Loved
WRITTEN BY THE WOMEN OF LEXINGTON
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY B Y LYNDS EY S MYTH
WWW. BELOVEDINLEX. COM #BELOVEDINLEX LEXINGTON, KY
This devotional is written by the women of Lexington for the women of Lexington.
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25
TAB LE O F C O NTE NTS Day 1: What the world needs Day 2: Table for one Day 3: Love each other Day 4: Let there be light Day 5: Weak Christian Day 6: Just let God Day 7: Daughter of the Lord Day 8: My fear Day 9: Power in His love Day 10: Joy Day 11: Prayer Day 12: God's Plan Day 13: Choose to believe Day 14: How God sees me
D AY 1 - W HAT T H E W O R L D N E E D S By Michelle Hunt
You are what the world needs. In one of the most turbulent times this world
has ever known, you are what the world needs. What do you need to do in order to affect positive change for yourself? Life changes in a moment. What moment of change do you need in order to break your chains? When you start changing your world, you start a ripple effect that reaches out into others’ worlds which then ripples out to the far corners of this world. You can do that because you, beautiful woman, are what the world needs. As women we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God to love. Life moves at the speed of relationships. We are made to create and nurture relationships. Feel like you don’t know how to love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives clear instruction. Feel like you don’t know what to do with it? Galatians 5:13 calls you to action. You, courageous woman, are what the world needs. So what now? Just love. Turn a deaf ear and cold shoulder to the negativity that overshadows the hope in this world. Love. Love those who you think deserve it, but love those who you think don't more. Love those who are the same as you, but love those who are different more. Love those who hold your same beliefs, but love those that believe differently more. Just love, because you are what the world needs. Bible Verses 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Galatians 5:13 P RAY E R Father, I come before you ready to put love in action. I am sorry I doubted that I could make a difference in this world. Thank you for equipping and making me specifically for a time such as this. God, I believe that I am enough and I am what this hurting world needs. I ask you to fill me with your Spirit so when others see me they really see You. Guide my heart, my words, and my actions so they reflect you, Lord. I surrender all to you with love. Thank you for choosing me. In Jesus’ Name.
D AY 2 - TAB L E F O R O N E By Melissa Darsey “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” – Romans 8:28 NLT Jesus works best from the ashes. He doesn’t simply refurbish us, but creates something new. He is a masterful artist. He speaks to the deepest longings of our heart. As a 35-year-old single woman He calls to my broken dreams and loneliness. He stokes embers to flame – ever working to refine me. I want to speak to the woman who may be living with this brokenness. Our sweet Jesus wants to mend your heart. The result will be beautiful. Know beloved…YOU. ARE. ENOUGH. Christ pulls you from the briars and thistles, woos you from the cleft of the rock. He sets a crown of laurel upon your head. He sees the beauty amidst your mess and cherishes you. He works in the hard stubborn places of your heart. He gives you a purpose; showering you with His abiding love. This life is breathtaking and the journey on which He has you abounds with His grace. God knows your ache. He knows your desire. He quenches every thirst. He is what your heart cleaves after. “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” – Isaiah 30:18 ESV P RAY E R Precious Jesus, I thank You that I am Your bride! You are a comfort in times of brokenness. I ask that You tender my heart toward Yours; may my heartbeat reflect Your rhythm. Help me to let go of less wild ‘lovers’ and seek fervently the ‘Great Lover’ of my soul. Do a new thing within me! Be my kinsman-redeemer. Call me from fear and regret into living hope – where you lead I will follow. You know me, love me, and have written a purpose on my life. I want to tell your narrative with my every breath!
D AY 3 - L O V E EAC H O T H E R By Olivia Taylor
We all have had different aches and pains that shape our opinions. These are
part of what makes us all unique. However, as Christians, we are faced with a dilemma: what do we do when someone else's opinion differs from our own? It is easy to go the worldly route in the culture we live in. We can judge someone, decide we are better than them, or stop associating with them completely. While these things may keep us comfortable, they are not what god wants. God calls us to love our neighbor. Just as God loves all his children, we should love all of our neighbors. We can’t continue to pass judgement on people. So, we are all given a choice every day of our lives: We can be loving and caring Christians who embrace people's uniqueness, or we can judge them for thinking in a different way than we do. We have an infinitely powerful God; imagine what He could do with us if we chose the first option and embraced each person we come in contact with - with the same love and compassion God has shown us. P RAY E R Lord, thank you for making all of us unique and complex. Help us to love each other without concern for if our ideas are the same. Deep down, we know that we have more in common with other people than we have different. Give is your eyes and help us to see in each other our biggest similarity: we were all fearfully and made by the same god. Amen.
D AY 4 - L E T T H E R E B E L I G H T By Natalie Anderson
My mom tells a story from my anxious childhood, when the world felt too
big and too evil, and the promise in Psalm 139 that “Darkness is not darkness to Him” simply provoked me, quaking in bed, to wail out, “But darkness is still darkness to me.” We once walked in pitchy blackness: disillusioned with lies, hiding in shame, and shrouded in hopelessness. I did. Sometimes still we live stumbling and afraid, expecting the old darkness to return. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ tells a different story for the world—for our today—than one of darkness and fear. The ancients used “light” to symbolize knowledge and truth. When we walk in light, we see truly. I always think of that when I read in Scripture, again and again, of the Lord equating Himself, His way, and His children with the Light that sends darkness running. So today, I want to take an extra moment to preach truth to my own heart. We have every reason to hope, both ultimately and daily, because we belong to the same God who flooded the universe with light before He even shaped the sun. We belong to the same Christ who stepped out of the grave at sunrise one morning, and has called us up out of our graves. We belong to the same Spirit who came like fire and sets our hearts ablaze. Hallelujah! Light has come. It’s who He is. We have every reason to live unafraid of the dark. P RAY E R Lord, Be glorified in my life for all that You are! Thank You for Your allredeeming love. Thank You for the light of Your presence here. In You, Father, there is no darkness at all. And You draw me close; You call me “daughter.” So my heart is after You, Holy God; I want to know You, to walk in the truth of who You are and who I am in light of that. Come, Holy Spirit, and fill me with Your life and peace. “Search me and know me; lead me in the way everlasting.” Amen.
D AY 5 - W EAK C H R I S T IAN By Krista Elkins
Most of my life I have been a weak Christian. A quick personal definition of a weak Christian from my own personal fictitious dictionary is: a Christian that loves God, believes in God, is still going to be standing in heaven beside me but focuses on how they feel rather than what God says. Let me give you a few examples from the dialogue that goes on inside of my own head: I know I am supposed to trust God but I just feel down today. I know following Jesus calls me to not be offended by other people but she made me so mad! I don’t know why but I’m just in a bad mood today. Unfortunately for us, Jesus rarely asks us to do something that just comes natural. He is such a patient teacher. The more I come to Him with my bad moods, disappointments and feelings, the more He says “Who told you that?” I once heard a pastor say “How childish is it to say that someone MADE you mad?” it’s true. No person or situation can MAKE me feel any way. I have the choice to let the voices in my head control how I feel that day or to call them out for the lies they are. My favorite quote right now is “The devil is always going to talk to you, you must as well learn to talk back to him!” What a valid point. In Luke 4, Jesus also had to have a conversation with Satan to tell him what a liar he is. Let us all join together in prayer for one another to help us think how God thinks and to live a healthier life!
D AY 6 - J U S T L E T G O D By Kayla Moses
If my plans fail, will I trust in Yours? When a circumstance turns on its head,
will I turn unto You alone? These are questions I have asked myself during a time of transition in my own life. My response to these questions are often easily answered with a quick "yes," but how do we live this out fully? Think of a time in your life when you deeply desired something, be it a relationship, job opportunity, or a dream, and circumstances turned out differently than you planned. How do you react when things don't fall into place according to plan? Do you trust in God's divine plan for your life and his timing? I would love to say I handle every disappointment and failure with grace, but often times I have found myself holding on tightly to what I wanted to be when I needed to let go and just let God. I am so thankful we serve a God who's grace is sufficient when we are not. Isaiah 55:9 reads, "For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than Your thoughts." God has painted the entire picture of our lives and we only see glimpses of his intricately crafted beauty He has for us. God always has your best interest at heart. Every time... just let God. P RAY E R Lord, I pray for Your strength and wisdom when my plans fail. Grant me understanding and a willingness to surrender fully into Your marvelous plans that you have for my life. Jesus, thank You for never giving up on me when I've held on too tightly to things that are no longer good for me. Help me to follow in Your ways and trust in you even when I can't see the entire picture yet, because I know that you do.
D AY 7 - D AU G H T E R O F T H E L O R D By Carol-Beth Madden
What does it mean to live as a daughter of the Lord? Recently, God has
been taking me on a captivating journey of rediscovering my purity and learning what it looks like to step into my identity as a daughter of the One True King. As women, when we hear the word “purity” we typically think of sexual purity, and while that is often what this world defines as pure, that is not all that makes up the Lord’s definition of our purity. Heavenly purity is having been cleansed of everything in this world we’ve allowed to enter and taint our precious hearts. Godly purity isn’t only cleansing yourself of YOUR sin, but of other people’s sins that have entered your heart without your permission – profanity, degrading music, inappropriate movies and hurtful labels. They stain your heart and remind you of your days before you found Jesus. If we haven’t yet let God rename us, Satan uses those “stains” as a foothold against us. If we are willing, God wants to take those from us. He offers not only to take them, but to obliterate them and replace those voids with a new identity – His identity. He replaces earthly friends with children of His that He’s prepared to hold your heart gently. He replaces idle time with quiet time – time spent diving deeper into His Word and books written about His love for His priceless daughters. He replaces the labels with truths about you, such as “qualified”, “dignified” and “righteous”. P RAY E R Lord, Help us to live as Children of Light (see Ephesians 4:17-5:21). Our God does not leave any work half finished, and our hearts are no exception. If we let You, You promise to see us through until we are utterly righteous in Your eyes. God, You do not offer to make us better, You offers to make us new. Show us today what it means to be made new, to be given a new heart – Your heart – and a new identity – Your identity. Help us embark on that beautiful journey of discovering what it means to be Your Daughter.
D AY 8 - M Y F EAR By Andrea Marlowe Fear. I limit myself out of fear. I even search for fear within elements of my
life it would otherwise not surface. I use fear and its devices as a way to eliminate the unknown, and remain in the familiar. I allow fear to keep me hidden. This leaves me sitting unsettled amongst my fear rather than resting within the peace offered to me. My fear is only as large as I allow it to be. It’s nourished by my limited scope of my surroundings, my God, and myself. So how we do starve fear instead of feed it? How do we counteract the growth of fear with the growth of courage and determination? “This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. FortheLORDyourGodiswithyouwhereveryougo." - Joshua 1:9 How much more adventurous and fulfilling would life be if we were to tap into the promises God gives us? How much more if we were to truly immerse ourselves in those promises? If we were to completely believe, jumping in without hesitation? Without fear? A Creator with the most-vast imagination breathed us into life. He created our imagination. Even the most creative, fearless human you can think of; they were created in the image and replication of only part of Him. If God is the maker of all and the sustainer of all, we have nothing to fear. Where do you see fear in your life? How can you nourish your relationship with the Father to starve this fear? P RAY E R Father, we come to You knowing You are a God beyond our wonders and abilities. You challenge us daily to set our eyes on You and not the things we question. You ask us to remember who You say You are. You are strength. You are courage. You overcome. May our imaginations, ideas and dreams persist beyond a mere brain storm. May they help us lavish in the gifts of the Father, and the rest we can find in You while we pursue even the scariest challenges, ideas, and paths in this life. You are a good, good Father. Amen.
D AY 9 - P O W E R I N H I S L O V E By Courtney Jones 1 John 4:11-12 “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Love is powerful, but unconditional love deserves a definition of its own. It is the purest form of love with no limitations, no conditions. Just simply loving no matter what. The bible reminds us over and over how he doesn’t just love, but God is love. Love is what links us all together. Loving others shouldn’t be a choice, but it should be the very essence of who we are. Without faith and discipleship, we cannot know God’s love in its redemptive and transforming power. “To live in God is to live in love.” 1 John 4:16 Accepting our Lord and savior fully is letting his love and grace pour into our hearts. Jesus is with us in every breath we breathe and every step we take. Grace is the eye of the soul, in which we look to Jesus for peace and salvation. In this, we can find peace and comfort knowing that his love is so deep and his plan for us is eternal and true. Watch how God’s love will bring transformation to your life and satisfaction to your soul. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. The choice is ours to create a world of peace, joy, and pure happiness through his love. P RAY E R Lord, thank you for showing me unconditional love. Please help me to love others with a genuine heart, not out of convenience. Transform my heart and soul so that I can show others your deep, unconditional love. I pray that people see you through me. I pray that others can be transformed by your love as well. I want to walk with you Lord, never in front of you. By trusting in you, I know you will fill my heart with grace and love, so I can be used for the goodness of your kingdom. Oh how I love you.
D AY 1 0 - J O Y By Porsche Morrow
It has been said that comparison is the thief of joy. This has me
wondering…what is the conduit of joy? Surely it must be the opposite of comparison. It must be contentment. Merriam-Webster defines contentment as a state of happiness and satisfaction. Philippians 4:12-13 gives us the formula to reach this state: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” What does all this mean? That the only way to live in a state of joy is to seek contentment, and the only way to be contended is to find my identity in Christ and cease comparing ourselves to others. In today’s society it is so easy to fall into the trap of comparison. The Internet and social media give us ample opportunity to do this. We are all a simple login and scroll away from comparing the behind-the-scenes view of our lives, careers, looks, relationships, friendships, and so many other things, to the filtered highlight reel of every else’s. We often forget that it is just a tiny snapshot of their reality. This is no way to live. Let’s pray and ask Jesus for the abundant, joyful life He promises us. P RAY E R “Jesus, You said that a joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. I don’t want to be broken or sad, but rather teeming with joy and life. Will You help me to turn from comparing and run after You, the Source of true happiness? I’m Your child and I want to experience Your best for me. Help me to encounter your undivided love today and to find security in it. In Your name, amen.
D AY 1 1 - P RAY E R By Lauren Prather "Is anyone amoung you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." James 5:13 Sometimes I wake up feeling as if my day is already defeated. My daunting “to do” list takes command of the day. It leaves little time to relax, much less time to communicate with God. Regardless of how busy any given day can unfold, God is still there. He still wants to hear from you. "The effective feverent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16 With Him, we can accomplish any challenging day. It’s easy to let our overwhelming number of tasks dictate our mood, and the outcome of our day. Without Him, we drown in the busy days, and let life overrun us. The good or bad, busy or boring, every day belongs to Him. When you pray throughout the day, you allow God’s presence to command how it will go. To lift the menial burdens we face on a daily basis off our shoulders and head into any task with nothing holding you back, and God’s guidance urging you forward. P RAY E R God let my life not ever be so busy as to not give you praise. Let every task of the day serve you, and keep me on your path of righteousness. God I love you and thank you for every moment of every day, and pray that I experience it in your presence. Amen.
D AY 1 2 - G O D ' S P LAN By Emily Johnson "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand." Psalm 37:23-24 When we choose to believe in God and everything He has for us, our life is no longer our own. We no longer follow the ways of the world. The world that tells us we need to have it all figured out. The world that pressures us to go to college, to choose a major, to find a spouse by tomorrow. Those are all good things, but we can become so obsessed with achieving them, that we lose sight of God’s plan. We forget we were supposed to trust Him with these things. Becoming a son or daughter of Christ is a beautiful thing, because God didn’t intend for us to know what we’re doing in five years, we are supposed to be listening for His call, and fulfilling our purpose for each day instead. We shouldn’t waste today worrying about tomorrow. We should be okay with not knowing, because we can trust in a God that directs every step. That will place opportunities in front of us that we could have never found on our own. We should trust in Him for our future spouse as well. For He will pick someone better than anyone we could have chosen for ourselves. Trust in Gods timing. Be willing to wait for his direction. For we know not the way he leads us, but well do we know our guide. P RAY E R My beautiful King, I pour my affection and devotion onto your feet. I put my trust in you because your love is wild for me. You will never fail me. Speak to me, Jesus. For I hang on every word you say. Remind me to always be listening. Correct my desires. Make me lovely. Make me more like you. Your praise will forever be on my lips. Amen.
D AY 1 3 - D O N ' T W O R RY By Kaye Lee
God does not want us to worry. Worrying does not help any situation, and it
surely just clutters up your mind from receiving His love. The earthly world around speaks of being fast, being impatient, anxious about nothing. However, the Lord does not say that. He proclaims patients; focus on Him; Rest among His children. The Father is speaking to us through the events that our busy lives would take for granted or ignore completely; such as flowers and sunsets. Believers, please take a moment. Breath. Rest. The Father is trying to talk to us through everyday things. He has placed us in situations where you have to slow down to be reminded of Him. Sometimes it could be rush hour traffic; or it could be a walk through The Night Market. Whatever it may be that causes you to slow down, rest. Be observant. Thank God for all of the good that you in countered today, even if the traffic is backed up and causing you to be late for work or dinner. Continue to thank Him, and do not worry. God is in control of every second of our journey with Him. Rejoice and rest in that knowledge. Every thing that will occur today, God knows about. God is holding your hand as you walk through the day on the path He placed for you. Yes, bumps will occur. In those moments, seek God in the little things such as flowers or sunsets, and rest. {Matthew 6:34} P RAY E R Father, I pray for every person that is reading this. Father, I thank you for them first. I thank you that you slowed them down long enough to read this message written by you. I pray that you are with them, and showing them in a way they would understand just how much you are with them. Whether it is through a devotional like this one; a message from a loved one; or a simple sunset and flowers, I pray that you teach them today what it means to rest and breath in your presence. We love you, Father. Amen.
D AY 1 4 - H O W G O D S E E S M E By Rebekah Perryman
Before I started dating my husband I told myself, "I'm a catch!" I know this
may come across vain, but I did this to build my confidence. For a long period of my life I didn't see myself the way God did and I drowned myself in self-loathing, which perpetuated the problem. I said I was ugly, therefore I believed it. I began to pray for God to help me see myself the way He sees me! I wanted Godly confidence in WHO he created me to be. Eventually I started to see myself differently. I started saying phrases like: God see's beauty, I am beautiful (Song of Solomon 4:7) God see's intelligence, I am smart (Psalm 46:6) God see's a dreamer, I am a dreamer (Ephesians 3:20) God see's joy, I am joyful (Psalm 126:3) So basically I summed this all up to: God see's a catch, I am a catch. Everyday I looked in a mirror and repeated Godly truths. I didn't believe them at first-some days I still don't- but if you say truth enough times, the light of truth overpowers the darkness! You will begin to KNOW these truths, BELIEVE these truths and LIVE in such a way that you can confidently say: I'M A CATCH! What lies are you telling yourself? Replace it with Godly truth and get in front of that mirror! What's going to be your new phrase to help you see yourself the way God does! P RAY E R God, I know your truths. You call me beautiful. You claim there is not one flaw in me. I know it, but I’m having a hard time believing it today. Help me to believe it. Guide my mind to see what you see when I look in the mirror. Give me a Godly perspective towards my body. A Godly view towards health. Block out the world’s lies about how I should look, the things I should eat and the way I should exercise. Help me to see the me you created me to be!
YOU LOV
ARE VED
Loved