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The Scarless Pledge
[Guest post by Takiela Bynum: Do you struggle with self-harm? Are you ready to take the scarless pledge? So glad God brought Takiela to Devotional Diva to share this!] Some people cut for relief, I cut because I wanted to die. She’d taken several pain killers to prevent her from feeling any pain. Besides, she needed a backup plan in case the other thing didn’t work out. She located the vein, turned her head and quickly slid the razor across her flesh. She winced at the sharp sting. The warm ooze drizzled down her hand and left its trail on the hard wood floor. She climbed into bed and hoped for…
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Sink or Swim?
[Guest post by Sophia Reed: I hope you enjoy this inspiring story that shows no matter what, you can swim.] When I was 23 years old, I found myself in a situation that was going to change my life forever: I was going to be a mom. At 23 I was not doing bad for myself. I had a bachelor’s degree, my own place, and my own car; but I was far from being the ideal mother. My life up until that point consisted of living for myself, and although I considered myself a Christian, I was far from being Christlike, I still had a way to go in my…
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A Jonah Story
[Guest post by Onome. I love the way Onome looks at life’s situations and relates them back to the Lord. If you’ve ever felt like you’re in the belly of a giant fish, this is for you.] I was reading my five-year-old’s Bible one day when I ran into the Jonah story. Reading it through the eyes of a child gave me a better perspective. I was hit by the realization that Jonah was actually in the belly of a fish when he prayed and God heard him. I went back to read the passage from my Bible. In Jonah 1:17, the Bible recorded that God had prepared…
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I'm Moving On From A Painful Past
I have spent this summer introducing you to myself. Guest posting will return on September 2nd, but after today Devotional Diva is going on a short hiatus. I still have a lot of ideas for post topics, but last week I asked my husband what he thought I should write for my final post. Without asking for any of my ideas, he just replied, “You should write more about your life now.” He’s completely right. I’ve written quite a lot about my past this summer. It makes sense, because all of us draw on our past for hints on how to handle our futures. I’ve written about my physical assault at…
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Looking Back on My Physical Assault at Work
I believe my physical assault at work led to my downward spiral into depression and anxiety. But it also taught me about my own courage. I was already depressed. I had already suffered trauma. I was still physically sick. But I was trudging on. I tried to keep up with my job at Chuck E. Cheese. Chuck E. Cheese has a system in place that aims to ensure children’s safety called “Kid Check.” Families that enter together (adults included) all get a stamp with a number on their hand. That number is checked upon exit to make sure that kids leave with the right adults. Babies get a sticker with the…
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Top 10 Bible Verses About Marriage
Since wedding season is upon us, I decided to share my top 10 Bible verses about marriage. They aren’t actually all directly referring to marriage, but all of them are great to apply to marriage. In no particular order: 1. Ephesians 5: 25-33 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever…
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Celebrating My Next Chapter {Literally}
I, Renee Fisher, asked Maggie if I could share my exciting news with you all today! Don’t worry, she’ll be back next week to continue her journey here on DevotionalDiva.com. Today I am celebrating my next chapter {literally}. Today is my 32nd birthday and I have three B-I-G news to share! First, I am officially no longer working with MacGregor Literary Agency. That means I am going it alone without my amazing agent, Amanda Luedeke. I decided it was time for me to write my next chapter {literally} as a self published author. I enjoy the creative process so much, and can’t wait to see where God may lead. Plus, if publishers…
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Finding Peace During Stress
How do you find peace during stress? “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:34 I spoke last week quite a lot on who I was – but now it’s time for me to tell you a little bit about who I am now. I didn’t even know how to write this post (although I had it planned) until last Saturday when I went to founding editor Renee Fisher’s birthday party. The picture above is from that evening. The truth is, I didn’t even really want to tell you who I was before Saturday. My life is pretty great. If there…
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Resolved to Surrender
[Guest Post by Andrea Portilla – Why is it that we try to work harder, give and serve more when all we need to do is simply surrender? I appreciate Andrea’s post, and I hope you will too!] At the beginning of the New Year I had made a resolution: I was going to take a bubble bath once a week! A perfect kind of resolution! The first few weeks into the year I was beside myself, for I came to realize God desired so much more from my life than I had been giving Him. In the midst of motherhood and babies; being a loving wife and intentional mother, I…
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Shame, Our Souls, and the Gospel
[Guest Post by Kimberly Davidson Campbell – I have never met a woman who had it all together on the inside. Maybe you do a good job or holding everything together on the outside, but there’s always traces of shame that tries to steal our joy. I appreciate Kim’s words of encouragement today. Like fresh water in a desert oasis of my heart. Receive them today with love!] As I sit in the passenger seat of my husband’s now trip-cluttered (otherwise immaculate) Camry, I am intrigued and overwhelmed by all the areas of shame that plague me. These areas of shame don’t just plague me — but in some way…
