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Guest Author, Brenda Brizendine

Psalm 37:4
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.

When I was growing up and starting taking an interest in boys, I started to imagine how my life would be as a married woman. A beautiful home, a loving husband and many children!
I had many goals to accomplish too! Complete and graduate from secondary school, go to college and graduate there too! Of course, I was also imagining in becoming a successful person in the professional world. But I never stopped thinking about the person I would get married to and would share my life with.

Time was passing... I was accomplishing my academic goals, and started my professional life. Ah! But I also started getting more involved in the service to the Lord in my congregation. I had to do well in all areas. But I couldn’t stop thinking, who will be the person that God has for me?

Without noticing it, I started paying more much attention to the idea of being married, and yes, I have to say it, I became a little obsessed. My friends started to have boyfriends, then getting married and having children and wonderful families. And I continued thinking, whom is God going to send for me? (My relatives also started to remind me that I was “lacking something”, because I wasn’t getting younger).

In my worry of fulfilling “my dream”, I started a couple sentimental relationships that left my heart in pieces. Was it their fault? Was it my fault because I let myself fall in love? But, what about “my” dream? God, why you are not fulfilling my desire?

One afternoon, during a Bible study meeting, the person teaching invited us to read 1 Corinthians 7, where it is mentioned that single women should get busy in the Lord’s matters. It was then when I understood that it was the time for me to pay attention to the Lord Jesus and not to any of the other “things” that I had in my agenda. That was the moment that I had to serve Him, all in!

Only then, when I started to focus my sight, my time and “my” agenda in the Lord’s matters, I learned to get to know Him better, to delight in Him and be more like the person that He wants me to be.

It was when I was all in and delighting in Him, that the man of my dreams came to my life. (I’ve been married for 5 years and have a beautiful daughter as a result of this marriage).

I don’t know what desire you have in your heart and is making you believe that God has forgotten to fulfill. I know that He is a Good God, and that His will is good, pleasing and perfect for each of us. (Romans 12:2)

My message here is not about seeking God just with the intention of fulfilling your desire or get something in exchange. My message is that as a result of seeking Him first and delighting in Him (Matthew 6:33); when you are all in, there will be overabundant blessings and, your dream, or the Lord’s dream will be fulfilled in you (Psalm 138:8).

Colossians 3:1-4 2Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

#IronRoseSisterMinistries #IRSM #allin #delightinHIM

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Meagan crochets animals for new babies at church.
Anita travels across makeshift roads in rural Cuba to bless and equip other women.
Mandy cares for her patients, even after they have cursed her out or thrown up on her.
Barbara prepares Bible class for the fourth graders every Sunday morning.
Claudia wheels the elderly from the nursing home down the street to the church building so they can worship with other Christians.
Lindsay shares her love for art as a way of drawing non-Christians into conversation about the Creator who values beauty and creativity.

The “All In” life for Christ takes on different forms for different people. It takes a body, “as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16).

Who do you know that is Living, Loving, and Serving with Abandon?
Thankfully, I would run out of room to share the countless stories of people that I know who live out their relationship with Christ in diverse ways. Yet I do not know the stories of those you are blessed to know, women (and men) who have touched your life by living “All In.” Let’s celebrate the stories of those who are Living, Loving and Serving with Abandon!

A picture is worth a thousand words, so...
Comment with a picture and add the hashtags: #AllInChrist #IronRoseSister

Let’s celebrate what God is doing through those who live All In for Him!

#IronRoseSister #IRSM #AllInChrist #allin