Tag: jesus

Joyce Chronicles

On By mygodroomIn blessings, obedience, PaganLeave a comment

I love my sweet sister, Joyce. Truly, she has blessed my life for over two years with her intentional actions. She visited me at the old Smyrna shop, visited at this Boro location, met me for dinners at various places and has consistently valued me enough to designate and set apart time for our fellowship. She has also given me beautiful cards; a pocket stone cross I took to Italy and other thoughtful gestures, like cooking dinner for my family.

For over two years, she has been a prayer warrior and a true friend to me.

Given her work at the food bank and SNAP benefits cut since October 1, she has certainly been busier than usual the past six weeks. Today, I had the blessing of driving to the Boro to meet her for breakfast!

I just realized my “focus on ONE God story” was not a completely new one. I shared the gist of the Lamentations 3:58 story via text two weeks ago.

Still, Joyce listened as if she had never heard a peep! God bless her, she is such an active listener. Granted, I did add some new details, as the Lord tends to keep adding to each story He gives me.

As fun as it is to share stories, I love listening to others’ stories. I asked Joyce what was in her ear as a new lesson. She opened her phone and shared this verse from 1 Chronicles.

Joyce shared a certain nudge she felt reading the genealogy. Essentially, questions about why a second born son would be the one married to the daughter of Pharaoh. Why was this particular wife, Bithiah, mentioned by name?

I love, love, LOVE deep diving into scripture and gaining any type of new understanding. It always feels like Jesus is hugging me or love-tapping me on the shoulder. Today was extra exciting for me, as I have recently studied some things about birth order and how God names certain people. It always excites me to recognize when He has taken me through certain steps to prepare me for anything. I was especially excited that He prepared me a pinch for Joyce’s question.

In biblical genealogies, firstborns often represent inheritance and authority, but second sons frequently carry spiritual significance — chosen by God for covenant purposes rather than birth order. Abel was chosen over Cain, Jacob over Esau and Ephraim over Manasseh.

When a second son connects to foreign or royal lineage, like Pharaoh’s daughter here, it often points to divine reversal, covenant inclusion or a bridging of nations.

What makes Pharaoh’s daughter, Bithiah, so special? For starters, her Hebrew name is Bat-Yah and literally means “daughter of Yahweh.” To me, it’s clear she renounced Egypt’s gods and embraced Israel’s God, Yahweh. Jewish tradition today still gives every convert to Judaism a Hebrew name. The most common names according to one source are those which are connected to new beginnings, redemption and listening. Choosing Bat-Yah or being guided to choose a common name for her conversion both lead to a clear understanding of her renouncing her Egyptian and pagan values

From Seminary Now, The Five Women Who Saved Moses ” Then the fifth woman entered the scene: Pharaoh’s daughter. This person of wealth and influence saw the little ark and asked her attendants to bring it to her. The baby slave boy was crying, and she had compassion on him.”

According to Jewish tradition (Midrash and Targum Jonathan), she is actually the same woman who rescued baby Moses from the Nile. I believe it’s important to note that the Bible does not confirm it is the same woman. However, if that’s true, then her marriage into Israel through Mered (a descendant of Judah) symbolizes redemption — an Egyptian princess becoming part of God’s covenant people.

To that end, it’s really cool to me that this is the name she chose. She married Mered aka ” rebel” from the line of Ezra, which means “helper”. This Ezra is not the prophet/scribe who returned from Babylon. It’s so cool to me that a daughter of Yah married a rebel who became a helper…it’s like redemption is folded directly into the genealogy.

This is where my spazzing over Hebrew adds multiple hours to studying any one topic. Why? Because it didn’t make sense to my spirit for a true daughter of Yah to marry a rebel. Well, the Jewish Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 166, Megillah 13a) says Mered was another name for Caleb, the faithful spy who didn’t rebel against God (Numbers 14:24) So what did he rebel against? Well, the Midrash states he “rebelled against the counsel of the spies”. He rebelled against rebellion!

This little insight flips the meaning on it’s head. Mered’s rebellion was a form of righteousness and expression of the moral courage to stand against sin.

Fascinating to me are the things we can learn from the genealogies. More fascinating to me is the mystery which remains. All we know from scripture is Mered had two wives. One Judahite with natural lineage to the Tribe of Judah and One Egyptian, Pharoah’s daughter, Bithyah from the grafted -in lineage.

This mirrors the spiritual “double-thread” of Scripture: Jew and Gentile, law and grace, first and second, natural and spiritual.

The second son represents the adopted one, the redeemed outsider, or the one brought in by mercy.
Bithiah’s inclusion shows that even Egypt — once a place of bondage — produces a daughter who becomes a symbol of divine adoption.

Father God, thank you for adopting us, too! Thank you for making it so fun to go snorkeling with Jesus.


Not Forrest Gump’s Shrimping

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, Leverage, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today was only my second class at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu. There is much to unpack.

BJJ Technique Focus: Shrimping (Hip Escape)

The shrimp, or hip escape, is one of the first movements every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student learns.
From your back, you press one foot into the mat, lift your hips, and slide them sideways while curling onto one shoulder.

The goal is to create space between you and the pressure holding you down. It looks small—but it’s the move that keeps you from being crushed.

I just learned that shrimping is an escape method and scooting can be offensive or defensive option.

Shrimping teaches that survival doesn’t come from strength. It comes from angle, timing, and breath.
You don’t fight pressure head-on; you shift, realign, and make room to breathe.
It’s the language of escape written into the mat.

⸻

📖 Scripture

“You brought me out into a spacious place; You rescued me because You delighted in me.”
— Psalm 18 : 19

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💭 Reflection

When I shrimp, I feel it in my ribs first—breath meets resistance.
Every inch of space feels earned.
And that’s what the Spirit does inside us: He gives us room where the world tries to press us flat.

Sometimes God doesn’t lift the weight immediately.
He teaches us to move under pressure without losing peace, to shift our hips instead of panic, to create a little grace-space before the breakthrough.

The shrimp reminds me that freedom isn’t always dramatic; it’s often quiet, rhythmic, and deliberate.
Each small escape becomes worship in motion—breathing, turning, trusting.

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🕊️ Coach Jesus Says

“When life pins you down, don’t freeze.
Breathe. Turn toward Me.
I’ll show you where the space is.
It’s not running away—it’s moving wisely.”

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✨ Golden Nugget

“He sets my feet in a spacious place.” — Psalm 31 : 8
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3 : 17

Shrimping is the gospel in motion—
God teaching us how to make space for grace when the weight of the world presses in.

That’s how it feels today.

Thank you, Jesus. I love you.

Seatbelts and Safety

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, Leverage, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I went to my second jiu-jitsu class today. Sadie and Sam were there, as was Mushaffa. It was helpful to hear Mushaffa’s growing process with BJJ. In fact, it was so encouraging, I went ahead and paid through December 15.

My husband fully supports me taking these classes. Added bonus- It was a stellar deal and provided me a tshirt, ONJJ Irreverent compression shirt and shorts.

This was the photo taken yesterday, maybe a minute or two after Mushaffa left.

Today’s class was four women and 11 men. While I observed them all rolling, My favorite lessons came from watching Mushaffa with Sadie and Sam with a male professor.

Truly, every person has a different style which makes sense based on body type. I love there is isn’t a “one size fits all” when it comes to “good jiu-jitsu”. What is “good” is indeed a very individual variable.

BJJ Technique Focus: Seatbelt

For things like definitions, it seems wise to use BJJ accepted definitions. To that end, I read several and this is the gist:

The seat belt is the foundation of back control.
One arm threads over the shoulder, the other under the arm. Hands clasp palm-to-palm across the chest as you press heart-to-back. Your head stays tight beside theirs; your chest follows their spine.

It’s called the seat belt because it keeps you connected through chaos.

Nudged to learn if anyone particular in BJJ made it famous and this was the response:

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), the seat belt control position was popularized by Marcelo Garcia. While the grip itself may have existed in various grappling arts before, Garcia integrated it into a highly effective, modern system of attacks and transitions, making it a standard and essential part of the BJJ arsenal. 

Even if your opponent rolls, twists, or bucks, you stay attached—anchored, calm, and ready.

My life verse is Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give up.”

I see how it applies here. #ISWYDT.

Control before victory. Connection before submission.

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📖 Scripture

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
— Philippians 3 : 12

Greek katalambanō = to seize firmly, to grasp with purpose.

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💭 Reflection

When I learned the seat belt, it felt less like domination and more like devotion.
One arm over the shoulder—the arm of authority.
One arm under the heart—the arm of compassion.
Together they hold without harming, guiding without forcing.

That’s how God holds me.
He doesn’t choke me into obedience; He secures me into peace.
If I thrash, I lose connection.
If I breathe, I feel His rhythm.

The seat belt teaches me that staying connected is stronger than any submission.
Control comes through closeness, not power.

⸻

🕊️ Coach Jesus Says

“My grip on you isn’t to choke—it’s to keep you from falling.
I’m behind you in every scramble.
Breathe. Stay connected. I’ll guide you through.”

⸻

✨ Golden Nugget

“Your right hand upholds me.” — Psalm 63 : 8
“No one can snatch them out of My hand.” — John 10 : 28

His hold is holy.
The safest place on the mat—and in life—is under His seat belt of grace.

Jesús, thank you for getting me through the first two classes. Thank you for encouraging my husband to make me rest today. Getting to spend the whole afternoon with you has been beautiful.

First Mat

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, obedience1 Comment

I went to church this morning without my husband. He wasn’t feeling well, so I told him I would carry him with me in spirit. After church I came home, made us lunch, and told him I was going to attend my very first jiu-jitsu class at One Nation Jiu-Jitsu.

At first he laughed, but later—just before I left—he told me how proud he was of me. Mark knows me well. Praise God.

When I arrived, there were two young students, two others maybe in their late 20s or 30s, and two female instructors, Sam and Sadie. Sadie was wonderful—encouraging, strong, and patient. She’s 38 and told me about “Jiu-Jitsu Grandma Elaine” from Alabama who began training around 62.

I looked her up; what an inspiration!

My training partners, Mushaffa and Lindsay, were amazing. We practiced the closed-guard position, using praying hands to sweep, push to the floor, and transition into a Kimura hold. They helped me every step of the way.

After drills I watched everyone roll and spar. It was fascinating—the flow, the respect, the controlled strength.

At one moment, there were three feet clearly coming from one leg as I watched Sam and Sadie spar. All I could think was about a chord of three strands and Ecclesiastes being brought to life.

I’m sore but so full of gratitude. Thank You, Lord, for the courage to step onto the mat, for new teachers and friends, and for the joy of trying something completely new.

The funniest moment was Sadie telling me Sam had figured I had some type of gymnastics background. I confirmed I could still do cartwheels, as I did for Linda in the Hickory Falls parking lot last night. One of the younger students said she could do a cartwheel, as well. I said, “yes and that’s fantastic …but you are not 57 years old””. She might be 10-11 and said, yes I am 57! 🤣🤣🤣

I went home to rest for a half hour before visiting with my JoJo. What a blessing to listen to good music with good friends and make dinner from cheese, crackers and grapes.

Thank you, Jesus, for every little thing. I love you. I have not written about my girls night out last night—-but it’s blessing has been echoing all day. Thank you for the lovely sisters you have given me. I love you.

Elohim Found Me

On By mygodroomIn obedienceLeave a comment

Tonight, I get to take Eva Faye and Linda to see George Janko at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center — and I’m so excited! We are J214, J215 and J216. The other day, John 2:15-17 was in a devotional I am doing with a group out of Texas. #ISWYDT

As a matter of fact, I never posted the Godwink in My GodRoom. I just checked and it was sent to none other than The George Janko Show three days ago.

Driving home from the shop last night, something beautiful happened. A new song found me. I had never heard it before, yet it felt like it was being given — like Heaven whispering through melody.

It doesn’t matter that the film is dark. It’s always Him when He records iTunes and my voice at the same time.

As promised, I looked up the song based on the captured lyrics. Absolute confirmation it was another Zephaniah 3:17 vibe moment. The song is called “Elohim.”

In the last few months, He has given me Bethel and Hillsong and Jesus Culture songs. Each time, I am reminded what He told me throughout 2024.

For a long time, I wrestled with all the NAR music stuff and the noise of the world. Now, I listen to every song with Him in mind and trust the melodies He gives me.

Around 6 am, I was nudged awake with a question in my heart. Strange nudge, no doubt. I googled, “does George Janko know anything about jiu-jitsu? Turns out, he’s a white belt! I had to laugh — George Janko, jiu-jitsu, Joe Rogan — all those “ju-ju-ju” sounds weaving together in perfect rhythm.

He’s just interviewed Tim Tebow about “Wrestling with Idolatry”. #ISWYDT. I sent his June 2024 interview with Charlie Kirk to my husband to listen to today. I will be listening as I clean out my car for tonight.

I’m curious to see what the Lord does tonight. It would be a joy to ask George Janko what makes any Godversation most memorable for him. How fun it could be to get his take on the 40 BJJ mat lessons tied to scripture!

However it goes, I’m just grateful and expectant. God keeps threading moments together I could never plan. I feel the excitement bubbling over in a way only He makes me bubble over.

Father God, thank you for all the things which are clearly working together for your good purposes. I don’t know what you have planned for us tonight, but I trust you implicitly to make this evening exactly what Miss Linda and Eva need. Bless the food we will eat, our drive in my car and our experience at The George Janko “Man on Water” show. May George be quasi-blinded in the best way for the light you shine on your three daughters in J214-216 Whatever your will, may we be clear and moving in only your will. Amen. 💜✝️💜

Catching My Breath

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedienceLeave a comment

Truly, far more accurate to state I am breathing in Jesus and exhaling gratitude.

There is so much I want to say and write and do because the Lord just keeps showing up, showing off, and blowing me away in the best of ways.

For example, yesterday I drove to Spring Hill early in the morning to be at a doctor appointment with my daughter. She didn’t need me there, per se, but she did desire my presence. It was a pure joy to be there for her. Her boyfriend treated us both to lunch after the appointment.

Drives to work are extended now and extra powerful. This morning, there were a copious amount of cleansing tears which fed into beautiful day. Being able to help Trish, make Dawnn smile and pray for Mr. Andy’s situation with his daughters wedding this weekend were big deals to me.

With the move to one shop, there is just too much hands-on work that has to be done when I’m there to consider bringing my laptop.

But this morning, the Lord brought me back to Lamentations 3:58 again. There are two specific verbs used together precisely once in all of Scripture. They just happen to appear in Lam 3:58 and my husband and I “not-so-coincidentally” are precisely 3.58 years apart in age.

The need to study the other scriptures was too early for the lights, so I just took my Bible to the hallway to leave my husband resting. It was way too early to wake him.

It just hit me all over again how impactful that study was two plus weeks ago. Digging deeper into those verbs and where else they’re used in Scripture really stirred my heart, especially since Psalm 103 is so precious to me.

Today, I am called to acknowledge the depth of His Movement and not the linguistic details.

I want to praise the Master of the Universe for everything. I am compelled to praise in many places, like at TJ Maxx yesterday. Thank you, Jesus, for Miss Mary! Everywhere I go, you send me one of your children.

Yes, she is YOUR CHILD, even at 71!

Thank you, Father God, for getting us through the move safely and for all the good progress made on our remaining shop. As an added little added blessing, I called the sign people today, and although they’re delayed, the gentleman who called me back actually leads a men’s group. My husband’s planning to join them tomorrow night at 7.

Praise God for divine appointments! Thank you, Jesus, for making today spectacular in so many ways. I love you.

7 Stone

On By mygodroomIn obedience, Power, Uncategorized, YHVHLeave a comment

There’s a tenderness in the way the Lord works on us.
He does not rush His miracles.

Each time something new is revealed, it feels like the perfect stone placed to mark my spiritual path. I know He is leading me somewhere new. I catch glimpses and it’s beyond beautiful.

For example, it’s impossible for me to see “Emerald” and Judah together without considering the Wizard of Oz. And , just that thought causes me to remember in the last week or two, writing about OZ in Hebrew.

He peels away stumbling stones, sorrow and shame in more than one way. In the past three years, “7 Stone” have been circumcised by His Hand from my body.

My mom loves British entertainment and my daughter has a thing about calling me “mum” from time to time. I dig the “stone” being 14 pounds.

As of today, I am still down 98 pounds since March 2022. It has been a slow process.

It has never felt like simple “weight loss.” It has felt like holy surgery to remove weight from my body and my heart.

It’s like the Good Lord deep cleaned my entire being. just as much from my heart. Seven stone removed and a new softness restored. This has not been punishment in the least.

Ezekiel saw it:


The LORD meant it — not only for Israel then, but for all of us now, in every season where we find ourselves hardened, tired, or carrying more than we were meant to hold.

I can look back and see where the heaviness began — layers of protection, fear, grief, duty, and old stories that once kept me alive but had begun to weigh me down. And in His kindness, God did not shame me. He simply began removing what no longer belonged to me.

Piece by piece. Pound by pound. Thought by thought. Layer by layer.

This journey has not been about numbers on a scale, but obedience, softness, and freedom.
He has been making room — in my body, in my breath, in my heart — for more light, more love, more life.

I am lighter now, inside and out. Not because I forced change, but because I yielded to the One who knows how to shape hearts and futures. The cutting has been covenant. The softening has been grace. And I am learning to stand here — new, tender, grateful — knowing He is still completing the work He began.

Thank you, Jesus. I sure do love you. 💜✝️💜

Noah’s Ark

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It has been raining all day. I have been unable to sleep, despite perfect conditions.

I think I just needed some Quality Jesus Time.

The Bible gives such specific instructions for how to build the Ark — 300 cubits long, 50 wide, and 30 high. Those same proportions are used in modern shipbuilding today, a perfect ratio for stability in rough waters. I recall learning that factoid from my husband before our first cruise more than a decade ago.

Noah was not a shipbuilder or a naval engineer. The only way he could have known is if God told him — and He did.

That realization still gives me chills. It’s a reminder that the Word of God is not symbolic guesswork or ancient myth — it’s precision. It’s revelation. God whispered into human hands the wisdom to build something that could withstand the storm.

Sometimes I wrestle with whether certain kinds of knowledge are “good” or “godly.” But then I remember — godly knowledge always points me back to awe, back to Him. It humbles me. It makes me look at the world and say, “Only God.”

I see what You did there! #ISWYDT

When I see that the same ratio used for Noah’s Ark is still guiding shipbuilders today, I can’t help but worship. The God who gave Noah blueprints for salvation is the same God who steadies me when waters rise.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” — Proverbs 25:2

Thank you, Jesus!

My Ezer

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, marriage, obedienceLeave a comment

I woke up this morning thinking about Ezer—that beautiful Hebrew word often translated as “helper.” Most people think of Ezer as “wife,” but that’s only how it’s used twice in Genesis.

Every other time, Ezer refers to the Lord Himself—coming in for battle, coming to rescue, coming to stand beside.

And right now, it feels like I’ve been in a battle. Closing this door, moving on—it’s a lot of work.

The art we commissioned seven years ago came off the walls and more furniture was moved. Plus, the cabinets are emptied or ready to be emptied tomorrow. God blessed me with a husband who understands how to get things done and he made two trips today.

Today, some human emotion took its toll, and I cried. God has done so very much in our Smyrna store. The tears were from gratitude more than anything else. Through the tears, I kept praising God. I kept singing, “I love You, Lord, for all You’ve done, for what You’re doing, and for what’s to come.”

I’ve been singing that through tears for a long time now, and it still breaks something open in me every time. I know this is part of the grieving process. I know we’re doing the right thing by closing this chapter, and I don’t have any bad feelings—just the deep ache of letting go.

But each time the tears came, I took them straight to Jesus. And every single time, that’s what stopped them. Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Creekmont : New Chapter

On By mygodroomIn marriage, Mullins, YHVHLeave a comment

When I was in school, report cards were sent home every six weeks. Today was our sixth Sunday service.

Creekmont would get Triple A grades across the board. We are both feeling more and more embraced and connected with our new church family. Mark even helped with the collection yesterday.

Given my journey to Jesus included Rich Mullins, it was wonderful to open our worship with “Awesome God”. Randy read from Psalm 31:24 — “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”

The hymn we sang was Blessed Assurance.

On the left side of the page was Trust and Obey; on the right was Blessed Assurance.

We then sang I Know a Name, and it just felt like the Lord was weaving something gentle and sure through all of it — obedience, trust, assurance, and the power of His name.

When the sermon began, Shad preached from Matthew, where Jesus speaks about divorce and Leviticus 19. I love that he taught straight from Leviticus.

Something that caught my attention — he said that divorce is like a death, like visiting a funeral home every day. It was a hard truth, but filled with compassion. He reminded us that there’s no “R” branded for “robber,” or “A” marked for “adulterer.”

And right then, the Lord whispered something to my heart:

“The only letters that matter are the ones in red.”

The words of Jesus — those red letters — are what redeem and restore. They don’t label or condemn. They give life.

And I realized something humbling: every letter I’ve ever written that the Lord told me to write — He gave me the words. That’s why those letters reached people and impacted action. It had nothing to do with me, only Him speaking through me.

That reminder was grounding and good. It was one of those days when heaven felt very close.

It was so good, we returned last night to take part in their Fall Festival, despite not getting a much needed nap. When my daughter dropped by unannounced, it was a blessing to visit with her and her boyfriend. That said, it did take our nap time option!

Once we arrived home, I was rather fascinated with learning about Fanny’s life. She was blind and wrote countless hymns under numerous names. I stumbled across a few articles and videos about the stories behind hymns.

This one was so powerful to me, I sent to our pastor, with the request he share with the Worship Leader.

Hymns and Their Stories (Lesson One)

Today, I cleaned out one of the cabinets which must be moved tomorrow or Wednesday. Seeing it completely empty and waiting for us to fill it up again almost feels poetic.

Just as God will remove our dross, it feels like dross is being removed from our business. This is a rebirth and not a death.

That’s how it feels and I am going to embrace it.

Jesús, I could never thank you enough for all you’ve done, all you are doing and all you will do. thank you for letting me rest in your promises. I love you.