Well, ladies, this week I have slipped into the big, brave book of DANIEL. And, oh my, if THIS guy doesn’t set the perfect example of how to be the perfect “believer of things unseen,” then whoa, I sure don’t know who is! 😉 And so, I think most of the blips and blurps this week will focus on what Daniel does, or really DOESN’T DO.

“Now, what could she possibly mean by that,” you say? LOL! 🙂

Well, Daniel is the guy who, despite social pressure, financial pressure, physical pressure — yeah, his life is threatened about 1,001 times in just the first few chapters alone — STILL chooses to “DO the DIFFERENT” and follow what GOD says is best over anything else. (Hmm, does this theme sound familiar to you at all??) 🙂

But it’s so true! Just look at Chapter 1 when he was taken into the King’s castle, forced to change his name, and then was forced to eat certain foods — but stuff he KNEW would have been offered to and accepted by their idols. So, is this free, fabulous and filling “food” best for his body, mind and soul?? 

NO! He knew GOD does not allow that idol-eating-stuff, and so, despite all the “pressure” to eat what was offered, he continues to “DO the DIFFERENT” and sticks with what God says: speaks up, steps up and totally challenges up the chief officer to PROVE Daniel and his VALUED-vegetable-eating-ways WRONG.

Yup, Daniel throws the FOOD-gauntlet down and asks for 10 days of what SEEMS the opposite action (eating only vegetables) of what would make you strong (eating meat), but he knew that eating the idol-offered-meat was, according to GOD, very, very wrong.

And so, Daniel “DARES to DO the different” and keeps his GODLY commands and commitments first and foremost.

And in the end? He not only physically “appeared” more healthy and fit than the other meat-eating men, but he earned WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING far beyond anyone else (Daniel 1:18-20). And, to be specific, it says he became wise 10 TIMES beyond anyone else!! Pretty sweet deal.

And so, just what can we learn from this “DEDICATED-dude”? (That term is odd to my 16-year-old son.) 🙂 The lesson is this — by choosing to “DO the (GODLY) DIFFERENT,” the opposite action from everyone else, not only can it land you well physically (eating only vegetables for 10 days will definitely help improve your physical health), but, oh so much more important, your spiritual health can BLOOM!

Yes, ladies, gaining 10 POUNDS of spiritual MUSCLE sounds far more appealing, impressive AND impactful to a girl like me in this season of my life. If I had a chance of being down 10 physical pounds? Yeah, sure, that would be nice. But gaining “10 pounds of GODLY wisdom and understanding”?? Well, nothing and nobody can beat that.

And it all starts by starting to CHOOSE to “DO the DIFFERENT” — proving those other people wrong (or maybe, even more importantly for me, proving it to myself).

SO, yes! I am so going to go there with my CHOICES, ladies — today, tomorrow and until I prove to myself that HIS ways really are the BEST ways for me. I am aiming to be a “Dedicated -DANIEL” in my daily decisions. Now, what will you CHOOSE to do???

Praying for you to be daring, diligent and dedicated-to-being-a-DIFFERENT-”DUDE” kinda  Woman of God!!! 

Carol 🙂