Two Years!

Today is Morning Glory’s TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! I can’t believe it’s already been two years!

To celebrate, I’d like to share some things that a few young ladies had written in to me talking about how God has used Morning Glory in their life!

One fifteen-year-old girl writes,

Morning Glory has blessed me in many ways.

First of all: Being connected to so many girls, my age, has been wonderful! Knowing that someone, quite far from me, could be reading the same things I am......is just so cool!

Second: Writing for Morning Glory has been fun too! I have enjoyed the time I get to spend reading and studying God's word! Now, when I'm reading my Bible, I look for verses that would make a good devotional!

Third: Morning Glory has actually helped me grow closer to my family!

All the writers have been a HUGE blessing to me! And all the readers too! It all means so much!

A seventeen-year-old girl writes,

I started getting Morning Glory daily devotional emails about a year ago. I had been looking for a good daily devotional program thing, and was super blessed to find this! I try to read the devos every day and I have been SO touched by all the blog posts.

It has been SO encouraging seeing what verses have stuck out to people and what it means to them. There have been many days where I read the devo, and I can tell it was completely an answer to prayer for that day—just what I needed to hear. They always remind me of important lessons or refocus me on what really matters. They help me keep my eyes fixed on GOD. They remind me of God's promises, His blessings, His mercies, and His love.

All the blog  posts are encouraging. They are convicting. Some bring joy. Some bring tears. All in the very best way. Every day, I hear truth spoken from the verses, and some REAL person's thoughts about it.

With the devos, it has been such a blessing to hear what Christian girls my age have to say about their favorite verses, and how it applies to their lives.

With the blog, it's been SO helpful and convicting and encouraging. The posts deal with very real issues—things that I face in my everyday life—and give very mature and solid advice and encouragement.  God has really blessed me through Morning Glory!!

And a college senior says,

Wow, what a joy to celebrate two years of Morning Glory!! This devotional has been such a catalyst for growth in my life: Both reading the poignant thoughts of fellow ladies and writing what God has placed on my heart have encouraged me in my walk with the Lord in numerous ways. I am extremely grateful to be part of such a loving community of girls found at Morning Glory. Praise God for sustaining this for as long as He has!

Thank you all so much for a wonderful two years! Today we’re doing something fun—forwarding today’s devotional and/or a link to your favorite Morning Glory blog post to EIGHT GIRLS that you think would be interested! Please join in!

If Morning Glory has meant something special to you, please share in the comments!

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Our Great Reward

This has become one of my favorite songs. It always seems to refocus my heart and remind me that I don’t have to worry about all those silly things. It helps me remember WHY I’m here on earth and why God made me—to glorify Him. And it helps me remember that God is my great reward in life and in eternity. Click on the link below to see a video where Tim Timmons talks about his cancer and sings this song.

"Great Reward" by Tim Timmons

(lyrics taken from here)

I trust in You for every heartbeat

As long as I'm alive

Your love endures when I wake

And when I close my eyes

Help me to know You are God, I am not

Remind my soul You're in control

Praise to the Father

With every breath I take

In joy and sorrow

All for Your kingdom's sake

Be Thou my vision

Be Thou my hope restored

Now and forever

You are my great reward

I won't demand to know the reasons

For my suffering

These open hands will trust Your wisdom

Beyond what I see

Help me to know You are God, I am not

Remind my soul You're in control

Praise to the Father

With every breath I take

In joy and sorrow

All for Your kingdom's sake

Be Thou my vision

Be Thou my hope restored

Now and forever

You are my great reward

Oh Lord, my great reward

I know this is dangerous

Daring just to pray this

I will trust You Lord

The rock throughout the ages

You make me courageous

I will trust You Lord

I will trust You Lord

I know this is dangerous

Daring just to pray this

I will trust You Lord

Help me trust You Lord

The rock throughout the ages

You make me courageous

I will trust You Lord

I will trust You Lord

Praise to the Father

With every breath I take

In joy and sorrow

All for Your kingdom's sake

Be Thou my vision

Be Thou my hope restored

Now and forever

You are my great reward

Oh, my great reward

What are your thoughts on this song? Share in the comments!

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An Often Ignored Attribute of God

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 4:24

You remember that Christmas that your sister got the toy, purse, whatever that you wanted. You remember moping and giving her glares. What did she say?

“You’re just jealous.”

Then your parents rebuked you and told you to “stop being jealous.”

But in this verse, it says that God is a jealous God.

We like to call God loving, faithful, and caring. Do we like to call Him jealous?

No.

We often like to skip over that passage and ignore those words, “a jealous God.”

Why is that?

Because we don’t have a proper understanding of the word jealous.

In everyday life, we’ve made it a synonym for envious. But in fact, it has a very different meaning.

What is the definition of jealousy?

The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary says, “intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness.”

If you’re married, your husband has promised to being completely committed to you and you alone for life. Wouldn’t you feel jealous if you saw him flirting with another woman? 

From Diffen:

Envy is the emotion when you want a possession someone else has. Jealousy is the emotion when you fear you may be replaced in the affection of someone you love or desire.

Now do you understand why God is a jealous God?

God is jealous of you. He created you and bought you with His blood—He deserves your complete devotion. Do you give it to Him?

If you’re human, then no, you don’t.

Even though Christ is working to sanctify us, we still run from Him. We still get distracted from pursuing Him.

I want you to stop reading this post right now and make a list of five things that you think have been distracting you from pursuing Him with your whole heart.

Going back to the marriage illustration, you would feel very jealous if your spouse was cheating on you, right? How do you think God feels when we run after other things?

He feels jealous. And He wants you back.

That’s the good news—no matter how many times we run, if we are one of God’s children, then He will always bring us back. He does not lose His children. God is a patient God. Take your list of five things and spend some time in prayer with God, asking Him to show you how to love Him first.

However, do not think that He will tolerate our idolatry. Do not think that He will be replaced in your life.

Now that you understand what it means that God is a jealous God, does it make you hate your sin more? Want to share any of your five things? How do you plan on overcoming them? Share in the comments!

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When the World is Spinning Too Fast

-By Sunny Bodenhamer

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”

Psalm 46:10-11

   

Life is beautiful. Anyone who tells you any different is looking through the wrong pair of glasses. If you’re thinking to yourself right now, “what planet did you come from? Life is bleak and cruel,” I get it. I’ve been there too. I’ve gone through tough times where it felt like my heart would never stop hurting, and I’ve said those very words to myself—life is cruel.

Sure, there will always be ups and downs, but if you’re in one of the downs right now, let me just encourage you to stop for a moment. Take a break from the everyday grind, find a quiet place to think, and breathe deep. Rest. If you don’t have a lot of time, that’s okay. All you need is a few minutes to be still. I don’t know if you live in the country or the city, but if you can, find a quiet spot outside or take a walk and look around you.

“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

Psalm 62:5-8

Where I’m sitting right now, it’s late afternoon on a cool fall day in Texas. (Well, technically it’s winter, but if you’re familiar with Texas weather, you know that we really only have two seasons—summer and fall. :P) The sun is just beginning to sink in the soft blue sky, casting its farewell rays through the mostly bare branches of the trees, down onto the carpet of leaves scattered across the ground. A gentle breeze is rustling through the evergreen needles of the towering pines. A few wisps of clouds are rolling lazily across the sky, and I can’t help but remember how very blessed I am to be alive. Each one of us has so much to be thankful for.

There’s beauty all around me, but you see, I just had to stop for a moment, look around, and give my soul a chance to breathe. Time flies. Already, a new year has arrived Don’t let yourself be so busy all the time so that you miss out on all the blessings the Lord has in store for you! The beauty is there—if only you will open your eyes and let it in.

God is in control. You can trust Him, and He loves you. He is there for you. Rest in that.

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.”

Psalm 51:12

“Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.”

Psalm 54:4

Even if life feels too hectic to handle, pray for a peaceful heart, then do your best to slow down and He will pour His grace and peace over you. He is there for you. He is always enough.

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.”

Psalm 63:3-4

 

Take a moment to praise Him for who He is, and for the beautiful world He created for His children to enjoy. I know for me, that small step works in leaps and bounds to help me gain some perspective when I feel overwhelmed. Search for things, great or small, that you can thank Him for. Maybe it’s that mug of hot coco you’re sipping on right now, with marshmallows and whipped cream. :) Or the last strains of Christmas songs playing on the radio that warms your heart. Maybe it’s the laughter and love all around you as you spend time with family. You could even thank Him for the cozy fire in the fireplace, and the fuzzy socks that feel so soft on your feet. Thank Him that even though the coming school semester will be stressful, it’s an incredible opportunity to learn and grow. Not many people in the world get to go to school!

No matter what you’re going through, there will always be something you can choose to be thankful for. Focus on that instead of the negatives, and it will help you find joy this season. And guess what? Joy is contagious. As you choose to start focusing on the positives, you will help others around you do the same! Never forget that one kind word, one smile can brighten someone’s entire day.

So when you feel like the world is spinning too fast, remember—life is beautiful if we take the time to adjust our focus.

Sunny Bodenhamer is a Christian, homeschooled girl learning to be a light in this crazy, amazing life we’ve been given, reach for the stars, and believe that anything is possible through Jesus Christ. She believes that every day is a miracle full of second chances and beauty, if we stop and take the time to see it. She loves to write, crochet, drink coffee, and hopes to inspire and encourage through the written word.

Is your life overwhelming? What has God been teaching you through the business? What are some things that you’re thankful for? Share in the comments!

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Happy New Year! | 2015 Morning Glory Recap

Happy New Year!

Wow! 2015 was an incredible year of growth both for Morning Glory and me personally!

First of all, in May, an essay that I wrote about Morning Glory received third place in TeenPact’s Jimmy Brazell Community ImpactScholarship—which then was read in front of over 750 people, and caused Morning Glory’s big “growth spurt” that almost doubled its size!

Just a few weeks after that significant event, in June, I was thrilled to announce the launch of Morning Glory’s Blog! This blog has grown a lot as well over the months, and I’m beyond excited to see it start coming to life! This was my idea before the Daily Devotional, but was something that God prevented me from starting until the right time—and I’m so thankful for that!

Starting next week, the Morning Glory devotional/blog schedule will change. The current schedule has devotionals being sent out Monday through Saturday, with new blog posts every Tuesday. The new schedule will result in no Saturday devotional. Instead, a new blog post will be posted on Saturday, not Tuesday.

As a recap, here at the top six posts (because there was a tie for fifth place) published in 2015 on this blog.

6. Lord, Thank You for This Trial Because…

Can’t see past the pain of a trial? God does have a plan for the hurt, and He’s using this in your life. This list of reasons to be thankful submitted by an anonymous guest poster will change your perspective on your trial.

5. 10 Tips for Beating a Crush: Tip 6

Tip 6 in our series, 10 Tips for Beating a Crush, was to avoid things that often cause you to think of romance. Not far behind this one was the similar post, “Why I Avoid Romance Novels and Movies.” Are you surrounded by romantic books, movies, and music? You may be creating a difficult environment for yourself to beat your unhealthy crush.

4. 10 Tips for Beating a Crush: Tip 1

Tip 1 was to change your mindset. How do you view guys? Are you making these mistakes and viewing them through a selfish lens? How do you view your emotions? Changing your mindset can make a huge difference in the way you think about and treat guys.

3. 10 Tips for Beating a Crush: The Heart

All the practical tips in the world can’t help you beat your crush unless you have the heart to do so. This blog post discusses the difference between a crush you should eradicate and a crush you should manage, and explores some of the root issues involved in a crush.

2. 10 Tips for Beating a Crush: Tip 2

You cannot beat a crush unless you beat your daydreams. Are you drowning yourself in romantic daydreams? What are the pitfalls of daydreams, and how do we beat them? Read this post for practical advice on conquering this huge struggle in any girl’s life.

1. When You’re Not Strong Enough

You’ve fought hard. You’ve tried to resist. But you find yourself failing yet again. What does God’s Word say about our weakness? What do we do with our weakness? How do we get back up again? What do we do when you finally realize that you’re not strong enough?

And that was our 2015 Morning Glory Recap! Special thanks go to my faithful team of devotional writers, Beth, Taylor, Abby, Sarah, and Bethany—Morning Glory would not be possible without these amazing young ladies. I’m so thankful for each of you who take time to read the devotional and blog, and I’m especially thankful to those of you who take time to contribute and send encouragement to me and the devotional writing team!

Looking at this coming year, I’m becoming more and more excited about the new things God will do with Morning Glory this year! We’ll see where He takes it. :)

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