Have you ever thought about what scent your life offers to others? Is it the sweetness of a honeysuckle or the rancid rank of a heart that has been "through a lot" and seeming a bit more like a water treatment plant, where all the muck comes together?

Because I want us to be a people who carry this scent of sweet fruitfulness everywhere we go, we are going to spend some time diving into each one of these and learning how fragrance of the Lord lingers on us as we live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit.

C A N D A C E C O F E R

author + speaker ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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We all have quirks; one of mine is waking up singing. I don't play music (long gone are the days of piano and viola lessons), I don't sing in the church choir, but I do nine times out of ten, wake up singing. Not audibly, at least at first. Before I open my eyes, a song is playing in my heart and its lyrics and melody capturing my thoughts. Sometimes it's a song I heard the day before and sometimes it's not.

I've only recently realized this is a quirk and not how everyone wakes up.

Today, a good friend of mine, Rachel Britton, is sharing her reflection of Psalm 149 with us and reminding us of the power of praise, but even more beautifully and profoundly, to recognize this is an invitation for God is already singing over us. When we choose to praise and sing worship, we are joining the Choir Master's song. And not just that, but the song of "the Mighty Warrior who saves."

Rachel Britton is a British-born award-winning author and speaker. Her passion is to help others become comfortable and confident in their conversation with God. Her latest book Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God released with Our Daily Bread Publishing. She is the creator of the Amazon Alexa skill: “Alexa, say a prayer,” which receives 1,500 requests per day. Rachel is married with three adult children spread over too many time zones. Connect with Rachel on her blog rachelbritton.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

When was the last time you were "scooped up"? Whether in the safe and reassuring arms of someone we love or in a bed full of pillows, being "scooped up" is deeply comforting.

As my friend, Abby McDonald, points out in her reflection of Psalm 142, God's love is ready and waiting to "scoop" us up. Our part is simply to come - to be honest and transparent, to bring our cares and burdens to the one who not only carries them but carries us.

Abby McDonald is a writing coach, speaker, and the author of Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow as well as Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God. Her mission is to empower women to hear God’s voice in their lives and act on it in faith. Abby writes regularly for Proverb 31 Ministries’ daily devotions team, and her work has been featured in numerous publications. Abby lives with her husband, three children, and black lab in the mountains of western Maryland. Connect with her at abbymcdonald.org.

C A N D A C E C O F E R

author + speaker ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠facebook⁠