Biblical Womanhood - Hive Resources

Read along & Link up (Chapter 9): How you come to be God’s very own inheritance

November 27, 2013 By: demingglobal12 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 9. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

The power of Christ’s resurrection is the power of transformation.

As a Daughter of the King, you are transformed from a traitorous servant of the throne to an heir of the Most High King (1 Pet. 2:9).

Through and along with Christ, you and I become heirs of God’s kingdom and are promised to receive a blessed inheritance (Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 3:6, Heb. 9:16-17).

What do we stand to inherit? Eternal life (Matt. 5:5, 19:29; Mark 10:29-30; Titus 3:4-7) and the kingdom itself (Matt. 25:34; James 2:5; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 15:50).

I like how Matthew 25:31-34 puts it:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ ”

The idea of inheritance is especially moving for women, because in the Ancient Near East the lines of inheritance fell to the eldest son. For the Israelites, inheritances kept divisions of land in their family; it was one way they held onto the promises of God.

But being a Daughter of the King speaks not only to what we’ll gain in the end and where we’ll sit, but it also speaks to the loving way God views each of his daughters.

Far from being a contractual relationship, Ephesians 1 tells us that God considers each of us his inheritance as well.

In Eph. 1:18, Paul prays that the Ephesian believers might truly understand “the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…”

We are God’s portion, his inheritance, and stand as “his most treasured possession.”[i]

Consider the value you possess as God’s daughter to be considered God’s very own inheritance.

This idea of God’s people being his inheritance didn’t start in the New Testament. Paul is speaking out of a knowledge steeped in Old Testament theology. In Genesis, God’s people are known as the sons of God.

Moses also sets up a case for God being faithful to his promises to preserve his people, so that they can be God’s inheritance (Deut. 32:9).

In Exodus, God saves his people out of slavery for one purpose: to be his inheritance (Ex. 19). Land.

But we cannot inherit what we are promised (eternal life) unless God inherits us first.

And it does nothing for God’s glory to inherit a broken canvas that was once lovely but is now torn by sin. The biblical story is indeed a love story; the story of how the King loved his daughters so much that he restored us to the glory in which we once stood so that we could be an inheritance worthy of the Most High King.

Did you know God stands to ‘inherit’ you as his most treasured possession? How does this truth speak to your heart about your identity, personal worth, or mission in life? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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[i] Peter O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians: The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester: Apollos, 1999), 135.

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Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Read along & Link up (Chapter 8): 3 things to do when the ‘here and now’ stinks

November 20, 2013 By: demingglobal16 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 8. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

When the King came, he came to set things right.

So, if the King invites us to enter into a new and glorious kingdom, then why does the ‘here and now’ seem terribly wrong?

The week’s headline news screams to us stories of defeat. A child porn ring, typhoon Haiyan, and the failures of political leaders all make the invite to God’s kingdom look less like a celebration and more like an occasion for mourning.

The answer? We live in the ‘now and not yet’ of the King’s kingdom. That’s why the ‘here and now’ can still stink.

Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection inaugurate the kingdom of God, but it is not yet fully here. Brokenness and injustice will remain with us until the King comes a second time and fully and finally restores his kingdom (Matt. 24:27, 30-31; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).

Yet, as believers who have put our faith in Christ, we can still call ourselves citizens of God’s kingdom, even though we haven’t received the fullness of its blessings.[i]

Still, we aren’t powerless in this period.

We don’t have to be weary in the waiting.

In the ‘here and now,’ there are some important things we can do.

Live with forward looking eyes

While we wait for the King’s kingdom, we must live our lives in a forward-looking fashion keeping a watchful and hopeful eye on our final restoration. Christ promised it was coming. For those of us who have already put our trust in the King, we can be confident that God will fulfill that final promise of total restoration. We can be confident that life as we know it with all its brokenness and ugliness is not the end of our story as Daughters of the King!

Live as a witness to the throne

Christ said he will not come again until the good news of salvation is taken to all the nations (Matt. 24: 14).

The title of the Daughter of the King comes with the awesome responsibility to be a light, representing God to the nations so that others might be drawn to the King.

So, whether you are full-time minister or a servant in the pew, a mother of four or a single woman searching for God’s best, the title of Daughter of the King is a resounding call to action.

In my book, I write:

“A true Daughter of the King spends little time sitting idly in the privileged position of the throne room. Instead, she is out among the people representing the goodness, humility, and submissive spirit of the One she serves. Emulating the actions of their King, who traded his glory for scorn and thorns, Daughters of the King eagerly exchange their gowns and crowns to do the precious and sometimes messy work of the gospel.” Excerpt, Chapter 8.

Live in step with the King’s Helper

Living as a witness to the King’s throne is rough stuff. But thankfully, the King doesn’t ask us to serve alone. Christ promises to help us fulfill our role as his daughter through his Spirit.

The Spirit emboldens believers, guide us, convicts us of sin, and equips us with spiritual gifts for the awesome task of serving the King (Acts 2:37, 40-46; Rom. 8:9-11). It is the Spirit who transforms us into Christ’s holy image.

Living in step with the Spirit means learning to listen and respond to his voice as he seeks to transform us. But don’t be discouraged if, in the ‘here and now’ your transformation into Christ’s image seems slow! When Christ comes again, the Spirit will complete his work in our lives, and most importantly, in the world.

There will be no more exploitation. No more tearful nights. No more hateful words.

The King will complete his kingdom. But while we wait for the ‘not yet’ there is much to do.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Pet. 2:9

[i] Vaughan Roberts, 124.

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Read along & linkup (Chapter 6): What the promises of coming King have to do with you

November 6, 2013 By: demingglobal14 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 6. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

Royal imagery of a coming King dots the landscape of the biblical story.

In Gen. 17, God promised a King would come from Abraham and Sarah’s lineage.
In Gen. 49, Jacob prophesied that a universally recognized King would come from the tribe of his son, Judah.
In Ex. 19, God assembled a kingdom of priests who were to be ruled by a divine King (Ex. 19).
And in 2 Sam. 7, God promised to bring from David’s house a forever king on a forever throne.

This royal motif is continued through the Prophets and into the Writings. Many of the Psalms, penned by David, show how closely David held these promises of a new covenant and new King to his own heart.

Psalm 2 is one such song of hope.

Ps. 2 embodies the good news/bad news scenario often seen in the prophets – the news of judgment and hope.

According to Psalm 2, this new kind of King would do 3 things for his people.

1. He would be the Person no one else could be (Ps. 2:6-7)

This royal figure would be uniquely related to God as his Son. God also viewed Israel as his children, but no matter how hard they tried they always failed to honor their covenant relationship with their father. He would be God’s very own ‘begotten’ Son.

This coming Son would be the perfect Person, perfectly reflecting the Father and his love in a way Israel could not, nor can we.

2. He would be the Ruler no one else could be (Ps. 2:8-9)

This royal figure would be uniquely positioned as Ruler of the world. While Israel failed to uphold their original job description – priest and light to the nations – this new King would succeed.

This coming King would be the perfect Ruler, perfectly reflecting the Father and his authority in a way Israel could not, nor can we. He would bring justice where it was needed (vs. 9).

3. He would be Savior no one else could be (Ps. 2:10-12)

This royal figure would be uniquely qualified to serve as the Savior of the world. While Israel failed to bring justice to the surrounding nations and in their own lives, this new King would succeed.

This coming King would be the perfect Sacrifice, perfectly appeasing the wrath of God on our behalf and bringing us peace (wholeness and justice) with God.

The loveliness of this psalm is found in the way it ends – on a note of intimacy.

In Chapter 6, I write in Daughters of the King:

“The idea of kissing’ the Son is a call to an intimate relationship with the Son, the coming King. We see terms of endearment and devotion used here that seem discordant with the grotesque pictures of judgment. But remember, the message found in both is like a two-sided coin. …Our blessings are intimately tied to the coming King. Many of the blessings that we’ve outlined in the prophets – a new covenant, a new temple, a new creation – are all contingent upon the coming King and the status of our relationship to him. And so, even today, we are called to place our hope in this very same King.”

So, what does this new kind of King have to do with you? He alone offers you a way to enter into relationship (peace) with God.

This King who appears in the biblical story is a new kind of King, a King capable of doing for you what you can’t do on your own.

As the Son of God, he invites you to enter into a relationship with him – to become a Daughter of the King.

As the Ruler of the world, he invites you to dwell in his court where we are protected under the shadow of his wing and given the privilege of serving Him.

As the Savior of sinners, he invites you to put on his righteousness and cleanse you of all your sin.

“Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Ps. 2:12)

What has the King done for you? Share a note of praise to our King in the comments!

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Read along & Linkup: How to cleave to the King

October 29, 2013 By: demingglobal12 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 5. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

“Do you have trouble reconciling obedience with God’s grace? Obedience is a heart issue. When Christ changes us, he gives us a heart to help us keep him first. That’s not to say we won’t ever wander. We aren’t perfect. No one is. But as a Daughter of the King, we can count on the resources of faith given to us through our good and kind King who promises to finish the work he’s begun and to give us strength while we wait.”

Daughters of the King, Excerpt from Chapter 5

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15

Nowhere have I felt the tension between obedience and grace more than in parenting.

Untangling the two concepts in the biblical story is almost impossible. That’s because the Bible tells us that obedience is, above all things, a heart issue.

As a mother, the burden of reconciling obedience and grace can drive me toward two parenting extremes – to overcorrect or under correct the twins when they disobey me. I’m sure there are plenty of Christian mothers who can commiserate.

Adding insult to injury is the common misinterpretation of the Law and stories from the Old Testament as merely a list of rules governing behavior. But the Law was not intended as a sign of outward conformity but of inner conformity – revealing the loyalty of an individual’s heart. Did the people worship and fear God the most? Or did they worship and fear man?

Here’s how Joshua put it to the people of Israel as they were poised to enter their promised place of rest:

“Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, 8 but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day” (Josh. 23:6-8).

In vs. 8, the word “hold fast” is the same word for “cleave” used to describe the union of Adam and Eve in Gen. 2:24. Joshua is likening the picture of our relationship to God with the intimate picture of marriage.

God requires obedience from his covenant people. But the obedience God desires is not external adherence, but an internal identity; the King wants to rule the hearts of his people (Josh. 23:11-13; 16).

It’s why Joshua followed up his admonition to cleave to the King with the following note in vs. 11: “Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God.”

For those of us in a covenant relationship with Christ, we are called to keep him first in our lives. As the King’s daughters, we are to serve no other god – especially ourselves. Obedience is a heart issue; it involves the loyalty of the heart.

So, how do we cleave to the King? By constantly choosing to filter our decisions, emotions, thoughts, words, and actions through the grid of Jesus Christ as revealed in His Word. Through the act of cleaving to the King, he transforms us – every last part, every last thought.

Israel did not always cleave, nor do we. Thankfully though, it is not the pattern of our past choices that defines us; but rather, our relationship to the King.

Just like Israel, God redeems us out of situations arising from our own disobedience or foolishness, if we let him. He is our King, and he will never give up or turn away from his covenant promises.

Because sin is not the end of God’s story nor mine, this is my prayer for my home: that our gracious King would draw us out of the cycle of sin and help us step into that special role he has written for us in his kingdom. I pray that my boys will not only know the King’s commands, but love them as well.

Do you tend toward the parenting extremes of overcorrecting and under-correcting your kids when they disobey? How do you guide your child’s heart toward the King? Share your ideas in the comments!

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Read Along & Linkup (Chapter 4): When we feel broken beyond repair

October 23, 2013 By: demingglobal13 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 4. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Cor. 4:7

I wrote the post about my broken miniature clay teapot long ago, but thanks to Pinterest, it’s seeing some new traffic.

You can read about the tragic moment when two chubby little hands smashed my favorite keepsake from my time overseas here.

I’m sure interest in my post is due to more than how my story unfolded, but because my experience resonates with the feelings of so many of us – the feeling of being broken. Whether by the deliberate hand of family or coworkers or by life in general, it doesn’t really matter how we came to hold pieces of our hearts in our hands.

Because no matter how strong we are or think we are, we are all broken beyond repair – born into this world with a fundamentally rooted problem, sin.

And for many women who are accustomed to being the impenetrable rock holding their family together, this is the real rub: we cannot repair ourselves. That’s because once something is broken, even if repaired, it never quite looks the same…or functions the same.

Only God can remedy our sin. Just as my little teapot could never hope to conduct a repair on itself, our restoration as Daughters of the King comes only by the hands of the King himself.

How does the King repair and restore us?

The King remedies our sin by being the perfect sacrifice, the perfect substitution for the penalty of death that was and is marked for us. And when we decide to surrender to the King’s rule, we find life abundant. We are fully, completely, and perfectly transformed; we go from broken by sin to a Daughter of the King.

In Chapter 4 of my book, I write:

“As Daughters of the King, we often look more like broken teapots than lovely vessels. Busted and broken by marriage or failed relationships, we wear the everyday cracks and chips from life in visible ways. We can also bear those pains silently, too. Thankfully, it is broken vessels that the King enjoys using the most through which to demonstrate his all-surpassing power (2 Cor. 4:7).”

I never threw that little teapot away, despite the gaping hole where one giant chunk of clay is still missing. But I kept the teapot, because it is a graphic reminder to me of my relationship with my King.

My little broken teapot reminds me, above all else, that God loves me, his daughter, as a chipped vessel. And every time I see it, it whispers to my heart that it took a movement of grace, a miraculous intervention, for me to become a Daughter of the King.

You might feel that way today, shattered and beyond repair. You might be painfully aware that the way you are trying to pick up all the pieces and hold them together just isn’t going to work. You know that all it will take is one more discouraging word or one more financial setback before all the pieces come crashing down around you. You can’t hold on by yourself forever, and you weren’t meant to.

Thankfully, our King is ready and waiting to mend us with his grace.

What area of your life is in need of a miraculous restoration? How has God used a rough place in your life through which to shine his glory? I can’t wait to hear your story! Share it in the comments.

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Read Along (Chapter 3): Viewing your spouse as crowned by God

October 16, 2013 By: demingglobal13 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 3. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

Somewhere along her journey to the altar, the bride is made to believe that her wedding day is all about her.

Slick marketing pieces and glossy magazines reinforce the message that her wedding day is her day. In the midst of flowers and seating charts, weddings centered around the bride can turn an otherwise demure belle into a raging bridezilla. For a ceremony that is supposed to be about two people becoming one, there is much ado made about only one of the parties.

Don’t get me wrong. There is a noble tradition in affirming the worth and dignity of the bride, especially if that esteeming trust shines from her groom. But if we, as women, fail to consider our husbands before our wedding day, we are much more likely to forget them after we’ve said our I Do’s at the altar.

It is, after all, all too easy to stop thinking of our husbands as our prince charming – particularly when we’ve spent a year-long planning process setting ourselves up as the Queen.

Perhaps we should take a cue from the Greek Orthodox Church. Based on Ps. 8, instead of exchanging rings, Greek Orthodox weddings include the exchange of crowns.

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.” (Ps. 8:3-5)

Scholar Stephen Dempster says: “In the biblical view, all weddings are royal, because all human beings are made in the likeness of the King of the universe. Can you imagine the implications for marriage in any culture if spouses began to treat each other with the royal dignity each deserves?”[1]

How do you view your husband? Crowned by God to bear God’s image? How do you view yourself? Crowned by God to reflect God’s love and godly character?

Our marriages are intended to be much more than vehicles for pleasure or safety. Our marriages serve as a reflection of our union with Christ – a binding, royal relationship.

The Bible uses the language of covenant to describe the nature of our union with God.

But a covenant is much weightier than a promise. Our covenant relationship with God is permanent. Once we step up to the altar and utter our trust in Him, our relationship cannot be broken or annulled – no matter how badly we mess up.

How can that be so? Our relationship with our Creator is not based on two equal parties – much like a marriage covenant. Our covenant with God is based on God’s ability and character to fulfill his promises as the stronger party.

Our God is eternal. Our God is Royal. And so is our marriage to him.

So, I’ll repeat Dr. Dempster’s rather uncomfortable question: can you imagine the change in your marriage if you began to view your husband with the royal dignity he deserves?

Do you view your husband as crowned? Do you view yourself that way? What changes do you think would happen in your marriage if you started viewing your earthly marriage relationship as individuals brought together in a royal wedding? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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[1] Stephen Dempster, “Genesis” in What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About edited by Jason S. DeRouchie (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2013), 63.

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Read Along (Chapter 2): Why the world is all messed up

October 9, 2013 By: demingglobal13 Comments

Welcome to the Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 2. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

“Eve put herself in God’s position when she ate the forbidden fruit, acting as the judge of what is ‘good’ and how she would enjoy that ‘good’ apart from God’s provision. And as God’s sub-regent over his creation, this is the mightiest act of rebellion against the King. The sub-regent is casting off the authority of the King and acting in her own name instead.[i] Ironically, the first couple’s quest to determine what constituted both good and evil apart from their King left them unable to enjoy the ‘good’ at all!”

Daughters of the King, Excerpt from Chapter 2

Unrest is the exact opposite of what God intended for us.

When God created the world, he called it good. Good because he is the Giver of good gifts and because he is wise judge of how we can get the most joy out of his good gifts.

And he intended for it to stay that way.

But when sin corrupted our goodness and the goodness of the King’s creation, we moved from a state of rest to unrest.

Sin is why we constantly battle unrest, both figuratively and literally. And ever since Eve put the forbidden fruit to her lips, humanity has been turning its wheels trying to get regain what was lost. Nothing looks the same. Nothing works the same. It’s why the world is so messed up.

Even as I typed that last sentence, I received a text from a dear friend asking for prayer. Her coworker just received news that her breast cancer had returned with a vengeance. And having already endured a double mastectomy, the news was devastating.

Our world is at unrest and we see it evidence of it every day – politically, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and more.

But the good news is that the King of the world hasn’t left us to careen toward our permanent undoing. The King’s rescue plan has already been enacted, and he seeks to redeem and restore, to hear and heal, to free and finally perfect us from our corruption.

Unrest, sickness, disease, persecution, betrayal – these things are not the end of our story, because they are not the end of God’s story.

Our King welcomes us back into his kingdom of rest once again.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Ps. 16:11

In the present age, the King’s invitation to rest isn’t a guarantee of safety, health, or wealth. Rather, it is the promise of dwelling once again with the Giver of all good gifts. As my all-time favorite Old Testament scholar, John Sailhamer, says: man’s “happiness does not consist of his being ‘like God’ so much as it does his being ‘with God,’ enjoying the blessings of his presence.”[ii]

True rest comes from dwelling in the very presence of the God of rest. This is the crux of the Gospel message: a good King created a good world, and although it was corrupted by sin, he is at work to completely restore it through his Son, Jesus Christ.

May we rest in him no matter what unrest comes our way.

Are you battling a specific example of unrest in your life? Please leave a comment for us so I can pray for you! I’d also love to hear your thoughts on Chapter 2!

Now for our Wednesday in the Word Link-up! Link up your post about God’s Word below. And be sure to grab the button to add to your site so your friends will know you are over here!

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[i] John Sailhamer, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Vol.2, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990), 51.

[ii] Ibid., 59.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://hiveresources.com/wphives1/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC1590-low-res.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, devotional articles, book reviews, and more. She is the author of the eBook, ‘Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story.’ Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University.[/author_info] [/author]

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Read Along: How to find rest in a busy world

October 2, 2013 By: demingglobal18 Comments

Welcome to the first Read Along for Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story! Today we’re covering Chapter 1. Still need to buy your book? Grab it on Amazon or Paypal.

Of all the things the gospel asks me to remember, rest is the most easily forgotten.

If you’re like me, you spend the majority of your time arranging schedules, making appointments, and operating from check-lists. And while time-management tools are a must for busy women, living in light of gospel rest should supersede the busyness of everyday life.

But how do we do that? How do we rest amid frantic schedules?

We have to get rid of the notion that rest is merely a lovely idea, a non-essential, a luxury many of us find unaffordable. Rather, biblical rest serves as the bookends in God’s story for the world.

In chapter 1 of Daughters of the King, we discovered that we were created to live in a kingdom of rest. A rest mirrored to us by our Creator who rested on the seventh day.

In Gen. 2:8, Moses writes: “Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;and there he put the man he had formed.” A few verses later, we’re given a little more texture. Gen. 2:15 says: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

Both verses state God intentionally “put” Adam in the paradisiacal garden especially created for him. But in Gen. 2:15, the author uses the Hebrew word yanach, which means literally “to rest – settle down or remain.” This nuance speaks to God’s intention in creating a place for Adam to dwell. In a very purposeful way, God “rested” Adam in the garden.

When we look at the creation account, we get a glimpse of the type of life God intended for us when he created us and put us in his kingdom. Our God intended for man and woman to live a life of rest with their King, with each other, and with the whole created order.

Biblical rest refers to a spiritual rest, a rest that is supernaturally enabled despite life circumstances.

Our church is currently using the Gospel Project curriculum. Following the lead of the Gospel Project writers, my pastor pointed out in his Sunday sermon that rest is not a thing; rest is a Person.

Matt. 11:28 says: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We can only experience true rest when we come to the One who IS rest – Jesus Christ.

And when we make our lives about anything other than Christ (our Rest) we will experience decided unrest. Ironically, unrest rears its ugly head in my own life when I’m in the ministry zone – serving at church, helping out with the preschoolers, or organizing a special ministry event. I can easily get lost in the details of service instead of focusing on the Person whom I called to serve.

The Gospel Project writers hit on this when they quote Henry Blackaby.

“If you find that Christianity exhausts you, draining you of your energy, then you are practicing religion rather than enjoying a relationship. Jesus said that a relationship with Him would bring rest to your soul. Your walk with the Lord will not make you weary; it will invigorate you, restore your strength, and energize your life.” Henry Blackaby

Do you struggle with resting amid busyness? What do you do to avoid burnout – in ministry or life? How do you cling to Christ during difficult seasons? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Be sure to get your free Daughters of the King workbook by subscribing to Hive Resources. Once you subscribe, you’ll find the download links in the footer of the first post you receive in your email inbox! You’ll also find them in the weekly Hive Resources newsletter. Easy Peasy!

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Why the title Daughter of the King is the best title we could ever crave

September 26, 2013 By: demingglobal14 Comments

the Title Daughter of the King is given to us for no other reason than we are related to the King {Hive Resources}

Below is an excerpt from the eBook, Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story. Now available on Amazon and via Paypal. Find out more about the book here!

In a world obsessed with titles and positions, the title Daughter of the King is the highest, most privileged title we could ever crave. So, why is it we often make much of other labels?

In general, we as women love to label ourselves. We love to categories ourselves, others, and our relationships to identify exactly where we fit. We feel most comfortable when we can shape how we view ourselves and how others see us. Check out any social media and you’ll see our world is constructed toward labels. We identify ourselves by what we own, what we do, what we say, how we’re built, and how we act.

I’m a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) or WAHM (work-at-home mom).

I’m a wife.

I’m a mama.

I’m an executive.

I’m a writer. I’m a coffee lover. I’m a thrill seeker. I’m a bookworm.

Recently, an article circled my Facebook feed called “23 Signs You’re an Introvert.” I have to admit the title caught my eye, because I recently discovered after taking a corporate personality test that I’m part introvert. The news came as quite a surprise to me because for years I’ve operated under the assumption that I’m an extrovert. I’ve signed myself up for speaking roles at church. I’ve pursued large group gatherings over one-on-one discipleship. I’ve volunteered time and again to be a greeter at Sunday worship services. And perhaps I’m revealing the darkness of my heart, but there was something about the label of an extrovert that I liked. Extroverts are fun to be around. They are often well-liked by their circle of friends.

So, when I discovered that I wasn’t as “fun” or “likable” as I thought, I had a five-minute identity crisis. Maybe I shouldn’t volunteer for such public positions, I thought. Maybe I’m not gifted to teach. Maybe I should just stay in the background. Before I knew it, I had completely taken my eyes off the One who has already defined my identity and was searching to better understand myself according to other labels.

Personality tests and even spiritual gift tests can be good things. But when we dwell on man-made labels, we are often guilty of losing our real sense of identity – a Daughter of the King.

The title Daughter of the King is not earned, bargained for, or bestowed because of special giftings or good behavior. It can’t be traded in for a seemingly safer label or lost to the super mom next door who grinds her own flour or has spotless floors. The title Daughter of the King can’t be tarnished by failure, mistakes, or past regrets. It’s an enduring title given to us for no other reason than that we’re related to the King. We belong to him, bearing his likeness and his appointment for service in his kingdom.

It is the best title we could ever crave or make for ourselves.

I am a Daughter of the King.

I’m celebrating my launch! Welcome to the party! Be sure to enter to win a lovely Dayspring crown necklacebefore Monday! Grab your copy of Daughters of the King before next week because on Wednesday, I’m starting a Read-Along!

Buy the PDF for $4.99!

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15 reasons our King is worthy of praise

September 26, 2013 By: demingglobal11 Comment

This week I released an eBook about a woman’s identity and role as a Daughter of the King. But I realize that not everyone knows this King or what’s so special about him.

Here’s 15 reasons our King is worthy to be praised, and 15 reasons the title Daughter of the King is the best title we could ever crave.

1. Our King is eternal!

Ps. 10:16, “The LORD is King forever and ever;”

2. Our King listens!

Ps. 20:9, “Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call.”

3. Our King is mighty!

Ps. 24:7-10, “Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
⁸Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
⁹Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah”

4. Our King is sovereign!

Ps. 29:10, “The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.”

5. Our King is active in our lives!

Ps. 74:12, “For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.”

6. Our King is compassionate!

Ps. 84:3, “Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.”

7. Our King is above all gods!

Ps. 95:3, “For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.”

8. Our King deserves our praise!

Ps. 98:6, “With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.”

9. Our King will be our King forever!

Ps. 145:1. “I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.”

10. Our King is holy!

Is. 6:5, “Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.”

11. Our King is the Judge!

Is. 33:22, “For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us;”

12. Our King is unique!

Is. 44:6, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.”

13. Our King is humble!

Zech. 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

14. Our King is one!

Zech. 14:9, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.
In that day it shall be—
“The Lord is one,”
And His name one.

15. Our King is the King of Kings!

Rev. 19:16, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Have you entered to win 1 of the 3 Dayspring crown necklaces I’m giving away to celebrate my book launch? Enter here! And don’t forget, this week you can get 30% off the PDF of Daughters of the King with the code FALL13! But hurry, the sale ends Sept. 30th. Click the image below to find out more!

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