My Personal Dayenu

 My Personal Dayenu

"Dayenu" (Hebrew for "it would have been enough") is a centerpiece of the Passover Seder that has been sung for over 1,000 years. It serves as a rhythmic, cumulative "thank you" to God, sequentially listing 15 specific miracles—from the Exodus out of Egypt to the building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Key Themes and Significance

Abundance vs. Sufficiency: The refrain "Dayenu" emphasizes that even if God had only performed one of these acts, it would have been sufficient for the people's survival. By declaring each step "enough," the song highlights how much God actually exceeded basic needs.

Spiritual Practice: Beyond the historical retelling, "Dayenu" is considered a spiritual exercise in mindfulness and gratitude, encouraging participants to recognize small redemptive moments in their own lives.

When I read the post, “A Personal Dayenu for Holy Week,” by my friend Maryleigh on her Blue Cotton Memory blog, it really resonated with me, and I was inspired to insert some of my gratitude into her Personal Dayenu phrases.

If Jesus had died on the cross for my sins, but not called me to relationship with Him when I was ten, that would have been enough.

If he had revealed himself to me under the tree at the Young Life camp when I was eighteen, and not sent the Holy Spirit to guide me in the steps of my life, it would have been enough.

If Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to strengthen me in my walk, but not placed a hedge of protection about me growing up, it would have been enough.

If Jesus had placed a hedge of protection about me growing up, and not met me in youth group conversations, it would have been enough.

If He had met me in youth group conversations, and not answered my request for Him to show me the right person to marry, it would have been enough.

If he had answered my prayer, showing me the right person to marry, and not given me children, it would have been enough.

When he gave me one daughter, and then a miscarriage, it would have been enough.

When He answered my prayers, and gave us a son, that would have been enough.

If He had rebuilt the broken places of my soul, spending my life making me healthy and whole, and not stood with me in the stormy challenges, it would have been enough.

If he had stood with me in the storms and not given me a God-designed “all is well” outcome (2 Kings 4:26), that would have been enough.

If he had given His God-Designed “all is well” outcomes, and not given me two grandsons, it would have been enough.

If He would have given me evidence for hope, but didn’t teach me how to live in the wait of a prayer sent out, it would have been enough.

If he taught me how to live in the wait of a prayer sent out but didn’t give me the answer I was looking for, it would have been enough.

If he answered a prayer out of His experience, not mine, but didn’t give me the wisdom to recognize it, it would have been enough.

If he gave me wisdom to recognize the goodness of how He answers prayers His way, and not the gift of laughter in the living of it, it would have been enough.

If He had given me the gift of laughter in the living in the goodness of how He answers His prayers, and not giving me the love of writing, it would have been enough.

If he had given me the love of writing, and not given me the opportunity to share it, it would have been enough.

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
    all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
    his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
.    love extravagant.”
~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message

This personal Dayenu? It’s a work in progress. I am so very grateful for how God has taken challenges and turned them into blessings, how He has and is redeeming the lost, rejected, confused, broken, graceless, rebellious, selfish, prideful parts of myself day-by-day. Because of all He suffered for you and me, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father are right beside us, wooing us, chasing us, comforting us, saving us, every day, every moment, no matter where we are!

Please share your personal Dayenu in the comments below!

31-DAY PRAYER JOURNEY LEADING TO EASTER

WOW! What a pleasant surprise! 

My book, 31-DAY PRAYER JOURNEY LEADING TO EASTER, has been listed as a #1 Best Seller on Amazon’s Hot New Releases! It is available now on Amazon at this link.

 31-Day Prayer Journey Leading to Easter Available Now
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31-day Prayer Journey Leading to Easter

This 31-day prayer journey leading to Easter focuses on deepening one's understanding of the cross, repentance, and resurrection authority. Key themes include daily scripture reading, reflection, and focused prayer, following a structure of surrender, trust, and gratitude to prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday.

Daily Prayer Themes

Days 1-7 (Foundation): Unity (1 Cor. 12:12-13), Repentance (Acts 3:19), Refuge (Psalm 7), Forgiveness (Eph. 4:32), Protection (Matt. 26:41, 2 Thess. 3:3), Guidance (Psalm 25:4-5), Strength (Isa. 40:31).

Days 8-14 (Growth): Perseverance (James 1:12), Waiting on God (Psalm 27:14), Desire for God (Psalm 42:2), Putting God First (Matt. 22:37-38), Compassion (Col. 3:12-13), Justice/Mercy (Micah 6:8), Humility (1 Peter 5:6).

Days 15-21 (Renewal): Spiritual Renewal (2 Cor. 5:17), Rescue (Isa. 61:3), Righteousness (Gal. 5:5), Seeking God (Jer. 29:11-12), Trusting God (Prov. 3:5-6), Praise (Psalm 100).

Days 22-28 (The Passion): Boldness (2 Tim. 1:7-8), Coming to God (Matt. 11:28), Peace (John 14:27-29), Entry into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9, Luke 19:30-38), Outward Focus (Luke 10:2), Maundy Thursday (Luke 23:14-23).

Days 29-31 (Resurrection): Good Friday (Luke 23:44-46), Hope (1 Thess. 4:13-14), Resurrection (Luke 24:1-6).

Read & Reflect: Study the scripture for each day to understand its context.

Journal: Write down what God whispers during your prayer time.

Action: Apply the "doable" structure: Read, Reflect, Pray, and act on the daily theme.

Day 1 Pray for Unity 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 

Day 2 Pray for Repentance Acts 3:19 

Day 3 Pray for Refuge in the Lord Psalm 7 

Day 4 Pray for Forgiveness Ephesians 4:32 

Day 5 Pray for Protection from Temptation Matthew 26:41

Day 6 Pray for Protection 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Day 7 Pray for Guidance Psalm 25:4-5

Day 8 Pray for Strength Isaiah 40:31

Day 9 Pray for Perseverance James 1:12

Day 10 Pray to Wait Upon the Lord Psalm 27:14

Day 11 Pray for Desire to Know God More Psalm 42:2

Day 12 Pray to Place God First Matthew 22:37-38

Day 13 Pray for Compassion Colossians 3:12-13

Day 14 Pray for Justice, Love, Mercy Micah 6:8

Day 15 Pray for Humility 1 Peter 5:6

Day 16 Pray for Spiritual Renewal 2 Corinthians 5:17

Day 17 Pray for God to Rescue Us Isaiah 61:3

Day 18 Pray for Righteousness Galatians 5:5

Day 19 Pray to Seek God Jeremiah 29:11-12

Day 20 Pray to Trust God Proverbs 3:5-6

Day 21 Praise God in prayer Psalm 100

Day 22 Pray for Boldness 2 Timothy 1:7-8 

Day 23 Pray to Come to God as You Are Matthew 11:28

Day 24 Pray for God’s Peace John 14:27-29

Day 25 Pray Through Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem Zechariah 9:9

Day 26 Pray Through Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem Luke 19:30-38

Day 27 Pray for an Outward Focus Luke 10:2

Day 28 Pray on Maundy Thursday Luke 23:14-23

Day 29 Pray on Good Friday Luke 23:44-46

Day 30 Pray for Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Day 31 Pray on Easter/He is Risen! Luke 24:1-6

Summarize what God has whispered to you during your times of prayer.

31-DAY PRAYER JOURNEY LEADING TO EASTER PDF

A small thing that makes a big difference—Psalm 23

 In response to a writing prompt recently, I prayed and asked God to reveal to me times when He had used “a small thing to make a big difference” in my life. I was immediately reminded of all the many times in my life when God revealed to me that He had been with me all along. Over and over again, I could see throughout my life, as I would go through a crisis, the "small thing that made a big difference" in my life was the Twenty-third Psalm. It is small when compared to other Psalms, it only has six verses, and yet God has used it to make a big difference in my life, helping me experience His Peace and enjoy His Presence in the midst of every crisis.

When I wake up at 2:00am, I meditate on the Twenty-third Psalm, and gently drift back off to sleep praying...

The Lord is my shepherd;

I lack nothing.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through 

the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me 

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over with blessings.

Surely goodness and mercy

 shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When I am praying for others, I picture Jesus, my Shepherd, in the green pasture of the 23rd Psalm. As I pray, I take whatever concern I have, or the person for whom I am interceding by the hand, I walk out to the meadow, the green pasture, and I place my concern, or the hand of the person for whom I am interceding, in Jesus’ hand…knowing that He is sovereign, He loves me, and He loves the person for whom I am interceding more than I do. He has a plan, a hope, and a future for each of us…and I walk away, thanking God for how He is working in my life and in the lives of those for whom I am interceding. I experience a feeling of peace…as Catherine Marshall prayed, “Lord, I trust You…You know what You’re doing…I relinquish my will to Yours.”

When a brokenhearted friend calls with news of the sudden homegoing of a loved one, we pray the 23rd Psalm…

O Heavenly Father, we ask you to wrap Your Loving Arms around us today. You are close to the brokenhearted and You save those who are crushed in spirit. You are our Shepherd, we lack nothing. You make us lie down in green pastures, You lead us beside the still waters. You restore our souls. You lead us in the path of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for You are with us. You are Emmanuel, God with us, we are absolutely certain, You are with us at this time. Your rod and Your staff, Your Holy Spirit and Your Word, they comfort us. You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies. You anoint our heads with oil, our cup overflows with blessings. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

The 23rd Psalm begins with David talking to someone, probably himself, as he says, “The Lord is…He restores me…He leads me. All of a sudden, when he faces a crisis, the valley of the shadow of death, he immediately begins to speak directly to the Lord, “For You are with me”…When we go through a crisis, it is a matter of talking to the Lord yourself, for He is with you, underneath (green pastures), beside you, in front of you (table), surrounding you, chasing after you (goodness and mercy), and ahead of you (house of the Lord). 

For every need presented in this Psalm, God has a name to meet that need. For every circumstance, God has a name to overcome that circumstance. David knew the Great Shepherd. The LORD comes from the name Jehovah. He is the Great "I AM." He depends upon no one. There are seven names of God paired with each verse in the 23rd Psalm:

JEHOVAH-RA’AH—The Lord is my shepherd; 

JEHOVAH-JIREH—The Lord, my provider—I lack nothing.

JEHOVAH-SHALOM—The Lord, our peace—He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.

JEHOVAH-RAPHA—The Lord, my healer—He restores my soul:

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU—The Lord, our righteousness—He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

JEHOVAH-SHAMAH—The Lord, ever-present—Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

JEHOVAH-NISSI—The Lord, our banner—You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies:

JEHOVAH-RAPHA—The Lord, my healer—You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows with blessings.

JEHOVAH-JIREH—The Lord, my provider—Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Ask people which scripture they love the most and which has meant most to them, and many would point to the Twenty-third Psalm. The Lord has used it to dry many tears and lift many out of the pit of despair and discouragement. This small Psalm deals with almost every adverse circumstance in life and how to win over it…truly, a small thing that makes a big difference, amen?

Tell It Like It Is with Roy Cox

 When I was a senior in high school, my dear friend Roy Cox along with our First Baptist Church Sebring Florida youth group performed the 1970’s folk musical “Tell It Like It Is.” It was such a spiritual milestone in my life, standing up for my faith before secular audiences. 

One year when I posted this on Facebook, Roy shared such a heartfelt comment about what this experience meant to him. I wholeheartedly agree with Roy.  In 2020, Roy went home to be with Jesus, and now his faith has become sight. Oh, how we look forward to that day!

Here are the lyrics from one of the inspiring songs, “Pass It On”…

It only takes a spark to get a fire going 

And soon all those around, can warm up in glowing.

That’s how it is with God’s love

Once you’ve experienced it, you spread His love to everyone

You want to pass it on.

What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding.

The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming.

That’s how it is with God’s love

Once you’ve experienced it, 

you want to sing

“It’s fresh like spring”; 

you want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I’ve found.

You can depend on Him, it matters not where you’re bound.

I’ll shout it from the mountain top

I want the world to know; the Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

Lord Jesus, help me trust You more, leaving "knee prints" in the kingdom

 In many Scripture verses, the word “trust” is synonymous with “hope”… and hope is always future.

But the people who trust [hope in; wait on] the Lord will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky [with wings like eagles]; they will run and not need rest [grow weary]; they will walk and not become tired [faint]—Isaiah 40:31 Expanded Bible

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A word study of the Hebrew word for "trust [hope in; wait on]" is “qavah” meaning to bind together by twisting, to wait for, to hope for, to look eagerly for; to lie in wait for; linger for, to expect. The basic idea is to wait for or look for with eager expectation.  

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Hope, with its Biblical dimension of certainty, is one facet of qavah, which also includes ‘waiting’ (patience) and ‘resting’ (trusting). The participial form points to those in whom this relationship of expectation, patience, and trust with the Lord is unchanging. 

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Another facet of qavah pictures a continual, unchanging relationship of patiently remaining or abiding under. This includes the ideas of trust and the confidence which characterize hope.

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We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don't yet have—for a man who already has something doesn't need to hope and trust that he will get it. But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn't happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently.—Romans 8:24-25 TLB

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But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!—Habakkuk 2:3 TLB

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In Beth Moore’s study on the Apostle Paul’s life, To Live is Christ, Acts 20:22 tells of Paul having been “compelled by the Spirit” to go on to Jerusalem, even though trouble lay ahead. 

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Once Paul discerned the will of God, nothing could stop him. When the ship was ready to sail, Paul’s friends accompanied him to the ship. Men, women, and children kneeling in the sand praying with one heart and mind for the apostle and his beloved associates. 

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Picture what the sand must have looked like after Paul boarded the ship and the crowd went back home. Footprints leading to and from the shore. Then, nothing but knee prints—clustered together in the damp sand—a sight for God to behold. 

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Long after the time and tide had washed away every print, the power of those prayers was still at work. 

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Lord Jesus, help me trust You more, leaving “knee prints” in the kingdom.

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We are recipients of great favor and a great inheritance. We are the righteous—those in right standing with the Father by virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection—the Lord’s own inheritance. Because we belong to Him and are His heirs, God blesses our lives with deliverance, direction, and continual access into His presence. Because of His unfailing love for us, we can enter His throne room and receive His grace. 

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When we ask Him to tell us what to do, He will show us which way to turn and will always lead us on the right path. To top it all off, He encompasses, or encircles, us with the shield of His love, which means that He covers us with His favor and with the approval that He bestows on the righteous. This is a wonderful thing to petition the Lord for, on behalf of your loved ones and for your own life, leaving “knee prints” in the kingdom.

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A pastor’s wife once told this true story of a time she was walking down a path in a park, when suddenly, she could see a man running toward her with an evil intent and expression on his face. She cried out, “Jesus, help me!” and instantly she said she actually saw a “hoop skirt of light” shining down around her, and the evil man just kept running past her, as though he had not seen her, and she was safe.

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Heavenly Father, thank You that because I have placed my trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, I am redeemed by His precious blood, He has crowned me, surrounded me, encircled me with His glory and honor. Thank you for letting me see the Savior! Jesus is alive, he has come and is coming again! Lord Jesus, thank you for being a light to reveal God to the nations so that more people can know and worship our Father. Thank you for bringing us out of darkness and into your marvelous light. I want to shine your light everywhere I go so that everyone around me will be drawn to you. I ask you to lead me down right paths and to show me which way to turn. Thank you for protecting me from my enemies. You and you alone deliver me from them! Thank you for surrounding me with the shield of your love and favor.Thank you for how Your favor is operating and functioning in my life. It surrounds me and encircles me like a shield. Your favor goes before me and prepares my way. Your favor opens doors of blessing and opportunity in my life. Wherever I go and whatever I do, Your favor is with me, surrounding me, encircling me. Your favor fills my life with overflowing blessing, peace, joy, fulfillment, and abundance. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

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Look Up—meditate on Isaiah 40:31 ... pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

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Look In—as you meditate on Isaiah 40:31 ... pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

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Look Out—as you meditate on Isaiah 40:31 ... pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.

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Take a few moments to leave a few “knee prints” pondering the prayerful lyrics of this timeless hymn...

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Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea

A great high Priest whose Name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heaven He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart

No tongue can bid me thence depart

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When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

To look on Him and pardon me

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Behold Him there the risen Lamb

My perfect spotless righteousness

The great unchangeable I am

The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God!

With Christ my Savior and my God!

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One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God!

With Christ my Savior and my God!