Author: daisyrayofsunshine

Renew your mind

Psalm 91:1. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

As I look back over 2022 I know without a doubt how important those two verses are in my life.

This morning I finished day 75 of a read through the Bible in 90 days plan. Even though I have been pretty faithful to Bible study over the years this plan has been a game changer. It immerses you into the Word. It’s definitely a challenge to read or listen to that much everyday, but it has been so worth it.

In order to not be conformed to this world I have to diligently renew my mind. I have to dwell with the Lord and remain in His shadow. His Word is the way to get that done.

Sisters…..

Get. In. The. Word.

Don’t neglect it. Don’t take it for granted. I’m not going to get too messy, but check your screen time (🙄 preaching to self), you have time. The enemy wants us to stay out of it. He doesn’t want us to be the warriors we are called to be.

As we go forward into 2023 let’s do our part to take control of what we can control. Let’s surrender part of our day to the Word. Let’s dwell with Him and abide in His shadow. Let’s keep our minds renewed. Everything else will fall into place if we seek Him first.

Praying each and every one of you has a blessed and prosperous 2023.

If you need a Bible study partner send me a friend request on the YouVersion app.

Resolution

Maggie asked me the other day if I had a New Year’s resolution.

I don’t think she knew the can of worms she was opening or the fact that she was about to get a good ol’ momma sermon.

I don’t do resolutions. That’s a whole other blog for a whole different time. But I am in a constant state of trying to be the best me that I can be.

Lets talk about that.

When you’re setting goals for the New Year are they God aligned? Are the basis of the goals God centered? Are your goals about furthering God’s Kingdom or furthering yourself?

When you’re trying to become the best version of yourself, don’t forget what that version is – God’s version. He has been creating that version since He created you inside of your mother’s womb.

If we are not aligning our goals with God-

If we are not centering our life around God-

If we’re not focused on our role in God’s kingdom-

Then we will never, ever be our best self. And that’s just the truth.

This year I pray you set the goals. I pray you achieve the goals. And I pray you see God’s hand in all of it – each step of the way.

Prayer Journal Time

I love December 26th.

Kind of weird, huh? But December 26th is the day I purchase my prayer journal for the new year – and my journal is basically an extension of myself.

My yearly journal holds my prayers, my sermon notes from church, my goals – basically my entire life in written form. And this big ol’ dreamer loves everything about it.

I have all of my past journals lined up on a shelf in my closet. I often flip through them – looking back at answered prayers and unanswered prayers. Every time I flip through them is a time of thankfulness and reflection. It’s a time where I can really see how God’s hand was working in everything – especially the unanswered. I catch myself saying, “Oh, that’s why God.”

I challenge you to get a prayer journal this year. I challenge you to spend quiet time with God. I challenge you to pray and reflect and hope. Write it all down.

I challenge you to dream big for God.

“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Psalm 33:11

Freedom

I’m Stacy Goff, owner of Grana’s Griddle, and a very blessed Mom of one daughter and a grandmother of 4 beautiful grandchildren ❤

I would like to share a little with you about what true freedom means to me.

To have freedom in my mind and heart is to submit to God daily. To have freedom in my thoughts and knowing when and how to take each thought captive that comes from God is to pray for wisdom and invite The Holy Spirit to lead, teach, and guide me every single day. To have freedom in my daily activities and in my daily questions, submitting to God and fully relying on Him, allows me to experience His truth and the direction that I’m suppose to go in.

When we can get to a place in our life that we know and understand that God sees and knows everything and we have the understanding of what it truly means to fear the Lord, everything changes in the way we think, in the way we view things, and in the way we approach things and situations.

James 1:22-25

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

When we submit to God every single day, read His word and help and love others, we are doing the work of the Father and if we want true freedom in our daily lives, we have to submit ourselves to God.

Freedom

I’m Stacy Goff, owner of Grana’s Griddle, and a very blessed Mom of one daughter and a grandmother of 4 beautiful grandchildren ❤

I would like to share a little with you about what true freedom means to me.

To have freedom in my mind and heart is to submit to God daily. To have freedom in my thoughts and knowing when and how to take each thought captive that comes from God is to pray for wisdom and invite The Holy Spirit to lead, teach, and guide me every single day. To have freedom in my daily activities and in my daily questions, submitting to God and fully relying on Him, allows me to experience His truth and the direction that I’m suppose to go in.

When we can get to a place in our life that we know and understand that God sees and knows everything and we have the understanding of what it truly means to fear the Lord, everything changes in the way we think, in the way we view things, and in the way we approach things and situations.

James 1:22-25

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

When we submit to God every single day, read His word and help and love others, we are doing the work of the Father and if we want true freedom in our daily lives, we have to submit ourselves to God.

Joy.

“but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10 NLT

This is a season of joy.

Christmas, the ultimate time of joy.

I hope I don’t get caught up in the worldly things. I love baking, I love my family & friends, and I also love giving gifts. All those things are great, but I hope I don’t get caught up in it. I actually will not allow myself to. I don’t want to miss out on what Jesus has for me.

Don’t forget the reason of Christmas. I know, you’ve been told that so many times. But let me tell it to you this way – Christ wanted us to experience His joy. During Christmas, and all the time. Even when it’s hard. Even when the holidays don’t feel the same. When you just wish you could have a few more days off for Christmas break. When life feels like it is flying by. Seek the joy from the King. He not only wanted us to have joy, but to realize the ultimate joy comes from Him.

Joy is mentioned to us many times through out the four Gospels. Not only was Jesus arriving bringing good news, but it was also going to bring our world great joy. How incredible to know a savior was to be born. I don’t find it coincidental that we find in John chapter 16 the word joy once again. But this time to His disciples. This time when much hurt was about to enter. Jesus shared with his followers, “I tell you the truth. You will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.” Overtime as life evolves it’s okay to admit joy is harder to find at times. Christmas is tough for some and if we allow life to do so, all our joy will be striped away from us. Don’t allow it to happen.

This Christmas, join me in staying focused on the joy that was brought to this world with the birth of a Savior. A savior that brought and left the promise of joy. He had much purpose behind it. He was and still is that peace and joy. Don’t allow worldly things to take away the joy our greatest gift has for us. Stay focused. Even when these moments in life are difficult may you still know and seek the joy from the King. Merry Christmas.

Joy.

“but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10 NLT

This is a season of joy.

Christmas, the ultimate time of joy.

I hope I don’t get caught up in the worldly things. I love baking, I love my family & friends, and I also love giving gifts. All those things are great, but I hope I don’t get caught up in it. I actually will not allow myself to. I don’t want to miss out on what Jesus has for me.

Don’t forget the reason of Christmas. I know, you’ve been told that so many times. But let me tell it to you this way – Christ wanted us to experience His joy. During Christmas, and all the time. Even when it’s hard. Even when the holidays don’t feel the same. When you just wish you could have a few more days off for Christmas break. When life feels like it is flying by. Seek the joy from the King. He not only wanted us to have joy, but to realize the ultimate joy comes from Him.

Joy is mentioned to us many times through out the four Gospels. Not only was Jesus arriving bringing good news, but it was also going to bring our world great joy. How incredible to know a savior was to be born. I don’t find it coincidental that we find in John chapter 16 the word joy once again. But this time to His disciples. This time when much hurt was about to enter. Jesus shared with his followers, “I tell you the truth. You will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.” Overtime as life evolves it’s okay to admit joy is harder to find at times. Christmas is tough for some and if we allow life to do so, all our joy will be striped away from us. Don’t allow it to happen.

This Christmas, join me in staying focused on the joy that was brought to this world with the birth of a Savior. A savior that brought and left the promise of joy. He had much purpose behind it. He was and still is that peace and joy. Don’t allow worldly things to take away the joy our greatest gift has for us. Stay focused. Even when these moments in life are difficult may you still know and seek the joy from the King. Merry Christmas.

The Magic.

Christmas Magic.

I mean if you haven’t figured it out by now – I love it. I’m literally all about it.

People bring me “Christmas” type presents all year long.

Sweaters.

Picture frames.

Little vintage ornaments.

I’m getting excited just writing about it.

But here’s the flip side of it – sometimes in December I get sad. I get sad because I know come January there will be an empty space in my living room and in my heart. Like a wave of blah just rushes over me out of nowhere.

Welcome to my crazy.

It happened last week. I was watching TV, and I looked over at Frank and said, “I’m sad. It’s almost over.” He’s been around long enough to know what I meant.

But in that moment God gently whispered to my soul. He said, “The magic won’t be gone in January, Daisy. I am the magic. And I am here every single day – all day long.”

What a beautiful, beautiful promise!

When the glitter is gone – He isn’t.

When the tree is down – He won’t be.

When the cocoa and cookies are finished for the season – He is still the reason.

Aren’t we glad? Aren’t we glad He is here 24/7? Aren’t we glad Jesus doesn’t happen just once a year? Aren’t we glad that we can celebrate Him and praise Him every single day?

He’s not just a December kind of God.

He’s a God that’s here for it all. And come January when the glam and the glitter have been gently packed away – He will still be right here.

Present.

Patient.

Perfect.

Peace.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John: 14:16-17).

Not the gifts.

Christmas! My most favorite time of the year!

Not for reasons you may think. It isn’t the gifts, decorations, music, or even Hallmark movies (although they all help).

You see, it was Christmas time when Jesus met me in a dark spot of chronic worrying and depression. Christmas is when He taught me to fully rely on Him for all of my needs. He showed out in a huge way. I worried about EVERYTHING!! If I did not have something to worry about – I created something.

I was newly divorced this one particular Christmas with two young daughters and zero money. I prayed like never before and told God I was tired of worrying, and that I fully trusted Him. We had never gone without. He had always made a way even it when it seemed impossible, so I was going to refuse to worry.

We were going to focus on Him and have a simple Christmas. Y’all, when I tell you the gifts overflowed from beneath my tree that year – it was unimaginable! Ridiculously so! Like, more than I would have bought for Christmas if I had money.

I sat my girls down that day and told them that those gifts are not from a Santa at the North Pole but because Jesus loved us so much. The embarrassment I had felt from being “helped” and the unworthiness I felt from not being able to do it on my own as a single mom melted as He sent people to pour His love out that Christmas, and I was never the same.

It wasn’t the gifts under the tree but learning to trust the Lord at his word!

He is our provider!

We are never alone!

He is our hope!

I encourage you to trust our Heavenly Father this season and every season. Share your gifts… gifts of His love, His hope, and His joy. Just like those lights that twinkle so bright on the tree, be a light of hope this Christmas. If Christ lays it on your heart to give this Christmas or to help someone anytime, please do!

He is calling you to be a life changer and possibly call the dry bones to life. It will be a blessing for them and you. Even if you can’t financially help – spread kindness! Hand your postmaster a Christmas card. Pay the cashier a compliment. SMILE! Random acts of kindness shine Jesus’s light in such a mighty way! I hope you all have a Merry and Blessed Christmas.

May the God of hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Chosen

When I think of being chosen, I immediately think back to the 3rd grade kickball tournament we had the last week of school.  “The schoolyard pick is my favorite,” said no one ever! The thought of being one of the last kids picked still haunts me, but I’ll never forget the look on my teammates’ faces when they realized the little pudgy girl could REALLY kick that ball! 😀 Needless to say, I was on top of the roster the next day.

This time of year, we are choosing so many things a lot like a schoolyard pick. Choosing where to spend the holidays, what gifts to give our loved ones, which festivities will we participate in, and the list goes on and on.  Some of these choices we make begrudgingly, some out of obligation, some out of guilt, but we do them and wear our weary hearts out in the meantime.  I dare say that by the time the most wonderful time of the year is over, we are pretty much over it.

Being a follower of Christ, we are to strive to have his mindset, so why are we all so tattered this time of year?

We need to decide not only on the choices we are making, but HOW we are making them:  

Gladly choosing to give a gift.

Glady choosing to say no to festivities so we can spend more time with our families.

Gladly choosing to help out that family experiencing a difficult time. 

Gladly choosing to give up some “me-time” to serve a loved one who has recently moved into a nursing home.

Gladly choosing to: ___________________.

Whatever the blank is filled with, the Lord wants us to gladly choose to do so, because He gladly chose to do so. He wants us to do this, because He did this for us.

John 3:16 tells us: 

He gladly chose to come into a dark and dying world.

He gladly chose to live as human flesh to relate to us.

He gladly chose to die for our redemption.

Our pastor releases us every Sunday with this reminder from Jesus, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32 (NASB 1995)

Take time to ponder that this Christmas season. The Father gladly chose to give us His Son, the little babe in the manger, in order to gladly give us His kingdom. 

When the 3rd-grader in me realizes that He gladly chose to pick me to receive that precious gift, I can’t help but to strive to make my choices reflect Him. My prayer is that all of us experience His gladness this Christmas, and that we strive to be a reflection of His love and grace in 2023.

Merry Christmas!