We are so blessed to have Dawn Rae Bridges and our 30 plus other volunteer writers here at FGGAM, bringing the light of Jesus Christ to one person at a time. This post by Dawn is getting many reads. We now have an average of 200,000 visitors a month, thank YOU LORD for what YOU are doing with FGGAM! Thank YOU LORD for our wonderful, Godly writers! Here is a note from Jim Hofflander of Mankato, Minnesota on Dawn’s latest post:
Hi Dewey,
A thousand thanks and praises to our heavenly Father for running Dawn’s testimony the other day.While my life has not been as dramatic nor testimony as powerful as hers, still I have been doing things that destroy my body and spirit as well as my wallet. I am inspired to pray the prayer of Dawn to my Father.
A righteous woman I know once declared that addictions are the devil’s way of destroying certain spiritual gifts that the addict has. I surely believe that.is true.
Again, thanks for the effort that you put into to get the Daily Cup out each day.
And congratulations on the 2nd anniversary of FGGAM. May it grow and prosper under our Father’s mighty hand.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Hofflander in Mankato, Minnesota
Thank you Jim for the lovely note and we thank Dawn for all she does!
Thank you all for your love, prayers and support of FGGAM, 2 years old Sept. 1st! The Daily Cup is in it’s 17th year.
Kind words are like honey—-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body Proverbs 16:24
Here is Dawn’s post:
When my friend, Angel Murchison asked me several years ago to be interviewed for her program Destiny Moments, I said, “NO!” A couple of weeks later she asked me again and I gave her the same answer. A couple of weeks after that, she said, “Dawn, I really feel the Lord wants me to interview you for Destiny Moments.” I told her I would pray about it.
That night, I asked, “Father, is this something You want me to do?” He said, “Yes, I do.” I said, “Okay, Father, I’ll do it. I know You will take care of all the stuff that goes with it.”
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him (the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Romans 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
I didn’t want to share my testimony because I didn’t like telling people who I used to be. I left a lot of heartache and carnage in my past and wanted it to stay there. I was addicted to many things: cigarettes, credit cards, pornography, men, racy romance novels, and inappropriate magazines. I was a liar, and adulteress and I was a selfish, miserable little puke.
Some of these addictions carried over even after I became born-again because I didn’t know who I was as a new creation in Christ Jesus. I felt and thought I was powerless to be free from all of the things that kept me from walking in the freedom my Jesus had died to give me. I felt condemned, unworthy, ugly, unloved………all lies, but notice the word “felt”.
When we don’t know who we are after Jesus, we continue to go by feelings, an earthy response. (See my post “In Adam or in Jesus”) When you get the revelation of who you really are when you become born-again, all that stuff doesn’t matter, because that is who you USED to be. Let me explain:
When you become born-again, the old is passed away. I believe that. At the time, I thought I was powerless to walk in the freedom Christ gives me. I thought I was helpless when the devil would tempt me and drop stupid thoughts in my head. It was exactly what he wanted because it rendered me powerless because that is what I thought I was. We are NOT powerless! The living God dwells in us! He has given us all power and authority in His name. He gave us a Helper, precious Holy Spirit, to help us walk in Christ. He has stripped the devil of all power and the only power the devil has over us is what we give him.
Even though I saw who I was as a new creation, I still had to fight for freedom from my addictions.
James 4:7,8 Therefore, SUBMIT to God. RESIST (Take your stand against -be active to do it.) the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you….
I had to choose to not look at pornography, and that stuff would pop up everywhere let me tell you. I had to choose not to use my credit cards, but to keep paying them off. I had to take a stand after I submitted to the Lord, and I asked Holy Spirit to help me and He did. I asked Him to remove unhealthy images from my memory, and He did. I asked Him to help me see men as brothers, fathers, uncles….and He did. The cigarette addiction was the hardest.
My friend, Mary, told me that the Lord had delivered her from her cigarette addiction with no withdrawals. I got with the Lord and admitted to Him that I couldn’t do it without Him. I had tried the patches, the gum, and cold turkey to no avail. I asked Him to deliver me like He did Mary and make it like I had never smoked. I asked Him to bring me to that place where I could let it go. He did! Praise Jesus, it has been 18 years since I’ve had a cigarette after smoking from age 15 to 36. (I am 54 in December.)
John 8:32,36 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Growing into who you are in Christ is a process. I am so far from perfect, but my heart is right and I continually get my mind renewed with the washing of the Word. I feed myself continually on the Word, listen to teachings, and especially listen and commune with my Lord. I will share a few of my battles:
I was driving my daughter home from school and I was singing, “Jesus, I don’t want anything coming in between you and me……” (Holding Nothing Back by Ryan Stevenson) This guy came zooming up and cut me off. I yelled, “Hey! One lane per customer you idiot.” Then I looked at Gabi and said, “That was dumb.”
I was muttering, yes, muttering, one day picking up after my husband and daughter. “I’m not your little servant girl.” Still, small voice “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Ron, my husband likes things loud. I like it quiet, especially when I read. He was playing a video game, then music and I had determined I wasn’t going to say anything because it is his home, too. I went on the porch to try to read and I was really trying hard not to let it get to me. After reading the same sentence 10 times, I decided to go somewhere because I really just wanted him to relax and just be him. I got my purse and told him I’d be back soon. He knows me really well and wanted to know what was up. Well, I burst like a broken dam. “I’m trying to read and you’re driving me nuts.” I stomped to the car, got in, slammed the door…….still, small voice, “You need to get ahold of yourself Dawn.” That stopped me in my tracks. The Lord doesn’t call me Dawn unless I am in trouble. (He calls me Dove.) When I got back inside, I explained to Ron and he is a grace man, plus he already knew what it was anyway.
One day, I was telling (yes, I know, eek) the Lord what He needed to do. I had been at it all day and I got in the shower still telling Him…….NOT so still, NOR so small voice, “Who do you think you are?” “Nobody, Lord, I’m sorry.” Nothing like being naked in the shower and getting in trouble from the Lord.
The worst one to date and to my sorrow. I was trying to teach two young women that I love with all my heart the way Timothy says older women are to do and instead, I took it upon myself to be their Holy Spirit……still, small voice, “Do you mind if I do My job Dove?” Let’s get this straight, I hate the devil and I love them. I could see what the devil was working on against them and told them. My heart was right, but I didn’t go about it right, even barreled through a couple of times when I heard the Lord saying not to.
So here I am, sharing some of my crud because I love the Lord, and I love you. My heart’s desire is for all of you to know who you are in Christ and to walk in the freedom Jesus died to give us. You aren’t helpless. You aren’t powerless. You are children of the Most High God! You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Hold your head up! You are His dearly beloved children. How I got my new name:
Ron and I had left a home group in 2003, I think. It had been tough on me due to some people speaking things and trying to get dirt on me……okay, it was a few of the women in the group that didn’t like me. On the drive home, Father was telling me and showing me that He would want me to share my testimony at some point. I told Him, “Okay, holy Father. If exposing who I was and what I did brings people to You, I will do that for You.” He said, “Oh, My gentle Dove. I love you. Don’t be dismayed nor worried. I am always with you and for you.”
You can hear my testimony, as well as Ron’s on this website. Go to Destiny Moments. It is audio. It aired first here in northern Maine on WSFT. After my testimony, they played a few songs that I hope you will listen to afterwards. They are:
LouAnn Lee My Hope Is In You, Chris August Starry Night, Mat Kearney Nothing Left To Lose
The picture on this post is me, taken by my daughter Gabi. I am free! Praise Jesus, I am free!
