Author: kmhyden

Girl Tribe

I have this group of girlfriends that I’ve come to know and love over the past year. The Lord brought them into my life when I needed life-giving friendships and encouragement more than ever before. These women represent the true heart of God. They are transparent, they are open, they are love, and they are full of joy. We laugh, we cry, and we have fun. And what is most unique about this group…every single woman WANTS to be there for the rest. When someone’s child is getting baptized, we’re there, yelling and clapping the loudest, taking video or taking pictures. When someone is going through a hard time, we’re there, praying and comforting and texting to check on them. When I’m struggling or having a hard time with something, they’re all there, not with judgment and condemnation, but with love and support and encouragement. These are the women that I want to walk beside and share life with.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing these women into my life with their beautiful souls, love, laughter and hearts of gold.

I didn’t want this Christmas season to pass or this year to end without expressing my deepest gratitude for the gift they are to me.

To Shana, thank you for welcoming me to your group, for leading our group with your insightfulness into God’s Word, and allowing me to be me (even the crazy note-taking part of me!).

To Kristel, thank you for opening your home each week to all of us and not only allowing us to be open and transparent, but also by checking on us throughout the week or even weeks later to see how things are going.

To Tanya, thank you for the amazing prayer warrior that you are. Your prayers are so full of the Spirit, it’s as if angels sing every time you pray!

To Stacia, thank you for your strength. I don’t even know your full story yet, but to hear how you encourage everyone in the group, despite what you may be going through yourself, your strength in the Lord amazes me all the time.

To Maddie, thank you for bringing youthfulness to our group. I love that our group spans many ages and seasons of life. You have wisdom beyond your years and I’m so happy to have you as a dear friend.

To Lacy, thank you for inviting me to the group. I know that meeting you when I was a youth leader was God-appointed and I’ll forever be thankful for you and the friendship we’ve developed over this past year.

To Mary Ann, thank you for your smile. I love being around you; you are always so happy and full of joy. There’s always laughter when you’re around and I love that about you so much!

To Natali, thank you for being genuine. You don’t ever hesitate to share the good or the bad, the struggles and the victories. I learn so much by listening to you, and I also love hearing what you’re reading about in the Bible. You help me to see being transparent is a good thing when you’re with the right group of women.

To Kristina, thank you for all you’ve done for me inside and outside of the group. I love watching you with your girls and your family. You have a beautiful spirit about you. Not only am I blessed to know you, but I know your family is as well.

To Jennifer, thank you for your words of encouragement. You have a way of offering just the right words when someone is struggling. You’re not ashamed to draw from your past to share God’s love with everyone around you.

To Patricia, thank you for sharing God’s Light to every person you meet. You have a unique business and gift and I love hearing about the women you encounter and how you help them and heal them.

I think God for each one of you. Thank you for your beautiful friendship!

Proverbs 27:9 (NLT), “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”

1 John 4:7 (NLT), “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”

God Snippets

Has God ever spoken to you through daily activities or using practical experiences? Every now and then, God will speak to me through my daily activities or interactions with my son. I do my best to write them down so that I can remember them and share them. One of the three I’m going to share with you came to me a few years ago; the other two came just recently.

Windshields

As I was driving to work one morning and the sun hit my windshield, I noticed how dirty my windshield looked.  However, when the sun wasn’t shining directly on it, the windshield looked clean and normal. And then I realized, it’s the same with God. In the darkness, all our dirty spots are covered up and seem normal to us. But when the Light hits, all the dirty spots are exposed, showing us exactly what needs to be cleansed and purified by God.

John 12:46, NLT says, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.”

Shopping Carts

My son has reached the age where now instead of being a passive participant and riding in the shopping cart, he wants to be an active participant and push the cart.  Plus, he doesn’t want my help.  As he says, “I do it Mama. Don’t help!” And I politely tell him, as I’m still holding on to the cart, that I do need to help him. I remind him that he isn’t tall enough yet to see over the handles, so I need to help guide him, because I can see what he can’t see.

And it reminded me that we are the same way with God. We think we have it all figured out; that we know where to go and what’s in front of us. But God reminds us, sometimes gently, sometimes not (for those extra stubborn ones), that HE CAN see what’s ahead of us. We only think we have it all figured out when we really don’t. If we don’t tender our heart to His guidance, we’re going to crash straight into everything He’s trying to help us avoid!

Proverbs 29:18, NLT says, “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”

“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.” (Job 12:13, NLT)

Don’t be the strong-willed child, thinking you can do it all on your own. Listen for God’s voice and guidance so you’ll avoid crashing into the things you never saw coming.

Convenience Stores

I was driving past a convenience store and noticed they are changing the exterior of the building.  I have no idea what they’re actually doing or how they’re changing it. But I had the thought, “Unless they change the inside, it won’t matter what the outside looks like.  It’ll still be old and dirty inside.”

And then I realized, it’s the same thing with us (people). You can change your outward appearance as much as you want…your hair color, your hair length, your nails, workout, eat better…whatever it is you’re trying to change. But if you don’t work on changing the inside, your heart, none of it matters.  All the ugliness will still be inside.

Luke 6:45, NLT says, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Proverbs 26:23, NLT says, “Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.”

And Proverbs 27:19, NLT says, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.”

Start the work on your inside, your heart, and the rest will fall into place.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, NLT)

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)

God is always speaking to us no matter what we’re doing; it’s us that need to be listening for His gentle, guiding voice. I hope these help you to see God and His lessons in the things you do every day.

Goodness of God

Do you ever get down in a rut and feel like everything around you is just harder than normal? That’s where I am right now.  Everything just feels hard…marriage is hard; being a mom is hard; even my easy-going work place is suddenly just hard. It feels like nothing is going right, my schedule is all out of whack, and I can’t do anything right. For instance, the other day I got home, turned off the alarm (or so I thought), went to get my dog & the alarm sounded off.  Rather LOUDLY, I might add!  I got it turned off, but then had to call my husband to figure out how to clear it out so I could set it again and leave the house.  Then, as I was told later, I forgot to actually lock the door when I left!  Geez! Everything just feels hard, and nothing is going according to my normal schedule.  And to top it off, I tried to fast last week and EPICALLY FAILED at that!  I mean, I can’t even be a good Christian right now!! 

EVERYTHING.

IS.

HARD.

BUT GOD.

GOD IS GOOD.

HE IS SO, SO GOOD!!!

In all the hard mess, I forgot the ONE THING, the EASIEST thing…give it to God (I believe I did say I was failing at being a good Christian.).

I went to my weekly bible study group this week…to my group of transparent Christian women who love me and accept me for who I am. When I needed a place to land and some new friends, they welcomed me with open arms. When I walked in this week, I was carrying the weight of feeling like a failure at all the things; feeling like as soon as I opened my mouth, I would be a puddle on the floor. But that feeling quickly faded as we took turns sharing about our week. When it was my turn to share, I told them how I’d been feeling and all the failure qualities going on in my life. They didn’t judge me or condemn me…they loved on me, they encouraged me, and they reminded me of God’s grace and mercy and unconditional love.  

After sharing about our week, we took some time talking about different songs that have affected us in some way. Songs that helped us through hard times, through tough situations, or that just brought back good memories. I’ve been soaking in some good worship music since we met, and I wanted to share some excerpts from the different songs shared in the group.

For Kristina (Oceans, by Hillsong UNITED)

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

For Jennifer (Praise You in This Storm, by Casting Crowns)

And I’ll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I’ve cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

For Mary Ann (Lord, I Need You, by Matt Maher)

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You

Every hour, I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

For Maddie (Same God, by Elevation Worship)

O God, my God, I need you

O God, my God, I need You now

How I need You now

O Rock, O Rock of ages

I’m standing on Your faithfulness

On Your faithfulness

For Kristel (How Great Thou Art, version by Carrie Underwood)

Oh Lord, my God

When I, in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder

Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee

How great Thou art, how great Thou art

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee

How great Thou art, how great Thou art

For Stacia (In Jesus Name, by Katy Nichole)

I speak the name of Jesus over you

In your hurting, in your sorrow

I will ask my God to move

I speak the name ‘cause it’s all that I can do

In desperation, I’ll seek Heaven

And pray this for you

I pray for your healing

That circumstances would change

I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus name

I pray that a breakthrough would happen today

I pray miracles over your life in Jesus name, in Jesus name

For Shana (Great Are You Lord, by Casting Crowns)

You give life, You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope, You restore

Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour our praise to You only

For Natali (Show Me Your Glory, by Third Day)

Show me Your Glory

Send down Your presence

I want to see Your face

Show me Your Glory

Majesty shines about You

I can’t go on without You, Lord

For Lacy (The Gift, by Garth Brooks)

Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness

Maria, what brings you to me

If the bird in the cage is your offering

Open the door, let me see

Though she trembled, she did as he asked her

And out of the cage the bird flew

Soaring into the rafters

On a wing that had healed good as new

Just then the midnight bells rang out

And the little bird started to sing

A song that no words could recapture

Whose beauty was fit for a king

Now Maria felt blessed just to listen

To that cascade of notes sweet and long

As her offering was lifted to heaven

By the very first nightingale’s song

And Me (Trust in You, by Lauren Daigle)

Letting go of every single dream

I lay each one at Your feet

Every moment of my wandering

Never changes what You see

I’ve tried to win this war, I confess

My hands are weary, I need Your rest

Mighty warrior, King of the fight

No matter what I face, You’re by my side

When You don’t move the mountains

I’m needing You to move

When You don’t part the waters

I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers

As I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You

And for anyone still reading this blog, I hope you heard the music as you read each song snippet and God spoke to you through the words.  Sometimes just a small touch of God is all we need to get over the hump, to get through a rough patch, or to bring some joy into our day. Is there a song that you’ve clung to through a hard season or difficult time in your life? I’d love for you to share it with me.

Before I go, I want to leave you with one last song, the Goodness of God, by Elevation Worship. The day after my bible study, I listed to this on repeat and asked God to rain His goodness, His peace, His mercy and His grace over me.  It’s already getting better. =)

I love you, Lord

For Your mercy never fails me

All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful

All my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice

You have led me through the fire

In the darkest night

You are close like no other

I’ve known You as a Father

I’ve known You as a Friend

And I have lived in the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful

All my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I Am an Israelite

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is the story of the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness. There’s so much of the story to tell of their 40-year journey that it stretches through FIVE books of the Bible (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy & Joshua).

I am always amazed every time I read through their story. Amazed at all the miracles God did for them and also amazed at how rebellious they were despite all the great things God was doing for them their entire journey! I mean, Moses raised his staff to a sea of water and it not only parted, but it allowed two million…T-W-O M-I-L-L-I-O-N people to walk across the sea, on dry ground to get to the other side! How on earth does someone forget such an amazing miracle like that!?! (Exodus 14)

And yet, we do the same thing. We pray to God for something to happen in our lives—a new job, a husband, children, a cure, financial blessing—whatever it is that we desperately want to see changed in our lives. We pray to God, we seek His face, we read our Bible, and we pray some more. And because of the “always-in-a-hurry-fast-paced” society we live in, we expect God to move at that pace, too. And when His timing isn’t the same as ours, we complain that He doesn’t hear us, He doesn’t see us, or He doesn’t love us anymore!

Who do we sound like now? The Israelites.

I’ve always heard pastors tell the story of the Israelites or speakers share about it at women’s conferences. They always say how we’re not any different than the Israelites. We complain to God just like they did, when things don’t go our way or when God is taking longer to fulfill promises than we would like. And I’ve always sat and listened to those messages and thought to myself, “I’m not like the Israelites! Those people were so selfish! They started complaining the moment they left Egypt:

‘Our journey is too long. We’re hungry!‘

‘We’ve been walking in this desert for three days and we’re thirsty!‘

‘Why did you take us out of Egypt? We were slaves, but at least we had food and water!‘

‘Why did you bring us to the desert to die?’

I mean, seriously?!? Talk about the most ungrateful group of people!” (Exodus 15, 16, 17)

Then last week, I was at bible study giving a friend an encouraging word about a job. She shared with us how she needed to find a job and had some great interviews, but no one offered up the job to her afterward. So, I shared with her one of my job experiences. At the time, I was bored with the job I had, so I applied for a new job.  It ended up being about a six-month process between resume submission, phone interviews, different tests I had to take and then the final interview. After the final interview, I received word that the employer had chosen to take a different path and that was that. I eventually moved on to a new job. Almost two years later, I was very unhappy in that job and was praying for God to move in my situation. He did. I got a call from the job I had previously interviewed with that had told me they “had chosen to take a different path.” They had an opening and needed to fill the spot quickly. They remembered me from when I was interviewed before and asked if I was still interested in the job. Needless to say, two weeks later I started my new job with them and I’m still there today. The point I was making to my bible study friend was that just because they’re not calling you now, doesn’t mean they won’t call you in the future. Hopefully for her sake, it doesn’t take two years, but an encouraging story nonetheless. So, after bible study I was driving home and thinking about that job story again. And I began to think through all the blessings God had given; the places where He met me in my weak moments, in my desperate moments, and in my tearful, heart-wrenching moments; God was there with me for every single one. And in every single one of those moments, I realized I had complained to God for not answering those prayers in MY TIME. I had received a blessing from Him, moved about my life, until the next time I began praying for something I wanted or a direction I wanted to take and when He didn’t answer me, I complained. I forgot all about the previous blessing and the miraculous power He used to make that “thing” I wanted a possibility. 

And then it hit me…I AM AN ISRAELITE!  I am just like them! Moaning and complaining when something isn’t going my way or I’m not getting what I want, when I want it and forgetting all about the things God has already done and given me in my life. Dang it! I am just like them!

God has blessed me over and over during different situations and hard seasons. How is it that I forget the amazing things He has done for me and my family? How do I let my faith sway and think He won’t bless me this time? God shows up each and every time I need Him or have something I want or need. He doesn’t fail me. He doesn’t forsake me. He doesn’t say, “Well, Kara, I gave you something last time you asked, you need to be satisfied with that and not ask for anything else. I need to bless other people also.” He doesn’t say that!  Ever! There may be some spaces in time between His blessings, but it doesn’t mean He won’t bless me again! He is always faithful.

God is the immovable, unshakable, everlasting, promise-keeping, uncompromising, miracle-working God.

His promises never return void.

His love never ends.

His blessings never cease.

He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, and our Strength.

Our trustworthy companion.

Our Comfort and our Peace.

God gives healing, freedom, victory, forgiveness, and eternal life.

I am an Israelite and so are you! May we soak in that truth, but also remember that God is always moving in the background and is “able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20, NKJV)

Waiting on the Promise (Part 2)

Back in early October, the women’s ministry at my church hosted their annual Cherished Conference in Ruidoso, New Mexico. On Friday morning each year, different women are asked to teach breakout sessions about various topics. This year I was asked to teach one of the breakout sessions and the topic I was given was about God’s promises. This is a topic I’m very familiar with as it is something that I walked through for many years while I waited on God’s promise to me to be fulfilled.

I’d like to share my breakout session with you as a two-part blog. A few weeks ago I shared my personal testimony in Part 1. Today, I am sharing Part 2 of the session, which is offering encouragement and how to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.

Here is “Waiting on the Promise” Part 2…

God’s promises to us are different in so many ways yet are the same. There’s not a set time frame for one promise over another. The fulfilment of my promise took 17 years. Maybe yours take more; maybe it takes less. But when God gives you a promise, He will deliver it when He says it’s time.

Which brings me to the second part of the message: how to get through the waiting process. It’s not easy being patient and waiting on God to move. On our terms, He moves slower than a turtle stuck in molasses! But in God’s eyes, He’s not deliberately being slow because He sees everything! He sees the things that we cannot see. He could be saving us from greater heartache by delaying the promise until the timing is just perfect. We see the time as delayed, but He sees it as working all things together for our good. Our. Good.

I want to share with you some different ways to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.

  1. There is no time limit or expiration date on the promise God has given you. If He says He’ll do something or give something to you, He will.

Hebrews 11:11 (NLT), “It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.”  And He did.

I don’t know if you kept up with the math during my testimony, but I was 46 years old when I had my son back in November. That’s quite a bit past normal child-bearing years these days. But just like God kept His promise to Sarah, He kept his promise to me! And whatever promise you wrote in the blank on the piece of paper I mentioned last week, know that He will deliver that promise to you, too! He knows the desires of your heart and will give them to you! (Psalms 20:4 & 37:4)

2. Find an outlet (something to do or something else to think about) when you feel your faith is being tested beyond what you think you can handle.

James 1:3 (NLT), “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

For me, my outlet was writing. That’s the main reason I have this blog; so I can use it to write about my circumstances, feelings at certain times and general thoughts on the waiting process.  For my husband, he found that serving God was a good outlet for him when times were difficult. Your outlet can be anything! Maybe you like to craft or exercise; maybe you like to cook or garden…maybe you just want to sit in God’s presence and listen to worship music. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit quietly in His presence.

Just remember that whatever you do to help pass your time, make sure it’s encouraging and positive!

3. Watch your words.

Proverbs 18:21 (MSG), “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.”

Romans 4:17-18 (TPT), “That’s what the Scripture means when it says: ‘I have made you the father of many nations.’ He (Abraham) is our example and father, for in God’s presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet. Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it…”

Speak only life to your dreams or what you’re waiting for. Don’t give in to negative speak or thoughts. I told you in my testimony when I didn’t do this very well. I let the negative thoughts take hold of me and they held me captive for quite a while. It’s okay to get angry and frustrated; we’re human and it’s going to happen. Just don’t live there! Be angry…for a time and then let it go! Find a friend that you trust to let you vent when you need to, but someone that can also encourage you and lift you up when you need it.

There was a time several years ago when I was very unhappy in my job. I worked for two men, one a VP and the other a COO. My VP boss was absolutely horrible! He would say the most hateful things to me and when he walked out, I would just cry at my desk. I couldn’t understand why God had me in such an awful place! I wanted to quit so bad! But I couldn’t because my husband had just lost his job, and this was our only source of income.

I was sharing my frustration with a friend, and she encouraged me to speak life into my job; to thank God for my job and to also thank Him for my next job. She even told me to speak that God would either move one or both of them or, move me. I have to say I didn’t truly believe that at first when I spoke it, but shortly after, the COO left the company! I couldn’t believe it! So, I really started speaking to it with purpose. Within the next six months, I had a call from a previous place I had interviewed with prior to taking the current job. It had been TWO YEARS since I interviewed with them, and they had an opening that needed to be filled quickly and they were curious if I was still interested. Y-E-S! Yes, I absolutely was still interested. I went in for another interview the next week, and two days after I was turning in my two-week resignation and started the new job. I just celebrated 10 years back in June.

Speak to your promise…God does hear you! And He does move!

4. Be content in your current circumstances.

Hebrews 10:35-36, “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great rewards it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”

It’s hard to be content in your circumstances when you desperately want them to change, when you want to start experiencing the next season of life. But when you embrace your current season, you give God room to move.

I had to embrace my pre-baby season and one of the ways was to host baby showers for friends. At times, it was nearly impossible to put on my happy face for my friends…they were living the life I desperately wanted.  But even in those hard times, God was there with me.

And the last way to keep your faith strong during the waiting process,

5. Pray.

Prayer is a very powerful tool and it’s always with you. You can pray anytime and anywhere! It’s always good to pray freely, but sometimes it’s easier to write out specific prayers, too.

I’ve used several different ways to write out prayers using scripture.

A. One way is to search the Bible for specific prayers that speak to you and/or your situation. I have a few scriptures that I love and would always pray during my waiting period:

Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Same scripture in the Passion Translation: Ephesians 3:20-21 (TPT), “Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!”

Another favorite of mine is Isaiah 40:31 (NLT), “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

And the last one I’ll write out: Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 (TPT), “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.

(v6) And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.”

B. Matthew 5 contains The Beatitudes and they make a great & easy way to start praying scripture.

Matthew 5:3-12 (NLT), “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”

C. The book, Fervent, by Priscilla Shirer is a great option for specific prayer.

The subtext on the book cover even says, “A woman’s battle plan for serious, specific and strategic prayer.” Each chapter in the book talks about different areas and how to write out scripture prayers to pray for different things.

D. Friends.

I have a friend that is very good at writing scripture prayer. I had visited with her in late 2015 (after the dark period) and updated her on all that we had gone through and our current circumstances. She wrote out a prayer for me to pray for my babies. The prayer was loaded with scripture and self-declarations. And I remember I would stand in my living room and boldly recite that prayer almost every day! And then I took her prayer for me and I wrote a shorter, more specific pray to my unborn baby.

It doesn’t matter what your Promise is…God is always going to come through for you!!

As the song goes, God is the Waymaker. He is the Miracle Worker. He is the Promise Keeper. And He is the Light in the darkness.

There are days I feel every bit of 47! And as my husband noted about a month after our son was born, raising a baby is nothing like taking care of a dog!! Lol! (joke from Part 1)

It was never my plan to have a child this late in life, but it was my dream to have one. God chose the time.

He determined that my story would include a miracle baby at age 46.

He determined that my son would be born at this exact moment in time.

God plans everything to the finest detail. He is not wrong. He is not late.

Luke 1:37 says, “For the word of God will never fail.”

If He tells you He’ll do something, He will.

His timing is perfect. His plans are perfect. Your promise will be fulfilled at the exact time God has designed it to happen.

The fulfillment of your promise will be exceedingly abundantly BEYOND ALL you can ask or think because God will do exactly what He says he’ll do.

It will not return void and it will not expire.

Keep praying, speaking, and believing for the fulfillment of God’s promise to you.

Thank you for letting me share my breakout session with you about my personal journey of waiting on God’s promise to be fulfilled. I pray God spoke to you as you read Part 1 and Part 2. And I pray that if you are still waiting on the fulfilment of God’s promise to you, these words brought you hope and encouragement for your journey. If you would like a copy of the prayer my friend wrote for me, please message me or comment your email and I will gladly send it to you. If I can pray for you in any way, please let me know.

This Time Last Year

This past weekend had some ups and downs as a mom. Saturday was good because my baby was in a good mood, and we did a lot of playing. But then Sunday came, and he wasn’t having any of it. We think his molars are starting to break through so his little mouth has been really sore. We took Sunday as a teething day and just snuggled, which to me, is one of the best parts of motherhood…the snuggles!

As I was snuggling with him this weekend, I began to reminisce a bit about this time last year. This specific weekend last year, we were getting ready to go to the hospital for his delivery. Although I personally have no frame of reference, it wasn’t the easiest or quickest of deliveries!

On Saturday, one year ago, we were finishing the paint in his room. We had the furniture, although not put together yet. Lol! We were told not to worry about whether his nursery would be ready before his arrival because most babies don’t even sleep in their own room for the first year. And he hasn’t. At all. I remember we had picked a very light shade of gray; it’s so light it looks almost white. But we did it this way because all of his furniture is dark gray. We had actually finished painting the room the day before, but because the paint color was in different cans, it somehow showed up as two different colors on the walls. So, we took Saturday and repainted the whole room so in our eyes it would all match. We had been told by my doctor to check in at midnight, so we had all of Saturday to get ready. I hadn’t had any contractions or Braxton-Hicks; he was just patiently chilling in my cozy stomach, so it was a pleasant day. We packed our hospital bags, dropped our dog at our nephew’s house and headed to the hospital. It was exciting and scary all at the same time. I had gotten some cute “mom” socks to wear in the hospital so once we were settled in our room, I had my hubby take the picture for the social media update.

I was checked on every 3-4 hours once we were settled, so sleep was intermittent. Withholding the graphic speak, my doctor wanted to do some prep work on my body so the first day was mostly just waiting for things to occur. By10:15p on Sunday night, I was only dilated to a 1. Thanks to my social media post, most of my friends were anxiously awaiting my “welcome to the world baby boy” post, so they started texting when it never came. Early Monday morning things started to progress a little better. The doctor started the Pitocin, I got the epidural (I wasn’t about to let that window pass me by!!) and then the doctor broke my water about 6:15a that morning. After that, everything was on a roller coaster…I would progress more and then it would slow down, and I would progress more and then it would slow down. Finally, about 10:30p Monday night, I was 100% effaced and dilated to a 9-1/2. The doctor could feel his head but wanted him to drop a little more so I wouldn’t have to work so hard.

To pass the time, my husband and I started looking at famous people born on November 23 and 24. Not that we had any control over when he would actually arrive, it was fun to check and see who he would share his birthday with. Well, by the time they were ready for me to push, it was already November 24, so guess that would be his birthday. As a side note, I had had a sonogram the day before we reported to the hospital to check in and I had seen the size of his head. I told my husband I wasn’t looking forward to that part because his head had measured so big!

After pushing for 3-1/2 hours with hardly any progress, they determined his head wasn’t going to fit and it would be best to switch to a c-section. I was more than okay with that. I will say it’s amazing how quickly the doctors and nurses can have you ready for a c-section when time is of the essence! I had stopped pushing about 3:30 and baby boy was born at 4:01am. I was so excited he was finally here, but also so exhausted! I had been awake for more than 24 hours during that last day. And by the way, the crown of his head measured at 14” at birth!

So compared to this time last year, I would say the days were less eventful. Saturday was spent doing what most Americans do during the fall on the weekend…watch football. And hang Christmas lights! No last-minute preparations to do on the baby’s nursery this year. And to let you know, we almost have it fully decorated, even though he doesn’t sleep in there quite yet. Sunday was spent snuggling baby boy-almost toddler because of the next set of teeth trying to break their way through his gums. No laying around waiting for body parts to be ready for baby delivery. I’ll take the baby snuggles any day of the week! <heart>

The only preparations we’re doing now is getting everything ready for his first birthday! Although the labor and delivery were less than ideal, we wouldn’t trade the experience for anything if it still gives us YOU! We love you so much kiddo! And watching all your transformations over the past year, watching you grow into the cutest little human, watching you discover all the things and experiencing it with you, has been pure joy!

Happy Birthday Baby James!!

Waiting on the Promise (Part 1)

Back in early October, the women’s ministry at my church hosted their annual Cherished Conference in Ruidoso, New Mexico. On Friday morning each year, different women are asked to teach breakout sessions about various topics. This year I was asked to teach one of the breakout sessions and the topic I was given was about God’s promises. This is a topic I’m very familiar with as it is something that I walked through for many years while I waited on God’s promise to me to be fulfilled.

I’d like to share my breakout session with you as a two-part blog. Part 1 will be my personal journey and testimony of waiting on the fulfillment of God’s promise to me. And Part 2 will be some encouragement for those that are still waiting on your promise from God to be fulfilled.

Here is “Waiting on the Promise” Part 1…

God’s promises to us are different in so many ways yet are the same. There’s not a set time frame for one promise over another. Maybe you’re single and you’re waiting on God to bring you a husband; maybe you’re married and you’re waiting on God to bring you a baby. Maybe you’ve been saving awhile for God to bring you a new car or a new home. Maybe you’ve been working for a horrible boss or with co-workers you don’t like and you’re waiting on God to bring you a new job. Maybe you’re waiting on your treatment to finish for the “all clear” or waiting on a cure for something. Or maybe, you prayed Proverbs 22:6 over your children as they were growing up and now, you’re waiting for the promise of the prodigal child to turn to God and return home.

Whatever your promise is, God knows it. He hears you. He sees you. And as Romans 8:28 says it, “He’s working all things together for your good.”

I’d like you to find a piece of paper and at the top write this statement:

I am waiting on God’s promise of _____________ to be fulfilled.

Fill in the blank with the promise that you’re waiting on God to fulfill for you. As you read through my testimony and hopefully Part 2 of the blog, I hope you allow God to speak to you through this message and find comfort in knowing God has not forgotten about you or the promise you’re waiting on.

I want to start out by telling you a little bit about me and my story. This is something that I have walked through and have seen the fulfilment of God’s promise to me.

My promise was about having a baby and being a Mom.

Like many women, there’s always been a dream of growing up, getting married & having kids. My plan was to get married & have all my kids (3) by the time I turned 30. That way, I could live the rest of my days raising kids with my husband…the American Dream, right!?!

Well, as I’ve learned and I’m sure you have learned too, our plans are not always God’s plans. Those plans, or parts of them, may turn in to reality at some point, but not always the way we think or dream it to be.

My husband and I were in our late 20’s when we got married in 2003. We had dated for quite a while, so I was more than ready to get going on the family part. But my husband said we should own a dog for at least a year before having kids so we could learn to be responsible for something other than ourselves. So, in December 2004, we got Daisy.

Well, the year of owning a dog first came and went, as did life and everything else. So let’s fast forward to 2013.

We had finally decided to start trying to make a baby. I bought an ovulation kit to help make things easier and after only one month, we were pregnant! We were so excited!!  It’d been almost 10 years since we got married and it was time to move forward.

I did a couple of home pregnancy tests and then went to the doctor for the actual confirmation. They said I was about 5 weeks, so they set an appointment for me to go back in a few weeks to hear the heartbeat. We called our families and told our friends. Everyone was so excited for us!

We went in at week 7 for the first ultrasound to see the baby and hear the heartbeat. We were disappointed that we didn’t hear the heartbeat. But friends told us not to worry as most people don’t hear the heartbeat until weeks 8-10. The doctor wanted us to come back the following week and try again so we did and had the same results. The doctor seemed more concerned this time and sent me to have some blood work done to check my HCG level. In her opinion, the pregnancy was likely a miscarriage because the baby hadn’t grown any since the previous week, but the blood test would tell us for sure.

The gravity of the whole experience hit us like a ton of bricks. To go from ecstatic to devastated in a matter of weeks was something we hadn’t experienced before.

The pregnancy ultimately ended in a miscarriage as the baby never grew past 7 weeks and 1 day. To say miscarriage is a hard thing to walk through would be putting it mildly. You can work through your pain and move forward, but it’s something that stays with you. I could be walking in a store and all of a sudden break down in tears. I would get embarrassed because I would just randomly start crying. But a dear friend told me that when I needed to cry, just cry.

About a month later, once everything was finished, I went back in for a checkup. My doctor wanted to send me to a fertility doctor, but we weren’t interested. According to my husband, we were still young enough to try again and didn’t need the expensive measures. We just needed time to grieve.

But by the end of 2013, we still weren’t pregnant again, so I decided to check with a fertility doctor. Although we had been praying and fasting for me to get pregnant again, I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with me, and nothing was preventing the process. I went through a series of tests and appointments and then decided to have a procedure done just to make sure all was well. A few days before I was to have the procedure, I developed a blood clot in my right leg, which turned out to be a side effect of some of the medicine my doctor had prescribed. I was in the hospital for a few days to clear the blood clot. While I was there, my fertility doctor visited with me and told me we now had to refrain from trying to get pregnant for 6 months! I was really disappointed. It had already been more than a year since we had the miscarriage, and I still wasn’t pregnant. And now we would have to wait for SIX MONTHS before we could try again!?!

Well, that brings us to 2015. I was so excited and ready to go back to see the fertility doctor so we could start everything again. But, by the next appointment everything had changed. I was told I only had a 1% chance of conceiving a child naturally. What!?! The news completely devastated me! The one dream I had always wanted and pursued for so long was now shattered into a million pieces!

I’m not going to lie to you…this news was hard to hear and come to grips with. On top of all of that, our dog Daisy passed away. So now within a two-year time frame, we’d miscarried a baby, had a blood clot, lost our beloved dog, and told our chances of conceiving a baby were slim to none. This was too much! I felt like God had actually given me more than I could handle!

After this, I went into a dark period for a while. I was mad! I was angry! I was frustrated! I stopped praying. The time in my life when I needed God the most, I just stopped talking to Him altogether. I told myself there was no use in fasting or praying because it didn’t work. I had been praying and believing for a baby for so long and it didn’t get me anywhere but heartbroken!

With my frustration, I started withdrawing from a lot of things. I still went to church and put on my happy face, but I stood in the back with my arms crossed and refused to sing and worship. I truly didn’t see the point.

Then one day, a friend of mine asked me to lunch. I had thought about pouring out my heart to her, but I still wasn’t sure I was ready to be so vulnerable or even just to not be so mad. Do you know that God still loves us in our darkest places? And that even if we think we’re done with Him (even temporarily), He’s not done with us? Lunch with my friend that day turned my world around!

I had put myself on an island thinking I was the only person going through this. My husband knew how I was feeling; he was even experiencing some of the same feelings himself. But my friend was a blessing in disguise! We met for lunch and talked until dinner…literally!! =) I felt so much better after talking to her. I just needed to share my feelings and let go of the negative so that God could refresh me and move me forward.

Later that year we decided to get a second opinion from a different fertility doctor. We were given the same answer, but this time, we decided to talk about our options. We took some time discussing our options and figuring out where the money would come from. Once we got everything worked out, we set the plan in motion for early 2017.

But our plans were halted again when we realized the fertility office misquoted the amount of money that was due. Being that fertility treatments are horribly expensive, we only had half of what we needed to pay for everything.  So, as we worked to figure out the rest of the money issue, I had another medical setback.

There’s a song that Lauren Daigle sings called “Trust in You”. The very first line of the song is:

Letting go of every single dream, I lay each one down at your feet…

This is what I had to do. I had to lay down my dream of having a baby at God’s feet. I finally realized that I was holding on so tight to my dream, that I wasn’t allowing God to freely move in my life and do what He needed to do. The chorus of the song says:

When you don’t move the mountains, I’m needing you to move

When you don’t part the waters, I wish I could walk through

When you don’t give the answers, as I cry out to you

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you.

And that’s exactly what I had to do! I had to put aside the money issues, the medical issues, the “Kara-get-out-of-the-way-and-let-God-move” issues and I had to TRUST HIM.

It’s amazing what can happen when we move out of the way and let God do what God does best…the impossible…the miracle work.

Now we’re in late 2019 and we’re ready to go. We’ve visited with the fertility office; we have the correct amount of funds, and everything is put into place to begin late February 2020. I was very excited, but also very nervous. There was still a quiet voice in the back of my mind saying, “What if…” But I was also too excited about the possibility of what was coming to give it a second thought!

I had a positive pregnancy test on March 19, 2020. We went to have the first check-up at 7 weeks. We were both nervous due to our last experience with a 7-week pregnancy, but God is so GOOD!! We heard the baby’s heartbeat, and it was good and strong!

And we heard his strong little heartbeat at every appointment up until the day he was born. We welcomed our baby, James Hyden, Jr to our family on November 24, 2020.  He was born at 4:01am and was 8lbs, 8oz and 22” long. He was born the day before his due date! Ironically, the first time in my household that a Hyden man has actually been early for anything!! Lol!

Our long-awaited promise was fulfilled! If you count the time from when we first got married, we waited 17 years for Baby James. I look in his precious face every single day and just feel God’s blessings pouring over me. He is my rainbow after the storm.

But the fulfillment of promises doesn’t always take 17 years. Maybe it takes more; maybe it takes less. But when God gives you a promise, He will deliver it when He says it’s time. God’s timing is different from ours, but the promise will not expire, and it will not return void! God keeps His word to us…every time!

Baby James at birth
Baby James 10 months old

Thank you for reading my testimony! I hope it brings you encouragement to know that no matter how long you’ve been waiting, God’s miracles still happen every single day. Please come back next week for Part 2 as I share the second half of my breakout session for ways to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.

My First Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day was a few weeks ago.  And for me, it was my very first Mother’s Day. It should’ve been my eighth, but it was my first.

You see, back in 2013, I would’ve celebrated my first mom-to-be Mother’s Day, but that dream was very short-lived.  In March, we had reason to celebrate that it would be a great year. But by April, we were wiping away our own tears and not in a celebratory mood. Our baby at the time didn’t survive past seven weeks.  Mother’s Day that year was just a mix of sadness, tears and broken hearts.

The next several years were mixed with waiting and trying and waiting and trying and waiting.  Lots and lots of waiting and lots and lots of praying.

Then in early 2020, before the world shutdown, we found out we were pregnant! You’d think it would be hard to be pregnant in such an environment as 2020, but it really wasn’t. I got to be at home most of my pregnancy, resting and relaxing and getting ready for our sweet boy’s arrival.  I know 2020 holds a lot of bad memories for people. But for us, 2020 was the year our dream came true; the year our prayers were answered; the year we brought home our son.

For Mother’s Day, my husband made sure it was extra special since it was the first one we got to celebrate.  He sent me flowers and showered me with sentimental gifts, all of which I love and wear proudly. But for me, the best part about Mother’s Day was introducing my son to his great-grandmother for the first time, face-to-face. You see, my grandmother has been in a nursing home for the past few years.  And with 2020, I had to tell her about my pregnancy through a glass door; we didn’t get to celebrate at all.  So, seeing her this weekend in person for the first time in over a year and introducing her to her newest great grandbaby was the highlight of my whole day! It was a beautiful day, and I will hold all the memories close to my heart for many years to come. For the women still waiting for your little miracle, keep praying and believing! I know the words fall short, because they always did for me on this day every year but do it anyway. My heart breaks with yours because I’ve been there. But I believe that one day soon, you’ll see your prayers answered, too!

My 1st Mother’s Day with my son, James
My grandmother meeting my son for the first time, face-to-face

December Scriptures

For the past few years, I have taken on the goal of reading my Bible through one of the one-year reading plans.  Mostly, I’ve used the NLT One-Year Chronological Bible. I seem to prefer this particular one because it’s written as it happened, in chronological order.  It’s interesting to me, when reading the Bible this way, how events in history transpired simultaneously through some of the different books and also the different order of the books from how the Bible is laid out.

Like I said, I read the One-Year Bible for several years using this particular version.  But last year, 2019, I didn’t just want to read the Bible, I wanted to make sure I got something out of the daily reading. So I decided I would find one verse or scripture passage that spoke the most to me during each day of Bible reading.

My goal was to read the Bible each day, highlight the specific verse or scripture passage that I found and then write it down to keep in a journal. I used a certain highlighter color so I could keep track of which verse I picked for the daily reading, versus other highlights already in there.

Then, late last year, I decided I wanted to do more with my daily verses, besides keeping them in a journal.  I wanted to share them. So for each month in 2020, I have posted the scriptures I found for that month in 2019.  Here we are in December of 2020 and this is my final scripture post from 2019.

My prayer for you is that as you read these scriptures that spoke to me last year, they will speak to you right here and now; either to something you’re searching for, an answer you need or just confirmation of what God has been speaking to you.

December 1—2 Corinthians 13:11

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

December 2—Acts 20:24

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

December 3—Acts 23:11

That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”

December 4—Acts 26:22-23

“…But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to the Jews and Gentiles alike.”

December 5—Acts 27:23-25

For last night an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, “Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.” So, take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.

December 6—Ephesians 2:5

…that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

December 7—Ephesians 4:16

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

December 8—Ephesians 6:18

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

December 9—Colossians 2:6-7

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

December 10—Philippians 2:10-11

…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

December 11—Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

December 12—James 2:13

There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

December 13—James 5:16

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and provides wonderful results.

December 14—1 Timothy 3:15

…so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

December 15—Titus 2:4-5

These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

December 16—2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

December 17—Hebrews 4:12

For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our inner most thoughts and desires.

December 18—Hebrews 6:17-18

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

December 19—Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

December 20—Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such as huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

December 21—1 Peter 1:17

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So, you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”

December 22—1 Peter 5:6-7

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

December 23—2 Peter 2:9

So, you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

December 24—1 John 3:23-24

And this is his commandment: we must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

December 25—1 John 4:7-8

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know god, for God is love.

December 26—Jude 1:20-22

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.

December 27—Revelation 3:7

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open…”

December 28—Revelation 7:17

“…For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

December 29—Revelation 14:6-7

And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”

December 30—Revelation 16:15

“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

December 31—Revelation 22:12

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

**All verses are written from the New Living Translation.

**The verses are taken from the NLT Chronological One-Year Bible from YouVersion

November Scriptures

November Scriptures

For the past few years, I have taken on the goal of reading my Bible through one of the one-year reading plans.  Mostly, I’ve used the NLT One-Year Chronological Bible. I seem to prefer this particular one because it’s written as it happened, in chronological order.  It’s interesting to me, when reading the Bible this way, how events in history transpired simultaneously through some of the different books and also the different order of the books from how the Bible is laid out.

Like I said, I read the One-Year Bible for several years using this particular version.  But last year, 2019, I didn’t just want to read the Bible, I wanted to make sure I got something out of the daily reading. So I decided I would find one verse or scripture passage that spoke the most to me during each day of Bible reading.

My goal was to read the Bible each day, highlight the specific verse or scripture passage that I found and then write it down to keep in a journal. I used a certain highlighter color so I could keep track of which verse I picked for the daily reading, versus other highlights already in there.

Then, late last year, I decided I wanted to do more with my daily verses, besides keeping them in a journal.  I wanted to share them. So for each month in 2020, I plan to post the scriptures I found for that month in 2019. 

My prayer for you is that as you read these scriptures that spoke to me last year, they will speak to you right here and now; either to something you’re searching for, an answer you need or just confirmation of what God has been speaking to you.

November 1—Matthew 26:41

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the Spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

November 2—Mark 14:62

Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

November 3—John 18:37

Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

November 4—Mark 15:38-39

And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

November 5—Matthew 28:6

He isn’t here!  He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

November 6—John 20:31

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

November 7—Acts 2:2-4

Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

November 8—Acts 4:29-30

And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of the holy servant Jesus.

November 9—Acts 7:59

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

November 10—Acts 9:18

Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

November 11—Acts 11:17

“And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

November 12—Acts 13:38-39

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.”

November 13—Galatians 1:10

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

November 14—Acts 15:11

“…we believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

November 15—Acts 15:35

Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.

November 16—1 Thessalonians 3:12

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

November 17—2 Thessalonians 1:11

So, we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

November 18—1 Corinthians 3:6-8

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

November 19—1 Corinthians 4:5

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

November 20—1 Corinthians 8:6

But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.

November 21—1 Corinthians 13:7

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

November 22—1 Corinthians 14:26

Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.

November 23—1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything in love.

November 24—Romans 3:23-24

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

November 25—Romans 6:16

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

November 26—Romans 8:28

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.

November 27—Romans 12:4-5

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

November 28—Romans 15:13

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

November 29—2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

November 30—2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure, “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

**All verses are written from the New Living Translation.

**The verses are taken from the NLT Chronological One-Year Bible from YouVersion