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Brenda Bradford Ottinger

Encouraging Women to Live Rooted in the Sacred

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Daughters of the Day

Once upon a Saturday morning, the house chores held a conference and elected me their leader.

While rushing through chores, I noticed a theme unfolding in my living room. All day, our napping kitten, Noelle, scooted herself around, warmly snuggled in the patch of sunlight beaming through the window. As the sun moved across the sky, so Noelle moved across the floor.

The more I watched her, the more I realized I was being schooled by a kitten.

Every morning, before my feet hit the floor, I ask the Lord to order my day. Yet, I often allow the bustle of life to drive my focus, leaving me crippled in the shadows, rather than cradled in His light.

Can you relate? Do you sometimes wake with praise on your lips, offering God your day, then become distracted by all the things  before realizing you’re out of sync with the Light?

Sitting in the “classroom” of a kitten, I’m reminded our purpose is not for God to chase us through our days, but for us to abide within His light.

I think about Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonian believers, reminding them not to stress about when they’d see Jesus again, for they were “children of the light and of the day” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Paul reassured them that, as eager followers of Christ, they weren’t in the dark but were already centered on the Light as they waited for Jesus to appear again.

Paul didn’t discount their concerns or impose a bunch of extraneous rules as some false teachers did. He simply reminded them who they were. They were children of the Day.

Life’s distractions can leave us needing this reminder too, for many are the cares of a woman’s heart:

How will I pay that bill? Did I put the clothes in the dryer? Will my child be OK? Did I ever reply to that email? Does my boss see my effort? How can I create community when I’m too weary to reach out?

The struggle is real, my friend—but hope invades the shadows when we remember who we are. We are Daughters of the Day.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “… I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (NLT).

Our God doesn’t simply dispense the light — He is the light. Tweet This

So, how can we stay centered in the light that leads to life? A few ideas to consider:

  • Praise, worship, and adore Christ. Rejoice in His glory, goodness, and grace.
  • Move burdens from your hands into His. Repeat as necessary. He will guard them well.
  • Start the day planting Scripture in your spirit. Write a verse for reflection, allowing its truth to become written on your heart.
  • Expect the enemy to press the dislike button. Be on guard, prepared to recognize when you’ve followed stress back into the shadows. Re-center through prayer and worship.
  • Write a short list before bed, returning to God what you’ve taken back into your hands today. Rest in His comfort, ready to begin anew tomorrow.

All we need is found in the life-giving light of our Savior, for we are Daughters of the Day.

How could centering your heart & mind on the light of God’s presence bring you comfort today?
We’d love for you to join the conversation over at Proverbs 31 Ministries, friend! ♥

 

 

8 Comments

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Comments

  1. Janice Lawrence says

    July 22, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    So good Brenda! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      July 22, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      Bless you, sweet friend. ♥

      Reply
  2. Suzette K. says

    July 27, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    Brenda, I found you over at Proverbs 31. I so enjoyed your post that I featured it on my Instagram, and that’s a first for me. Your tips on staying centered are meaningful. Thanks for sharing them.
    @myconcretedove

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      July 28, 2020 at 10:24 am

      Hi, Suzette. ♥ I’m so thankful you were encouraged, sister. Thank you for reaching out and sharing. I pray the warmth of His presence shines brightly upon you today, my friend. ♥

      Reply
  3. Bethany Ruth says

    September 18, 2020 at 10:11 am

    So encouraged by your straight-forward pointing to God. I read your devotion about motherhood on Proverbs 31 Ministries Devotions this morning and was very blessed. “And I’ve come to realize that motherhood is one long prayer of crying out to God for help to meet all they need with all we lack.” Praise God. May God bless you in your ministry to family and others.

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 18, 2020 at 11:15 am

      So thankful God met you in the devotion this morning, Bethany. Praying God’s blessings over your and yours today, sister. ♥

      Reply
  4. Linda R Zimmerman says

    January 8, 2021 at 12:15 pm

    Brenda, I too found you on Proverbs 15. Your writing on When you Wonder Who You Would Have Been spoke to me today. I have copied some of it in big bold print and am going to put it on my mirror to read every morning!
    Thanks so much for sharing your Godly insights. Truly a blessing and a gift.
    Praying for your continued success in reaching others.
    Linda Z

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      January 8, 2021 at 3:01 pm

      This makes my heart smile, Linda. Thank you for sharing how the Lord met you in the devotion today; your words encourage my spirit. I pray blessings over your household in 2021, dear sister. ♥

      Reply

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As the days march on and the seasons of our lives As the days march on and the seasons of our lives stack up, we can sometimes wonder how life became so full and time so cramped.
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If you're like me, it can be easy to forget there's abundance in a life flowing to the gentle stream of His sovereign schedule.
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You can read "The Quiet Strength of Slowing Down" on Proverbs31. org . I'd love for you to share your thoughts, friend! 💗
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(P.S., if you don't already, you can sign up to receive free short daily devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries at Proverbs31 .org!)
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It never gets old, this glory that rises in my fro It never gets old, this glory that rises in my front yard & sets in my back yard day upon day. ☀️🙌
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Worthy is the One whose glory is greater. ✨
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These sky eyes of mine can’t not watch the beauty He sketches on the canvas above. 💕
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Thank You, Lord. 🤍
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#sunset #glory #god #beauty #christianwriter
Dear friend, are you living in a season of hope up Dear friend, are you living in a season of hope upon hope? If so, I understand. 💗
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The relentlessness of some seasons has a way of tethering our threadbare hearts to hope.
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Unlike other holy hallmarks, sometimes hope can feel hard to define. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 feels wild and strong; 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, grounded and secure. Yet, hope can seem wistful, intangible.
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But, more and more I'm realizing that even though hope seems an elegant mystery—Hope is a force unto itself.
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In today's Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion, 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴, I share how God meets us inside this beautiful mystery of hope with all of Himself. His power has not lost its authority. 🙌 
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Dear friend, I'm here alongside you as together we hold hope inside the lingering heavy seasons of life. 💗
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You can read and join the conversation today at Proverbs31. org . Would love to hear from you, friend. 💕
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#hope #heartache #Proverbs31Ministries #christianwriter
The neon numbers on my nightstand clock insisted i The neon numbers on my nightstand clock insisted it was midnight, yet it may as well have been midday as far as my active mind was concerned.
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Weariness swept my spirit as the enemy nagged notions of angst. 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵? I begged softly into the night.
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Turns out, trying to fill every moment of opportunity can leave you feeling empty of rest.
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Dear friend, can you relate to being in that place of striving to do it all, lest you miss out on something meaningful, while quietly feeling weary and worn?
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We often hear the acronym FOMO—the “fear of missing out.” But what a lullaby it would sing to our weary spirits, if instead we embraced a different kind of FOMO—the “freedom of missing out.” 🙌
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You can read the full devotion live today at Proverbs 31 Ministries! ✨
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I’d love to hear your story, friend. Have you ever felt similarly? 💕
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#FOMO #freedom #weary #christianwriter #proverbs31ministries
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