“Grateful, Grounded, and Guided by Grace”
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Encouraging Her Resilience – Good Morning Blog
Good Morning, Resilient Woman of Christ,
Today, let’s rise with hearts full of gratitude, spirits clothed in humility, and minds fully surrendered to the perfect plan of Jesus Christ. No matter where you are in your journey—whether you’re on the mountaintop or walking through a dark valley—God is with you, and He is worthy of your trust.
In a world that teaches us to only be thankful when things are going our way, we choose to live differently. We are women of resilience. We are women of faith. And we know that even in the hardest of days, there is still something to be thankful for. Every breath we take is proof that God isn’t finished with us yet.
The Bible reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT):
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
This doesn’t mean we’re thankful for the pain—but we choose to be thankful in it. We choose to praise God even when we don’t understand. We choose to stay humble, knowing that His plan is far greater than anything we could ever imagine. Gratitude keeps us grounded. It shifts our focus. It reminds us that even when our situation looks uncertain, our Savior is still certain.
And humility? Oh sister, humility is the secret weapon of a woman who knows who her God is. It’s not weakness. It’s strength under surrender. It’s saying, “God, I don’t have all the answers, but I trust You do.” It’s choosing to lay down pride, release control, and trust that God is ordering every step—even the ones that feel messy, painful, or unclear.
Let this be the day you say, “Lord, I may not understand the season I’m in, but I will thank You anyway.”
Let this be the day you walk humbly, speak gently, love deeply, and trust fiercely.
Let this be the day you realize that everything you’ve gone through wasn’t meant to break you—it was meant to build you.
To the woman in recovery:
Your healing may not look like you thought it would, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t moving. Stay thankful. Stay humble. Keep trusting. He’s not done. You are not behind. You are right on time for God’s perfect plan.
Morning Prayer:
“Father, I thank You for today. Thank You for the breath in my lungs, for the lessons You’ve taught me in my valleys, and for the grace that carries me daily. Help me to remain thankful in every season, humble in every victory, and faithful in every trial. I trust Your plans for my life. I surrender my will and embrace Yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Today’s Affirmation:
I choose gratitude over grumbling, humility over pride, and faith over fear. God’s plan for my life is good, and I trust Him completely.
A Bold Reminder:
You may not be where you want to be, but you are not where you used to be—and that alone is a reason to lift your hands and thank God.
“Sacred Rest: Honoring God Through Self-Care”
Good Morning, Beautiful Resilient Woman of God!
Today is Saturday, April 26, 2025, and in the community of Encouraging Her Resilience, we celebrate Self-Care Saturday—a day set aside to intentionally pause, rest, and refocus our hearts on the One who sustains us.
Self-Care Saturday isn’t about selfishness; it’s about sacred stewardship. It’s about recognizing that your body, your mind, and your soul are precious to God and deserving of care. It’s about making space to heal, to breathe, to be still, and to allow the Holy Spirit to refresh every weary place inside of you.
Why is Self-Care Saturday Important?
Life is heavy. Recovery is work. Healing demands energy. And if we keep giving, moving, doing, and serving without replenishment, we will eventually collapse under the weight. Self-care is an act of obedience—it’s honoring the truth that we were never created to run on empty. It is an acknowledgment that our strength comes from God, and even Jesus Himself modeled the need to step away, pray, and find rest.
The Bible tells us in Luke 5:16 (NLT),
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Jesus—the Savior of the world, the Healer of hearts—needed time away from the crowds. He chose solitude. He prioritized communion with the Father. If Jesus Himself withdrew for rest and renewal, how much more should we?
Why Self-Care Is Necessary for Recovery and Spiritual Well-Being
In our recovery journey, self-care is not just helpful—it’s critical.
Recovery calls us to break old patterns of chaos, codependency, and self-neglect. It demands that we learn new rhythms of grace, peace, and personal responsibility. Without self-care, we stay in survival mode. With self-care, we step into a life of thriving—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Spiritually, self-care allows us to stay aligned with Christ. It clears the noise. It softens our hearts. It reminds us that we are not machines—we are daughters of the Most High God, created for rest as much as for purpose. Through self-care, we strengthen our walk with Jesus by making room to hear His voice, feel His presence, and receive His healing love.
Bold Truth for Today:
You are not just a survivor. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are worth the time, the care, and the rest. Your healing matters. Your heart matters. Your walk with God matters. Taking care of yourself is an act of worship.
How Can You Practice Self-Care Today?
- Spend time alone with God in prayer and worship.
- Take a walk in nature and breathe deeply of His creation.
- Write in your journal what you are grateful for.
- Rest without guilt.
- Turn off the noise and listen for God’s whisper.
- Treat your body kindly—with nourishment, hydration, and rest.
- Spend time doing something that restores your joy.
Morning Prayer:
“Father, today I receive Your invitation to rest. Teach me to honor the body You gave me, the mind You renew, and the spirit You are healing. As I step away from the busyness, meet me in the stillness. Restore my strength. Revive my soul. Refresh my heart. I want to walk in wholeness, not just survival. Thank You for modeling rest through Your Son Jesus. I follow His example today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Daily Affirmation:
I honor God by honoring myself. Rest is holy. Healing is happening. I am a daughter of the King, worthy of care, restoration, and love.
Healing From Trauma With God’s Help
Thursday, April 23, 2025
Day 5: The Healing Power of Godly Community
Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
Devotional:
Recovery can feel like a lonely road. There are days when the shame of your past screams louder than the hope of your future. There are nights when the weight of regret, guilt, and memories try to pull you back into darkness. And for many of us, the instinct is to isolate—to hide from others, to sit in silence, to convince ourselves that we’re too damaged to be loved or understood. But that is not God’s plan for our healing.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 is more than just a scripture—it’s a strategy for survival in recovery. This verse reminds us that we’re not supposed to do this alone. When you’ve spent years numbing pain, living in survival mode, or walking through trauma, you may feel like you can’t trust anyone. But God is gently calling you to trust Him by letting people in again. Not just any people—safe people, godly people, healing people.
In recovery, community is not optional—it is essential. It’s in community that we learn how to be seen and still loved. It’s in community that we find people who speak faith when we feel weak. It’s in community where we are reminded, “You don’t have to be perfect to be present.” Recovery requires accountability, encouragement, prayer, and love. It requires people who will call you higher when you want to give up and remind you of God’s truth when lies are screaming in your head.
Every time we isolate, the enemy wins a small battle. But every time we reach out, connect, open up, and let someone sit with us in the hard places—we take back territory. We reclaim healing. We silence shame. And we walk closer to freedom. Whether you’re recovering from addiction, trauma, abuse, or emotional pain—your healing journey was never meant to be walked alone. God has already assigned people to your life who will walk with you, pray with you, and remind you of your worth. Find them. Lean into them. Heal with them.
Reflection:
What has isolation cost me in my recovery journey? Have I allowed fear or past wounds to block me from the community God is trying to give me? What would my healing look like if I let someone walk with me?
Action Steps:
- Identify one godly, trustworthy person or group you can connect with this week—a recovery sister, a mentor, a spiritual friend, or a Christ-centered support group.
- Take a small step to connect. Be honest. Be brave. Send the message, attend the meeting, or ask for prayer.
- Write a prayer in your journal asking God to help you overcome the fear of connection and to lead you to safe community.
Affirmation:
I am not walking through recovery alone. God has placed the right people in my life to encourage, support, and walk with me. I release fear and receive the healing that comes through godly community. I am safe, I am supported, and I am surrounded by grace.
Life Application:
In recovery, one of the most powerful tools God gives us is each other. You were never created to fight addiction, trauma, shame, or mental battles on your own. That’s why healing spaces like Encouraging Her Resilience exist—because God knew you would need a place to be seen, held, and restored. Apply this truth by committing to community even when it feels uncomfortable. Make attending support group meetings, check-in calls, and one-on-one sessions a priority. Choose to be present, even when you’re hurting. That’s where the healing happens—not in hiding, but in showing up. Let community be the soil where your recovery grows roots, and watch how God brings beauty out of the very place you once felt broken.
Encouraging Her Resilience: Daily Devotional
Today’s Focus: Keep a Clean Heart
Scripture: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a loyal spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10 (NLT)
Devotional:
Beloved Resilient Sister,
Today, let us pause and turn inward, not to dwell in shame or regret—but to invite the divine work of God to begin again within us. Psalm 51:10 is not just a cry for forgiveness—it’s a cry for transformation. It’s David’s plea after a season of failure, yet it’s also a reminder that no matter what we’ve done or what we’ve been through, we can come before God and ask Him to purify us from the inside out.
What does it mean to have a clean heart?
A clean heart is one that is not burdened by guilt, bitterness, jealousy, or shame. It’s a heart open to love, forgiveness, healing, and truth. It is not a perfect heart—but a heart surrendered. A clean heart does not hold grudges, does not entertain toxicity, and does not cling to the past. It is honest before God. It is soft, moldable, and willing to grow.
How do we apply this to our lives?
We start by being honest with God. Tell Him the truth about your thoughts, your pain, your wounds, and your desires. Repent not just for the things you’ve done, but for the things you’ve allowed to sit in your heart too long—resentment, unforgiveness, pride, anger, fear. Then, ask God to create a clean heart. This means you’re not trying to fix it alone. You’re giving Him permission to rebuild you from the inside out.
Ways to keep a clean heart:
- Forgive quickly. Don’t let offenses linger. Holding on only poisons your soul.
- Stay in the Word. The more you read it, the more your heart will reflect God’s love and truth.
- Be real in prayer. Let God search your heart daily. Don’t hide.
- Let go of what you can’t control. Release bitterness and the need for revenge.
- Surround yourself with peace. Who and what you allow in your space matters.
Reflection:
Is there something you need to release today to make room for a clean heart? Are there buried emotions, hidden wounds, or secret sins that you need to bring into the light?
Today’s Heart Check:
Lord, is my heart clean before You? Is there anything I’m holding onto that is keeping me from growing? Purify me. Restore me. Create in me a heart that reflects Your grace, Your truth, and Your love.
Affirmation:
Today, I let go of what no longer serves my healing. I choose to keep my heart pure, open, and surrendered to God. He is creating something new in me—and it begins with my heart.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Create in me a clean heart. Wash away the residue of my past, the bitterness from my pain, and the heaviness of unforgiveness. Make me new again. Help me to guard my heart, to walk in love, to speak in grace, and to live in truth. Teach me to forgive as I have been forgiven. Thank You for Your mercy that meets me fresh every morning. I surrender my heart to You—make it whole, make it Yours.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
You are loved. You are seen. You are becoming. Keep your heart clean—and your spirit resilient.
With love,
Dashonia Marie
Founder, Encouraging Her Resilience
Healing From Trauma With God’s Help – Day 4
The Power of Forgiveness in Resilience
Scripture Focus: Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Forgiveness. Just the sound of the word can stir something deep inside a woman who’s been through trauma. For many of us, forgiveness isn’t just hard — it feels impossible. And yet, it’s one of the most powerful and necessary parts of our healing. Today, God is calling us to confront this truth: there is no true resilience without forgiveness.
Let’s be honest. Trauma has left us with real pain — pain caused by people who never said sorry, by circumstances we didn’t ask for, by wounds that run so deep we don’t even talk about them anymore. And when we carry that pain day after day, year after year, it doesn’t just sit silently in our hearts. It grows. It hardens. It becomes bitterness, anger, and eventually, emotional and spiritual exhaustion.
Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to be tenderhearted and forgiving, just as God has forgiven us. But how do we forgive someone who caused us trauma? How do we forgive people who never owned what they did? How do we forgive when we’re still picking up the pieces of what was broken? The answer is this: we forgive not because they deserve it — but because our healing demands it.
Unforgiveness is a trap. It holds you hostage while the person who hurt you continues living their life. It weighs you down emotionally, physically, and spiritually. You replay the moments, relive the pain, rehearse the betrayal — and every time you do, your trauma continues to win. Forgiveness is not about pretending it didn’t happen. It’s about choosing not to let what happened continue to have power over you. It’s about cutting the cord between your soul and the wound that’s been draining you.
Forgiveness is a spiritual decision, not an emotional feeling. That’s why we need God’s help to do it. On our own, we might never feel like forgiving. But with God, we learn that forgiveness is not weakness — it’s strength. It’s not letting someone off the hook — it’s placing them in God’s hands and releasing ourselves from the prison of resentment.
If you’re still carrying the pain of what was done to you, and you feel like forgiving is too much to ask, I want you to consider this: What is it costing you to hold on to unforgiveness? Is it keeping you up at night? Is it robbing you of joy? Is it keeping your heart hard and your spirit cold? Is it delaying your healing? Because the truth is, unforgiveness and resilience cannot coexist. Unforgiveness will wear you down until there’s no room left for joy, growth, or peace.
Sis, your resilience requires release. You cannot run forward while dragging the weight of yesterday. Forgiveness is not about the person who hurt you — it’s about freeing the woman you are becoming. It’s about choosing YOU over the bitterness. It’s about stepping into the peace and power that comes when you say, “God, I surrender this. Help me release it. Help me forgive.”
Ephesians 4:32 isn’t asking us to do anything God hasn’t already done. He forgave us when we didn’t deserve it. He covered us when we were wrong. He loved us while we were still broken. And now, He’s inviting us to do the same — not to excuse others, but to expand our capacity to heal and grow. Forgiveness is the pathway to freedom. It’s where trauma begins to lose its grip, where your identity is no longer tied to the pain, and where God’s strength rises in you like never before.
So today, I challenge you to take one step toward forgiveness. Write the name. Say the prayer. Ask God to help you release the pain. You don’t have to feel ready. You just have to be willing. Because your healing matters more than your pride. Your peace is more important than the apology you never got. And your resilience is waiting on the other side of your release.
Choose forgiveness. Choose freedom. Choose to heal.
