BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional For Women podcast

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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תוכן מסופק על ידי Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women. כל תוכן הפודקאסטים כולל פרקים, גרפיקה ותיאורי פודקאסטים מועלים ומסופקים ישירות על ידי Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women או שותף פלטפורמת הפודקאסט שלהם. אם אתה מאמין שמישהו משתמש ביצירה שלך המוגנת בזכויות יוצרים ללא רשותך, אתה יכול לעקוב אחר התהליך המתואר כאן https://he.player.fm/legal.

State Secrets: Inside The Making Of The Electric State

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The Secret To Getting Inspired: Millie Bobby Brown & Chris Pratt Go Behind The Scenes 21:04

לפני 5 ימים21:04

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לייק

אהבתי

21:04

Step into the mysterious and visually stunning world of The Electric State as host Francesca Amiker takes you behind the scenes with the creative masterminds who brought Simon Stålenhag’s dystopian vision to life. In this premiere episode, directors Joe and Anthony Russo, stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and producers Angela Russo-Otstot and Chris Castaldi reveal how they transformed a haunting graphic novel into an epic cinematic experience. Watch The Electric State coming to Netflix on March 14th. Check out more from Netflix Podcasts . State Secrets: Inside the Making of The Electric State is produced by Netflix and Treefort Media.…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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Daily Devotional with Pamela Crim | BIG Life Mentor

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#Society #Religion #Christianity #Podcasting Education #Self-Improvement #Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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updated לפני 9 שעות

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Daily Devotional with Pamela Crim | BIG Life Mentor

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#Society #Religion #Christianity #Podcasting Education #Self-Improvement #Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women

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BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1834 What’s Required Of You 22:55

לפני 9 hours22:55

22:55

Wouldn’t it be nice to know what God wants you to do today? Like specifically, Lord, if you would be clear and tell me, I would do it. But, would you really? Today, we’re going to study a tiny scripture tucked away in a tiny book of the Old Testament which you may have never heard, but when you do, it will be so undeniably clear what God is asking of you. And when it’s this clear, then you’re left with only 2 choices: Yes, Lord, I will … or no, Lord, I won’t. I absolutely love that we can trust God so much to give him a blind all-in yes. If it’s what God is asking of us, we know it is best. If it’s an invitation from God, we know it will be for the ultimate good. Not all yeses are this easy. Just yesterday I called my red-headed Mama and I said to her, “Mama, I need you to clear your schedule for a weekend in September.” She said, “Oh really, why?” I said, “I’m not telling you, don’t you trust me?” She hesitated, remembered all the crazy adventures I’ve drug her into and said with great hesitation, “Sometimes …..” Sometimes she trusts me. But sometimes she doesn’t. Sometimes she doesn’t want to go where I’m inviting her. Sometimes she thinks my ideas are crazy and she would rather sit them out. All while I know what I’m inviting her into is something she will love … but she hesitates. Okay, I know you want to know what I invited her to, because actually, I’ll be inviting you too. I’m working on our September Retreat for this year and I’m thinking of going old-school with it. Yes, taking it back to where our retreats began so many years ago. A big ranch adventure retreat in Oklahoma! Think summer camp style with bunk houses, high ropes courses, canoes, horse back riding, camp fires, teaching sessions, and over 100 of the funnest and happiest Jesus girls you’ve ever met. Think cabin colors, paint fights, Thrift Store Formal night and hilarious games. I invited my Mama because she’s the funnest and happiest person you will ever meet, and I’m inviting you too because girl, I really want to meet you! (If you want to receive texts with retreat opportunities, text the keyword RETREAT2025 to 205-709-2582.) Now, back to God’s invitation. Do you trust him enough to offer an all-in yes before you know the details? He has a plan of action for you today, will you follow it? Here it is – Micah 6:8, “The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Three things: Do what is right Love mercy Walk humbly with God This is not some great mystery. God has made his requirements for you undeniably clear. And guess what, you CAN do this today! Wherever you are, whatever and whoever you’re dealing with, you can do this. Start with doing what is right. How in the world do you know what is right? Well, you don’t have to figure that out on your own. Jesus promised each believer a helper, an advocate. This helper will always be with you. This advocate will always come along side you to guide you. My friends, that’s the Holy Spirit. That’s the gift you have been given. You already have the right way inside of you. The next right step is already known and already aligned, and to go even further, you have a holy guide for your lifted foot. You are literally being supernaturally guided to do what is right. Listen to that guide. The enemy loves to create self-doubt and stir up fear within you. He loves to take what is so simple and complicate it. He loves to blur the lines and leave you confused. Are you going to just let him do that to you again today? No, Satan, you don’t get to confuse me! I’ve decided to believe the helper really does help me and the advocate really does go with me as my guide. My faith has my foot lifted and no demon in hell will make me fearfully get stuck again. I AM DOING WHAT IS RIGHT HERE! Sometimes you simply need to make that out loud affirmation so the enemy hears it loud and clear. But even more so, you need to hear it. You need to hear yourself say, “I AM DOING WHAT IS RIGHT HERE.” Lord, be my guide. Before you even show me, I’m committing to do it. I’m committing to go in obedience. I’m committing to trusting you completely and surrendering my will to yours. I am doing what is right. And the funny thing is, the moment you declare it, there’s a clarity that comes. It’s not a loud clarity that announces itself to everyone else. Instead it’s that still, small voice within that says, “Don’t speak another negative word about them.” It’s that whisper that says, “Walk away and stop arguing.” It’s that nudge that says, “Love them anyway.” It’s that stirring that says, “Put your phone down and be here.” My friends, THAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. That’s how he works. He’s showing you in the most simple and practical ways what is right, now do it. It’s pre-decision time. Pre-decide before anyone needs forgiveness, you’re extending it. Pre-decide before you even get frustrated that you’re remaining calm. Pre-decide before it even goes wrong that you’re unshakable in your peace. Pre-decide that you’re doing the right thing because the right thing is right inside of you guiding you. Again, the enemy wants to stir this pot and bring confusion to what is so clear. Take the spoon out of his hand. I mean really, why’s he even in your kitchen? Why does he have access to your pot to stir it anyway? Close the door on him. Leave absolutely no cracks open to him or space available for him. Crowd him out with so much intentional goodness in your life that there’s simply no way for him to creep back into your kitchen and stir that pot again. There’s another pre-decision for you. Pre-decide you will waste absolutely zero thoughts on worry today. Zero of your words will become ammunition for the demons to throw at you or your loved ones. Pre-decide none of your gifted moments get wasted on petty things that won’t even matter come tomorrow. Devil, it’s been pre-decided, you are out! This girl is doing what is RIGHT today! Love Mercy. There’s a difference between showing mercy and loving mercy. God wants you to LOVE this act of extending grace and kindness. When you love it, you will naturally choose it. It won’t be forced. It won’t have to be scheduled. It will become who you are and what you naturally do because it’s what you truly love. Do you know what the opposite of mercy is? It’s revenge. It’s the old “I’ll show them. I’ll get them back. Watch this.” Is that what you love? Do you love to be right and prove that you’re right? Do you love to spew your opinion and make others chew on it? Do you love to see them pay for what they did? I know this much, I’m certainly grateful I don’t have a God who loves revenge. I’m glad I don’t have a God who loves punishment. I would certainly be in line for it. But instead, I have a God who loves mercy. He loves it so much that he gave his one and only son to save a girl like me who goes about her life oblivious most of the time, all wrapped up in her self-concerns and ambitions. But I get mercy. I receive it, and I love it. Now, because I’m undeserving and yet receiving, God asks me to love to give what I’ve been freely given. He wants to work on my heart until I genuinely celebrate someone being forgiven and set free. He wants to change my heart to become more like his. And that’s what he’s doing in you. That’s what he’s asking of you today. Love mercy. Give up your ideas of revenge and punishment, and dare to believe that mercy is the biggest blessing for you too. Lord, where have I refused mercy? Where am I holding on to justice, punishment and revenge? Where am I failing to show up like Jesus? Walk humbly with God. Walk. That’s an action. God wants you to go with him. Get up and walk with God, moving forward, going places and doing things. This is your invitation, say yes and go walking with God. Where’s he going? What will there be along the way? Well, you find out when you go with him … HUMBLY. Humbly means you don’t try to lead. Humbly means you don’t try and control. Humbly means you trust his lead and don’t need to know the way. Proverbs 6: 16-19 gives us a list of 7 things God hates, the first being haghty eyes. What are haughty eyes? They’re the opposite of humble eyes. It’s looking at yourself as if you’re better than anyone else. It’s looking down on someone believing they are below you, worse than you, less than you. God hates that. Detests it. He’s called you to humility. Make less about you and more about God. Let God go to work on your humility. This isn’t a sacrifice of confidence, this is a sacrifice of pride. “The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” This isn’t a mystery. This isn’t complicated. Simply do these three things. This is what God is asking of you today. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1833 Tap Into Unlimited 18:17

לפני 1 day18:17

18:17

Maybe you’re facing this new week and you already feel overwhelmed and unequipped. Maybe you feel like you never have enough of everything you need and you’re always struggling to just keep going. Is that you? Are you wondering how you’re ever going to do all you need to do? Where will you get the energy? When will you have the time? You’ve counted and it just doesn’t seem to be enough. There’s not enough money, not enough people, not enough strength. But, here’s your truth today as you face a week you feel not enough for: When God is your direct source, you will not run out! God, you are my source. In you I find strength. In you I find resources. In you I find help. In you I find my next steps. And you never run out. Ever. Your supply is unlimited, overflowing and eternal – I’m tapping into you! When God so clearly spoke to me in January 2013 and said, “Start hosting a daily devotional,” I was only willing to make a 1 week commitment. Lord, I’ll do this, but only for 1 week. Why? Because #1, I was sure after 5 mornings of me trying my best at this thing, God would surely see I wasn’t the best pick for this and he would move on to someone else. And #2, I was certain I would quickly run out of new ideas and devotionals. So, God, I’ll commit to hosting this devotional thing for 1 week, then I’m off the hook. Y’all, over 3,000 live devotionals later and I’m still not off the hook! And here’s the crazy thing … the 2 fears that have been holding me back are my 2 greatest blessings in moving forward. #1, I’m still not the best pick for this, but every morning I’m humbled to know he still chose me. He doesn’t need me to be perfect, he just needs me to show up. My friend, I’m telling you if you will be consistently available for God, he will do things in and through you that you could never imagine in your wildest dreams. Consistently available. But #2, because I absolutely knew I had maybe 5 total devotional ideas in me, I know with over 3,000 now that is FAR BEYOND ME. I’m not the source of this. And once I realized I’m not the source, the pressure was relieved! It’s not up to me to produce on my own. It’s up to me to tap into the source and let it flow. I don’t know what you’ve been trying to do on your own and perhaps failing miserably at, but I’m pretty sure God is telling you you’re not the source. I don’t know what you’re doing that you think it’s all on you so the burden has become overwhelming heavy, but I feel a stirring in my spirit to tell you God’s got you, just tap into him. Yesterday I studied the final 3 tiny chapters of the Old Testament. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Each are visions and messages given by God to specific prophets. And while these visions are over 2,500 years old, they are given by an eternal God who saw you in this very day of life on the day the vision was given. There’s something here for you. Are you ready to receive it? Maybe you’ve been waiting your whole life to receive this, and here it comes. I’ll read the scripture which may seem a little confusing, then we’ll dig deeper to understand the vision and apply it in precisely the way God has planned for you today. Zechariah is a prophet of God and the Lord is speaking to him through an angel who is showing him visions. Zechariah 4: 2-7, “‘What do you see now?’ the angel asked. I answered, ‘I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.’ Then I asked the angel, ‘What are these, my lord? What do they mean?’ ‘Don’t you know?’ the angel asked. ‘No, my lord,’ I replied. Then he said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout, ‘May God bless it!'” Okay, now let’s unpack this. Zerubbabel was a Jewish leader who was in charge of rebuilding the Lord’s temple. It was a big, overwhelming job that had been started and stopped and left unfinished because it seemed impossible. There weren’t enough supplies, there weren’t enough workers, there wasn’t enough of anything that was needed for such a big, overwhleming job. But God is showing Zechariah this golden lampstand with a bowl of oil on top and two olive trees on each side of the bowl. What could that possibly mean? To understand, you have to go back and understand the importance of the oil burning lamps within the temple. The lamps symbolized the constant presence of God. Where there was light from the lamps, there was God’s light. So, it was very important that the flame never go out. Now this was a very big and important job for someone in the temple. What fueled the lamps? Oil. Oil itself represented the Holy Spirit and it required regular replenishment to keep the fire burning. Someone constantly had to add oil to the lamps to ensure the flame continued and the presence of God would be felt. Now, what kind of oil was used? Olive oil. Where does olive oil come from? Olives. Where do olives grow? On live trees! So, put it together, the vision Zechariah received is showing two olive trees as the continual source of oil for the lamps. The presence of God will continue effortless because the source has been tapped. This vision is telling Zerubbabel that the impossible and overwhelming job of rebuilding the temple will be fueled by God. And when it’s fueled by God, it won’t run out. There will not be a shortage of supply. Every single thing that is needed will be provided. Receive that message today, my friend. Every single thing you need for this work will be provided. It will just keep flowing. Day after day, it will be there. You will not run out. The fear of not being enough or having enough has held you back long enough. Now God says, TAP INTO ME. I am your direct source. You don’t come up with these creative ideas on your own, those are my ideas I impart to you. You don’t manufacture the energy on your own, that is my energy I give to you. You don’t control the resources, every resource in the world belongs first to me. I have everything you need without limit. Stop dismissing yourself because you think you could never do this on your own. That’s a proven fact. You CAN’T. It was never up for debate any way. You can’t build it on your own, you can’t restore it on your own, you can’t create it, maintain it, run it, grow it or save it. BUT GOD CAN. He is your unlimited direct source. When you tap into him, you will not run out. I’m living proof, God simply doesn’t run out. It’s absolutely miraculous. Girl, get yourself tapped in, you don’t want to miss out on this overflow. Now the angel tells Zechariah that Zerubbabel will complete the massive, impossible task of rebuilding the temple and verse 10 he says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” I don’t know what you’ve been hesitating to start because you don’t know how you could ever finish it or keep going, but God is sweetly whispering, “My girl, I’m so excited to see the work begin, no matter how small it is. I will be your direct source to keep going. Just get started and tap into me!” I’m a girl who got started so ridiculously small and discovered the direct source that doesn’t run out. Now, it’s time for you to tap into the unlimited too! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1832 This Is Your Lifeboat 18:25

לפני 4 ימים18:25

18:25

Grab your Bible and let’s dive deeper into the story of Jonah to see how God works through the things we want to avoid to change our heart! Enjoy today’s unscripted Bible study time from Jonah 2. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1831 You’re Being Impulsive 18:20

לפני 5 ימים18:20

18:20

We all likely have heard the story in the Bible about Jonah and the whale. First, let me ask, do you actually believe it? Sometimes it’s hard to be a person of deep intelligence and faith at the same time because some things just don’t make sense. How did this real man end up in the belly of a real whale, and survive for 3 days? There are stories in the Bible that are known as parables and those are nothing more than teaching points made practical by made up stories. But let’s be clear, this isn’t one of them. Jonah lived 700 years before Jesus. He was a prophet of God. The book of Jonah in the Old Testament tells his story. Then Jesus reminds everyone of his story in Matthew 12:40 and says, “For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” Jesus is saying, “Yes, as unbelievable as that was, it really happened … and now, something totally unbelievable is going to happen with me too.” Jesus would be crucified on the cross and he would hang there for all to see he was dead, his body would be put in a secure tomb, and three days later women would come to the tomb and find the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was no longer there, for he had risen. It really happened. These are not made up stories. However, because they seem nearly unbelievable, faith is required here. Did you know there was recently a lobster diver off the coast of Cape Cod who was swallowed by a humpback whale? For real. It happened. He was on the news being interviewed from the hospital. Now that man has a testimony! How absolutely incredible! But, my guess would be it didn’t feel incredible while it was happening. Here this guy is swimming around on the bottom of the ocean catching lobsters and all of a sudden things just go dark. He never saw it coming. He initially thought he had been eaten by a shark, but in the darkness he realized he wasn’t injured. If it were a shark, he would have been shredded. So where was he? He could feel movement of his surroundings so he knew whatever he was in was moving in the water. He starts moving around as violently as he can. Hitting, kicking, desperately doing everything he can to get out of whatever he’s stuck in. And then, the whale surfaces, shakes his head and spits him out! INCREDIBLE! None of that felt incredible while it was happening. And really, that’s the thing about a testimony … going through it is not incredible. It’s dark. It’s scary. It’s likely the opposite of what you were hoping for or had planned for your day. But girl, when you make it out …. hallelujah! That’s your testimony. This man’s recent testimony reminds us Jonah and the whale is a real story. Yes, it happened … but have you ever asked WHY it happened? Why was this prophet of God swallowed by a whale? Do you know? We don’t have to guess because scripture tells us plain and clear. Jonah 1: 1-3, “The Lord gave this message to Jonah, ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I see how wicked the people are.’ But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.” Well, there’s the problem right there. Jonah was running from God. Running from God ended him up in the belly of a whale for a couple days where he could get his head and his heart right and try again in obedience to God. Girl, have you been running from God? Maybe you don’t really think so because you have valid reasons for doing the things you’re doing and not doing what you’re not doing. You felt that prompting from God, but you dismissed it because it seems impossible. You felt his nudge, but you didn’t respond because you thought it would make you look silly. You heard his whisper in your spirit, but you hushed it because surely someone more qualified than you could do that instead. You read his word that brought a holy conviction, but you pushed that feeling down and continued on your way telling yourself it’s really not that big of a deal. That’s running. That’s avoiding. That’s delaying. That’s dismissing. God doesn’t like it. Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale because he didn’t do what God told him to do. Why didn’t he do it? Because he didn’t want to. Sometimes we don’t want to go. We don’t want to be the one to say something. We don’t want to go first. We don’t want to change. So we make excuses, we dismiss the prompting and we create delay tactics. Delayed obedience is still disobedience. A world class fantastic excuse is still an excuse. A prompting has a timeline … it’s prompt. It’s not a later-ing, it’s a PROMPT-ing. So, the question is, why are we like Jonah and sometimes disobedient to God’s call? Is it fear? Is it doubt? Is it laziness? Is it sin? We constantly dismiss ourselves from the power of God working in and through our lives. Why do we do that? With some self-examination, I realize the real root of the problem for me is often, I just don’t want to. I don’t want to do what I don’t want to do. I don’t feel like doing what I don’t feel like doing. So I dismiss it. I avoid it. I delay it. I create some sort of justified excuse for me to sit it out. And most of the time I just assume nobody noticed and God moved on to someone else. But what if some of the messes I find myself in today are a result of my own disobedience? What if this is my time of sitting in the dark, being stuck in the yuck, and God is working on my heart and mind so that when I do get out of this I will do it right this time? What if this is your time of sitting in the dark and stuck in the yuck because honestly, you have only been doing what you wanted to do. You’ve only been going where you could see and like what you saw. You’ve only been showing up for what you could control. You’ve only been following your feelings. That’s a problem. Jonah was impulsive. He knew God told him to go to Nineveh but he didn’t want to go there. That wasn’t on his bucket list. Nope, not those people and not that job. Not it, God. So, he impulsively jumps on a ship going in the absolute opposite direction. Are you impulsive? Are you fast to jump? You’re all in, then you’re all out, and it happens in an instant. You speak before you think. You buy before you consider. You commit, then you totally uncommit. Proverbs 28:26, “Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.” Really, impulsiveness is the opposite of wisdom. You’re trusting a temporary feeling over an eternal God. Girl, calm down. Your impulses are guided by circumstances, not by God. Circumstances make you feel some sort of way and your decisions in the moment cannot be trusted. The devil loves to deceive us with impulses. He knows he can wreck your life with a few impulsive feelings and thoughts in circumstances you’re trying to avoid. The devil surely thought he had won when impulses led Jonah to jump on that ship going in the opposite direction of where God told him to go. But here’s the great news about our Almighty God: He doesn’t give up easy! You may be running and avoiding, but God can still see you. Psalm 139: 7-12: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the earth, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in the darkness I cannot hide from you.” Jonah discovered he simply could never escape from God. He was running, but God was chasing. He was hiding, but God was forever finding. He was dismissing, but God was calling. So you know how the story goes, right? Jonah’s hiding on this ship going in the opposite direction, and a great storm comes nearly sinking the boat. The men on the boat realize Jonah is running from God, so they throw him off the boat into the sea and the storm immediately stops. Then here comes the whale and just swallows Jonah right up. And there, on that far ocean, in darkness that hid Jonah, God brought light in his heart and mind. He brought him to a place of surrendered impulses. Yes, surrendered impulses. And when that whale spit Jonah out, he went straight to Nineveh to do exactly what God had told him to do. If you’re running, it’s not working. You really suck at hiding from God. If you’re ignoring him, you failed because he’s speaking to you right now and you simply can’t deny it. If you’ve been impulsive, he’s asking you to surrender those impulses, stop making rash decisions, and sit with him. Just sit with him. Don’t run. Don’t jump. Don’t hide. Just sit. Sit in the darkness if the darkness is where you are. He will be your light. He will show you the way. If you are weak, he will strengthen you. If you are lost, he will guide you. If the belly of the whale is where you are, then the belly of the whale is where he’ll work. Surrender the impulses that got you here to the God who can get you out. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1830 This Is Your Forty 17:53

לפני 6 ימים17:53

17:53

Forty. It’s a significant number in the Bible, often representing new life, growth and transformation. That’s exciting and fantastic, but dig deeper. That goodness always came AFTER a time of trial, hardship and sacrifice. The fear-filled and disobedient Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, then God led a new obedient generation into their Promised Land. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days by the devil. After that temptation, Jesus began his ministry on Earth and changed eternity. It rained for 40 days, flooding the entire earth. All life outside of Noah’s ark was eliminated. Then the waters receded and life began again from only that which had been saved. The giant Goliath taunted God’s people for 40 days. Then, the little shepherd boy David slays the giant with his slingshot and a rock and wins them victory and freedom. Forty. 40 days, sometimes 40 years. But then, completion, then renewal, then victory. The next 40 days is known as Lent. It’s the time between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, leading up to Easter Sunday. This is our time of sacrifice and hardship, leading to new life, growth and transformation. Oh yes, God wants to do a work in YOU! We love the promise of transformation, but resist the refining work of the trial. But, God says this work he wants to do in you is entirely too valuable to be cutting corners! The transformation is coming, and it’s coming THROUGH the trial. The hallelujah is on it’s way, right behind this hardship. The strengthening happens because of the sacrifice. Now, Sis, face your 40! Don’t let the next 40 be like your last 40. It’s time to go deeper. It’s time for full heart surrender. It’s time for sacrifice. It’s time for repentance. On the other side of this 40 is that new life, that growth, that transformation only God has seen. God wants to do a work in you! Will you submit to the process? I didn’t grow up in Church. I only knew Easter as the special weekend where Mama made me a pretty dress and I sat quietly with old people for 1 hour while some man in a suit talked about things I didn’t understand … then we ate a feast at Grandma’s house. I most certainly didn’t know about Lent. I’ve had to do some studying to understand what all of this means. So, just in case you come from a background like me, let me give a quick rundown on what this season of 40 days means. In the early days of Christianity, before someone could be baptized as a Christian, they were to spend 40 days and 40 nights preparing. During this time, they were to sacrifice comforts and really consider if they wanted to commit their life to Jesus. This time of preparation was modeling the preparation of Jesus for 40 days in the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4) Now, many Christian churches baptize as infants, so the 40 days of Lent is used as a time of renewal and re-commitment to Christ and the life he has called us to. So, to put it simply, that’s what this time is … This is your renewal and re-commitment to Jesus. A time specifically dedicated to focusing on Jesus. How many of you would confess you struggle with focus? Your mind is busy, your days are over-filled, and you are scattered. To focus, the excess must be eliminated, and only the source of our intention can remain. BUT HOW? How exactly do you put all of life on hold so you can focus on Jesus? I mean it would be really great if we could each go to our own private retreat where we have absolutely no worries and no obligations so 100% of our time can be spiritual. The truth is, even if we could … most of us would never actually do that. 40 days without distractions. 40 days without a cell phone? 40 days without noise? 40 days without spikes in your dopamine that make you feel good? Nope, we wouldn’t. So, we’re left in our busy, distracted worlds where we have schedules and demands, luxuries and comforts, and we struggle to offer any time of focus on Jesus. And to that I believe God says, “Okay … then struggle it out!” Yes, struggle with this. Don’t avoid it. Don’t run from it. Choose to struggle. Choose to fight for a way to focus more on Jesus. Choose to sacrifice for 40 days so that you will be strengthened. Choose to embrace a self-imposed hardship so you come out of this with a greater hallelujah than ever before. Beginning today, this is your 40. These days leading up to Easter are your invitation to eliminate something as a sacrifice and in exchange, focus on Jesus. What will you offer for your 40? Let God tell you! He knows where the perfect space could be made that would bring renewal in your life. Ask him. Father, where can I make space for you? What sacrifice would be pleasing to you in my daily life? I don’t want to just go through the motions. I don’t want to check another meaningless box. I want to embrace a time of willpower and hardship to grow closer to you. Show me what you have requested of me. Now, let’s hear from God. How do we do that? The perfect way is to read his word! After Jesus faced the devil in the wilderness for 40 days, he started his ministry. He gathered a few disciples from fishing boats with an invitation to follow him, then he preached his first sermon called the Sermon on the Mount. What if you just made time to read that sermon today and see what he wants to specifically show you? You can find it in Matthew 5-7. God has specifically drawn me to a few verses in chapter 6. Verses 16-33: “When you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Is God asking you to give up a specific food or drink for Lent?) “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Is God asking you to give up things that have become your treasures? Yes, your stuff … and shopping.) “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! (Is God asking you to give up something you’ve been looking at or watching?) “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (How is God prompting you to seek his Kingdom first by clearing out something in your life for the next 40 days?) Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1
1829 Winning Your Heart Back 18:40

לפני 7 ימים18:40

18:40

Recently God has lovingly asked me to adjust my conversations with him. Out of neglect, my prayers have become mostly a list of ways I want God to move and act. God, do that, then do this. I’m continually suggesting his next move. I push my preferred destiny on the one who holds the ultimate preferred destination for my life, as if I know better and he needs my help. Is that what you do too? Something I’ve noticed on my journey with God is he allows me to be wrong. He allows me to do it wrong. Then, with time as my trust in him grows, he begins to show me a better way. Now, he’s showing me Luke 6:45, “What you say flows from what is in your heart.” This heart was really full of supreme ideas and suggested ways. This heart was full of a need for control and everyone under my control to play nice, just the way I wanted them to. And from my heart, everything I said to God just flowed. “God, fix this. God, change them. God, stop her.” But, in a surrender of my heart, God is changing the words that flow from it. He’s simply asked me to give him more praise. Recognize his extraordinary power and my complete dependence on him. See his hand in everything, and trust him wholeheartedly. Give him credit and stop assuming my goodness was the force behind any of this. He is the force, I am not. He is the Creator, I am not. He is the healer, redeemer, provider, restorer, I AM NOT. And when my heart knows that, then what I say flows from that. I’m in a season where God has asked me to practice words of awe, wonder and praise over requests, pleas and demands. As God has been dealing with me on this change of my heart, he leads me to a tiny book of the Bible I’ve never studied, Hosea. I must admit, it’s a bit confusing because it starts out like this, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go and marry a prostitute.” Immediately my brain flips a switch that says, “Skim over this, it’s not applicable.” Some of the Bible is a hard read. I can’t pretend to understand it all, and if it were my book, I would have left a whole lot of that out. But it’s not my book. It’s above me. My guess is, it’s above you too. Good, it keeps us humble and it keeps us seeking. I think that was God’s plan. As I leaned into God’s word in the book of Hosea, there were things that started leaping off the page at me. Warnings and promises revealed, and to my surprise, they do apply to me. I bet they apply to you too. The Lord is speaking to his people. He refers to them as his bride. Don’t let that trip you up and don’t let the enemy twist that. Know that it means you are chosen, you are cherished, and you are adored. But as the Lord is speaking to his bride, he shows us there is a problem … she fails to recognize all God has done for her. Hosea 2:8, “She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has.” She has become ungrateful. She has become so busy with her blessings that she fails to honor the bless-or. She treats her provisions as if she earned them. She receives without acknowledgment or gratitude and only expects more. She takes it for granted. SHE IS ME. Is she you too? When we fail to realize it was God who gave us everything we have, we face an awakening that comes only through hardship. God says in verse 13, “I will punish her for all those times she forgot about me.” The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Honey, if you can’t be trusted with your blessings, they are in danger of being taken. If your blessings have gotten in the way of the bless-or, then the way will be cleared. This is our warning. A warning of love from our Father. I had a really good earthly Daddy, so it’s very natural for me to lean into God as my heavenly Daddy. I trust easily. I have been taught a Father’s love is genuine and pure and his disciplining hand can be trusted. I fully recognize that is not everyone’s personal experience. I’m so sorry if you were hurt, abandoned, neglected, or simply not loved well by an earthly Daddy. I pray for healing so you can fully receive the love of your heavenly Father who is perfect in every way. Our heavenly Father punishes from a place of love for his beloved child. He corrects us when we are wrong. He puts us in an occasional time out so we can think about what we’ve been doing wrong. And sometimes he takes our phones away so we listen. That’s what you do as a good parent. A good parent doesn’t just let their child do anything and everything they want, because a parent knows things the child does not. And God says, “My girl, you’ve forgotten about me. You’ve gotten so wrapped up in your blessings that you only come to me asking for more. You were not created to be an ungrateful taker, but you’re unknowingly acting like one because your heart has gotten twisted. Now, I will untwist your heart.” How is a heart untwisted? Some things are taken away. And that’s what God does in Hosea 2. He takes back the ripened grain and new wine he had so generously provided every season before. He takes away the wool and linen clothing he had given to cover her. He puts an end to her festivals and celebrations. All the busyness and blessings that caused her to forget about God were taken. But they were taken out of LOVE. God will take everything away if it brings us back to him. Just as we put our children in time out or take away a toy … why? Out of love, not out of hate. We love them so much that we’re willing to do the hard thing now to help them forever. God loves YOU so much that he’s willing to do the hard thing now to help you forever. But, the hard does not last forever. Look at what comes after the lesson is learned. Verse 14-15, “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.” God wants to win you back now! After you’ve learned the lesson, after you’ve put your blessings back in their rightful place, then he gives it all back to you. You know what this tells me? This tells me GOD WILL REDEEM WHAT I HAVE MESSED UP. I’ve created my own Valley of Trouble. I’ve allowed temporary things to become top priority. I’ve gotten all out of alignment with my fleshy desires and limited perspective. I’ve messed things up in my own special way. Oh girl, have you messed some things up in your own special way? Did you know God wants to redeem that now? Once you turn back to him and just let him win you, then redemption comes. Hope returns. Blessings overflow. The question is, are you going to let God win you back? He wants your praise. He wants your gratitude. He wants your time and attention. He wants you to recognize every single thing you have is solely because of him. He wants you to put everything back in it’s rightful place and turn your heart over to him fully. And when you do, he shows you just how good he is. Then he wins you back! God’s winning me back. I may wander sometimes and occasionally get all up in my head thinking things are more about me than they really are. I may temporarily become an ungrateful brat who fails to pause and recognize God is the one who put that chicken on my plate, God is the one who strengthened my legs to run again, God is the one who kept my husband’s heart beating, God is the one protected my children in their stupid years, God is the one who makes my world spin. It’s all GOD! He’s winning my heart back. And with my heart his, then the words that flow from my heart are pleasing to him. I naturally praise him. I don’t have to force it and I can’t help it. I think God wants your heart back. He wants to win you back again. He wants to transform your Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. And this time, he wants you to forever remember only he could do that. Look at the lengths he has gone to for you. He’s meeting you here in your Valley of Trouble and winning you back! Now, there is hope! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1
1828 Don’t Stop Now 18:26

לפני 8 ימים18:26

18:26

Have you ever questioned if God hears your prayers? Oh honey, he hears you. But if he hears you, why isn’t he answering you? That’s a tough question. We often misunderstand the answers. There’s more than just yes, there’s also not yet, and no because I have something better for you. Now, today, we’re going to read about an experience Daniel had with an angel. Maybe this is a story you’ve never even heard, I know I certainly hadn’t. God wants us to hear this now so we can understand there’s more happening than what we can see, and we play a role in the outcome! To set the stage, remember Daniel was a man of God who had visions and could interrupt dreams. With faith, he had survived the lion’s den as angels had shown up and sealed the lion’s mouths to protect him. Now, in Daniel chapter 10, he has had a vision that he could not understand and it was disturbing to him, so he he’s prayed to God for 3 weeks for understanding. Now, after 3 weeks, this is what happens, verse 4-14: On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River, I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people. Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling. Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” Here’s what we need to know … what is happening behind the scenes in the spiritual realm is a full on battle! Behind every scene, the angels and demons are fighting. The demons are fighting to delay you, distract you, discourage you, overwhelm you, depress you, and destroy you. All the time. Every time. But God’s angels are battling them to protect you, deliver you, encourage you, strengthen you and move you forward. It. Is. Real. You can’t see it, but it is constantly happening. Paul knew that for sure and he wrote in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” This angel, who looks like a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist and a body that looked like a precious gem with eyes that flamed like torches and a voice that roared has been in battle for Daniel. The battle was over the answer to his prayer. Do you understand there’s a battle happening in the heavenly realms over the answer to your prayer? I don’t think we get that. The angel reveals in verses 12-13, “Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for 21 days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way.” Do you remember how long Daniel had been praying? FOR THREE WEEKS! TWENTY-ONE DAYS! While Daniel prayed, the angel fought to deliver his answer. Are there delays in the spiritual realm? Clearly, this is an example. So, that leaves me to wonder … were you praying specifically for something, but then you gave up? What if you gave up while the angels were battling for you and the day you quit praying was the day God called the angels back and said, “She’s just not asking anymore.” How much angelic assistance have I forfeited because I failed to be consistent in prayer? Here’s what I’m learning: PRAYER REALLY MATTERS! An angel was dispatched because of Daniel’s prayers. For every day he continued to pray, that angel continued to battle the demon sent to block him. Jesus refers to Satan as the “Prince of this world” 3 times in the book of John. These spirit princes being revealed to Daniel are Satan’s demons, his battle buddies, his soldiers of evil. They are the evil spirits battling God’s angels, trying to block God’s answers, God’s blessings, God’s breakthroughs and God’s works. But what we see here is as long as we pray, the angels will not quit fighting for you. There’s a delay here … your job is to keep praying! This angel tells Daniel that Michael, one of the archangels, came to help him fight. Do you know about the Archangel Michael?!!!! He is a spiritual warrior who is a champion for justice and protector of God’s Church. He is often shown with a sword, defeating Satan himself. In Venice, my favorite Church is one in a back alley where tourists rarely go. It’s called The Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1715. Inside, is a massive stone sculpture of the Archangel Michael defeating Satan himself. Beneath his feet, the prince of the world is defeated. Y’all, that’s what our angels are doing for us! It’s real. It’s happening. There’s a battle, and the battle is often over your prayers. Don’t stop praying now! Why is there a delay in your answer? Well maybe there’s a battle happening for you! Maybe God has sent your answer the moment you began to pray, but the journey to you has been a fight. Here’s what you need to know … God says you’re worth fighting for. 2 Chronicles 20: 15-17, “This battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you.” Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!” In Exodus, we read of Moses leading the Israelites in a battle against their enemies. Chapter 17, verse 11 says, “As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained advantage.” What was Moses doing with his arm lifted up holding this staff? He was praying. He was seeking God. Verse 12, “Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.” As a result, there was victory! I don’t know how long you’ve been praying and waiting, but maybe your arms have grown really tired. Maybe you just don’t know how to keep praying. This is why it’s so important to have the right people around you who know about your battle. My sister, who’s praying for you? Who’s holding your hands up when you are tired? Now is NOT the time to quit praying. There’s a battle happening in the spiritual real and your angels will not stop fighting as long as you’re praying. They are not giving up on you, now don’t you give up on them. God has a victory here for you and for your family. Keep your hands lifted in prayer and praise. If you’ve grown weary, as we all do, it’s time to ask someone to hold your hands steady for you. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1
1827 Do It Anyway 21:07

לפני 11 ימים21:07

21:07

As a little girl, I knew absolutely nothing about God. I wasn’t raised in church. Sadly when I was a toddler, my parents were hurt by church and simply never went back for 15 years. The only thing I knew about God were the pictures in our family Bible. Did anyone else have a massive Bible with foil edges and full colored pictures somewhere in their home as a centerpiece decoration? It really wasn’t to be touched, but to look pretty on the table in the foyer. But I loved to sneak in and look at the pictures. One of those pictures was of a man in a robe, surrounded by lions. The lions appeared to be tame and the man appeared to be quite calm and in complete control. I had no way of knowing why this man was surrounded by lions, perhaps he was some sort of circus performer. It literally took me over 40 years to actually study the story in my own Bible to understand the scene … and understand maybe that’s not what the scene really looked like at all. Maybe the lions weren’t tame, maybe they were ferocious and pacing the floor for attack. And maybe the man in a robe wasn’t in charge at all. Maybe there was something unseen in the room achieving the impossible. And what if, in the middle of your hardest times, there’s something unseen in the room with you too. Something holding back the threat, something shielding you with divine protection, something doing the absolute impossible for you … but you just can’t see it. Today, consider maybe that’s precisely what is happening. God has sent his angels to stand guard over you during this. No, he didn’t magically eliminate the problem, but in the middle of the problem, he is protecting you from the dangers. This is a story of Daniel. If you remember from an episode earlier this week, Daniel is a man of God with the gift of interpreting dreams and messages from God. He’s faithful in every way and earned a high position in the King’s house. A few Kings had come and gone during Daniel’s time, and now there was a new King, King Darius. This King loved and respected Daniel above everyone else and planed to place him over the entire empire. That of course makes others very jealous. What do jealous people do? They cause problems. Now Daniel didn’t have a single skeleton in his closet. He was faithful and good in every single thing he did, so his enemies could find absolutely no fault in him. So what did they do? They made something up! Let’s pause right there … My sister, it doesn’t matter how much good you do, your enemy will find something or create something against you. Always. Don’t be shocked by it. And don’t play pitiful over it. Have you ever heard Mother Theresa’s poem called ‘Anyway’? These were the words inscribed on the walls of her children’s home in Calcutta: People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God; It was never between you and them anyway. What a reminder … do it anyway. Be faithful anyway. Keep praying anyway. Keep loving anyway. This isn’t between you and anyone else – this was always between you and God. Keep it that way! So, Daniel has a few enemies and the fact that they can find no reason to blame him for anything just makes them create a problem. These guys know Daniel is supremely loyal to his God. They know he prays on his knees 3 times every single day to his God without fail. And they know nothing will cause him to be unfaithful in his commitment to God. So, they convince King Darius to make a law that for the next 30 days, any person who prays to anyone or anything other than him would be thrown into the den of lions. The King is a good man, but he likes the thought of everyone bowing to him and it strokes his ego a bit, so he makes the unchangable law. And of course, what happens next is exactly what Daniel’s enemies knew would happen … they found him praying anyway. Daniel 6:10, “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to God.” Daniel didn’t allow threats to change his commitment to God. Nothing got in the way of his prayer and praises to his God. I have to wonder if sometimes things get in the way of our prayer and praises to God. Does vacation get in the way? Does extra busy or stressful times get in the way? What gets in the way of your committed time with God? Step 1 is to have a committed time with God. When is that? Where is that? Now notice what comes in and crowds it out? Nothing was crowding out Daniel’s commitment to God. He did what he had always done. That is being faithful! And being faithful landed Daniel in trouble. Girl, why are you so surprised when trouble comes your way? We’re so quick to say, “Why me, God?” … really, why not you? I can’t think of a single justified answer as to why trouble should never touch my life. Daniel ends up in a literal lion’s den. Verse 16-23: “So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, ‘May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.'” “A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep all that night.” “Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?’ “Daniel answered, ‘Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been fond innocent in his sight. And I have not wrong you, Your Majesty.’ “The King was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.” So, there was an angel with Daniel. Did you know that’s legit for real? We don’t know if Daniel actually saw the angel, but he knew that was the only possible thing that could have kept the lions from devouring him. Hebrews 1:14 says “Angels are spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.” My friend, you are being cared for in this! God has sent an angel to stand guard over you. Maybe you can see the threat, or maybe you can’t, but that angel is holding it back from you. Was Daniel completely calm and in control in that lions’ den? We have no idea. What we do know is because he trusted in God on the absolute worst night of his life, not a single scratch was found on him. He walked out of that threat completely unharmed. What we do know is Daniel prayed in that den. And here’s how we know that … not because scripture tells us anything about that night, but because we know praying is what Daniel ALWAYS DID. He didn’t wait until a really bad night to hit his knees, he had faithfully been hitting his knees three times a day for a long time. Don’t wait until the lion is pacing the floor and preparing his attack – Girl, you pray NOW. Create and protect your faithful practice of praying. Imagine Daniel in that lion’s den. What is the most vulnerable position he could possibly be in? Kneeling! With his back turned to the lion, head bowed and eyes closed, he was completely defenseless. But we know that was the most powerful thing he could do. There, in that position, there were angels stations around him sealing the lions’ mouths shut. Imagine the scene – the one that wasn’t pictured in my family’s bible. Imagine angels wrestling those lions. Holding their mouths shut with their arms wrapped around them … or their wings … yes, their wings. Trust in God is what will save you. A faithful practice or prayer and praise is what he’s looking for! When life gets busy or you go on vacation, or people start doing stupid stuff, or the enemy roars in your direction, you just do it anyway. This is between you and God. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1
1826 Redeem the Time 15:14

לפני 12 ימים15:14

15:14

I recently heard adulthood is a never ending perpetual cycle of waiting for life to calm down, then you die. Is that you? Right now life is busy and hectic, it’s uncertain and stressed, it’s not what you envisioned it being at this stage … but when it calms down, whew doggies look out, you’re gonna live! You’re going to start really living one day. You’ll sit and sip your coffee in pure delight. You’ll have time and energy. You will be proud of yourself and walk with confidence. Oh yes, that day is coming, that day when life calms down and gets better and you can be truly happy, and when it does, you’re going to live! No. You’re. Not! The very heartbeat of life is a rhythm of ups and downs, when it calms down your ride is over sister. We’re saving up our happy for an imaginary destination in this life that doesn’t exist. Right here, right now, this is where you can live. Yes, this season of life, this one with it’s chaos and messes, disappointments and circumstances far short of perfection, this is where living happens. In the absence of calm is where you find the living. It’s a nasty ploy of the enemy to convince you that sometime in the future you will have the time, energy and resources to do the things you want to do with your life. When life calms down and things get better … then. The truth is, we’re living perfectly good days of life in survival mode, in the absence of a crisis. Hey listen to me, that crisis may come and you may need to just get through it, but if your life is free of an absolute undeniable crisis today, then you better be living! The enemy’s plan is to kill, steal and destroy. Never lose sight of that. Has he been killing your happiness, stealing your joy, destroying your TODAY with a focus on another day? Oh how he tricks us into missing today because of the worries of tomorrow, or missing today because of the hopes that somehow a future tomorrow will be better than the one we ended up with today. Ephesians 5: 15-16 NKJV, “See then that you walk circumspectly (carefully and intentionally), not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Redeeming the time … what an interesting phrase. The specific Greek word used here for time didn’t just mean day after day, it meant a specific portion of time where something should happen. THE TIME is a season of opportunity we must redeem. My sister, today is part of your season of opportunity and you’re supposed to be redeeming this. THE TIME is now. Do something with it. Don’t let this just pass. How are you using this specific time for the glory of God? How are you using this time for things of eternal impact? You can’t wait for better days. Here’s how we know for sure this is THE time we’re called to live intentionally – because indeed, the days are evil. There’s a whole lot of crazy, scary crap going on out there. That’s absolutely no surprise. This is THE TIME for you to live intentionally and redeem the time. How are you going to show Jesus in this? The NLT puts it like this, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” How do fools live? They miss opportunities. They don’t show up for life. Be careful how you live and make the most of every opportunity. Today is full of opportunities … what will you do with them? What if your response to today’s opportunities determine tomorrow’s offering? Yes, what if future opportunities are earned through using, enjoying, and savoring that which has already been given to us? I used to think if I didn’t intentionally live my life, then my life just WOULDN’T be lived. Now I know that’s not true. We will still live. We will still exist. If you don’t intentionally live your life, your life WILL just live itself. It will go on with or without your intentional effort. You’ll drift through life. And you know what happens when you drift … invevitably, you end up wrecked on some shore you never wanted to be on. And here we are, these miraculous beings who are the masterpieces of the almighty creator, just letting life live itself. Drifting. Lost. We’re just here, but not fully here. We’re showing up, but not bringing the best of us. Where is the best of us? Buried under layers of regret, guilt, shame and laziness. Dang it’s hard to even recognize the masterpiece with all we’ve layered on. But, it’s in there. Our potential is still in there. Our destiny is still available. Our purpose still calls. And if we’re breathing today, that means we have an opportunity to show up and start really living. On purpose. Intentionally. Like we mean it! When will we decide we won’t just let our lives live themselves any longer? When will we harness the power our creator has given us and WAKE UP? When will we live like we mean it? Deuteronomy 30: 19-20, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.” Well, it couldn’t be any clearer. It’s right there. This is the key to your life. Will you choose it? God has given you the power to choose. Choose well. Choose your direction. Choose your attitude. Choose your next step. Choose your mood. What will you choose today? One day life will calm day. Yes it will. The moment after that final breath is real calm. I hope you’re not waiting for that. I hope you will decide to take this day with it’s ups and downs, it’s imperfections, it’s stresses and messes, it’s busy schedule and endless demands, it’s disappointments and surprises, and LIVE IT. The key to your life is to make the choice to LOVE God, OBEY him, and COMMIT yourself fully to him. Listening today are women who have stories. Some are widows who have lost their husbands, some are broken because their husbands were unfaithful, some are still healing from the pain of an unimaginable childhood, some have lost children, lost jobs, or lost their happiness, or lost themselves. But they’re here today seeking to live. Seeking to show up in the middle of their reality and be faithful with the cards they have been dealt. The women listening today are going to play their hand … will that be you? This is what our God expects of us. When will life calm down … when we die. When will we live … today! Live intentionally today, redeem the time. Make the most of every opportunity. Yes, the days are evil … that’s why it’s so important for you step out and show Jesus! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1825 Dom, Dom, Dommmmm – Hear the Music 17:39

לפני 13 ימים17:39

17:39

Have you ever been humbled by life? You know, knocked down off your high horse and left to sit in your failure feeling incredibly human. It’s a deep seeded fear within most of us, and that fear often holds us hostage. We’re so fearful of failure that we fail to even show up and try. We would rather sit on the sidelines watching others than dare step on the fields ourselves and risk failure. But deep down, I’ve discovered there’s something I’m even more fearful of than failure. I’m honestly afraid of success. If I succeed, then what will I have to do to manage that success? What would be expected of me? Failing doesn’t come with a whole lot of pressures, but success comes with overwhelming pressure. The higher you climb, the harder that fall is. But God doesn’t want us to be failures, nor does he want us to be afraid of success. What he desires of his girls is to walk in the success he offers while remaining humble. If you can’t be humble in this, then honey, you can’t keep it. Do you have something you’ve worked hard for today and now you’re taking credit for it? Did you build that? Did you create that? Did you save that? Did you make that happen? Really, did you? Because if it was all you, I can tell you what’s coming next. Pie. Your pie is coming next. Humble pie. This week we’ve been reading in the book of Daniel about King Nebuchadnezzar. He didn’t believe in the one true God. He had his own gods, himself being one of them. He was incredibly proud of himself. So proud, he built that massive golden statue of himself and demanded everyone bow down and worship it when music played. And remember, there were 3 young men who refused to worship his statue, and as a result, they faced the punishment of death in a fiery furnace. Because of their faith while facing the furnace, then because of the King’s own sight of the fourth man in the fire with them, King Nebuchadnezzar became a believer of the true God. Well hallelujah, this man changed! Daniel 4:2-3, the King sends a message to all the people and says, “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.” Isn’t that just fantastic! But, here’s what happens next. Verse 4, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.” Que the music … dom, dom, dommmmmm. That’s a problem. We humans simply do not do well will comfort and prosperity. Have you ever noticed that? Our priorities get all jacked up. We start doing stupid stuff. And God gets put on the back burner. Is that what has happened to you? God got you through that crisis, and now that life is easier you’ve gotten comfortable. In your comfort you’ve gotten soft. You’ve grown just luke warm. You’re not cold, but you’re certainly not on fire for God anymore. Why? Because honestly, it’s just not required. That’s what comfort and prosperity often do. We become self-sufficient and self-centered. Dom, dom, dommmmmm. My sister, can’t you hear the music? Sitting in his comfort and prosperity, the King has a disturbing dream. Daniel was specially gifted by God to interpret dreams. The King calls Daniel in and says, “Now tell me what my dream means.” And well, it wasn’t good news. It was a warning. A warning that the King was going to lose his kingdom, lose his mind, and live in the field with wild animals for 7 years. As Daniel is interpreting this dream he says in verse 27, “King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.” Then, 12 months pass. 12 months to repent. 12 months with continued prosperity to change. But he didn’t. Verse 29, “Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’ Dom, dom, dommmmmmmmm. (Can’t you hear the music?) Verse 31-34, “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.'” “That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as an eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.” “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.” Verse 36-37, “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” My friends, this is our warning, just as the King received his. HUMBLE YOURSELF, OR YOU WILL BE HUMBLED. You cannot take an ounce of credit for anything the Almighty God has given you, granted you, or made happen for you. Without him, you would have none of it and you could do none of it. God will allow it to all fall apart so you come back to him. But here’s the thing, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can heed the warning, check yourself, pray for God to cure you of your pride and humbly submit to God. If you do, instead of punishment, you will receive GRACE. James 4: 6-7, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” May we always remember everything we have and everything we can do is because of God. Satan fell from glory because he fell in love with his gift instead of falling in love with God. Is your gift getting in the way? Has your power become a problem? Is your blessing now a block? Has your treasure become your target? Has success become your soul’s search? Is your vanity now the vision of your life, blocking your vision of God? Dom, dom, dommmmmmm, hear the music girlfriend, this is your warning. Something is out of place. The King was given 12 months to change, but he didn’t. So he suffered for 7 years to be humbled. I do not wish suffering for you or anyone else. I give suffering zero stars, do not recommend. Whatever God is prompting you to give up, turn from or change, just do it. If you don’t, it’s going to eventually fall apart anyway. God will resist and come against anything causing pride in your life. But where you humble yourself, he will give grace upon grace! And that’s a different music. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1824 The Fourth Man 15:40

לפני 14 ימים15:40

15:40

Sometimes God doesn’t prevent the fires in our lives that threaten us. Oh how we wish he would just put them out, and sometimes he does … but sometimes he doesn’t. We’re talking about the times he doesn’t. The times when bad things happen. The times when it’s unfair. The times when God doesn’t deliver […]…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1823 Even If He Doesn’t 18:40

לפני 15 ימים18:40

18:40

What if God doesn’t do what you want him to do here? What if he doesn’t make this all work out the way you think it should work out? Really, what if he doesn’t … where does you faith stand then? Where will your joy be found if your idea of good isn’t how this […]

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1822 When God Says Change 19:58

לפני 18 ימים19:58

19:58

Join us for an unscripted Bible study time together.God, if you’re in it, I want it … if you’re not, I don’t. Now, the even harder prayer: God if you want me to change in this, I’m willing to change. If you want me to change how I do it, I’ll change it. 2 Corinthians […]

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

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1821 This Is Your Fuel 15:01

לפני 19 ימים15:01

15:01

The enemy uses very specific weapons against you. Weapons meant to detour you. Weapons meant to defeat you. Weapons meant to destroy you. Depress you, deceive you, dismiss you, and disease you. Maybe you’ve felt the sting of his weapons. Maybe you’re living in fear of his weapons. And maybe you’re like the majority of […]…

BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1
1820 Too Far Gone 17:37

לפני 20 ימים17:37

17:37

Are you faced with something that is simply too far gone? Something that has no hope left for the future. Something so broken there’s no chance of repair. Impossible. May I remind you of Luke 1:37, “Nothing will be impossible with God.” No thing … no, not even your thing. With God, it IS POSSIBLE. […]…

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