“… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
– Isaiah 61:3a (NIV)
Daily Meditation: Isaiah 61, Isaiah 62
HGTV’s Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines built quite a following. I absolutely love to watch Chip and Joanna trade out some outdated or dilapidated “features” of a home for beautiful new designs. A rotting stairway is traded up for a beautiful new craftsman staircase. Two small, dark rooms are traded up for one large and gorgeous space with new lighting.
Our lives can seem like “fixer upper” situations too, with endless trades made by the Lord. God loves to “trade up” in my life. Here are just a few of the improvements he has promised to make:
- To take my ashes and give me a “crown of beauty”
- To swap my mourning for the “oil of joy”
- To exchange my spirit of despair for a “garment of praise”
Sometimes I’m not sure why the Lord chooses to do his work in me. Just like those houses Chip and Joanna scope out, I find myself an unlikely vessel. Yet the Lord pours his kindness on me, continually and freely exchanging his blessings for my burdens. It may take some work and some surrender, but each of us can become new in him.
“Let God speak in your life. Let his father heart come and say, ‘this is what I have for you’
… fixing our eyes on Jesus and walking in that truth.”
– Joanna Gaines
What can you surrender to the Lord today? Do you have bitterness, worry, or another burden that you can allow him to take from you?
Let’s let 2019 be the year we grow closer to the Lord and become the fearless, strong, and faithful woman we are meant to be in Him! In Be Fearless, Julie Clinton provides a scripturally-sound guide for finding freedom, purpose, joy… and fearlessness. Be Fearless is now available in our store! https://www.aacc.net/product/be-fearless/ Consider working through Be Fearless with another extraordinary woman or group this year!
Julie Clinton, MAd, MBA, is president of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. She is the author of several books including A Woman’s Path to Emotional Freedom, 10 Things You Aren’t Telling Him, and Extraordinary Women. She is passionate about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.