GIRL!!! You're Still Here -- So You're Not Done!!!

I’m flattering myself to call me “girl”, but, yes it’s my birthday. Yay! I made it another year. I’m still here, so I’m not done living this wonderful life God gave me.

This is the day the Lord made ME, and I’m so grateful He did. That may sound self-gratifying, but honestly, I’m just following scripture that says “You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as YOU LOVE YOURSELF.” I can’t love you if I don’t love me.

This is my last year to enjoy the 60s. Next year it will be the big 7-0 -- holy moly!! Where did all those years go? Seriously, I’m thanking God that He’s blessed me with a full, blessed and fruitful life, but I think I need to come clean with you today and tell you some of my truths.

~ I tell you I am a “wonder woman” widow, but the truth is I can sometimes be a whiny, wimpy widow.
~ I may lead you to believe that I’m a “Mary” sitting at the feet of Jesus most of the time. The truth is I am often a “Martha” -- too busy for my own good, AND God’s good.
~ I show you my best photos and the truth is I often use my “touch-up” app to help me look my best. Thanks for all your comments “Donna, how do you keep looking younger and younger?” Now you know! LOL!
~ I know that I’m on assignment to speak truth, inspiration, and encouragement in my daily blogs and posts. But more times than not – I’m speaking those messages to ME, because I sure need to hear and heed those words, myself!!

That’s my BIG reveal. If there’s anything I want my friends and family to know, it’s that “I make mistakes way too often. I sometimes stumble and fall (literally and spiritually). I often speak up, when I should be silent and listen. I sometimes give advice without being asked. Sometimes I go overboard in my desires to please. I want to be appreciated and be told so. Sometimes I carry a big chip on my shoulder because someone hurt my feelings. And, many times, I wish I could get my “one way ticket to heaven” sooner than later.

But, I don’t let myself stay in any of those negative feelings for very long, because my one determined purpose is to please my Heavenly Father so, I get up, clean up and tell my feelings to shut up and I have a go at it again because this I know with absolute certainty:

I know I am God's daughter.
My greatest love story is that of my Lord and me. I am His and He is mine.
I can stand up and keep going because He is my strength and He is stronger than my weakness.
He is and always will be my constant.
He is and always will be my loudest cheerleader.
I was designed to speak, write and declare the good news of my Lord.
I was designed to confront darkness head on with a passionate fire of the Holy Spirit.
I was designed to be a leader.
I was designed to NEVER QUIT.
I am determined to finish my race strong.

I take a huge amount of comfort from the Apostle Paul. He said, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-11.

And now, I want to pass along my birthday gift to you. I want to let you know, that you, too, will face some disappointments. You will get challenged and even knocked down. But, here’s the good news for you and me. We will not lose. We will win. We are not alone. We are not going to give up. We are going to keep marching on -- not because we are super human – but because all the power of heaven lives and rests inside of us.

We’re still here….so we’re not done! Let’s keep marching, skipping, walking, or running on to the Finish Line where we’ll hear our Divine Cheerleader say to us “Well done, good and faithful servants!”

I love you all so much! Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me today! 🎂🎉🎊🎁🎀🎈