A Daily Word for Women (eBook)

January

God is our refuge and strength,

Always ready to help in times of trouble.

PSALM 46:1 NLT

JANUARY 1

Purposeful

In their hearts humans plan their course,

But the LORD establishes their steps.

PROVERBS 16:9 NIV

With the flip of your day planner page, you can feel it in the air. There is a buzz about the first day of January that moves so many of us to plan. Looking at the blank paper laid before us, we can’t help but get excited at the possibility of new and better things to come in the year. Hope rises as we scribble down each resolution or goal. As women of God, we have specific goals to write down. To live impactful lives, we must submit our plans to God.

First, pray throughout your life, and listen closely to what God might want you to add or to cut out. Listen for relationships that need tending, for forgiveness that needs to be given. God is in the day-to-day just as much as he is in the big moments. Next, instead of focusing only on your goals this year, find a characteristic of God you want to learn more about. Do you want to see his mercy splashed across the pages of this year? Do you want to notice his goodness working all around you? Make an attribute of God a priority for your year along with your goals, and the direction of your year will be God’s way for your life.

How can you join with what God is doing in your life?

JANUARY 2

Decisive

When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

JAMES 1:6 NIV

We live in the information age. At our fingertips, we have more research, opinions, and knowledge than previous generations could have dreamed of. Though this can be to our advantage, it can also be our downfall. Too much information can create indecisiveness inside of us, paralyzing us. To be decisive women of God, we must be firmly planted in his Word.

The Bible is truth, and what it says should be the final say in our lives. We must continue to turn to God’s Word daily, familiarizing ourselves with the truth. When we do this, we become anchored in truth, and our ability to make wise and good decisions increases. We will know about the character of God, and we will know what to ask for. We will learn to trust God when he sets our feet on a certain path. Keep his Word at the front of your mind, and you will be able to confidently face all that life has to offer.

What decisions do you need to invite God into today?

JANUARY 3

Composed

I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

PSALM 131:2 ESV

What does it mean to be composed? For ages, the church has been telling women to act a specific way, and some claim that to be godly means to be quiet. Is this what it means for us to be composed? What do you do when you find yourself bursting with a message? What about when you laugh a little too loudly with joy? If you are supposed to be calm, why does it feel like God created you to be the opposite?

Sister, take heart. A calm soul does not always mean a quiet personality. A shy manner is not the key to rest your soul in Christ. God has given you specific gifts and abilities; he has made you to reach people in specific ways. Listen to his voice when deciding when to speak and when to remain quiet. Your soul can be undisturbed by the things of this world because it is a soul rooted in Christ’s love. Shake off the stereotypes and shame that might hinder you from using the gifts God has given you. A composed woman is not measured by the volume of her voice, but by the source of the serenity of her spirit, and Jesus is our source.

How can you discern between cultural ideas and the truth of Scripture?

JANUARY 4

Bold

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

ISAIAH 41:10 NLT

If you had no fear, nothing holding you back, what would you do? What would you believe without doubt? What move would you make? There is no time like the present to make bold moves for God. A few days ago, we wrote down our resolutions, our goals, and our dreams. Look at that list again. What could God be asking you to step out into right now? Where could God be nudging you to dream a little bigger?

There is no mountain, no dream, and no obstacle too big for our God. He is the one who empowers us, freeing us from shame and fear, so that we can lives that are bold for his glory. Though it is God who brings the freedom, the victory, and the power, we still have to take the steps. It might be something as small as knocking on your neighbor’s door or something as large as moving to a new home. God is not limited by our circumstances. He wants to move in your life. Take some time in prayer to ask God how he wants you to be bold today.

How can you be bold today?

JANUARY 5

Abiding

“Abide in Me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit itself,

unless it abides in the vine,

neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

JOHN 15:4 NKJV

Abide is possibly one of the most important words in the Bible. It is essential to the believer’s life to learn how to abide in Christ. To abide means to dwell. Think of your home. What’s the difference between a house and a home? A house is just a structure. You feel comfortable and safe in a home. It’s the place you can most be yourself and let your guard down.

God did not send his Son to create distance between him and humanity. He sent his Son to dwell with us, be close to us, and draw us closer to himself. God wants you to be at your most vulnerable and open in his presence. We are trained well in the art of superficial relationships. It is now time, through study of the Word and prayer, to learn how to have a deep relationship with Jesus. He is trustworthy and kind. Abiding in Christ will lead to obedience to his Word, and it will also lead to fruit for his glory. Jesus is calling you to come home today, to dwell with him and learn from him. Won’t you answer his call?

How do you abide in Jesus?

JANUARY 6

Appropriate

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

JUDGES 21:25 NIV

This short phrase from the book of Judges speaks volumes about the state of the culture of God’s chosen people during that time. The standard for what was deemed good was reduced to whatever a person felt was appropriate for them. Driven by their sinful natures, some of the more horrific stories in the Bible follow in the book of Judges. A people left to their own devices will bend toward their sinful nature, twisting and mutilating truth until it is unrecognizable.

With our current culture screaming for everyone to follow their own truth, the familiarity to the Judges passage is eerie. As women of God, we know better. We have the solid, unshakeable, unchanging Word of God to root our lives. The Word of God tells us what is appropriate for life and what is not. We must adopt his standard as our own standard for truth if we desire to live a life that glorifies Christ. Examine yourself today. In what ways are you adopting the attitude and lifestyle of what is right in your eyes, instead of humbly asking God what is right in his eyes?

What opinions of the world have you adopted? Do they align with God’s Word?

JANUARY 7

Assured

Being fully assured that what God had promised,

He was able also to perform.

ROMANS 4:21 NASB

Two little girls were arguing in the backseat of a car. One claimed that no one can know what happens to you after you die. The other one, wise for her seven years and having recently come to an understanding of the gospel, proclaimed, “Yes I can! I’m going to heaven, and I know that because my daddy told me it’s true.” The beauty in this little girl’s statement is multifaceted, but what stands out most is her confidence in the truth her daddy had told her. She had complete, assured faith that what her father had said was true.

The Bible is full of the Father’s promises to us. Promises for eternal life, rewards, peace, his presence—the wonderful list goes on and on. Let us be like that little girl, full of confidence in what our heavenly Father has promised us. Let us tell others about these promises, knowing that God always keeps his word. No lie is found in him. What peace can come from this great assurance!

How can you remember God’s promises today?

JANUARY 8

Character

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

ROMANS 5:3-4 ESV

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