What a blessing it was last night to be on Your Bedtime Blessing radio show with host Dr. Michelle Johnson. She truly is a gift to the body of Christ. As you may know the show’s title was “She’s Dead: Saying Goodbye to the Strong Black Woman.” On the show I mentioned that you have to have some non-negotiables to help you stay centered on God’s will and not your own. My number one non-negotiable is getting into the word of God. I must read it, meditate on it or study it daily. This, along with prayer, has been the ONLY thing that has kept me from losing my mind.

In case you missed the show, listen to the podcast below.

Before the show on her blog, Dr. Michelle posted the top 50 activities women are engaged in regularly. She then asked what we thought were the top 50 things God would have us engaged in. I took that challenge and created my own list, which is below in this post. I had created a list like this that I titled New Vision: The List. That original list had 28 items on it. I still hold fast to that list so you will see some of the same items below.

My Top 50 + 2 List (I believe items 3-50 detail what 1 and 2 look like)
1. God fearing
2. Holy
3. Submitting to and serving God
4. Serving your husband
5. Obeying your husband
6. Serving your family
7. Loving your husband
8. Loving your children
9. Discipling your children
10. Fulfilling your ministry
11. Praying
12. Fasting
13. Witnessing to others
14. Discipling others
15. Encouraging others
16. Walking in the Fruit of the Spirit
17. Fellowshipping with other believers
18. Feeding the hungry
19. Clothing the naked
20. Providing for the orphans
21. Caring for the widow
22. Eating right
23. Exercising
24. Showing hospitality
25. Being courageous
26. Obtaining knowledge
27. Showing godliness
28. Showing brotherly kindness
29. Rejoicing with others
30. Mourning with others
31. Being sober (level headed)
32. Teaching good things
33. Being enterprising
34. Being a good steward of time
35. Being a good steward of resources
36. Grooming yourself
37. Getting adequate rest
38. Being a good friend
39. Getting some alone time
40. Being a homemaker
41. Being discreet (disciplined)
42. Telling the truth
43. Being non-slanderous
44. Being chaste
45. Being trustworthy
46. Being dependent on the Holy Spirit and not other spirits
47. Being a hardworker
48. Being a nurturer
49. Being helpful
50. Being wise
51. Being kind
52. Being unashamed of cultural heritage

I praise God for giving me a new list that I can follow so I can chuck trying to be a strong black woman and seek to be a strong biblical woman. What’s on your list of non-negotiables, things you know you must do in order to be a strong biblical woman to please God?

My One Thousand Gifts List

#261-270
Joshua’s excitement about keeping his gratitude journal
Finishing a movie I started watching three times
The car repair only being $63
Justus sleeping in my arms
Justus’ laughter
Christen volunteering to watch Nate and Justus so I could nap
Fellowing and helping Nicole J. with her blog and being refreshed from it
The church’s assistance
Watching the children dance and play the piano
The email from Julia announcing the publication date and publicity details of Daily Guideposts: Your First Year of Motherhood