About the Author

Dorina is an author, speaker, teacher, foodie, and trail runner. She helps people chase God's glory down unexpected trails and flourish in their callings. Her most recent books are Breathing Through Grief and Chasing God's Glory. Dorina and her hubby Shawn are raising three courageous daughters in Central California.

(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
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dorian, you will never know how perfectly timed this post was for me! Before I read your post I was writing a blurp to my Titus 2 daughters using an example of another sister/friend’s shining Jesus into her children. I vacillated if I would be embarrassing that friend by using her example yet I pushed through & sent it. Then I read your post! Another woman to help ground us & remind us of our God given callings indeed! Blessings!

  2. I have a couple of Mary and Elizabeths in my life. I am blessed. I so appreciate what you wrote. Mary has always held a special place in my heart and it used to trouble me how often overlooked she had been in some of the churches I attended. Not so anymore. Her story and Elizasbeth’s story needs to be honored for all that it signifies. Thank you for all your wrote today.

  3. I keep praying God will lead me to where people care. I know at the proper time he will surround me with friends, etc. e found a good church but it’s in another state and we can’t move just yet. But i am hopefully and grateful to our Lord God. We are able to watch the services online for now and every now and then I met nice people out and about. No friends yet but still open to whenever they come. The Lord God knows when and where they will be here.

  4. I am going through the longest season of depression and anxiety of my life. I don’t have a Mary or Elizabeth in my life anymore to turn to. I don’t have any children of my own. My marriage of 25 years is shaky. I am very lonely. I need your prayers please. May the Lord Jesus bless you all!

    • Dearest Comforter of the Downtrodden be tangible to Donna giving her peace & strength as she is in a season of loneliness, depression & anxiety. Make Your promises come to life in her heart and in her day to day activities. Give her a Mary to minister to & an Elizabeth to pour truth into her as well. Spur her husband to love You and fall deeply in love with Donna as well. Surround all the fractured hearts, especially in this season that the world touts as the happiest time of the year. Guard us from buying the slick message of shiny joy but keep us grounded in the real joy of the hope in You and Your faithful promises. Thank You that Donna was brave enough to share her wounds and ask for prayer. Make us brave as well & faithful to lift one another up to You. In Your All Powerful Authority, Jesus. Amen. ((o))

    • Donna,

      Abba Father Comforter of the lonely please come near to Donna. Give her peace. comfort & strength that only comes from you. Guide & direct her steps. Send some friends her way that can encourage her. Shower her with your love & hugs. Soften her husband’s heart to come back to you. Help him to see Donna as the woman he loved 25 years ago. Keep this marriage together. Make her feel you the God who sees, hears & loves.

      Blessings 🙂

  5. So, yesterday, Proverbs 31 devotional tells me not to put my burdens on my friends. Because I’m a lot, and God is the only One who could ever understand me. Today, we’re back at, we were not made to weather life’s storms alone. I am so very confused. I felt that I was supposed to be quiet and listen, but what I’m hearing has me so confused. I don’t know which way is up anymore.

    • I just searched for the devotional you were referring to, and I read it. I believe she’s talking about our expectations of one another. In our walk with the Lord, as women especially, He brings us companions to bear one another’s burdens. As we grow in Him, He will sometimes allow others to just not have the grace to bear our burdens. His goal ultimately is for us to seek Him out in His Word to find truth that declares what we need. At that point, we have to decide if we believe it. In Psalm 23, the first verse declares the Lord as my Shepherd, and not fearing lack because He is all I need to fulfill my want or lack. Then in the middle they walk through the valley of the shadow of death.. why(?), Because He is with me, His rod and staff comfort me. When looking up rod and staff in the Strong’s Concordance for definition, it’s meaning describes the attributes of the body of Christ with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So to conclude my thought, the provision of the body of Christ to bear our burdens is to bear them while leading us to truth in Christ and His Word so we can be set free. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me and i will answer you and show you what I can do, great and mighty things you do not know.” That word call means “to accost”, now that’s fervency in prayer to the Lord. He will answer, in His time, in His way, but He will answer. He has to because His Word declares it in John, “my sheep hear my voice .” Go after Him.. again.. and again.. etc. He promises to reward those who diligently seek Him.

      • Paula, thank you for taking us through this reminder that He is our ultimate companion, Shepherd, burden-bearer, and also promise-keeper!

  6. Dorina,

    I have had some Elizabeth’s in my life. One in particular is retiring so I won’t see her as often. We will stay in contact. On the flip side of this–I have been an encourager to some women. They have told me what our friendship means to them. Everyone should either be an Elizabeth/Mary or have one or two in their lives.

    Blessings 🙂