Blogger Recognition Award 6.17.19

Praise Your Holy name, Father! How continuously sweet You are! Sweeter than honey! ❤
You have whispered my name to a brother in Christ, and given honor to YOUR blog. Stu of Something to Stu Over has nominated me for the Blogger Recognition Award! You deserve every bit of recognition, Lord…. on the site You have given me to declare to the world Gail Loves God… and on Something to Stu Over as Stu ministers to those who are fighting porn addiction. Everyone needs to know and hear God Loves You!

Thank you, Stu, for your thoughtfulness!
May the Lord bless you! He loves you so much!Award rules:

• Thank the nominator, and publish a post on your blog about receiving the Blogger Recognition Award. Make sure to provide a link to the nominator’s blog in your post.

• Give a brief story of how your blog started.

• Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.

• Nominate 10-15 other bloggers for this award, and inform them of their nomination.

How My Blog Got Started:
I began years privately talking with God. At one point the Lord led me to do a challenge a friend was doing, and to open my settings from private to public. To my delightful surprise I met and became a part of a wonderfully encouraging community that would let me know that my conversations with God were encouraging, and allowed the Lord to touch or bless them. Some even let me know they had or were going through similar situations. Whatever God wants to do with the blog He gave me, is all up to Him! 🙂

Two Pieces of Advice for New Bloggers:
1. Write what you want, when you want, or not! It’s YOUR blog!
2. God loves you and wants to preserve you through His word!

Recently a friend asked me how I knew I could trust God. Why did I believe Him? This friend knew my background… foster care, molestation, violence and death, and being a single mom. At first I told them I had been asked that before and thought on it. All I could say was because of God! He has made HImself present all throughout my life. He has proven Himself true and faithful many times over.

Later at home, while I was praying on the question what makes me believe in Him and makes Him trustworthy,  I was doing my devotion. God made it clear He was answering the question as He had me open to

Mem: Psalm 119:97-104.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

I’ve never really wanted to come across as arrogant in saying such things as… wiser than mine enemies, more than my teacher, or more than my ancients, but the Lord Himself was pointing out to me this particular moment that He WAS being specific in that while my enemies were and are ever with me, that His word gave me the wisdom to be wise in how I conducted myself to survive them and to live despite them. He gave me understanding to help me see while some teachers meant well, that HE was my teacher in appropriate living, and the discretion to simply grow quietly with Him. And He protected me from the misconceptions and family cycles of the ancients of my growing up (aka ancestors or elders), and through His precepts gave me understanding that preserved my soul, my thinking, and my life. Because I sought to know Him, His word, and His commandments… to know His will in my life… He has used wisdom, understanding, discernment, knowledge, His testimony, His judgment, and everything about HIM to personally be my teacher, my guide, my God. And I love everything about Him and His word! That is how I came to firmly believe in Him, and wholeheartedly trust Him and His Holy word. And I still do. 🙂

And you know, after I sent that message to my friend, the Lord allowed me to see the 98th verse anew.

“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies:
for they are ever with me.”

He allowed me to see His commandments as ever being with me, instead of my enemies. 🙂 What a loving teacher He is!

Nominees:
Caz of Invisibly Me
Caralyn of Beauty Beyond Bones
Wendi of Simply Chronically Ill
Roxy of RTW Roxy
Liz of Despite Pain
Efua of Grace Over Pain
Brenda of Becoming His Tapestry
Maxine of Heaven’s Reef
Margaret of The Word
Tosin of Alethea’s Mind
Carlos of 100% Jesus
LaBranda of My Thoughts Exactly
T.R. of Inside Cup
Hazel of Pure Glory
Andrea of Thriving Under Pressure

Congratulations to the nominees! Please don’t feel obligated to participate. I know some of you do not accept awards on the professional level of your blogs, but I wanted to recognize your blog,