About Dena
“First and foremost, I’m a Daughter of the King and a long-time Christ follower. I’m also a dog mom who enjoys reading Christian books, cardio drumming, traveling often, and I’m a bit of a technology geek. My life has seen its fair share of curve-balls and I’ve found that I’ve become closer to Christ in each trial as He’s comforted me and shown me that I can solely put my faith and trust in Him. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT says “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” I feel thankful and blessed for the messes in my life – as they have brought me closer to God. Through the messes, God has given me a message to share with you.”
#NoMessNoMessage
~Dena
15
Jun '19
The Miraculous You
15
Jun '19
Those of you that know me well, know I’ve set my house up as a smart home. Lights come on and go off based on motion or voice control, and also based on automations I have set up. One of my automations involves the master bathroom, where I have a vanity with 3 lights to light the room. This is the automation rule when motion is detected, based on a sensor in that bathroom: “If it’s after 10:30pm or before 5:45am, turn on the middle light only at 50%. If it’s after 5:45am or before 10:30pm, turn on all 3 lights at 100%”. This automation is helpful at 3am when I don’t want to get blasted with 180 watts of light, and instead only get a dim light of approximately 30 watts. (Note: If it were the left or right light only, that would set off an OCD-type reaction in me, so that’s why it’s the middle light that I choose to dim). 🙂
Wednesday morning of last week I had something going on at work where I had to get up earlier than normal. Since it wasn’t quite yet 5:45am, I was using the dim light to start getting ready for work. Once 5:45am came around and I was still in the bathroom, the automation was updated, the sensor continued to detect motion, and all 3 lights came on at 100% brightness. In the dim light I couldn’t tell, but once all the lights came on at 100%, I could see my pupils were hugely dilated. Since I had eye surgery a few weeks ago (and am very conscious of anything “different” with my eyes right now), I was a bit concerned as to why (not initially thinking that’s how our eyes work), but as a few seconds went by, my pupils quickly became smaller and more “normal”.
In that moment, I was reminded, and immediately amazed at God’s workmanship. In dim lighting, He made our eyes so detailed that our pupils would get larger so we would be able to see better in low-light, and in bright lighting, they get smaller so we can see better in brighter light.
Who, besides God, would’ve been able to figure all of this out? We surely didn’t “bang” into existence as the “Big Bang Theory” theorizes. As an example, since I work for a company that is involved in autonomous vehicles, it’s a struggle trying to figure out how all of this is going to work together automatically. It takes many, many teams of very skilled people (over long periods of time) to try to figure all of this out. It’s been years, and we’re still trying to figure it out. It doesn’t just “happen”.
Of course, we have sensor lights that come on at dusk and go off at dawn, which to some would seem like a similar thing as pupils doing their job; but once you add eyesight as a whole into the equation, it takes it up a notch, doesn’t it? I also recently heard in Bible study that our eyes actually take in what we see upside down, and then our brain flips it right side up. There’s something else to think on.
I know this blog isn’t anything earth shattering, but as I’m writing it, I’m hopeful that it makes you think on the intricacies of how God created you. Your blood. Your veins. Your organs. Your skin. Your muscles. Your nerves. Your fingers and toes. Your touch, smell, hearing, taste, and what we’ve been talking about – your sight. All of it works together, miraculously perfectly. How could that be? How much more intricate is our body than an autonomous vehicle – and if we didn’t exist prior to God creating us (which we didn’t), who then, besides God, was around and able to create us? It wasn’t scientists or engineers working together over long periods of time trying to figure it all out – because scientists or engineers didn’t exist; humans didn’t exist.
For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalm 139:13-14 NIV
So, as I had been praying for God to reveal something for me to blog about earlier in the week, this thing came about last Wednesday and made me remember and think upon just how intricate and special God made us, and reminded me to think upon, and thank Him for making me, me!
P.S. That last sentence pairs nicely with a song we sing in the Awana Children’s Ministry. You can listen to it here: The Butterfly Song
BLOG AUDIO
~Dena
Please share this blog. Simply click the share button below, or copy the URL.
About Dena:
“First and foremost, I’m a Daughter of the King and a long-time Christ follower. I’m also a dog mom who enjoys reading Christian books, cardio drumming, traveling often, and I’m a bit of a techie geek. My life has seen its fair share of curve-balls and I’ve found that I’ve become closer to Christ in each trial as He’s comforted me and shown me that I can solely put my faith and trust in Him. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT says “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” I feel thankful and blessed for the messes in my life – as they have brought me closer to Him.”
#NoMessNoMessage
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakwoodchurchsaline/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakwood_churchmi/
Read more...
08
Jun '19
The (Vacation) Table
08
Jun '19
I just got back from a vacation from a small island called Seabrook Island in South Carolina. Just south of Charleston, this is a small island, only 6 miles in diameter – but delivers big with huge private beaches and amazing views of the Atlantic. What an amazing place to visit. Time just seems to slow to a turtle’s pace as my whole body just relaxes into God’s creations on this little tiny island paradise. I’ve visited this island every year (except one!) since 2005, and not only am I blessed to be able to go to such a beautiful place, I’m blessed every year to see something different on this
Read more...
01
Jun '19
Details and Destinations
01
Jun '19
When I go through difficult times in my life, I usually find myself doing what I’ve done most always when something happens that I wasn’t expecting. I journal (aka blog), and I make lists. Lists of things that I can specifically pray about – dreams that God has placed in my heart that maybe I had lost somewhere along the way by relying on my own strength and not fully trusting in Him. These need to be in black and white for me (nowadays they’re written down in my Echo prayer app), and something I can reference often during prayer time. I also write blogs/journal
Read more...
25
May '19
(Un) Forgiveness
25
May '19
I think we all struggle with this topic at times. Unforgiveness is a nasty thing. It eats you from the inside. I’ve seen it happen in my own life with someone who was absolutely unwilling to forgive someone who they felt had wronged them. I learned in a book by Andy Stanley called “Enemies of the Heart” that people with unforgiveness in their hearts build walls, they react defensively and they have shrapnel spewing from their heart through their own words and actions. Hurt people hurt people. They are angry. I learned in this book that a heart filled with anger is looking for the rights to be wronged and to be fairly paid back. In most cases, that can never happen, and people
Read more...
18
May '19
Knock if Off (The “Eye Surgery Saga”)
18
May '19
Well, I continue to blog over and over about trusting God. God has gotten me through so many hard times, and has pulled me out of some mirky waters over the years. So, now I come upon another struggle. Eye surgery. My eyesight is pretty important to me; I would guess any seeing person would agree and say the same. So, when I found out I had to have surgery on my eye to replace my natural-born lens, it was a bit concerning. After all, this is MY eye we’re talking about, not someone else’s. Eeek. I did some research, talked to friends, and everyone assured me that this is something that is simple and routine and just another day on the job for the doctor, and yes, that seemed (and still seems) to be the case.
I went into the surgical center 2 days ago to have eye surgery, everyone was great, the surgery was done, I could see AMAZING out of the eye that I’ve been having problems with the last 2 years. I was EXCITED to say the least! Then after I got home, put the
Read more...
11
May '19
Is the “Bad Stuff” Actually the “Good Stuff”
11
May '19
Did some “bad stuff” happen in your life? Were you rejected by someone close to you? A friend? A family member? Did you engage in a lifestyle that wasn’t healthy? Were you hurt by someone you thought would never hurt you? Do you look back and realize that those you thought had your back, didn’t? Yeah, I think it’s happened to all of us. Although not easy, why shouldn’t we be glad (even thankful) for what happened? I think God removes people and
Read more...
04
May '19
Peace Amidst the Chaos
04
May '19
Having peace is surely more important than trying to understand why something happened the way it did – but if you’re someone like me, you tend to take everything that happened (or is happening) to you and try to understand it. “ Why did that happen”? “How did that happen”? “What could’ve been done differently to make a different outcome”? Eeeeek! God doesn’t desire for us to figure things out on our own. That’s not our job. We’re supposed to trust and
Read more...
27
Apr '19
Imperfectly Perfect Circumstances
27
Apr '19
I’ve had a quote on my wall at home for over a year now that says: “Don’t Let What You See Make You Forget What I Said. – God”.
I think many times we look at our current circumstances and forget God’s promises. We wonder how we’re going to get from where we are now to where we want to be. Or we think that God just doesn’t care because things aren’t happening in our lives like we want. Or something that looks to be just out of reach, isn’t coming into reach like we want it to. I see a pattern here. WANT WANT WANT. What does God WANT
Read more...
20
Apr '19
Christ’s Sacrifice for my Sins (EASTER)
20
Apr '19
Oh man… can’t we find ourselves in some predicaments in life sometimes?? When fumbles in life happen, when things I do go completely against what God is teaching me in the Bible, it just feels horrible, but admittedly, sometimes I’ll still make those fumbles. Sometimes without meaning to, other times, I screw up completely and fully aware that I’m screwing up. Embarrassing to admit, but it happens. I think how in the world God can still love me after
Read more...
13
Apr '19
Dating God’s Way
13
Apr '19
As I go through life, I’m finding as I grow in Christ I’m setting a higher standard for myself when it comes to dating. No no, not in an arrogant way, but in a way that I know my worth in Christ and I know what He wants for me (His best), and I know what He wants me to look for as far as characteristics. Why would I not want to accept the standard He has set for me, His child? Although the Bible doesn’t really talk about “Christian dating” in a direct way, we can look at God’s word and discern how we should approach “dating” in today’s world.
I’m finding that if I don’t set my standards in the right place right from the very beginning, that I’m going to have people that are not at my standard trying to enter my life (and this has happened). I’ve literally had to block a couple of people when it was clear that moving
Read more...