I Am Loved Archives - Wendy Blight

September 18, 2018

What it Means to Be a Child of God

YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD!

What a precious gift to be called a child of God.

A blood bought daughter.

Fully seen. Fully known. Fully loved by the One True God.

With that title comes amazing promises, one being found in 1 John.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NIV)

For those who call themselves children of God (those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior), Jesus promises:

We are overcomers … overcoming the false teachings and teachers in our culture. Overcoming the trials, struggles and hardships we encounter in this world. Overcoming the schemes, trials, temptations, and lies of the evil one.

Greater is the One who lives in us than the one who lives in the world … we overcome because God’s very presence … His Holy Spirit … lives, breathes and is at work in us.

But, none of this would be possible without the Lamb of God shedding His blood for us.

John’s promises in 1 John are made possible because Jesus POURED OUT HIS BLOOD FOR US.

Take a few minutes, sweet friend, to sit and soak in these truths. These promises. These gifts from our Abba Father.

Through the blood of Jesus, you are redeemed out of the hand of the devil.

Through the blood of Jesus, your sins are forgiven, washed white as snow.

Through the blood of Jesus, you are justified, made righteous, just-as-if-you never sinned.

Through the blood of Jesus, you are made holy in God’s sight, set apart for His purposes.

Through the blood of Jesus, you receive the gift of and are sealed by the Holy Spirit, making your body a living, breathing temple of God’s Holy Spirit.

Through the blood of Jesus and the indwelling power of His Holy Spirit, you are an overcomer. Satan has NO hold on you. He has NO power over you. He MUST FLEE at the name of Jesus.

These are God’s truths.

KNOW THEM! BELIEVE THEM! LIVE THEM!

They will change everything.

If you have a moment, please leave a comment today sharing what God spoke to YOUR heart as ponder the wonder of what it means to be called a child of God and the promises and gifts that are ours simply because we carry that beautiful name.

My study on 1 John, I Am Loved, is for every woman who craves to truly understand, walk confidently in, and live out God’s unconditional, extravagant, lavish love because His love truly changes everything!

17 Comments Filed Under: Encouragement, I Am Loved, Spiritual Growth

January 16, 2018

Living Love God’s Way (plus a giveaway)

Hey friends! We’re one week away from our first 2018 Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study. We’ll be studying my new book, I Am Loved: Walking in the Fullness of God’s Love, which is a journey through the book of 1 John.

On Monday, January 22nd, we begin the first of our 5-week study learning the depth of God’s extraordinary love AND how to live out that love in our everyday lives.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

Today, I thought I’d share one of my favorite God stories. It happened a few years ago when God used my friend, Karen, and me on an ordinary trip to the grocery store to live out His extraordinary love.

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God Met Her in the Grocery Store

She woke up that morning with a quick trip to the grocery store in mind. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, slipped on her flip flops, grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

My girlfriend, Karen, and I also planned a trip to the market that day. As we approached the check-out lines, we found ourselves behind an older woman who seemed to be waiting on someone. She motioned for us to go ahead. Almost immediately, a younger woman scooted past me.

As she did, my heart began to pound. I physically began to tremble. In that moment, the Lord impressed on my heart something so strange … buy her groceries. What? I felt it again … the racing heart rate, this time a whisper, “Love her. Buy her groceries.”

I hesitated but then reached out and tapped the young woman on the shoulder and spoke the words God laid on my heart: “I know it sounds strange, but God told me that we are to buy your groceries.”

She looked at me quizzically and then graciously accepted with tears in her eyes. Not long after that, she and the older women walked out of the store.

A few minutes later, as Karen and I were checking out, the older woman returned to share their story. She identified the young woman as her daughter. Her name was Micah. She shared how Micah’s husband had abused her for years. And, just a few months earlier had walked out on Micah and her young son, leaving them alone and leaving her feeling unloved and unworthy of love.

She could barely make ends meet. She felt abandoned by everyone, but most especially God. Days before our God appointment in the grocery store, Micah and her mother had prayed. Her mother prayed a prayer every mother would pray: “Lord, draw Micah back to You.”

But Micah’s prayer is what astounded us. She had prayed, “God, if You are real. If You love me, show me that You have not forgotten me!”

As her mother shared these words, the reason for God’s urging became so clear. God wanted to extend unconditional love to Micah. In the midst of Micah’s deepest sorrow and desperate cries for love, God responded intimately and personally.

Through tears, Micah’s mother spoke words we’ll never forget: “Micah now knows that God has not forgotten her!”

God provided for her needs. He loved her unconditionally. He answered the cry of her heart.

And God also chose to use us! On an ordinary day, in an ordinary store, performing an ordinary chore, God called us to an extraordinary task. He crossed our paths with one of His girls who needed to experience His extraordinary love.

Yes, it was a great day for Micah! But what a day it was for Karen and me. Our obedience to the Lord’s prompting touched Micah’s life in such a powerful way that she KNEW God was real. God loved her. And He had not abandoned her.

God answers prayer. He orchestrates divine appointments … anywhere … everywhere … anytime … even in the grocery store.

Don’t you love stories like this? I’m certain ya’ll have similar stories to share, and I’d love to hear them! Either where you shared God’s love in a tangible way OR someone shared His love with you. Please leave a comment sharing your story. Click here to leave a comment if you are reading this in email.

Giveaway now closed – congrats Aura Conejos! Please see your email for further instructions.

We’ll choose one of you to win 2 copies of my I Am Loved book and 2 “Loved” bracelets (one to keep and one to give away). U.S. Addresses only please. These beautiful bracelets were created especially for I Am Loved by my friends at Fashion and Compassion.

If you want to join me for the Proverbs 31 Online Study and be part of our amazing community of women, click here to sign up so you’ll receive the study posts and announcements in email.

I look forward to reading your stories!!

Blessings,

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160 Comments Filed Under: 1 John, Bible Study, I Am Loved

January 2, 2018

5 Days to Walking in the Fullness of God’s Love

Welcome to those of you joining from my Encouragement for Today devotion, Walking in Obedience.

I wonder what would change in my life … in your life … if we truly lived in the absolute assurance of God’s deep, abiding, unconditional love.

I’m not talking about simply saying we know God loves us. I’m talking about really knowing – deep down, soul-rocking knowledge – that the God of the Universe loves us beyond ways we could ever imagine. And then living every day anchored in that love, even when life’s circumstances and our emotions beg us otherwise.

I want to help you live in the reality of this truth. So I invite you to join me for 5 Days to Walking in the Fullness of God’s Love. It’s a devotional sneak peek into my new Bible study on 1 John, I Am Loved.

Click here to sign up and you will receive the 5-day journey in your email.