About the Author

Bonnie Gray is the author of Sweet Like Jasmine, Whispers of Rest, wife, and mom to two boys. An inspirational speaker featured by Relevant Magazine and Christianity Today, she’s guided thousands to detox stress and experience God’s love through soul care, encouragement, and prayer. She loves refreshing your soul at...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Bonnie,
    As for scripture, I would have to echo Zephaniah 3:17. It has been a long road to believe, in the deep places of my soul, that the Lord not only loves me, but He “delights” in me. When I envision this delighting, I see a Father swinging his daughter around in the air…twirling and hugging and laughing. Now, I see my Heavenly Father swinging me in the air and I see the love and delight on His face and in His eyes. And, He rejoices over me with singing. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but I do know what it’s like to be so joyful you want to burst out in song. God does this…and He does this over me?! Oh how I pray we all, as daughters of the King, could embrace this picture. I’m inviting Spring in today…thanks Bonnie for an uplifting post this morning!
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • @bevduncan:disqus it’s soul beautiful to hear how you see your Heavenly Father — his eyes on you, in his face and in his whole being — love for you. because it’s true. you are His beloved.

  2. Bonnie, thank you for this beautiful post and especially for sharing that verse from Deuteronomy. I love the image of resting “between His shoulders”. I’m struggling as a Mum right now because painful memories are exhausting me and I feel so alone in it all, even though I have a loving family and friends around me. I’ve been yearning to be the one who is held and fully embraced, to be the child. This Scripture speaks truth into my soul: He wants to hold me, He wants to embrace me, He wants to fill in the aching and yearning with His love, His compassion, His warmth. I just need to let go and let Him. As Jesus says in John:
    “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

    • @Anna, it’s soul beautiful how you hear God’s whispers touching your heart’s longing in the Deuteronomy verse. It’s His gentle voice you hear reaching out to let you know He sees you and longs to hold you – for you to be His child. I think you would REALLY enjoy the soulful experience of reading my book “Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest” – I share the journey God led me on to experience that place you’re longing to experience – and fellow kindreds have taken the journey through the book and found it soul-changing. 😉

      • Thank you, Bonnie. I read your book before Christmas, but that was before I had these memories resurface in frightening ways…I read your book thinking of all sorts of other people who needed this soul rest…not really fully taking it in for myself. But your book has helped me realize my need for counseling to free the depressive hold of these memories. I’ve made my first appointment and it’s scary and hopeful at the same time. I know I will go back to your book for encouragement and hope, as I travel these new roads. Thank you.

  3. I love love love to sit by the window and watch the birds feeding from the bird feeder. There’s just something about watching those sweet creatures. And as an added bonus, I have to be STILL or they will fly away. That’s my peaceful, white space moment!

    • @kristineMTY:disqus i love love love how you love love love that pocket of #spiritualwhitespace … you and Jesus. Jesus and you. what a sweet surrender of sweetness with God.

  4. That was a beautiful way to start this brand new Spring day, Bonnie. Thank you. The Scripture choices are excellent. I am thanking and praising the LORD for His Abundant Grace and Mercy in Christ Jesus’ Name.

    • @lisa – how sweet it is to be together, swimming in the sweetness of these verses that bring Spring to our soul today. happy spring, sweet kindred!

  5. Oh how I needed this timely reminder and prodding. I’ve been in a funk lately but sense its actually where Abba wants me. It’s different and I’ve not known what to do with it. And then this came and I have His answer. Thank you for sharing.

    • @karlaneese:disqus – how sweet it is that even in that place of funk, you feel the touch of Abba holding you and inviting you to just be His… beloved. happy spring, sweet kindred.

  6. John 3:16 always reminds me of God’s never ending and unfailing love. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one an only son, so that, whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus loves us so much that he suffered and died on the cross for us. Now that’s LOVE and I am forever greatful for it!

    Thank you Bonnie for the beautiful post today! Truly was a blessing to read. Really needed to see this today and be reminded that Jesus loves us just the way we are and that we are His beloved forever!

    • @disqus_KIKoJi8PFn:disqus john 3:16 is a beautiful verse that gets renewed at different junctures of our journey, doesn’t it? happy spring, kindred.. you are so beloved. His beloved…

      • Yes it does! Thank you so much! Happy spring and have a beautiful and blessed day! 🙂

  7. Bonnie,
    Once again you have blessed me with an exquisite post! I’ve been so ‘winter-weary’, and the reminder that spring weather is near does my heart good. Learning to become His beloved……Thank you!

    • @kimmygirl – once again how sweet it is to share this moment her together as kindreds. 😉 happy first day of spring… you are so beloved.. His beloved.. enjoy this day.

  8. Spring is my favorite season. I love seeing all the signs of new life and hope. Thank you, Bonnie, for the refreshing view of Jesus’ love being “spring” in our souls. Looking and longing for a revival of life and hope in Christ as His beloved! Hugs to you!

    • @trudydenhoed:disqus sweet Trudy… soul wonderful to share this first day together… love your words of hope and newness in your voice! enjoy this day, sweet beloved!

  9. Spring is a time of renewal, of hope. One scripture that I love is found in Isaiah 43:19…”Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (ESV) So after the long “death” of winter, spring brings forth new life. Rejoice!

    • @diane – this is perfect verse for this first day of spring.. isaiah 43:19 — thank you for adding this gem of a verse here… enjoy this first day of spring, sweet beloved.

  10. A good way to start my weekend. I am resting and beginning to really soak in that my Daddy ,King, Lord calls me His beloved. Not a cultural, Biblical greeting, a love note to His child. Thank you

  11. Bonnie, thank you for sharing your heart so openly. God has used your words, your story to begin healing in me. i used to write prayers, thoughts, poetry regularly. But for the past several years haven’t been able to. Today I was able to pour out my heart to God! So thank you for the encouragement to be and to express. I know it’s long, but this poem is the beginning of ‘spring’ in my life and I wanted to share with you as a deep and heartfelt thanks:

    remake me God.
    I’ve hidden and puffed up, diluted, replaced
    til I no longer resemble the ‘me’ that You made.
    my fears hold me captive
    my mask hides me safe
    but my thoughts they torment me
    the illusion, it shakes.
    then the loneliness aches.

    so remake me God.

    where I’ve hidden, expose.
    where I’ve built up, tear down
    where I’ve believed lies, let Your Truth resound!
    and then help me believe.
    because I miss who You meant me to be.

    i’m so done with ‘fine’ and ‘alright’ and ‘okay’
    i’m tired of regretting the ‘yesses’ I say.
    tired to the bone.
    Tired from managing impressions, accommodating, hurrying,
    striving and swallowing, resenting and worrying.

    REMAKE ME GOD! PLEASE!!!

    i’ve arrogantly re-done’ what You did.
    thought I could keep wearing the ‘good girl’ that hid
    my desperate longing just to be loved.
    when all along You loved me.
    the me You made.
    so remake me God.

    i’m sorry, so sorry for revising Your plan
    For hating and denying the person i am.
    for seeing myself with a distorted view
    through the vision of ‘Others’
    not the perfection of You.

    forgive me. disinfect me. purge and redeem;
    renew. sanctify. clarify. clean.
    remake me God.

    erase my mind and replace it with You.
    take out my heart and give me one new.
    cut out my tongue and my eyes and my ears
    til all that i know are the words that i hear
    coming from your lips:

    beloved.
    beautiful.
    chosen.
    mine.
    help me believe them and let them define
    the rest of my life.

    introduce me again to the ‘me’ You designed
    and help me embrace her; every facet and line
    every moment and memory, each smile and each tear
    the things that she loves, the things she holds dear.
    please help me to love her weaknesses too.
    help me clutch to them tightly as reminders of You;
    and how Your strength is all that i need.

    i will lean and listen.
    follow and learn,
    desire and depend on
    hunger and yearn.
    O Father YES! Please let it be.
    Hallelujah! Amen.
    God please,
    remake me.

  12. Bonnie,
    I also like Zephaniah 3:17. I find it hard to envision God taking great delight in me and singing over me. My journey has been a rough beginning last year. But through it all God was there carrying me through each trial/ medical problem with my aging dad. it felt dark, dreary and I just wanted to run away from it all and be in a desert. Now it seems that Spring is finally here both outside and inside my soul as well. I have found my spiritual whitespace and enjoy those moments of quiet and rest! It is now my turn to rejoice over God and live as His beloved, cared for child!
    Blessings 🙂

  13. Bonnie, you won’t know how much these words speak to me:“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” as they echo my heart’s greatest need and desire.
    And, oh, how hard it feels to let go of my cares and concerns, rest and relax in being God’s beloved! All through Lent He has issued this invitation and I’m only just beginning to truly ‘get’ it. Thank you so much for this hope-filled and inspiring post which touches me with Holy Spirit breath of Spring, new life, restoration and renewal. Blessings to you! 🙂 x

  14. I was so happy to read this today. I can’t even express to you what rest it brought to my soul. I’ve been walking through a journey of healing and was just expressing to my therapist last night that I don’t know what to be looking for. What exactly I should hope for – you know, what healing looks like. And sometimes I get stuck in that wondering, thinking, waiting stage instead of rejoicing in the today. And in the fact that I am HIS LOVED CHILD. Thank you!