Same God, New You

By Holly Jo Flora

God is always the same – yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He never changes, but we should! God wants us to grow daily in our faith and mature in our relationships. Through scripture and stories, Same God, New You: Devotions for Personal & Spiritual Growth will inspire you to evaluate your thoughts and actions. Let this book encourage you to trust our unchanging God and welcome the change in you only He can bring.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Holly Jo Flora
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798988250807

Holly Jo Flora

Holly Jo Flora is a Christian author. Her devotional Same God, New You: Devotions for Personal & Spiritual Growth inspires, encourages, and includes all women. Holly Jo Flora is the author of The Jack the Bad Crow Series. Jack the Bad Crow (Book 1) Jack the Bad Crow Strikes Again (Book 2) Jack the Bad Crow Returns (Book 3) Holly Jo loves spreading cystic fibrosis awareness. Both of her children have cystic fibrosis, but it doesn't have them! Holly Jo's prayer for her daughter and son is that they'll both live long, healthy, happy lives serving God. Holly Jo Flora published Cystic Fibrosis Activity Book for Kids in 2023. This high-quality book is filled with inspirational, encouraging, and fun activity sheets - all focused on cystic fibrosis issues.

Book preview

Introduction

Do Not Skip!

I’ll be honest. When I read a new book, I typically skip the introduction. I don’t know exactly why that is. I may have read some boring introductions a long time ago and subconsciously decided to write them off. Maybe I think I’m saving time by jumping right into the book. I’m not sure. But after writing this devotional, skipping the introduction is a habit I’ll no longer practice. The introduction you’re reading right now is important. It will prepare you and set the correct tone as you read this book.

I’ve read many fantastic devotionals. I’ve found for the most part, these books are encouraging and comforting. Although that’s wonderful, I often feel like I’m lacking something when I read them. I want devotions that give me something I can do, something I can work on. I want more.

I’ve had seasons in my life where my circumstances or emotions cause me to crave more than beautifully written poetic truths. At those moments, I want practical, straightforward lessons. I want more to chew on. I need the meat, potatoes, broccoli, and carrots. This devotional contains some dessert lessons to hopefully comfort us. But my main intention for this book is to give us all a good serving of foods that help us grow.

Some of the lessons you read may convict you. Maybe you’re like me and read your daily devotion before bed. Dealing with a convicted heart right before you try to get a restful night’s sleep is not a particularly appealing thought. So when reading these devotions, please give yourself patience and understanding. If you didn’t know better before reading the lesson, you shouldn’t expect yourself to have done better in the past. As Maya Angelou said, Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.¹ Pray for God to help you put the new information you’ve learned into practice and greet the next day with a fresh start!

This book contains stories from my life. God wants us to use our own experiences to help each other. God has allowed situations in my life that have caused me to grow and change through the years. And I still have a lot of growing left to do! Each devotion in this book is a lesson God has taught me.

You may not agree with everything I’ve written and that’s okay. God may be teaching you different lessons, and I’ll be the first to say that I do not know everything. Your perspectives and experiences will be different than mine. But if what I share in this book causes you to grow in any positive way, no matter how small, I’m delighted and honored that God used my story.

As you read this devotional, please know I’ve been praying for you. My prayer has been for God to please bless each woman who reads these words. I pray you’ll grow in your faith. I pray you’ll be open to anything and everything God wants to show you. I hope God shows you more about Him and more about yourself. Thank you for allowing this book to be a part of your growth story. 

So Many Serums

Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:7, AMP

When I was younger, I would put my makeup on in the morning and just go! Now, I wash my face and put on my vitamin C serum, Coenzyme Q10 serum, lactic acid serum, salicylic acid lotion, and sunscreen. Then I put on my makeup while I drink my collagen breakfast shake. After that, I take my joint pain pill, multivitamin, three supplements, and finally ... I go!

When I was younger, my nighttime routine consisted of washing my face, putting on face lotion, and then going to bed. Now, I wash my face and put on my night serum, retinal serum, brightening serum, and anti-aging face lotion. Then, I put hair-growing serum on my hairline, eyelash serum on my lash roots, and finally ... I go to bed.

I’m getting older, looking older, and feeling older. I wear glasses now. I have a standing hair appointment every five weeks with my hairdresser so she can color my grays away. I feel like everything takes more effort now—effort to maintain weight, effort to not pull something, and so on.

Most of the time, I’m fine with how I look at my age. But if I’m honest, every once in a while, I have a day where I’m not feeling okay with how my skin and hair are looking. I don’t feel as bright and shiny as I used to. If you too have days like this, please remember that our value hasn’t changed over the years. We’re still valuable. You are valuable. You’re worth a great deal.

Let’s think about a fifty-dollar bill. A brand-new fifty-dollar bill (no folds, creases, or tears) spends the same as a fifty-dollar bill that looks like it’s been rolled up several times into origami shapes and run over by a tractor.

Why? Because of what it is. It’s a fifty-dollar bill. Its value comes from what it is. What are you? Hopefully, you’re a child of God. Your value does not come from how you look but from what you are. Or I guess I should say, your value comes from Whose you are. God paid a lot to have you as His child. You cost Him His only Son. You are very valuable. We all are, no matter our age.

Prayer Prompts for Today

-  Thank God for sending His Son to pay the price for your sins.

-  Ask God to fill you with positive thoughts as you age.

-  Ask Him to help you see yourself how He sees you.

It’s Not About the Containers

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV

I slammed the kitchen drawer shut. She NEVER brings any of my containers back ... EVER! I loudly whispered to my husband. I was mad. My mom, dad, and sister were about to leave our house after our Thanksgiving meal.

My mom wanted to take some of the leftovers home. I had plenty of plastic food containers in my kitchen drawers, but I didn’t fill any of those with food for her to take. I grabbed the empty sour cream container, washed it out, and filled it with dressing. I took some large plastic zipper bags and filled them with turkey, rolls, and ham. I gave this collection of disposable dishes to my mom and hugged everyone goodbye.

After they left, my husband and I started cleaning up the kitchen. As we worked, I went on and on about how my mom never brings back any of my dishes. My husband just listened and cleaned. I wanted him to agree with me and validate that I had every right to not send food home with her in my containers. He didn’t say a word. I got quiet and thought about how I was acting. I said, I overreacted, didn’t I?

He stopped rinsing dishes and looked at me. Yes, you did. They’re just plastic containers.

That night, I lay in bed asking myself over and over, Why did I act like that? I prayed and asked God to show me why I behaved that way. As I was silently praying to God, I stopped

Reviews for Same God, New You

[Amanda Allen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’m a single woman in her 40s, and so many devotionals aimed towards women seem to speak only to one kind of woman - the wife and mother. While many of these are needed and well-written, I’ve always felt a little left out. This devotional reaches out to ALL women - single, married with children, married without children, divorced or widowed. Each woman can easily see themselves reflected in these vignettes of everyday life. It is hopeful and sincere. Each entry left me feeling uplifted and comforted, but also - at the perfect times - challenged and convicted. Holly Jo’s guidance is tangible and relatable, never preachy. I plan on buying several copies for friends and family members and it will hold a treasured place on my bookshelf for years to come.