wants to remind you that you <insert your name here> are seen. He sees you. All of you and He loves you. He sees the injustices that keep you up at night. He sees the reasons for your pain. Though it is hard to see now, there is a place for you in God’s big picture. Embrace God in your mundane knowing He will weave all things in your “today” for a greater purpose tomorrow. “He works our progress and our failures, our tragedies and our victories into a beautiful rendition of a poem called good.”

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt:

  1. What will you approach differently in your life, knowing you are seen?
  2. How does knowing you have a part in God’s big picture help you to live fully  today?

Pray: 

El ROI, You are God who sees me, all of me and I am grateful. Lord help me to see myself as you see me, full of purpose. Help me to remember that in you, I have a legacy greater than I can ask think or imagine. Teach me to walk in obedience to You in Jesus name. AMEN

Affirmation:

El Roi sees and knows me. I have a story to tell and a part to play in God’s big story. I am worthy of Life and of Love.

_____

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 chosen

Christianity

Monday Devotional – February 28, 2022

I AM CHOSEN

‘For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. ‘ Deuteronomy 14:2

Read: 

“So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you. For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends. “You show that you are my intimate friends when you obey all that I command you. I have never called you ‘servants,’ because a master doesn’t confide in his servants, and servants don’t always understand what the master is doing. But I call you my most intimate and cherished friends, for I reveal to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father. You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give it to you! So this is my parting command: Love one another deeply!” John 15:12-17

Reflect:

Jesus declared in John 15:16 – I chose you… Sit with that thought for a moment. 

I am by no means athletic. I remember as a child wanting to play sports and was typically last picked or added by default because there was no other choice. It was not a good feeling.

Here Jesus speaks to intentionality. With purpose He chose us to bear fruit that will last. We are not added to the vine by default as though there was no other choice.  In fact, if you go back and read John 15 in its entirety its central theme is God’s love nourishing and caring for us so that we can be an extension of that love to others. 

What comes to mind is that each fruit tree is designed to bear it’s own fruit. Mango trees yield mangos and apple trees yield apples. A “You tree” can only bear “you fruit”. Your tree can’t bear my fruit or his fruit or her fruit. Simply said you are chosen by God to bear the fruit he prepared within your soul’s seed. Watered by His love and intimate friendship you will become all you were meant to be. Why? Don’t miss this part, so that we can love one another. We are His ambassadors of love in the earth. This is why we are chosen. Not for selfish ambition, not for self aggrandizement but to show your world the immeasurable love of God. Chosen one, fill up on His love and produce your own species of love fruit that your world can feast on. 

Song of the Week:

This powerful song carried me through 2021 and even now rings loudly in my spirit. Soak it in. As I read John 15, this section of the song was on autoplay in my mind

I’m already loved
I’m already chosen
I know who I am
I know what You’ve spoken
I’m already loved
More than I could imagine
And that is enough

Jireh
Elevation Worship, Maverick City Music

Journal Prompt:

  1. What will you approach differently in your life, knowing you are chosen?
  2. What fruit am I offering my corner of the world?

Pray: 

Loving Father, I am grateful to be chosen by You. Help me to stay connected to your vine. Thank You for reminding me that Your love is a gift that once I feast on it, I can bear the special fruit you designed in me. Amen

Affirmation:

I am chosen by God. I will fill up on His love and bear fruit. My fruit is unique to me and only I can give the world my fruit.

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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 more than a conqueror

Christianity

Monday Devotional – February 14, 2022

I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

‘Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! ‘ Romans 8:37

Read: 

Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, even though it is written: All day long we face death threats for your sake, God. We are considered to be nothing more than sheep to be slaughtered! Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!' Romans 8:31-39

Reflect: 

Happy Love Day! I know the title of today’s devotional does not conjure feelings you would equate to sunshine, rainbows and hearts. But maybe it should. In this passage, Paul writes a riveting exhortation to the Romans in chapter 8 about living by the power of the Holy Spirit,  our position as children of God and the destiny that awaits us. Finally in the last section his encouragement to all of us in Christ is that nothing in this life has the power to overcome us because of God’s indescribable love for us. 

I love that Paul doesn’t paint a picture of a utopia on this side of eternity. He makes it clear, there may be “persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats”. There may be life’s troubles, fallen angels, present or future circumstances that threaten us. But none of that has the power or authority to shut God’s love out of our lives. This is the kind of love that strengthens our inner being. Love like this empowers us to fight and conquer any threat in our lives. 

Do you have an issue that feels insurmountable today? Have you been up all night trying to figure out your next move? Power is already available. You are more than a conqueror. That statement brings an imagery of a fully equipped and trained soldier, a fearless warrior. Well that is you and that is me. We are loved by the Author of the universe and that makes us more than conquerors. 

I pray today that of all the love relationships you experience, the deepest one and the one that makes you smile today, is the one you have with God. His love in us, that is the the one most worthy of celebration. 

Song of the week

This week I wanted to give us a battle cry, a song that would get us pumped to face the week. So I’m pulling on a bit of my Jamaican roots for  this one.

Journal Prompt:

  1. What circumstance in your life do you crave victory over?
  2. Does knowing that in His love you have the power to be more than a conqueror change your perspective?

Pray: 

Heavenly Love, I am so grateful that your love is embedded in me. It is a privilege to be called yours. Help me to come into the full understanding that no matter what comes against me I will be more than okay. I will more than survive. I will thrive because I am more than a conqueror through your love.

Affirmation:

I am more than a conqueror. There is nothing in this life that has the power to permanently defeat me. The love of God in me makes me victorious. 

__________________

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

Hope filled Prayers

Christianity

Last week, I had a dream that referenced a lady who I went to church with years ago. It was strange that I had not gone to bed with her in my conscious thought. There wasn’t a Facebook memory reminder or post that triggered thoughts of her. I woke up and prayed because the dream was vivid. After praying, I looked her up on socials to see if there was any clue to something being up with her. There was no evidence. I left it alone until I got this persistent thought to reach out and tell her I had a dream and that I prayed. She called a couple days later and asked what I saw. Best believe that what I saw, was what she was going through. We prayed together with the confidence that truly God sees us and cares. He cares enough to invade the dreams of another so that we can be encouraged.

I wanted to share that story because the buildup to that whole scene is a bible study I facilitate. The study is on practicing the essentials of our faith. The week all of this happened was the same week we were studying prayer. We looked at the “mechanics” of prayer meaning what it is, methods, the effectiveness and the required persistence. Now I don’t know if this happens to you, but often the Holy Spirit will be persistent in reminding me about one thing, from an entire week of study, that He wants me to work on. The one thing for me, was in Luke 18:1. ‘One day Jesus taught the apostles to keep praying and never stop or lose hope. He shared with them this illustration:‘

I got stuck on the “never … lose hope” bit. I pray for sure, but hope is something altogether different. In a sermon that same week I heard “prayer on the other side of disappointment is hard and takes faith”. And that for me is the kicker. My hope level changed after my most poignant unanswered prayer. I find that I place things on the table and in essence say “Hey God, I’d like this but ….”  The challenging question is how do we continue to pray with hope after the sting of disappointment? The answer, that I am still trying to grab hold of in my heart, is that I need to hope in the One who I’m praying to, not the thing I am praying for. I want to hope for big things again. The Holy Spirit challenged me this week: “Your prayers are basic, pray bigger.”

I believe He let me in on the dream set up to restore my hope again. Truly, if God could give me a dream that led to an encouraging prayer session with my sister in the faith, then why would I believe He doesn’t hear me or want to answer me?

I want to believe big and pray bold prayers not just with words, but with a heart filled with the expectation. My Heavenly Dad wants to give me good and perfect gifts (James 1: 17). My desire is to get to a place where His “no” does not reduce my hope level and increase my fear of putting my true requests on the table with the expectation that I can have it.  Nothing is impossible for the one who believes (Mark 9: 23).

 As the world taps into this trending concept of “manifesting”, Christians know the deeper truth. We must align our thoughts, emotions and will with God’s word; declare (speak those things that are not as though they were; Rom 4:17) and believe it will come to pass (for nothing is impossible to the one who believes).

I am challenging myself this week to put my boldest requests on the table. Join me.  Let’s walk this one through together. 

Write Fully Yours

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

Featured Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash

I am adopted

Christianity

Monday Devotional – February 7, 2022

I AM ADOPTED

‘For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One…’ Ephesians 1:5a

Read

Ephesians 1:3 – 10

'For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace —for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure! For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace —for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts! And in love he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence. Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of his grace. This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding. And through the revelation of the Anointed One, he unveiled his secret desires to us—the hidden mystery of his long-range plan, which he was delighted to implement from the very beginning of time. And because of God’s unfailing purpose, this detailed plan will reign supreme through every period of time until the fulfillment of all the ages finally reaches its climax—when God makes all things new in all of heaven and earth through Jesus Christ.'

Reflect

After reading that beautiful piece of scripture my heart was stunned into reverent silence. I almost want to type.. THE END. 

I will say this though, God has adopted into His family because of love. I cant speak for anyone else but there was a time I felt like God only tolerated me. I believed that He merely took pity on me like someone would pity a stray dirty animal caught in a storm. The situation would only be temporary and it was done because it was the right thing to do. I felt then that I had to be a good little pet to get to stay in the house. Oh how different “it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us” reads. ALWAYS HIS PLAN… what!?

Even better “in love he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe”. I was loved and chosen BEFORE he laid the foundation of the universe? Yes!!

Listen, you were not accidentally pulled in out of the rain. You don’t need to worry about being sent back to the streets. God saw you and I long before Adam drew his first breath and intentionally planned our adoption into His family. That should give us something to rejoice over. Our adoption grants us all the rights and of a birthed child. We are His. Our names have changed because we are loved by Love Himself. 

Song of the week

Who You say I am by Hillsong

Journal Prompt

  1. What does adoption mean to you?
  2. How does knowing that in His love He made plans to adopt you from before the foundation of the universe was laid?

Pray

Abba, Father, it is a privilege to be called yours. I rejoice in the fact that You planned for my adoption before I was even a thought or a twinkle in my earthly parents eyes. I am blown away by your love. You thought me worthy of adoption even though my actions disqualified me. Hallelujah!

Affirmation

I am adopted by Love Himself. I am a child of God not by accident but His divine plan.

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

Forgiving the unforgivable

Christianity Life 
*Trigger Warning* : The following post contains material about sexual abuse and violence that may be triggering or disturbing to some audiences. Reader discretion is advised.

Story Time

I was in a virtual bible study this week with my favourite faith sisters (wink, wink). During the discussion, one person shared a testimony of how God relieved the burden of friend burdened by unforgiveness. He did some sweet supernatural healing her heart. That friend was raped and I understood, deeply, her pain. Her pain was once mine too. Yet, God healed her, much like He healed me.

I took a moment to do a heart check. Have I forgiven my sexual abusers? What about the man who killed the father of my children, my first husband and very best friend at the time? Have I forgiven the people who lambasted my name with baseless accusations?

I think so…. God, Search me! Have I buried this pain or slapped a “blessed and highly favoured” band-aid on it? I come up empty. I see their faces in my mind’s eye, and in the case of the masked man, a silhouette but I feel no anger. I feel… I feel sorrow for the pain they must be in themselves. I pray God heals them and brings them peace.

Heart Questions

How do you forgive the unforgivable? How do you let go of the desire for revenge? How do you meet your enemies with love? How do you confront the one who has seemingly destroyed your life and not be angry? 

Before I say the next thing, I want you to understand that I am in no way trivialising or simplifying the trauma of abuse of any kind. How can I?  I carried trauma for years and unwittingly bled on my most loved ones because I couldn’t stop the haemorrhage.  Abuse wounds beyond physical scars. It creeps into the psyche, the emotions and into identity. It can be debilitating and it often is. So how do you heal? How do you forgive?

Healing is a choice

It starts with a choice. Healing is a choice. Your physical body has mechanisms to begin the healing process. However, your soul’s direction is determined by the choices you make. “At some point, we must take responsibility for our destructive behaviour patterns regardless of whether they originated from a character flaw within us or in response to something external” (Lady Kavan 2020). The abuse was not your fault. But you get to choose whether you remain a prisoner for the rest of your life.

I remember after Chris died, there was a day I could not bring myself to get out of bed. It was just too much. Life was unfair, the bedrock of our family was gone, alcohol was not fixing it and I just wanted out of this life.  As the boys rushed up the stairs after school, excited to see their mom, I was ashamed of the state I was in. I realised then that if I kept on this path my sons would lose two parents, not just one. I decided at that point I needed help. So that’s the first step, a decision: “I want to heal”

Next step… get help. When we get a small cut, we grab ointment and a Band-Aid and allow our bodies to do what it does; heal. But how many of us would stay home and not seek medical attention if we broke a leg or got wounded so badly we were losing pints of blood? No hands? Didn’t think so. Mental health is just as important as physical health. We need to shake all the negative stigma around seeing a mental health professional when we need to. Jesus and therapy saved my life. 

Forgiveness is crucial for healing

I found crucial to my healing was learning to let go of resentment, anger and the need for revenge, in a word forgiveness. “Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.”  This aligns with Mark 11: 25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” 

So going back then to the key question I posed, “how do I forgive the unforgivable?” Choose to. Super hard, I know. You may need to say it a thousand times, you may need to release the anger 10 thousand times, you may need to pray even more than that before your soul aligns with God on this matter. BUT… Your joy depends on it. Eventually your soul will begin to feel what you have declared. I found that, at least for me, when I pray for the people who hurt me, it shifts the atmosphere in my heart and overtime letting go of the offence becomes easier.

A fresh perspective

A friend shared this great conversation from Youtube that is so relevant to this topic. I hope it brings an even fresher perspective. 

Finally, I leave this thought with you:

‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. ‘ Philippians 4:8-9

It is difficult to harbour resentment and anger when we make a conscious effort to think about and meditate on true, honest, just, pure, and lovely things. To forgive what seems to be unforgivable we must choose to!

Write Fully Yours

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