My blog is UPGRADE with Dawn, but my ministry to women is Heart Choices Today, a DBA under Pacesetter Global Outreach, which is my husband's and my main ministry.
When I was a little girl, long before I heard the gospel story, I heard the story about wise King Solomon. I remember praying to the God I didn't know, asking me to make me a wise woman someday.
When I became a Christ-follower in 1971, my desire was to make wise choices—biblical choices—that would glorify my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus, until He returned or I went to live with Him.
Aristotle once said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. It is my goal to make daily wise choices that will build a life of excellence, for God's glory, my growth, and others' good.
The outgrowth of an earlier blog, Heart Choices Today, was the UPGRADE blog you see now. Essentially, UPGRADEs are simply about applying biblical truth to everyday circumstances and priorities in all the seasons of life.
It's not a matter of doing better or trying harder, but rather discovering God's directives and obeying them by faith. We cannot fix ourselves, but God is changing us into the image of Christ, and we respond to His goodness by faith.
The message "Heart Choices Today" is one I would want at my funeral someday—I am that passionate about it.
I pray you will come to know and love the Father, and desire to please Him in all things with these scriptures in mind:
Heart
If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (made right with God), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).
Create in me a pure heart, O God... Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Psalm 51:10; Matthew 5:8).
Choices
... choose this day whom you will serve.... (Joshua 24:15).
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8).
... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if thee is any excellence, if there is anythign worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8).
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.... (Colossians 3:17).
Today
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring (Proverbs 27:1).
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is (Ephesians 5:15-17).
A scripture I embraced when I first began in women's ministry was this one:
For your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth (Psalm 26:3).
God is faithful. Let us be faithful to Him.
Be sure your heart belongs to the Lord.
Be careful to make wise choices.
Be alert and living today and every day in light of eternity.