Can You Relate?

Morning has broken…

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

It is also good to proclaim and sing of God’s love and faithfulness in and through our mourning and loss.  
#morninghasbroken #mourninghasbroken

One of my dearest friends, a creative spirit, and a mighty warrior woman of God is using the beautiful, old song by Cat Stevens entitled “Morning has Broken” in our upcoming dance studio performance. While listening to it this morning, it made me break out in tears and in a spontaneous dance.

I love this song.  All beautiful music is a gift from God.🎼💜

Link below to song on YouTube:

I will praise the Lord at all times.  His praise shall continually flow from my lips. (Psalm 34:1)



Because I’m so close to this dear one, I haven’t been able to share much about the recent loss of her beloved son, which occurred only a little over a week following the loss of her older sister.  How many of us can relate to the old saying, “when it rains it pours.” Sadly it seems this is too often a true statement.  Our hard times and trials seem to have a tendency of crashing into our lives without any warning simultaneously, one on top of another until it almost seems unbearable (none of us want to relate to Job in the slightest degree).  I have felt the heaviness of the loss of her precious son, Ramey, with her. Prayers over my special friend, Jeanna, are appreciated. All of us Moms can only imagine what this painful loss would feel like. 
“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15)
Still, we know our God is faithful. He heals the broken-hearted and He has and He will again turn our “mourning into dancing.” (Lamentations 3:20-24; Psalm 30:11; Psalm 147:3 Romans 12:15)

God brought this special friend into my life over 20 years ago through the calling to praise Him with our dancing (Psalm 149:3), and He is still using this gift of dance to minister to us and through us to this day. I love you and thank God always for the gift of you, my special and treasured friend. (Proverbs 17:17) I felt compelled to write this post in your honor today, beautiful one.

Our “mourning has broken” out into praise for all our days. Praise God in and through the valley and on the mountaintop too. For this is the only way for all the sons and daughters of God to make it through. Praise and worship the Lord through all your sorrow and your pain. After a while, only the powerful presence of the Spirit of God will remain.




Our God has given us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (Isaiah 61:3)
Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)




Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.” “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.” 1 Samuel 16:16-17

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My “PAINFUL P” Thoughts

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

My pain has pressed me to pray, praise, and pen – not necessarily in that order. #pressintoGod #pray #praise and #pen #journal #release

We are all familiar with the common phrase, “No pain, no gain.”  Here’s another thought: 

Know pain and know the gain that comes from allowing your pain to cause you to gain more of what God desires to do in and through you.

PAIN has caused me to PRAY – cry out is more like it!, PRESS into God’s Word and His PRESENCE (especially when I didn’t feel like it – a true sacrifice of praise!), and has created more PASSION for PURSUING God’s PURPOSES in my life.

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Superwoman mindset vs. Godly woman mindset

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment
My thoughts a few weeks ago – just now posting!
Superwoman mindset:
Today I will (not necessarily in the order listed):
  • pray
  • worship
  • study the Word
  • water plants
  • feed my dog
  • exercise
  • clean my house (least likely to occur – made beds about as good as it gets)
  • create a grocery/store list
  • go to the store
  • mail a card of encouragement to a friend or family member 
  • prepare or at least buy some healthy takeout for lunch, dinner or both
  • Complete a Compel Training session online (personal growth & improvement to hopefully get better)
  • write (you know that thing you keep feeling like God keeps leading you to do or so you thought?)
  • write a blog post or maybe save time and just create a video – it would be funnier
  • post on Instagram & Twitter
  • contemplate and discuss with my hubby regarding the small groups and ministry teams we may lead, co-lead or be involved with in the fall
  • choreograph and prepare for at least 1 or 2 of the 4 dance classes I am teaching
  • help my college daughter move, unpack and decorate her new living location
  • answer emails
  • clear out the thousands of emails that need deleting from my inboxes
  • do laundry
  • make vacation plans or plans in general for remainder of 2016 
  • schedule doctor’s appointments and checkups
  • reschedule doctor’s appointments 
  • text or talk with several friends and family members 
  • finally print all of my thousands of photos from my iPhone!
  • take a walk with my husband
  • spend quality time with my husband
  • read a chapter or 2 from a good book or 2 before I go to bed
  • not be distracted by too much time spent on Instagram, twitter & Facebook 
  • Oh yes, and have plenty of time to BE STILL in the presence of the Lord!  
…nor will I be bothered by unexpected interruptions to all of the above – yeah, right.   No, instead I prefer “calgon, take me away” or I might just go sit, swing and daydream in my flower garden.  
“You won’t get half done.  I never planned to do a lot of things but something happened to prevent me.”  quotes from character Marilla Cuthbert from Anne of Avonlea
#superwoman #mindset
Godly woman mindset:
Not my will, but Your will be done in my life today, Lord.  Order my steps today and help me be about what You desire for me.  Help me to accomplish what is most important and to let go of the rest.  Apart from You, I can do nothing. #John155
#godlywoman #mindset #letsberealistic #calgontakemeaway
#canyourelate? #justbreathe #bestillandknowthatIamGod
Perhaps I truly need to read the book #simplify by Bill Hybels
Prayer:  Dear Lord, please bring the “SUPER” power of Your Spirit into my natural strength and help me live  supernaturally for today.  Thank You for reminding me the only way I can do anything or all things is through Your strength empowering me.  I need You Lord.  Amen.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (Amplified Bible)

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

Creative Clutter

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

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Creative clutter can create a beautiful vision for the eyes to behold.  Often us creative souls battle cluttered minds.  Help, Lord!  Clear the clutter Lord so I can hear You clearly and attend to the call you created me for.

#cleartheclutter #helpmefocus #creativecall #creativemindstruggles #canurelate 

You will keep in perfect peace those who trust in You and whose thoughts remain fixed on You.  (Isaiah 26:3)

 

 

Targeted? Take up Your Sword?

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

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#mightywarriorwomen
#forsuchatimeasthis
#girlswithswords
If the enemy can’t get to you, he will try to get at what is closest to your heart.  A mother’s heart is always for her children, just like our Heavenly Father’s heart is for His children.
And so I say for all of us warrior women, “When you think of me, pray for my children.”  Even if all is going fairly well with your children, what mother doesn’t desire prayer for her children, especially in today’s world?
Do you feel targeted?  Do you feel like your children are targets?  In Lisa Bevere’s book, Girls with Swords, she reminds us that we women are strategically targeted by the enemy, and so are our children, and we all need to take up not only our crosses, but our swords too!  
The enemy is against all those who belong to Christ we know, but you know when you have been targeted by the enemy of your soul.  Can I get a witness? 
No fear lovely one.  His perfect love casts out all fear.  Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.  We are more than conquerors through His love and His power, strength, grace, and peace working within us.*
 
#beawarriorwoman #nofear #morethanconquerors #takeupyoursword 
May we all take up the sword of the Spirit, and may all the children of all the warrior women be mighty on the earth. Amen. (Ephesians 6:17; Psalm 112)
 

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It’s all good. Not!

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

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There is a common phrase that sounds like truth.  The phrase, “It’s all good” sounds like a good, positive quote, and it is that. “It’s all good”?  No, it’s not all good.  I like Pastor Steven Furtick’s quote, “It’s never all good.”  This is truth. 

It’s NEVER ALL GOOD, BUT GOD WILL WORK “ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD” IN MY LIFE AS I TRUST HIS PLAN, FOLLOW HIS CALLING, AND LOVE HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

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There are always things in our lives that are not good.  Some are very painful, sorrowful, and difficult, to say the least. We all experience things that are “not good” in our fallen world.  This doesn’t negate the truth of Romans 8:28. However, this promise applies to Christians and not to those who just claim the label, and are not truly following Jesus Christ and His teachings. 

All things are not good, but God takes “all things” (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and “works them together for good” to and for who?  To those who love God and are the “called according to His purpose.” 

Lets face it, we see many people whose lives are filled with things working together not for good.  Actually, some things are working together for the perpetuation of all that God defines as NOT good.  Those who are not trusting God, have not answered the call to follow Him, and are not lovers of God, cannot expect for all things to work together for good.

Who can count on and experience the Romans 8:28 promise?  Those who love God with all their hearts, have answered the call to follow Him, and desire His purpose to be fulfilled.

It’s NEVER ALL GOOD, BUT GOD WILL WORK “ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD” IN MY LIFE AS I TRUST HIS PLAN, FOLLOW HIS CALLING, AND LOVE HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

#itsneverallgood #allthingsworktogetherforgood #Romans828 #truth #trustGod #followJesus #answerHiscall #lovetheLordwithallyourheart 💜

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need a little exercise challenge?

Jennifer MorrowLeave a comment

 

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Like anything in life, once you’ve established a habit or discipline of something, that habit, whether it be good or bad, is not easily broken.  By human nature, most of us don’t like the terms “exercise” or “discipline” but none of us can deny that without these healthy habits being lived out in our lives, nothing gets accomplished.  Some gladly welcome a challenge and some do not.   However, without exercising self-discipline and accepting a challenge, potential is often unrealized.

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