Inspired Daughters

Aspiring to Inspire

Tag: Inspiration

My Prayer Journal

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On February 4, 2024

In Uncategorized

What Writing in a Prayer Journal Taught me about Myself

Have you ever written in a prayer journal? If so, you’ll know that it’s healing because of how you changed after writing out each prayer. I remember when I was broken and a friend gave me a prayer journal. I found it easier to write out my thoughts, feelings, and prayers than I thought it would be. After spending months writing these things out, I learned that my focus changed. In this post I will show you what you need to know about writing in a prayer journal.

Beginning with an Inspirational Thought

Have you ever sat down to write and you find yourself looking down at an empty sheet of paper as you struggle to find something to say? I found that with guided inspirational thoughts, I could write statements or prayers about that part of my life in a positive, more rounded way. I found that as I was inspired, I began writing inspirational kinds of things.

Working It Out

In Philippians 2:12,13; Paul tells the Philippians to work out their salvation. This is what a prayer journal is in many ways. It is the working out of everything in quietude in the presence of the Lord. I found that it is His desire to work in me and on behalf of His good purpose for me. Invite Him to be present with you as you work out these thoughts, prayers, inspirations on paper.

Resolving in Myself

I have this one journal prompt that is an invitation to a thought-provoking song. I remember listening to this song with great conviction. It begged the very question in me so strongly that I was resolved to not only be inspired by it, but to let it be the impetus in me to get up and do those things that I had desired to do for a very long time. It brought me to a place of resolution in which I could no longer stay in what I call the sleep-walking mode of life.

Wake Up

If you haven’t read my articles about Nehemiah and how he grieved over the broken ruins of Jerusalem, take a look at those articles. Be inspired by the process of waking up out of brokenness. Be inspired by more than that. Wake yourself up and make that first move toward personal growth and spiritual growth. In your resolve, wake yourself up out of slumber and reach for healing and growth, being an inspiration to yourself and those around you.

Inspire Others

You won’t readily know this, but as you are quietly working out your salvation before the Lord, making resolutions within yourself, and working them out, the people around you are noticing the difference in you as you begin to grow. Some of them will be inspired by what they see in you.

Now that you know more about writing in a prayer journal, you’re ready to begin without worrying about being too self-conscious.

Get my prayer journal today. Go find a quiet place. Start writing. If I can do it, so can you.

You can get my free 25 day Prayer Journal by filling out the subscription form on the right.

Weeping for the Broken: Part 4.4

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On February 4, 2024

In Weeping for the Broken

Rebuilding the Ruins: The Broad Wall or Refiner’s Fire

In Weeping for the Broken 4.3, we begin rebuilding the New Gate. It’s the process of beginning to practice our belief and stepping, or growing, into the newness of life. You know how the “old things have passed away and all things become new.” Another way of saying this is that the old self is put away and we become a new person. We begin rebuilding ourselves with the help and guidance of God’s word. It is the very beginning process of being rooted and grounded in the Lord. Now, in these next few verses, we are going to look a little deeper into the refining of our characters as we witness the rebuilding of the Broad Wall.

The Broad Wall: A Little Bit of History

In Nehemiah 3:8, we see that there is this broad wall in the process of being rebuilt. What is this Broad Wall that seems to be getting so much attention? The Broad Wall is a wall unlike the other walls surrounding Jerusalem. This wall is a very thick wall, about seven and a half yards thick. The other walls were not thick like this one. This wall was built during the war between Hezekiah and Senacharib in the late 8th Century B. C.,  and in saying that, there were houses that were torn down in order to build this wall up. (Isaiah 22:9, 10) Another thing that happened when this wall was originally built was that it shut off part of Jerusalem. Only the part of Jerusalem behind this wall was protected at the time it was originally built. 

The Refiner’s Fire in Our Homes

Did you notice that homes were torn apart to rebuild the Broad Wall? It’s now time in our journey when we start sharing our faith with our family. Our family members are the ones who are closest to us and have known us all of our lives. They have been watching us as we have been going through the process of repentance and salvation in our lives. They have observed us witnessing to others in the community about this deeper faith of ours. They have lots of questions and some of those questions are not very nicely addressed. They don’t understand the changes in us. As we seek to respond in a fair way, we begin experiencing trials.

My Refiner’s Fire at Home

I remember when I began experiencing this refiner’s fire for the first time in my home. I was about twelve years old at the time. I had a foul mouth and I talked like everyone around me. I began experiencing these convicting feelings within myself. At that moment, when these feelings began, I decided that I wanted to quit cussing and talking like my peers. So I did just that. It was hard enough to change my language, but it was even harder when my family members questioned my identity as a result of it. I was labeled, “Miss Goody Two-Shoes,” and I was teased about being high and mighty. It was a struggle to continue with that good thing that God was working out in me. I continued to follow through with what I was feeling convicted to do. I learned that I could be okay talking clean around my peers and that they would just get used to the new me in time. It was just one small part of the refining of my character.

My Refiner’s Fire in the Local Community

Another time when I experienced this Refiner’s Fire was when I was attending a local community college and I had this great desire to grow spiritually. I decided that in my English classes, I would choose to write about things that would increase my spiritual growth. The one subject that my teacher and I agreed upon was the subject of The Holy Grail. I did all the research and learned about what people classify as the Holy Grail. I even learned about leaders in history who sought it out because they thought that Christ would impart special fountain-of-youth kind of powers into it. I got to the last paper that I was to write and I suddenly didn’t know what the truth was even though I knew what it was just a few days ago. I prayed and cried for two days asking God to reveal the truth to me. It was just a few hours before my paper was due and as I prayed again, reminding God that my paper was due, He showed me the truth so fast that I grabbed my computer and wrote it all down and completed my paper just in time. The truth that I learned was that The Holy Grail is a waste of time and effort. The true Holy Grail, if there is such a thing, is faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith does not belong to any object or any other person.

Purpose of the Refiner’s Fire

Every Refiner’s Fire trial that I have ever been through was meant to establish a righteous character and a righteous way of thinking. They were trials meant for my learning and overcoming. Most of all, Refiner’s Fire Trials are meant to increase and establish our faith in Christ. God is silent at times during trials and He works miracles at other times. Sometimes I have had a bitter heart toward the trials and have had to seek help to get to the place where I can walk forward in peace. Other times, I have experienced peace and joy during trials. 

What About You? 

Have you ever had those Refiner’s Fire moments when you realized that you had to learn something and grow in the face of adversity? Has it left you with healing and peace? Or has it left you with a bitter heart that you can’t seem to move forward from?

Tell me about your Refiner’s Fire Trial by writing to me at [email protected].

Weeping for the Broken: Part 4.1

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On February 2, 2024

In Weeping for the Broken

Rebuilding from the Ruins

In Weeping for the Broken part 3, I wrote about inspecting your personal brokenness. Today, we are going a step further in the healing process. We are going to begin working on rebuilding the ruins. It’s not going to happen in a day and it’s not going to be without having battles to fight during the process. Remember, that God is with you and He is for your healing and will guide you through it. Now let’s get started with the building process.

First Things First – The Sheep Gate

In Nehemiah chapter 3, we see that the first thing they begin to rebuild is the Sheep Gate. This represents rebuilding our relationship with Jesus. In verse 1, we see that they didn’t just rebuild the gate, they dedicated it, set up its doors and then began to rebuild the walls. So why is this Sheep Gate so important? Notice what Jesus says in John 10:2, 7, and 9: “But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. … So He explained to them: ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. … Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved.’” (NLT)

Restoring Relationship with Jesus

How do we even begin to rebuild this relationship with Jesus? How do we even ponder that we might hear His voice and be able to follow where He’s calling us to go? The key answer to these questions and more is to begin dedicating ourselves to time-out at least once a day. One way to begin is to read one verse or one chapter of the Bible at a time. When I did not know where to begin, I found that the book of Proverbs is full of all kinds of wonderful advice. For inspiration, you can also read Psalm 30 which was written by King David when he dedicated the temple. The beginning of hearing the Good Shepherd’s voice is to read what He has written to us in the Bible.

Setting up the Doors

When we’ve been hurt, and we cannot find a way to reconcile that hurt, it’s like our doors are broken down and we end up in a state of oppression. Psalm 30 is a great illustration of that oppression. However, when we begin listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd, He begins helping us to rebuild those gates that have become broken down. When we “rebuild the Sheep Gate” in ourselves and dedicate it to the Lord, He provides the Holy Spirit as our Helper and we begin to work together with the Holy Spirit to put up those doors that are broken down.

Building the Walls

When we learn to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, we will be able to listen to Him and recognize those voices that do not come from Him. This is the part when He calls us to follow Him. And as we follow Him, He helps us build up the boundaries that have been trampled down during the times of oppression. 

Building the Towers

No city wall is complete without its towers. Towers are for the protection of the city. Can you imagine that as we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and we begin working with Him to learn to use tools to rebuild broken down boundaries, that we get to this point where we begin learning how to build the towers of protection along those boundaries. This particular first tower, called the Tower of the Hundred, was not just built; it was dedicated. This is the same thing as putting on the armor of God. It directly relates to growth in our character, personality, and relationship with Christ discussed in Ephesians 6:10-18. 

Working Together

Now we have this new experience as we begin walking with God, listening to His spirit, and dressing in His armor. We begin working with others who are walking in the same purpose that we are. As we are walking the walk of restoration and reconciliation in ourselves, God brings us together with others who are willing to walk with us and work together with us for the common purpose of lifting each other up. This is one of the ways in which we hear His call to follow Him. 

Lifting Others Up

In verse 2, we see that the city of Jericho is helping the city of Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. This is what I mean by lifting each other up. We see people from two different towns come together in assistance, helping to build the walls and towers of Jerusalem. 1 Thessalonians 5:9a, says, “God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us.” (NLT) verse 11 continues with ,”So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” Just as we would rather forget the oppression that we have experienced, we are called not to bring that upon anyone else. 

Only the Beginning

We began looking at our relationship with Jesus and learning how to be restored to Him again by building, or rebuilding, a real relationship with Him. In return, He comes by our side and teaches us moment by moment how to build each broken part of us. He fills us with His Holy Spirit and teaches us how to dress and walk in our spiritual armor. At the same time, He brings us together with people of like minds to work on rebuilding and restoration together.

How About You?

Has this article made an impact in your life? Has it inspired you? Are you working through the process of healing? Do you know someone who is? Tell me in the comments below if you have any questions or would like to share a part of your story. You can also write to me at [email protected].

Weeping for the Broken: Part 2

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On February 2, 2024

In Weeping for the Broken

Brief Introduction: A Continuation

In the previous article, I wrote a type of personal introduction to a type of experience that I observed in the book of Nehemiah. It was something that helped me with personal brokenness, and it is my desire that this would also be a help to you or your friend as you climb through the rubble and begin to allow God to put you back together again.

It’s a Personal Journey

This is the story of Weeping for the Broken. It’s a story that I’m going to tell in a modern way. In fact, I’m telling it in a very personal way. I want to share with you a journey of brokenness and the process of healing in a fresh way. It is my hope that you will be able to use this story for your personal healing or even for that of a friend.

The Broken Reach Out For Help

Nehemiah’s story begins with a visit from his brother and some friends who tell him how very broken down his beloved city is. They tell him that the city is broken down and that the people who are there are in trouble and are disgraced. The wall of the town is broken down and the gates have been burned by fire.

Brokenness

I’m going to put this into a personal narrative for you. Perhaps you have been going through troubles in your life and you feel disgraced. Maybe you’re not there now but maybe you have been there. After all the troubles you have experienced, perhaps, you come to this moment of realization that you are broken. You take a moment and assess your personal brokenness and realize that your boundaries are broken. Not just that, but you’ve been burned in the gates of your conscience where you give permission or refrain from it. You find yourself feeling as heavy as a two-ton weight. Perhaps, you begin to recognize that there are people who seem to suck the living energy from you. Perhaps, you are experiencing the brokenness of an unseen but very present war.

What Did Nehemiah Do? What Was His Response?

Let’s look at what Nehemiah’s natural human response was. In verse 4, it says that he sat down and wept. Weeping is very different from crying. Weeping is the expression of the agony of irrepressible grief and sorrow. Nehemiah was mourning as he prayed and fasted to the God of heaven.

Weeping for the Broken

Perhaps that is your experience of discovering yourself or your friend in a state of brokenness. It breaks your own heart, and you can’t help but weep and mourn for what was lost through the trials that you’ve just come through. You’re not your normal self and you realize that you don’t know how to get back to that. Perhaps you’ve lost your appetite for more than just food. Perhaps you’ve lost your appetite for everything that you ever loved. So now you sit down and weep for yourself or for your friend. And now, as you’ve been experiencing this for a short time, you begin to pray.

Note: What I’m going to do now is walk you through Nehemiah’s prayer. It’s not going to be for the same thing that he prayed for. This prayer is for you, my friend. This prayer is the beginning of your healing journey. This is how you begin to pray for your healing:

Reaching Out in Brokenness

O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His agreement of unfailing love with those who love Him and obey His commandments. Listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for my brokenness or my friend’s brokenness. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, I know that I have sinned against You. I know that my friend has sinned against You. We have sinned terribly by not obeying Your commandments.

Remembering God’s Promises

Please remember that You said, ‘If I am unfaithful to You, You will scatter me among the nations. But if I return to You and obey Your commandments and live by them, then even if I become an outcast from among all my friends and family and everyone that I know, You will bring me back to the place of healing and to the peace of mind that You have chosen for Your name to be honored.’

Seeking Restoration

As You restore me by Your great power and strong hand, I am Your servant. Oh Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You. Please grant me success today by bringing the right people into my life who are willing to help me build myself back up again. Even as they see me in my brokenness, put it in their hearts to be kind to me.”

Who are You? What is God Calling You to do? Where is He Calling You to Go?

Now you get up and do what it is you need to do. Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer. What are you in your relationship with God, your heavenly Father? He promises that if you will spend time nurturing a relationship with Him by praying and reading His word, that He will come and be close with you.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God states that He knows the plans that He has for you. He has good plans and not plans for disaster. He wants to give you a future and a hope. Verse 13 says that if you will look for the Lord wholeheartedly, He will be found by you. He will gather you from the [brokenness] that you are splintered into. He will bring you home again to who you are.

Tell Me About It

This is just the beginning of what it means to weep for brokenness whether it is your own or someone else’s. In the next article, I will take a deeper look at Inspecting the Brokenness. For now, have you or a friend experienced brokenness? And what did you do about it in your grief? Did you reach out to God? Do you need help reaching out to God?  Tell me about it below or share it privately at [email protected]

Oh Daughter Of God

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On February 2, 2024

In Poetry

Why have you cast yourself down
Oh Daughter of the Living God?

Do not forget your crown!
Why do you let yourself be drowned?

Lift up your heart and cry out to God!
Stand as victor with Him,
     and in His peace be shod!

Rejoice and abide in the Living Crown,
Oh daughter of the Living God.

Why I Started Inspired Daughters Blog

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On February 2, 2024

In Uncategorized

Are you inspired? Are you looking for inspiration? Are you looking for encouragement or answers? I’m sure you’re not looking for stories that have been repeated in the same exact language from generation to generation without a deeper look or a different perspective. Today I want to share with you my story about why I decided to begin this blog and what my purpose is in writing.

Inspire

I’m always looking for something inspiring and fresh ways to observe what I already know. I’m always looking for ideas and there’s no better place to share that than in a blog. My story begins when I was experiencing a lot of trials in which I was working to come closer to God and I kept feeling like I was getting the wind knocked out of me every time I would make a new observation and commit myself to keeping it.

I’m His daughter

I have always read about God being my Father in Heaven and I have always recognized that. However, one day, an acquaintance of mine said something that totally blew my mind! It should not have. I mean, I had thought about this thing, but I just didn’t know completely what I thought about it. She called me a Daughter of God. I think I just kind of went numb with shock because just hearing that statement at the time I heard it . . . well, it kind of knocked me in my core.

Reality Check

I knew it was true what she was saying and I knew that I had been searching for statements about that very thing. I had just never heard anyone say it out loud. In all my life, I had not heard anyone state beliefs out loud that I held dear in myself like that. Because of this conversation, I was super inspired and all I could think to do was to write about it any chance I got.

Same Old Thing?

I have often felt that we studied and discussed the same things in group studies that we had always discussed and that there seemed to be no variation. It seemed that I was having difficulty finding inspiration in it. I felt that because I have been the youngest person in most of the groups I have studied with that I didn’t have a place for my voice.

A Peach?

 If we were ripe apples on the tree, I would be a peach. I have not seemed to have the same vision and mission that the people around me have. I realize that everyone is given gifts by God. I also realize that some gifts seem to be extremely different than the norm. There are people who view these differences as a threat or a danger. God gives different gifts so that His people can complement each other in ministry. Paul mentions this in his different letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Ephesians.

Belonging

When I was a young girl, I experienced a lot of bullying because I didn’t do the same things the other girls did. I didn’t think the way they thought. I didn’t observe the same way they observed. It was tough because I had a different perspective. We are always going to meet people who think and act differently than ourselves. Just because it is different, it does not mean it is wrong or broken.

It IS broke! Fix it!

An example of this is found in the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it!” To me that’s like repeating the same verse in a song or the same statement of belief every day without making a conscious thought about it. Conscious thought is life-changing. Conscious thought is inspiring. Conscious thought and vision is motivating. It’s what builds great leaders. It’s what builds this Daughter of God. So maybe the thing that we think isn’t broken is because it has been a habit for so many months or years. Maybe it’s broken into a monotonous rhetoric of habit like a wheel turning on an exercise bike. It just turns and turns and turns and it doesn’t go anywhere. There’s no inspiration or motivation behind it except what was in the past is still in the present. Maybe if we put a wheel on the front of that exercise bike and search for places to go, we get an observation of the present and a vision for the near future and that bike is not just for exercise anymore. That bike is taking us on the mission where our vision is leading.  

My Epiphany

This is where inspiration comes in! I don’t like repeating the same thing over and over again. I’m not a robot. I don’t like doing everything that everyone else around me is doing. I’m not them. God didn’t make us alike. He made us all to be different. All my life I have been “the different one.” I laugh sometimes when I think of that because I was not always okay with my differences because I was often told how annoying my differences are. One day, though, I had an epiphany of an experience. I was practicing singing with a group of other ladies. At one point, the choir director stopped abruptly and yelled at me in a defiantly annoyed manner. She yelled, “Why do you always have to be different than everyone else!” Wow! She was so angry and so pointed! I didn’t even realize I was doing anything different. I was just being who I am. It was the one time that I publicly stated out loud that “for the first time in my life, I like who I am and that I don’t have a problem with me.”

Aspiring to Inspire

So this is my story, my inspiration behind this blog. I want to write things that I’m inspired by so that I can inspire you, God’s Daughters.

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