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18 AugThe Power of No

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I’ve got a secret to share: ‘no’ isn’t a dirty word when…it makes room for your ‘YES!’

You see, when you lean into the Power of No–saying no to the wrong things, people, opportunities, habits, thoughts, desires, etc., you simultaneously create room for saying yes to the right things.

And creating room for your ‘yes,’ includes creating the capacity (time, energy, resources, etc.,) to make your yes a reality.  Because we all know that if we’re drained from constantly saying yes, when we should be saying no, when the right time and opportunity to say yes approaches, we won’t have much left in the tank to give.

And that has to change.

One of the greatest examples of practically putting this into action in your daily life comes to us from the Proverbs 31 Woman:

“She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. [S. of Sol. 8:12.]” Proverbs 31:16 AMPC

We can all agree that this woman was phenomenal in every area of life and had. it. going. on.  And here she gives us insight into her secret sauce of balancing marriage, motherhood, an international business, fitness, spirituality and devotion to God, all while running a tight ship and household.

We can learn from her example and allow the Holy Spirit to help us adapt the same intentional approach into our lives–so we know when and where to lean into the power of no and create more space for yes–and the success it brings.

Prayerfully consider how will you lean into the power of no and let your ‘yeses’ unfold.

Blessings,

Dawn

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10 DecNeed Encouragement? It’s in His Hand

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If you’re in need of encouragement today, have I got (good) news for you:  it’s in His hand.

Now before you ask what I mean, allow me to explain, or better still, share a rousing “case study”:

 

“…I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me….” (Ezra 7:28, NLT)

 

As you read the details around Ezra’s circumstances, you see the dynamic results that came about because of the hand of the Lord, resulting in his encouraged state. When God’s hand is on our life, it’s for blessing–favor, help, strength, success, peace and so much more–including encouragement.  Because after all, when God moves in our lives, the end result is always encouragement (or taking courage), where discouragement may have existed moments before.  This was Ezra’s reality and it’s ours, too.  And if that wasn’t glorious enough, His hand is also set against our adversary (the devil and his works) for judgement and destruction.

And note that Ezra didn’t credit people with his encouragement; He knew that the Source was the Hand of God.  Thank God for His hand being on your life in every way you need it–and you will be encouraged.  Promise.

Blessings,

Dawn

Category(s): Faith, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized
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08 Oct‘Being’ Is Greater Than ‘Doing’

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Can you recall at time when you entered a room of relative strangers, only to be greeted with the question of, “so, what do you do?” I’d venture to guess the answer is yes. We all can.  And we’ve all likely been the one asking that question at some time or another.  But there’s a better, much better, in fact, question to be asked–and paradigm shift to be made.

Ready?

“So, how are you?”  

Don’t you instantly feel more connected, seen, appreciated and valued when asked about how you are and who you are versus what you do?  One reason might be because we are Human Beings, not Human Doings.  And simply put, your ‘who’ is greater than your ‘do’.

Being is Greater Than Doing.

Let’s flip the script going forward and embrace another facet of intentional living that places the proper priority on being versus doing.  On being our authentic selves.  On being who God has called us to be.  On being still. Or happy. Or in the moment. And as you become more in tune with your being, you’ll discover that the tone of your life takes on deeper, more thoughtful and intentional pathways to doing.  (Consider the examples of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42 –and the ‘feedback’ the Lord gave in response to each.)

Let’s determine to focus on the greater–and become free to simply be.

Blessings,

Dawn

 

 

 

Category(s): Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized
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31 MayYou Have God’s Power!

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Although life will present to us that we are powerless at times, we should remember that nothing is further from the truth of who we are.  Despite chaos and evil running rampant in this world, we have God-given, Holy-Ghost filled POWER.

In its truest form, power represents the ability to get RESULTS.  And God gave us the greatest power there is by giving us His Spirit.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you. (Acts 1:8, NLT)

In Acts 1 you’ll see that when the Holy Ghost came on the scene He didn’t come in a weak, docile, timid state.  Instead, He came representing life-altering FIRE!  It’s the same transformative power that lives in the people of God, equipping us to be BOLD witnesses for Jesus–and not only survive, but thrive, in the midst of the enemy’s wicked ploys and schemes.

We don’t have to try to be Superman and Superwoman, we only need to lean into our ALL-POWERFUL God,  because He’s got us, our families, and our generations to come.  Take it moment by moment and step by step, and let Him carry you, as He promised to do.

Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day He carries us in His arms. (Psalm 68:19, NLT)

So remember who you are and WHOSE you are (and let’s remind each other) and don’t let the enemy ever deceive you into believing you don’t have the power to prevail now and always. (2 Corinthians 2:14)  I believe with my entire heart that God’s power and Presence will take us forward and securely sustain us as we go through these darkest of days.

His power is real.  Keep the faith, beloved.

Blessings,

Dawn

 

 

Category(s): Faith, Uncategorized
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17 MayWhat Are You Expecting?

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Hi loves, I’m checking in because I have a question for you: what are you expecting? And to be clearer, I’m asking what are you expecting in the upcoming days, weeks and months–for your life?  Before you answer, take a moment to consider these two keys about expectation:

*We get what we expect–even if what we expect isn’t really what we want, and

*Expectation is the breeding ground for miracles–miracles!!

So with those keys in mind, now tell me what you’re expecting.  If you haven’t given it much thought amid the flurry of life (especially during all that’s happening around the current pandemic), then start with this and build from there:

I expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13).

Expecting God’s goodness in whatever form you need it most is more than worth your faith and active expectation. So expect whatever you need, trust God and allow Him to come through for you!

Blessings,

Dawn

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03 OctIntentional Living is the New Black

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What if I invited you to a space and a place where… stopping to smell the roses is the rule, rather than the exception?  Mindfulness and restfulness are encouraged–and celebrated? Self-care is front and center?  Clarity and creativity abound?  Balance is bountiful? Spiritual intimacy is enhanced? Fear and anxiety never have the last word?

By now I’m sure you’re aware that my invitation extends to a reality that is partially, or non, existent for many.  Perhaps for you.  Because where I’m inviting you is to join me on the journey of intentional living.  Sustained intentional living, to be exact.

And I must confess that the invitation comes second-hand from me.  The original invite is from our Heavenly Father who desires for us to know and embrace life in its fullness, until it overflows! (John 10:10)  Overflows with what?–you may still be asking.  With the benefits listed above–and so.much. more.  And He’s given me a blueprint to take us there in ways that will allow us to make the necessary adjustments to truly live, rather than merely exist.  It’s a blueprint for the GOOD LIFE.

One way of becoming intentional is finding the pause button.  That’s right.  Slowing down, pausing, or even stopping altogether on occasion,  will give you more momentum and results than running 100 mph, nonstop, could ever yield.  But if you’re like me, ‘embracing the pause’ often doesn’t occur without intention.

Another way we begin to embrace the journey of intentional living and its built-in benefits is by being (notice I didn’t say ‘doing’) still and knowing.  Stillness, accompanied by silence, quiet, reflection, prayer, meditation, heart worship, thinking, dreaming, positions you for power because they enable you to tap into THE power source, Himself.

There are undoubtedly many paths to intentional living and I’m committed to sharing each one that God gives to me.  If you haven’t listened to our latest podcast episodes where I go deeper on each of these areas, I invite you to be intentional :) about doing so and coming along on this journey with me and others who will settle for nothing short of the abundant life Jesus has given to us as our heritage.  Simply head to ‘The Good Life with Dawn Richards’ on Apple Podcasts  and SoundCloud to listen and enjoy!

Then stay tuned for the next episode coming up next week.  Now is the perfect time to get on board with living fully and intentionally and prepare to finish 2019 and enter 2020 stronger than ever.

Blessings,

Dawn

 

 

 

Category(s): Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized
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24 JulYou’re Not Stuck…Remember This

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It’s fair to say that life is one big learning curve.

How many of us crawled before we walked? Babbled before we talked intelligibly? Had crying spells and/or possibly threw tantrums before we learned how to communicate effectively and express ourselves properly? If I had to wager a guess on the above, I’d confidently say ALL of us!  That comes as no surprise, however, because it’s…life. And with life there are inherent and universal lessons.

But eventually the road forks, so to speak, to divide an average, mediocre life from a good, great and (today’s favorite buzz phrase) best life.  When we pursue the path of seeking God–acquiring His wisdom, doing what we know is right, continual learning and mind-renewal–we change and our lives change (for the better!)  Our enhanced knowledge leads to better decisions that result in a better life. In the words of Maya Angelou, “when you know better, you do better.” And at those times we exhibit the astounding metamorphosis akin to a caterpillar transforming into a beautiful butterfly! (Romans 12:1, 2)

The good news is that with every decision, or fork in the road, we have a Guide, the Holy Spirit, to help us choose what’s best and what makes for a good/better/best life.  So if you’ve ever felt stuck, remember this:  you’re one decision away from a better life.

Blessings,

Dawn

Category(s): Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized
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27 JanThe Power of Reinvention

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A while back, I was speaking to someone about not being afraid to go after those dreams, desires, and passions of your heart…even if the path resembles nothing that you’ve known or experienced prior.  God has graced us all with myriad gifts & talents that are waiting to be revealed and released throughout our lifetime. (Why else would He promise us a long, fruitful life?)

Who says you have to do, eat, think, work, process, and so on, life THE SAME for all time?  Yet one of the biggest keys to going for it is being willing to reinvent yourself.  You can reinvent any and every area of your life that God places on your heart.

Jesus was the master of reinvention–and change–to realize God’s highest & best for His life & those He was called to love & serve. From carpenter to miracle worker, He embraced every gift, phase & facet of his life–& so should we.  So begin to open yourself to the possibilities of new, of change, of reinvention.

XO,

Dawn️

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09 SepEncourage Me, Please

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Among other things that describe my bent, I consider myself to be a Chief Encouragement Officer.  Being an encourager is one of my spiritual gifts & flows out with ease. But, sometimes the encourager needs…. encouraging!

A little back story: I’ve been gradually working through a painful experience for the last few months, relying heavily on God’s faithfulness & strength.  And this past week, I could sense in my heart that I had made major strides in getting beyond it emotionally and mentally.  Then a funny (or I should say, not so funny) thing happened, and I took the bait to get back in my feelings over the whole thing.  And like clockwork, it wasn’t long before my sense of triumph within started to fade as I focused more and more on it rather than on what God had already revealed to me.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning… and this morning God allowed me to hear two powerful testimonies of His goodness towards others that turned my heart and focus back around and ushered in the praise that is due unto Him—at all times.  I was lovingly “forced” to shift my focus, away from the “the situation” & back to God’s goodness in my life, His love for me & my faith in what He’s promised.

I was ENCOURAGED –or filled with the courage to cast off the negative emotions and foreboding that had preoccupied me–and once again pursue my complete victory and abiding peace.

The best part of it all for me is that God served this all to me, Himself–Father to daughter.  I didn’t need to phone a friend or prayer partner (although there’s nothing wrong with that, to be clear.  God sends encouragement in myriad ways, all of which are divine.)  But today, I simply opened my eyes & began thanking Him, despite what I was feeling inside.  In return, He met me with the encouragement I needed!  I received the divine exchange of the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61: 3).

Does it mean all the wayward feelings instantly vanished? Not in this instance.  However, I’m blessed to declare (because we have the authority to do so), that I’m back on top & reclaiming what the enemy tried to convince me I’d forfeited. God, nor I, was having that—and I received the bonus of rejoicing over God’s amazing grace by way of two AWE-SOME testimonies of other believers, further disarming the enemy.

So whether it’s encouragement, a faith boost, a reminder of His care for you, or anything else, remember that God is near, intimately aware of you and what you need, and will liberally supply your every need. ️
Philippians 4:6-8
Psalm 46:1
Philippians 4:19

xo,

Dawn

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27 DecSometimes You Win…and Sometimes You Learn

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IMG_5041Here we are in the final moments of another year.   It’s always amazing to me when I reach this time of year, because–think about it– a lot goes down in the span of 365 days!

And at this time of year, especially, I take the time to quiet my heart and reflect on my journey–recalling the ups, downs, highs and lows.  This year God once again showed Himself supremely faithful, gracious and merciful to me, making 2017 what I consider to be a truly great year.   I experienced new opportunities, open doors, new levels of favor and increase, divine love and protection, blessings of family and friendship, career growth and much more.  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

However, as the ebbs and flow of life go, my journey also included challenges, hurts, disappointment and frustration, at times.   The good most certainly outweighed the bad and not-so-good.  But, even more so, I made the decision to frame those hard places as LESSONS instead of LOSSES, granting myself the opportunity to take something worthwhile from even the most painful of situations and refusing to allow them to stifle or limit me from the good that was sure to follow.  (And in complete candor, some of my “lessons” were self-induced or repeated until I was willing to finally follow God’s lead (and abandon my own) to know His best for me.)

Nonetheless, a wiser, stronger, sharper, more grateful and trusting me is the result!  And this is the ‘me’ that looks forward to all that awaits in the year to come.  I’m immensely thankful that God didn’t allow the lessons to get lost in the mire, but instead His grace was sufficient to see me through and onward, upward and forward.  And if you’re thinking, “Well, an actual loss did occur in my life, Dawn”, the good news still is that it doesn’t have to be fatal when you extract the necessary wisdom and insight and lesson from it.  God will faithfully restore what needs to be restored (Joel 2)–while giving you the lessons to grow on.  Allow the lesson and promise of greater to reign greater than the loss.

As we look to the New Year and beyond, let’s prepare our hearts and lives to embrace even greater wins (that’s our destiny in Jesus, after all)…and also prepare for the lessons that will undoubtedly be sprinkled along the way.  You can trust God to reveal His wisdom and counsel to you for every hard thing (and easy thing!) you face.

Winning and learning (never losing, because failure is never final in Jesus-2 Corinthians 2:14) hand-in-hand with the Lord promises to make the days ahead our very best yet.

Blessings for a Happy New Year,

Dawn

 

 

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