Waving farewell to another month, I rejoice in a glance back at my March Marvels joining Heather Gerwing as she hosts a monthly feature called, Share Four Somethings, where writers share the fourth Saturday of each month something in each of four categories from the previous month.
January 2022 brought new categories for contemplation, and I truly enjoy the new categories. The four categories remain the same: something loved, something gleaned, something braved, and something achieved.
The premise delights me; the new categories falling right in line with my one word 2022 journey with resilience! Looking back over the previous month through these four categories helps me linger with God’s goodness, and ignites my gratitude.
something loved
My March Marvels: Share Four Somethings starts off with an opportunity of supporting a Dear Friend in lauching her online store. Tamika Thompson affectionately known on social media as “Lady T”, is a Christian stylist, model and now entrepreneur, with the launch of her Princess Dress Store.
Lady T offered selected followers an opportunity for participating in a pre-launch of her store a few weeks back. Enjoying a lovely shopping experience we also provided valuable feedback for final tweaks of her store for the official launch coming soon.
Not only was the experience delightful on her website, but the merchandise truly blessed me. Committed to excellence, Lady T offers beautiful, high quality personal care, beauty, clothing and accessory items at reasonable prices. She even has some tempting candy and treat items!
My items arrived carefully and attractively packaged, including fabulous samples specially presented in a gorgeous goodie bag! Lady T demonstrates her love for the Savior by serving her sisters with a heart full of love on her blog, instagram posts and now through her Princess Dress store.
Please head over to @princessdressstore on Instagram to learn more and follow today for alerts on the official launch. And if you are not a follower of @ladytamikastylist on Instagram, follow her today!
something gleaned
Something gleaned this month truly offered marvels for pondering, nine to be exact. Jessica Thompson’s newest release, “How God Loves Us”, explores the Fruit of the Spirit, not from the perspective of fruit inspecting our own lives, but as a definitive way God loves us.
We all know as Christians, the Fruit of the Spirit provides evidence of our salvation and continuing maturity in faith. Sadly cringing at the mention of spiritual fruit, I view these nine traits as a checklist standard. But what if these nine characteristics of God evidence the way God loves us?
Jessica Thompson diligently and thoroughly explores how God lavishes each of the nine characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit upon us through forty devotional readings in this new book.
Firmly rooting each characteristic in the intrinsic attributes of God, she illustrates each of the nine facets in God’s unconditional love for us. Ultimately demonstrating God securing us in His love, so that we may then display the same love to others.
My biggest takeaway from this book came in understanding the Fruit of the Spirit was not a spiritual maturity checklist, but God’s demonstration of His multifacted love for me.
The more time I spent recognizing those characteristics of His love for me, the more I began viewing them in my own life, as His love transformed me.
something braved
A new category starting in January 2022, something braved gives opportunty for reflecting on the hard places we often walk or times we step out of our comfort zone.
This month pushed me outside of my comfort zone in making a video of myself reciting Romans 8:1-21. Back in February I joined Janet Pope in her challenge of memorizing Romans 8 throughout 2022, completing all thirty-nine verses by December 31st.
Having already memorized Romans 8:28-39, I saw the challenge of memorizing the remaining twenty six verses the perfect opportunity for cementing this amazing chapter in my soul.
Naturally the over achiever in me took over, memorizing more than the weekly commitment. But in my defense, memorizing the first twenty-one verses genuinely opened my eyes to the message of the chapter.
Janet encourages posting a video of our progress in our special group, which I avoided for weeks. Finally stepping out of my comfort zone I made the video. Uncomfortable with seeing and hearing myself on video, it took no less than one dozen attempts before I reluctantly settled on the final video submission.
Janet provides excellent encouragement for us, and shares her own journey of memorizing Romans 8. By the way, if you have not read her book, “His Word in My Heart: Memorizing Scripture for a Closer Walk with God”, I highly recommend it!
something achieved
Rounding out my March Marvels: Share Four Somethings is another new category, dedicated to things achieved. For goal setting geeks, this category offers an opportunity to shine. But even if goal setting makes you squeamish, right here is the place for celebrating even baby steps towards getting things done.
So much of spring speaks of God’s faithfulness and illustrates the eternal hope we have in Him. I wrote an extraordinary, lyrical article showcasing the beauty of God’s faithflness in spring, which is featured in the debut print issue of Calla Press Literary Journal, set to release next month.
As you know, I have been featured on the Calla Press website many times, and have another article which will be published there soon, but it is truly an honor and privilege to be featured in the debut print issue of this beautiful journal. Several talented writers are likewise featured along with beautiful poetry. Each and every article is a triumph of praise and testimony for the greatness of our God. The Calla Press Literary Journal is now available on Etsy for pre-order. No pressure to purchase, I only wanted to share God’s goodness in choosing to place my article in print and share a blessed resource with you.
march marvels: share four somethings
Thank you for taking a walk back through my March Marvels with me! I am grateful to Heather for creating such a creative way to review the moments of our days which often slip by so quickly. Sharing Four Somethings is a way to savor one more time those things we loved, gleaned, braved and achieved!
But you don’t have to be a writer or blogger to enjoy this practice. Why not take a few moments and think back over YOUR March Marvels and share four somethings with me in the comments! Meet me back here at the end of April for more joyful somethings!
Donna, this was a great post. I’m so proud of you for recording and posting your video. It’s hard to put ourselves out there like that! If it makes you feel better, the very first vlog I did when I began my blog forever ago took me over thirty “takes” before I finally got what I wanted. 😉
Thanks for sharing each of your four somethings. I gleaned from them.
Thank you Jeanne for the encouragement about me making the video! It so pushed this old (62 year old) girl out of her comfort zone! I don’t even like posting pictures of myself, much less a video! I’m so pleased you found my four somethings an enjoyable read!
Hi Donna ~ your 4 Somethings are creative and inspiring. I’m finding those final two categories to be pretty challenging this year. I just don’t see myself as courageous or achieving. Stretching a bit out of our comfort zones is always a good thing, though, and viewing even our own worlds through different lenses is a good practice …
Thank you, Linda for your kind words about my Share Four Somethings. I think I want to be sure I am offering value to those who read even about the mundane events of my life! It’s a blessing to think they might be inspiring to someone! I don’t really see myself as brave or courageous either, but I’m noticing more and more how much God nudges us to step outside our comfort zones to do things. Not to mention the bravery required to live a life of authentic faith! What’s courageous if not stepping into the unknown with God?
I’m not a tee shirt/sweatshirt person, but I do like that saying that the devil is a liar and I’m not listening. You’ve had a great month! Kudos on creating the video and having an article published.
Barb, I’m not a t-shirt or sweatshirt gal either. But I liked the saying and wanted to support my friend Lady T. I may end up giving it to someone who will wear it!! Hey maybe a giveaway!
Lady T has some lovely things! I hope she does well with her business. I’m so glad you were brave and did the video. I really dislike doing videos too! It takes a lot for me to post them. Yay for you! 🙂 Congrats on your writing for the Calla Press. You are such an excellent writer with great things to share.
Thank you, Lisa for your kind encouragement! Lady T is a lovely sister who truly has a heart to serve her sisters! That video sure took me out of my comfort zone, I honestly can’t believe how silly and obssessed I became trying to do it!!
I love that you titled your Four-Somethings “March Marvels”. What a fun theme.
What is the theme for April?
Thank you, Barb! I try to think of a theme based on my month instead of just saying here’s my Four Somethings, or Share Four Somethings: March Edition. I’m just weird that way-always the rebel…LOL. I won’t know April’s theme until I experience April! Stay tuned!!
Donna,
Thanks for sharing your March marvels in the share four somethings. I especially like what you gleaned — the fruits of the spirit are ways in which God loves me. So thankful for His patience and His lovingkindness. Thanks for the new perspective on reading this section of scripture.
Blessings,
Bev
Thank you, Bev for taking the time to read my post! I thoroughly enjoyed the book and perspective on the Fruit of the Spirit-just when you think you have heard everything…
Donna, I loved hearing your march recap.
Thank you, Sweet Paula, for taking the time to read my March Marvels!
What a fabulous month you have had! Way to go on being brave and doing the video and kudos to being published!!!
Thank you Heather! I can’t believe how challenging that video was to make, UGH, I didn’t feel very brave at the time, but upon reflection, I know it defintely required bravery to push through!
Sounds like a great month! I also avoid taking videos of me talking/speaking whatever. It’s very hard and I can imagine how hard that was for you to do, congratulations for stepping outside the box and getting it done!
Cindy, with all the reels and videos on Facebook, etc. I just figured I was old and silly in my dislike for recording myself, so good to know someone else feels the same way! Thank you for taking the time to read my post!!
Wonderful March marvels – where can I hear the video?
Thank you, Susan, ha, I almost included the video in the post, but I didn’t like the size of the video when embedded and I couldn’t adjust it. I’m afraid it’s posted in a “private” group, I suppose I could post it to facebook……
I love your March Marvels, Donna. What especially resonated with me here is how the Fruits of the Spirit are “not a spiritual maturity checklist, but God’s demonstration of His multifacted love.” It’s so true that we could never show these fruits without being transformed in Him. Thank you for all these marvels and congratulations on your recent publications. Love and blessings to you!
Thank you Trudy for taking the time to read my March Marvels! I really enjoyed reading about the Fruit of the Spirit from Jessica’s perspective, funny how I never thought of things that way before!
Congratulations on your recent publications. I rejoice with you in how the Lord is granting you favor and greater influence in your love for Him and in His Name. May He continue to bless your writing endeavors, Donna! Thank you for the book recommendations and I hope your friends’ new store has a successful launch.
Thank you Lisa for celebrating my publications with me! I remind myself of God’s good blessings when the rejections come! I know He has a plan for my writing and will place it wherever He desires, I just need to be faithful.
Love, “The devil is a liar and I’m not listening.” He is such a liar and we need not listen to him. Thanks for introducing me to Lady T. I will check out her store.
Yvonne, I saw Lady T wearing that sweatshirt and I just had to have it-so good! I hope you will check out Lady T and her blog too, she’s a blessing!