iShineInMinistry

#The Charmed Life – Charmed Guests

This week, each of the iSparkle sites will feature one of my younger #TheCharmedLife girls. Meet Dasia, a fabulous tween that loves to write and serve Jesus. She is a wonderful big sister, daughter and friend...and this week she wanted to share about love and serving since it's Valentine's Day weekend. I hope you enjoy. Hearts and Hugs! Dasia (age 12)

Luke 6:35 (NIV) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

This weekend going on a service trip for church, helping throughout the retreat, others, and I have learned about how much work and time it can take to serve others. (Who knew it takes so many people to set up chairs?) Serving others - does that mean something like giving a chip to your little sister? No, this kind of serving is truly honoring God and shining His light through you. This has also has taught me about caring more for others, especially for Valentine’s Day!

This Valentine’s Day, take time to put others in our shoes- it may not make you incredibly happy, but it really matters in God’s eyes. Show your love for someone by putting them first, just like you would for God. Pray for them, do chores for them, (I’m sure my mom would love that!) give your time to them! And not only that, take your new outlook on serving each other through your whole week, month, year and life!

Mark 6:34 (NKJV)

And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

With Valentine’s Day just a week away, love is in the air! We ministry girls always know that love is all around us; because we serve in full-time ministry and get to see amazing ways that God works through His love and in people’s lives. We have such an amazing privilege as we often get to witness blessings and miracles first hand. I hope that you will not ever lose the wonder of the beautiful calling you have…that your heart will continue to be filled with compassion so that you can see God’s love at work in every part of your life in full-time ministry.

As we walk through this week, I want each of you to think of someone that you minister to that you have not seen or spoken to in a while (think 2-3 months). Reach out to them, whether through text, a phone call, social media or otherwise and see how they are doing. If you are at a loss of who to minister to, ask the Lord whom He would love you to show grace, kindness and compassion to during this season of love and see who he reveals to you.

There may be someone hurting that has fallen off your radar and needs to see the compassion of Christ through your obedience. Let’s all purpose in our hearts to be charmed life ministry ladies that show the compassion of our Lord and Savior so that we continue to be His hands and feet. We are so very blessed to minister to those around us and this lost and dying world. Happy serving and Happy Valentine’s Day!

It is almost the first day of February and also the start of thinking of all things Valentine’s Day! I personally adore this holiday…it’s the pinkest holiday of the year! There is also an abundance of all of my favorite things. Things like hearts, bows, treats and glitter…I’m so excited! But, I, like so many of you other charmed life girls, love the beauty of LOVE!! There are so many people in my life that I love, there are hobbies I love to do in my spare time, there are a variety of ways I love to serve the Lord. I LOVE JESUS!! I could keep going, I’m sure you can tell.

However, what I want all of us girls to really think about is how we can take a moment out of each day this month to make someone feel loved. I really want us to pray about this, ask the Lord and see what He tells us to do. He could ask us to serve in a new ministry. He could begin to have us write a journal to our future husband (God already knows who he is even if we don’t yet). We may get to spend time with loved ones more often or simply send a sweet gift for no reason at all. Whatever way He shows you to give love, do it!

I am personally joyful for the month of February and all that it brings. I pray that we will all find ways to be loving and kind, live the charmed life of love and allow God to do something new and fantastic in our lives…starting today!

Happy February…

PS – It’s also Black History Month, you should LOVE to learn something new too!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…

 Matthew 14:28 (NET)

Peter said to him, “Lord if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”

God allows so many amazing opportunities to go on an exciting journey with Him as we serve in full-time ministry. We get to help those who are hurting, take mission trips and partake in a plethora of blessings that are unique to our calling. When we yield to the Father, He gives us unimaginable experiences as we take steps of faith and learn to trust Him more. May I ask, what new adventure are you on with the Lord right now as you live the charmed life?

Now, some of you may be bursting with fabulous stories of things the Lord is doing in your midst and in the ministry. Some of you may have one crazy impossible story that ends in a “but God” moment and there may be just a few of you that feel like you have nothing to contribute to the conversation. My question for each of you is, when was the last time you took a step of faith into something completely unknown?

Are we continuing in the same plan on a different day and just getting by on our own abilities? Or, are we letting our great, big God show us indescribably blessed things? I hope it’s the latter and not the former, because otherwise we are missing out on some fantastic ministry opportunities!

While we continue to live the charmed life and serve in full-time ministry, look for those ways you can step out in faith and take a little (or gigantic) adventure with our Lord and Savior…who knows, you could end up in Sri Lanka (or the supermarket)! Trust Him to do the big things in life as you faithfully serve Him and allow His perfect will to be done as you minister to the people He calls you to.

Isaiah 6:8 (KJV)

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

This week, as we begin the month of November, each iSparkle website will feature the same devotion. As women that serve in full-time ministry, I think we need this wonderfully amazing reminder...enjoy!

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

The Lord your God is in your midst…

I'm not sure if you realize this or not, but you truly live the charmed life when your heart is completely surrendered to the Lord. Having your eyes firmly planted on Jesus allows you to walk through life, day in and day out, filled with joy...just waiting for Him to show up in every circumstance. It's almost as if nothing the enemy does can take your eyes off the lover of your soul!

I realized this as I kept encountering moments that could be seen as inconvenient. I know that I could do one of two things: grumble and complain or not sweat the small stuff and remember that God is ALWAYS in control. Let me just tell you on days when I have chosen the former, my attitude can quickly go south, but in days when I chose the latter, everything was a blessing and I found God giving me glimpses of His glory at every single turn.

Each day we have the chance to look for those ways that we live the charmed life...I encourage you to change your outlook this week by doing the following:

1) Look for the Majesty and Glory of the Lord throughout your day: I have the privilege of walking everywhere since I live in New York...can I just tell you I find myself smiling at the sky quite often as I look at His creation or sweet little babies in strollers? God's beauty is literally EVERYWHERE!

2) Look For Ways to Change Your Outlook: Did you have to work late today? Great, God is allowing His provision through the gifts and talents He has given to you. Did you get sick and can't seem to get out of bed? Fantastic! You needed some extra rest and now you have a little extra down time to read that devotion you skipped over yesterday. Is everything around you crumbling and you just can't find a way out? Maybe you have faith like Job and God knows that you are the one that will be faithful and loyal to praise Him no matter what your circumstances...there is always a better outlook when we aren't looking at ourselves only.

3) Find Your Joy: My newest joy is singing in the shower and I have a playlist for it! It's filled with some of my favorite Christian music and some random songs mixed in between. I sing at the top of my lungs and try to take in the words that I'm singing about the glory, power and faithfulness of my Lord and Savior. This is particularly fun on days that I've had crazy mayhem at work...which is most days. Those seem to be the times I sing louder and praise the Lord more (my poor roommates have to hear me singing!). When we are singing about the goodness of the Lord, it's harder to focus in on the things that are driving us crazy, because our hearts are enamored with Him. Do you know Who you belong to?

Do you know the promises He has for you? Do you know that no one can take that away from you...unless you let them? If you (and I) know these things we need to stop being down in the dumps and act like highly favored women that belong to the Creator of the universe. He is our rock, our refuge, our strength, our friend, our husband, our Savior and our Redeemer. How could we not live the charmed life with God on our side? Please remember that and be joyful always!!

You, little miss, live the chromed life; now go out there and act like it. Sparkle for Him and be a light to this dying world!

Hearts and Hugs,

Jacquelynn Marie

Luke 1:28 (NKJV)

…“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”…