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Norma Donovan
- Jun 1, 2020
- 2 min
God’s Gift of Repentance
“Confession is the first step to repentance.” Edmund Gayton After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they hid from God’s presence. They were ashamed and feared God’s response so they tried to avoid Him. I have experienced the same effects of shame, hiding who I am from God and others when I’ve sinned. But God has given us the gift of repentance through which we can hide behind Christ and His work on the Cross. We no longer need to fear God’s response when we sin. Inst
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Norma Donovan
- Oct 24, 2016
- 2 min
Blind Spots
Blind Spots “You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Harper Lee If I did two things, I would be a better person and the world would be a better place. First, have more self-awareness. My family knows I don’t score high on situational awareness. Often I’m in “Norma’s world,” lost in my own thoughts, unaware of my surroundings. It’s those blind spots in our lives which require help fro
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Norma Donovan
- May 16, 2016
- 2 min
Temptations
“Every time you defeat temptation you become more like Jesus.”
Rick Warren Temptations come in various shapes and sizes, and what may be a temptation to you, may not be to me. We all have different Achilles heels, weaknesses, and points where we are vulnerable. No one though, is exempt from temptations. While temptations are not sin, when we give in to them, sin is birthed. A temptation is “a desire or craving for something.” Genesis 3:6 describes the first temptation. “When
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Norma Donovan
- Apr 11, 2016
- 2 min
How to Stop Sinning
“The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new affection.”
Thomas Chalmers The only way we can stop the vicious cycle of sin, that we can’t seem to say no to, is to say yes to God. Yes, to loving God more. The Law points out our sin and our need for a Savior. But it doesn’t make us want to stop sinning. It’s when I decide to go on a diet, that I want to eat what I’m not supposed to eat. Having something forbidden makes us want it
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Norma Donovan
- Jun 29, 2015
- 2 min
Can You Hear Me Now? Part Two: Obstacles
“What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things.” Oswald Chambers My friend asked me the other day how to hear God’s voice. I responded by saying, “People hear God’s voice more often than they realize.” When God speaks to me it is not in a booming male voice, rather it sounds similar to my voice. We tend to discount God’s voice because we think it’s just our thoughts. There are other obstacles to overcome in order to listen to God’s voice. Life races by with our
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Norma Donovan
- Apr 21, 2014
- 3 min
The Great Exchange
“The best news the world ever had came from a graveyard.” Anonymous The greatest day in history took place over 2000 years ago, the day when Jesus Christ conquered sin and death. Easter signifies hope. Though my sins are like scarlet, Jesus’ death and resurrection turns them as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) All of this was made possible because of an unblemished lamb’s sacrifice on our behalf. Easter also represents the great exchange. It was Jesus Christ’s blood for my blood.
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Norma Donovan
- Mar 17, 2014
- 3 min
The Hook is in the Look
“The man who covets is always poor.” Claudian The way of sin is a downhill spiral. Rarely do we stub our toe on a rock and fall over a cliff called sin. More often “harmless,” gradual steps are taken which lead to sin. If you retrace your steps though, you may find the hook is in the look. When a fish looks at bait it wants to eat it. Once it takes a bite the hook is firmly set in its mouth and its end is in sight. Likewise, Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden began in her eye. G
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