Crowned Queens

Circa. 2017 Crowned Queens was birthed. A vision I saw after a church service. I saw each tier in the crown representing my family. I think of that word "family" as my small little family, but the Lord meant the "whole family". The church. On that day of receiving that crown, I immediately see myself take it off and laying it at His feet. Without Him, some family would not be enjoying His beauty. I trust God with my children and church family. I release them to the only one who knows how to love them to eternity best. On that day there will be so much rejoicing.

Psalm 103:4: "Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy".

Isaiah 62:3: "You shall also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God".

James 1:12: "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having been tested, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him".

1 Corinthians 9:25: "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it only to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever".

2 Timothy 4:8: "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing".

1 Peter 5:4: "And [God] will bring out the Chief Shepherd when he appears, you will receive that never-fading crown of glory".

1 Thessalonians 2:19: "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?".

Revelation 4:10-11: Describes elders laying their crowns at the throne, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power".

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Crowned Queens!
I have a word for you from my heart and recent revelation.

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I want to add the background revelation/experience I had with Jesus during worship two or three weeks ago that birthed this devotional entry.

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I was worshipping and saw myself carrying heavy water baskets. He smiled and took them off my shoulders and put them on His. I felt like, "Well, what am I supposed to do now?" I had made that weight apart of my identity because I carried the weight all my life. I was used to it. However, the weight had shown up in my body. I was not standing as tall. I had aches and pains and calloused feet. I began to resent the weight I had to carry all my life. I owned that weight, I put it on like it was a jacket covering me. I would wear it like, "Look at my coat. You have no idea the kind of weight I have been carrying, just look!" When Jesus picked it up like it was nothing, it was not like anything I had experienced before. My first response was that I lost all of that weight, and I didn't know how I felt about that. It felt like a loss. I felt a little naked without my coat. I quickly wanted to pick it up and put it back on. Jesus was not having it. So, there I was looking helpless and exposed. Who am I without that? What do I do now? Jesus simply motioned me to be by His side and follow Him. Now, I am trying to adjust to this freedom. I couldn't wrestle it out of His hands if I wanted to. I essentially lost control. I thought I lost my purpose, but it was control. How do YOU feel when you are not in control? Yes, that. I felt fear about what would happen if "I" didn't carry that thing. After all, I was doing a pretty good job by myself navigating this load. See, we can not see what Jesus sees. We can not know what He knows until we surrendar. I realized I was still mentally carrying that weight and how free I would be was all I could control. It was a choice. Weight is not there. My mind still heald the weight. It's was not Jesus's fault if I was still in that stronghold. It was mine.

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I saw a Tiktok where a woman was putting herself in time out because she tried to control circumstances again. Jesus loves when we put ourselves in time out because just like the littles we don't like it but it's where we listen the best. Duane, my husband, used to sit with our girls in time out and help them see why they are there. They had to explain to us what they did and what they can do better next time before being released to play. I wonder if we put ourselves in time out more often if we would have more understanding and knowledge to catch ourselves from repeating the behavior. I wanted to share a devotional I just wrote as I have been practicing release and surrender lately in a very practical way by paying attention to how my body responds to information I am receiving and what I do with that response. Hope it speaks to you as well. We could all enjoy less stress and anxiety in our lives, I am sure.

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Casting It Out

His Word, My Anchor
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
—1 Peter 5:6–7 NIV

What My Heart Sees
The Lord has been teaching me how much I tend to take in and take on burdens that were never mine to carry. The weight shows up in my body—tight shoulders, shallow breaths, weary muscles. But when I pause, acknowledge what I’ve been holding, and say aloud, “Jesus, I release this to You,” I feel an immediate lifting. My body relaxes. My soul breathes again.

Peter’s words about casting bring a vivid picture: fishermen in Jesus’ day hurling heavy nets into the sea. That was no light toss—it took full strength, a thrusting outward. In the same way, releasing anxiety isn’t passive; it’s an intentional, active surrender.

Where This Meets My Life
When I try to manage the weight on my own, I’m not humbling myself—I’m controlling. And control is really fear dressed up as pride. Many of us learned to carry burdens because we thought no one else would. But Scripture calls us to humility—trusting God’s mighty hand to handle what we cannot.

Pause + Ponder
What heavy nets have I been clutching instead of casting?

Whispers to God
Lord, forgive me for holding what was never mine to carry. Teach me the strength of humility—to cast, not clutch. I release these weights into Your mighty hand. Lift me up as You promised, in Your perfect time. Amen.

I’m so thankful for my loving friend and her insights tonight. Somehow, we always stumble into a deep truth bomb when we share with one another. What a gift to walk with someone who brings so much life and light. ✨

Truth bomb of the night:
When we “soften” speaking truth just so we won’t feel uncomfortable with the receiver’s response… that’s actually manipulation. It often operates through those of us who’ve learned to walk on eggshells to avoid being hurt.

To my friends who grew up walking on eggshells for any reason—it’s time to pause and ask God: How have I learned to avoid conflict, retaliation , abuse, pain, or hurt? For some of us, those survival skills started at a very young age. But God longs to heal that.

Truth isn’t scary—it’s necessary. It’s our voice aligned with the authority of heaven. Be healed. Be grounded in His Word. And SPEAK in Jesus’ name. 🕊️

Jesus fills your heart wounds with honey. Honey has hydrogen peroxide, healing properties, and is anti-inflammatory. Honey takes care of any infections. He will use sweet, gracious words to heal your heart. 🍯💛

Proverbs 16:24
"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."

Over a year or so ago I heard the Lord say, "You have to nourish to flourish". I did a whole women's teaching on it. I was on my "Weekend of Sarah". That's when he told me that it was okay to pick the expensive lotion if it nourishes me better. Again, I am on a retreat nourishing but in a much different manner. See nourishing has to be body, soul, and mind. While, I am physically nourishing myself with what I put in my body I am also allowing Him to strip some things away. Old mindsets and perceptions I learned in other environments. I am unique and I need to abide just like each of you. Remaining attached to the vine (Jesus) requires allowing the Farmer (Father) room to prune. Pruning doesn't feel good at first, but it is a stripping away of what does not belong in the abiding. The Father prunes those He loves. When we lay down in total surrender to the pruning, we are nourished well by Jesus in His complete love and will flourish abundantly. The Father removes to avoid a drying up and to make room for more. Sometimes I feel as though there is no possible way to do more. That's a mindset and it's wrong. He's not asking us to do more, He's asking us to let Him remove more and He does the flourishing.
As I walked up and down this vineyard yesterday I did not see one bunch look bad. These grapes were being very well taken care of for the ultimate purpose of being used to nourish others. What a beautiful picture. He chose and called you to bear much fruit so your purposes which are also His can be multiplied. I encourage you to read this whole passage below. 🍇

John 15:1-16
“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love. “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father. “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.