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Super Christians
[Editor’s Note: This is Alice Carter’s first devotional as the new Devotional Diva social media intern!] When I was a child I was a Brownie, and I loved being in the Brownies. We would meet in a church hall each week, sing some bizarre songs, maybe do a craft or two and play a couple of games. While we were there we had to wear a uniform. It was actually pretty ugly, involving brown culottes, a yellow top a nick tie and a sash, on which you would get your mum to sew on badges. When you start you only have a couple of badges, just one with the name of…
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From the Valley To The Mountaintop
Today I am featuring an interview with author Tracey Jackson, who speaks about her new book, Lessons from the Journey: From the Valley To The Mountaintop. I hope her story of redemption can encourage you! Tracey Jackson is the author of Lessons from the Journey: From the Valley To The Mountaintop where she provides inspiring and intimates stories from a five year period in her life filled ups and downs. She warmly provides the tools (i.e. scripture and prayer) needed to help get her readers through the valley and onward to the mountaintop. Tracey is also a member of numerous community service based organizations in her native South Florida where she…
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Turning Away From God
[Guest post by Jo Ann Erwin: Welcome back, Jo Ann! I read this submission soon after I had my baby and I was still so full of hormones. I knew a story about a stray kitten was bound to bring me to tears, but when I read this powerful metaphor of turning away from God…well, I think I cried a lot more!] I am leaving the restaurant after a fine meal, my belly is full. As I walk to my car, I hear a distress call. It’s a kitten at the dumpsters. He is frantic. It has been raining and he is soaked to the bone. I call to him and…
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Take Good Care of Yourself!
[Guest post by Kunbi Ayo-Okanlawon: I found Kunbi’s post about the unhealthy fitness trends on social media very timely and extremely important for our readers. Remember, take good care of yourself!] “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) I love fitness and I’ve been called a fitness fanatic a number of times. More importantly, I love encouraging and inspiring people on their health and fitness journey. Being fit and healthy is a good thing, and Apostle Paul alluded to that fact in 1 Timothy 4:8. Eating healthy (and within reason) and staying…
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When the Fireworks Lost Their Sparkle
[Guest post by Nicole Bernard: We’re welcoming back Nicole today to share her perspective on how our sins hurt God.] The Fourth of July can be quite stressful…. at least that’s my experience as a mother to a rescue basset who suffers from anxiety issues. This year, while my husband, Steve, and three-year-old son, Carter, sat outside enjoying the fireworks, I remained inside with Lucy as she paced, panted, trembled, and occasionally lost control of her bladder (and worse). As I sat crouched on my knees near our living room window, scrubbing away at the carpet, a burst of light flashed, catching my eye. Turning my head, I was…
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Criticism and Worship
[Guest post by Hannah Kallio: I especially appreciated this post from Hannah, because criticism is definitely something I am trying to work on myself. I’d rather worship in the right way!] She Was the Worst. Worship Leader. Ever. (and I Was just like Her) Have you ever read the Bible, and seen your best and worst reflected back at you? That happened to me recently when I read Miriam’s story. I hadn’t noticed how much Miriam and I had in common. Her finest moments were moments of worship: Then the prophet Miriam…took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And…
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Companion on the Journey
[Guest post by Samantha Hanni: Trying to conceive, infertility, miscarriages and pregnancy are difficult times and Samantha is right — it’s so important to have a female companion on the journey! God certainly placed someone like this in my life, and what an encouragement she was!] Luke 1:5-36; 39-45; 56 Elizabeth and Mary. Two pregnancies against all odds. A virgin birth? A pregnancy after menopause? Medically impossible. Highly unlikely. Imagine the looks the teenager and grandma-aged lady must have gotten from neighbors, even friends. The suspected immorality. The arched eyebrows and whispered comments behind palms. How trying and humiliating…to be pregnant is to be already vulnerable, but to be labeled as…
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Blessed to Be Back!
I’m so happy and blessed to be able to come back to Devotional Diva and continue to help women share their stories. I think I have some great posts lined up, and I hope you’ll enjoy them. The Devotional Diva schedule will be only Tuesdays for the time being. I thought we should ease back into this! If you’d like to submit a post and “Become a Diva,” please follow this link! I’d like to introduce you to Devotional Diva’s new social media intern, Alice Carter! Actually, you might already know her because she guest posted last spring. She’s taking over the Devotional Diva social media pages and also will be posting some…
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He's Here!
This is just a short post to let you know that my son, Oliver, was born! My due date was May 11th, but he arrived May 17th! It was definitely not the labor and delivery experience I had expected. I was induced, but the little guy was in too much stress to go forward with labor. So, I ended up with a C-Section. The thing is, as soon as I got to the hospital to be induced, they figured out Oliver was in distress. If I didn’t have that induction date, I wouldn’t have known! The doctor wanted to try to get him out as soon as we could, but the medication…
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Summer/Baby Break
Devotional Diva is now on summer/baby break! Initially, I intended to keep working on Devotional Diva (scheduling posts, etc.) right up until I gave birth. I was very gung-ho. I’m not due for two more weeks, but I just need to take some time for myself now. I didn’t know how I would feel being so hugely pregnant since this is my first baby. I am tired. I am very tired, and very sore. I get a lot of contractions that can be very painful and sometimes even regular. But, they start and stop. It’s been hard to know if sometimes if we should head to the hospital or not!…
