Dona Hake, Author at The Abundant Life Center

“The Determined and Persevering Heart”

Posted on Feb 5, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Have you ever determined yourself to do something and then “bottomed out” and
given up? It happens to all of us. After the decision is made an obstacle or
opposition stands before you and you weaken, give up and feel guilty that you
did not stick it out.

Any decision you make whether it be to do something or stop doing something
must be coupled with determination and perseverance. In this life I guarantee
you that there will always be obstacles in our paths. If we seek His wisdom we
can begin to see that many times obstacles can just be those “pauses” in which
we learn and grow, as we seek Him in the midst of it all. No matter how big

the obstacle, if you have make a decision to do something, hold fast to the

decision to persevere until you have accomplished your desire.

Winston Churchhill said it this way, “The nose of the bulldog is slanted
backwards so he can continue to breathe without letting go.” I love this because
many times it is just a matter of not letting go. Dig in, hold fast, and don’t let
go!!! Do what you have decided to do no matter how tough the fight. Draw
upon the strength and wisdom of the Lord for He is well able to help you
accomplish that thing you have determined yourself in.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (AMP)
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].”

~~~~~♥~~~~~

“Fear Not, For He Is Your God”

Posted on Feb 4, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Isaiah 41:10 (The Voice) So don’t be afraid. I am here, with you; don’t be
dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you. I am here with
My right hand to make right and to hold you up.

The King James Version says, “Fear not, do not look anxiously about you for I
AM your God…”

Looking anxiously about gives implication of fear, panick or uneasiness in one’s heart and soul. It is good to know that our loving Heavenly Father is there for us in those times to come under us and lift us up and hold us closely. He will sit us on the solid rock where we will not be moved and He is able to keep us.

Today as I share this scripture I have a memory of an experience I had with my parrot one day. It is a great little story and analogy to help you see our God coming to our rescue when we are in trouble. She was roaming about on the outside of her cage. I permit her to do this at times, and I watch her closely. She usually is very happy just to sit on top of her “little world” and watch me and my husband. One day she decided she was going to try to get on the pie safe which is about six inches from her cage. I happened to be watching her, and I was curious what she was going to do. As she went to carefully go from her cage to the piece of furniture she slipped on the finish of the wood and began to panick, squawk loudly, and flutter her wings really fast. I calmly walked over to her and spoke softly and put my hand under her so she could rest on me and feel safe again. She was so sweet as she looked at me with such a sense of safety and relief. After I felt she calmed down, I put her back on her cage.

This reminded me how sometimes we can get ourselves in trouble and we lose our”footing.” You know…those times when you get a little over confident and you get into your own ability and from there you get yourself in trouble. There are also those times that you are stepping out on faith and you really have yourself out on the “limb” and it can cause fear to grip your heart. It is very easy to

panic, get in anxiety, and be fearful.

Isn’t it good to know that our loving Heavenly Father is right there ready to hold out His mighty right hand to calm us, and His loving voice speaks to our heart and we feel safe again. Psalm 91:4 (TheVoice) “Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers, will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.”

I pray that you will see Him today as the One that is always nearby you and only an arm’s reach away to rescue you in your time of need or trouble. Only He can calm our hearts when we are in anxiety and fear. We serve a loving and caring God. He is so good. I pray you will have a day that is prosperous and blessed!

“Without God I Can Do Nothing”

Posted on Feb 3, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

John 15:5 (VOICE)“I am the vine, and you are the branches.If you abide in Me and I in you, you will bear great fruit.

Without Me, you will accomplish nothing.”

This is such a wonderful scripture to keep fresh in our hearts. Without Him we can do nothing and yet with Him ALL things are possible!

All means all

and that little word ~all~ has big possibilities. Whether we are trying to do things for Him or the things that involve our daily accomplishments, it would do us good to know that we are pulling ALL of our strength and wisdom from His resources.

I can remember once putting fresh batteries into something I wanted to use. I checked and checked to make sure all the batteries were in the right position and secure. It made no sense to me that there was no power. My husband opened it and examined it, and sure enough one of the three batteries was in the wrong direction. Sometimes that is how it is for us. We can seem to have all that we need, yet one thing is out of place and there will be no power. When we are connected to God, He assures us that all things are possible as we stay hooked up to His divine ways and purposes!

“He Counts the Stars”

Posted on Feb 2, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Psalm 147:3-5 (TLB)

“He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds.

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

How great he is! His power is absolute!

His understanding is unlimited.”

I love these verses and I love thinking about how our loving God knows every detail about everything. One by one He created each star and caused it to shine in the evening skies. To think of how great and mighty God is should encourage our hearts to remember that the same God that placed stars in the sky one by one also created me and you! One by one He formed each of us in our mother’s womb, and He knows every day of our life from beginning to end. How amazing is our God? Oh that we would turn to Him when our hearts are broken and hurt that we would receive His healing touch, and restoration.

The same hands that formed the stars and hung them in the skies promises to touch your heart if it has been hurt and broken. Those hands are well able to bind up your wounds and bring restoration to your life. He is great and His power is absolute!

Lord, remind us today of your greatness! Let us ponder how unfathomable Your love and Your works are. You created the heavens and the earth, how much more we should believe that You can take care of every little detail of our lives as we live here on this earth. For those of us with hurting and broken hurts, we thank You that you are able to heal and restore. Cause us to hear Your lovingkindness each and everyday as we awaken, for we know that we are to fully trust in You and only You. Thank You for giving us sufficient grace to live and do Your will. We trust You today to work in our lives!

“Are You In the Center of His Will?”

Posted on Feb 1, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

“We are just clay, and You are the potter.

We are the product of Your creative action, shaped and formed …”

Isaiah 68:8 (the Voice)

We are the clay and He is the Potter. Let us remain pliable that He is able to work and form us. As we do this we will be able to reflect His glory and do His will in our lives. One of the very first things a potter will do with that clump of clay is center it perfectly on the potter’s wheel. For us to be worked and formed for His purposes we could look at it this way…

Stay centered on His “wheel”
and you will be in the
center of His will.

Oh that we would permit His loving hands to place us where He wants us to be. When He begins to shape us and works us, let us submit to His way of doing it. As I pondered this devotional my heart began to think about some things that will position us that He can continue to mold us. I already stated the first and that is to stay centered or focused on Him. The other things would be

*stay humble before God.

*stay humble before others.

*see yourself humbly for this will guard you from

self deception, which is the worst of all deceptions.

Lord, we desire that your loving hands mold and make us into the man or woman of God You desire us to be. As we permit you to work in our lives, we know that we will be pleasing in Your sight. Thank you for helping us to do Your will and purposes, and guide our decisions and walk as we pursue to stay in the center of Your will.

“Being Watchful Over One Another”

Posted on Jan 31, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Have you ever walked away from someone feeling inspired to be a better person? Maybe as you shared your heart you realized that this friend that took a little bit of time to listen was ministering to you just by being there for you. In a world in which our lives seems to be swirling around us with responsibilities, to do lists and daily demands, we can fall short in being observant of those in our lives that have need to be heard. I find it sad that there are people all around us that simply have no one to share their hurting heart with.

Today I want to share with you about being watchful over those around you. I can not help but think about how our loving Heavenly Father is so watchful over us. I am so thankful that He misses not one thing that is going on in my life, yet He is challenging us in His Word to also watch out for one another. Let us look at the book of Hebrews…

“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities…”
Hebrews 10:24 AMP

This scripture is plainly exhorting us to give attention and continuous care over each other. To do this, we must be watchful and pay attention. God is not calling us to do thorough examinations of little faults and weaknesses….honestly anyone can do this. Let us not be brought down to such a low level. Let us rise to God’s level of love, and look through His eyes at people in our path. Today I want you to know that there is someone out there that can use an encouraging word but they may not be showing it on the outside.

I cannot help but think how it can be human nature to masterfully cover up our feelings, and not be real. Our pride will deceive us to think that people will think less of us if we tell them how we are really feeling. I thank God for the people in my life that I can truly give an honest answer, and know that they will purpose to build my heart up, and pray for me. May our hearts be challenged today to study people in our midst and be quick to respond to what the Lord is showing us to do or say. He may lead us to share a word of wisdom. He may lead us to only listen. He may lead us to just pray. However He leads, this is how we can be watchful over one another.

So today, look around and observe those that God has put in your life. Seek ways to encourage them and bring out the best in them. Let us pay attention to one another looking for ways to encourage their heart to move forward in their hopes, dreams, and the will of God for their life!

“The Lord Will Always Lead You”

Posted on Jan 30, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Isaiah 58:11 (ERV)
“The Lord will always lead you and satisfy your needs in dry lands.

He will give strength to your bones.

You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring that never goes dry.”

When I read this scripture I am reminded that in this world there will be times that we will have needs and in particular we will have need of strength. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can look to Him with joyful expectation? We serve a living God that understands everything we need, and He knows our need before we even ask. In addition to taking care of our needs, He desires to flow through us as an endless spring to the needy around us. He wants to make you and I a place where His springs of life can flow freely.

Let us be thankful that the water He gives is the only water that will quench the thirst of the human soul. I love how this scripture in Isaiah says that we will be “like a garden that has plenty of water, a spring that never goes dry.” No matter how much we draw upon it, those waters will continue to flow toward us to meet our every need! The only requirement is that we continue to seek Him and draw upon that river of life that proceeds from Him.

God desires to see us active in doing good for others from a heart of faith and love.I encourage you to think about the abundance in your life, and how He would have you be a blessing today. Think about the many times He has rescued you from a problem that seemed unsolvable. Thank Him for those times that your anxiety tormented you and His peace permeated you beyond your understanding. We have so much to be thankful for and as we focus on those blessings, we will be in a position to refresh and bless those around us.

“Our Life Is a Journey”

Posted on Jan 29, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

“Life is a journey, not a destination”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have always loved this quote because it ministers to my heart about how to view my time here on this earth. I can remember hearing an individual sharing their heart about a man that died and they esteemed this individual very highly. He was held in many’s eyes as a man of integrity and one who encouraged people to reach their potential. He began to share something he heard this gentleman say and it was relating to the quote I shared.

This man that died was also known for his words of wisdom regarding the quote by Ralph W. Emerson, “Yes it’s said that life is a journey, not a destination”…and if you do it right, you will never reach your destination. The reason being that until the day you die, you should never cease to learn and grow to your potential.” Learning, growing and giving should be life’s experience until you take your last breath.

I was so touched by this! I love hearing people share things like this because it causes me to be careful to never get comfortable with where I am and to keep trying harder. The gentleman sharing said that we all have someone or maybe more than one person that pushed us beyond where we would stop because of our limitations. Do you remember a person in your life that pushed you beyond what you thought you were capable of? Maybe it was that parent or teacher that seemed hard on you and you hated it at the moment but years later, you were glad they did. Today, I encourage you to think about and also be thankful for that individual that pushed you and helped you reach for the God given potential within you.

It is a wonderful thing to make a decision that you will continue to grow and learn everyday of your life no matter how old we are. So as we press in to reach our potential, let us be mindful to never give up because God has much for us to do while we live our life for Him.

“I Will Rest In God Alone”

Posted on Jan 28, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

We overwork our bodies at times and more than likely our minds are overworked on a regular basis. Daily responsibilities and cares can just take it out of us. Where do we run when this happens? Are we supposed to run when this happens? Of course God wants us to run to Him when we are in trouble. May I humbly submit to you that if you run from your problems that you are going the wrong way?

God desires that we stay in a place of rest, for it is there that we are able to live refreshed and drawing upon Him. It is there that our hearts, minds and bodies are kept in check. It is there that there is strength and peace beyond any comprehension exists. If we are honest with ourselves we need to admit there are times when we are pushing the boundaries of our bodies and minds to the point of pointlessness, and we need to return to His rest that He desires for us.

I am totally sold out in believing that God wants us to live in a place called rest that ONLY He provides. So what is this rest? Here is one definition that I loved…

“relief or freedom, especially from anything that

wearies, troubles, or disturbs.”

Oh praise the Living God that we can be free of anything that tries to weary, trouble, or disturb our soul. Let us abide under the shadow of His wings and I mean abide…live there, hang out, stay there….God wants us to remain before Him. He does not desire we come and go as we please. He does not desire that we come to Him when only when problems come up, but He desires we stay put. It is as we rest in this place that we really do experience His rest!

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him,”
Psalm 62:5 HCSB

“His Love Restores My Soul”

Posted on Jan 27, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

There is much torment in feeling guilty. It kind of feels like a prison because you are no longer free from the inside out. Memories and thoughts of the wrong you may have done seem to have voices, and they continue to haunt and remind you of what you think is irreparable. If you have received Jesus into your life, you can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and you can partake of His wonderful forgiveness. Let us treasure within us how wonderful it is that the Lord will forgive us when we mess up, and He will always cleanse our hearts. As we humble ourselves to Him admitting our wrongs and shortcomings, He will bring His mercies and forgiveness to you, and bring you back to that place of feeling clean again. Let us look at David in the Psalms. His plea to God was for restoration of his heart in a time in which he majorly messed up and his heart was heavy with guilt and anguish. Psalm 51:7, 8, 10 “Remove my sin and make me pure.” Wash me until I am whiter than snow! Let me hear sounds of joy and happiness again. God, create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again.” Today let us treasure the power of love and forgiveness, and look to the only One that can bring restoration to our souls. He is the only one who is able to cleanse. I love how verse eight says “Let me hear sounds of joy and happiness again.” This is what restoration is about. When we experience freedom from guilt we are able to experience the joy that was robbed by our sin and guilt. Only God is able to create within us a pure heart, pick us back up, and cause us to continue on in His will. Thank God for the power of forgivenesss!