Heidi Gray McGill's Blog, page 11

I am a Christ-follower and purpose in all things to glorify my Heavenly Father – my testimony.

I grew up in a pastor’s home and adopted early on the lifestyle of living for Christ…but not the deep heart commitment of being adopted by Christ. My parents called me the “joy of their lives,” I worked diligently to make them proud. I was not naturally rebellious and didn’t struggle to keep God’s laws. More than anything, I desired never to disappoint my earthly father. The problem was that I was trying to please the wrong father.

When I was 32, married, and had my first child, we changed ch...

A Letter From China – Am I Brave Enough To Risk It All? Being unapologetically passionate about God and His work in my life.

With all we hear about China and how difficult it is for the body of Christ to meet corporately, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the church there is growing.

My friend sent me an email recently and shared how God is moving in her country. She reminded me that individuals make up the church, and each person must be the church to someone. But in China, and many countries, when the person you want to reach for Christ is your elder, it can be extra challenging because you are going against the...

I am the daughter of the King, and I will act accordingly.

Through the twists and turns of life, you will not always be surrounded by what makes you happy.

Every decision you make won’t be perfect.

Not everything you set out to accomplish will end in victory.

Things won’t always turn out as you expected.

You won’t be able to control every circumstance.

You will, however, have the power to find joy within your struggle.

Rather than holding on to the thought that says, I failed, or I’m worthless, hold tight to the idea of I am the ...

It’s easy see God in the good and thank him. But where is God during the bad times?

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.” Ecclesiastes 7:14 AMP

This verse confused me until I had a season one could call the opposite of prosperous.

When things go well, it’s easy to be joyful, and being cheerful isn’t hard when things go our way. We find ourselves thanking God freely and with deep-felt gratitude. But when the current of our river changes...

Following God’s direction when life changes yours: What now? What is God’s best for me? How do I hear His voice?

Some say it takes me extra moments of application to understand new concepts. I confess I’m painfully slow at learning something new. My preference in most things is to wade into the pool of information rather than jumping straight into the new venture or concept. I test the waters, watch how others do it, and slowly immerse myself in whatever new task I try to learn. Then usually ask someone with much more skill to help me complete said task.

Unless it is food. I’m all in with anything new. ...

Discover Joy by Choosing Joy – no matter your circumstances

If you haven’t heard, the fabulous Day of Joy Summit is happening Wednesday, June 28, from 10:45 am until 2:45 pm, EDT. The speakers are all extraordinary, with great talks and each offering multiple opportunities to win gifts.

You will not want to miss this exceptional event. To help celebrate, Author Louise Pistole has joined me today to share how her life has been impacted by JOY.                                                          

Thank you, Heidi, for inviting me to be a par...

Investing in Your Adult Children’s Lives: A Christian Perspective for Older Women

My dear friend Jamie Bailey is a Professional Christian Counselor and Marriage Coach. Along with her husband, Chris, they run Expedition Marriage, a marriage ministry helping couples thrive in Jesus. Today Jamie explores the importance of investing in our adult children’s lives from a Christian perspective, embracing the power of love, prayer, and intentional actions to nurture their continued emotional and spiritual growth because you, mom, are positively still needed.

Thank you, Heidi, ...

Thank you for choosing to read my books among the scores of Christian fiction available today.

I love to write, but even more, I love to write for you. You make my fictional characters come alive and provide them a place to call home in your mind. You give them a voice when you introduce them to your friends, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in sharing.

In Matters of the Heart,* book 3 in my Discerning God’s Best series, you meet Katie and Hans. Hans struggles to see God in the details because of his skewed perception of a loving God. Katie is too busy moving forward with her plans...

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall…in my case, literally.

After a diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa in 2001, I immediately stopped driving at night since it was clear I was 100% night blind. My pride got in the way of giving up my freedom to drive entirely. In 2011, when it was time to renew my license, I knew I could not ethically sign my name, and I was below the 20% peripheral vision allowance.

I was legally blind.

Even in my dark moments, God provided as my oldest received her license a few months later and received a unique accommodation t...

Seeing the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living

Do you have a favorite verse or quote? Maybe you have several like I have. Psalm 27:13 is a verse that helped me in a dark season–literally and figuratively. This verse spoke to me when I learned I was losing my sight. Join me for this Overcomer podcast with host Melony Brown and learn how I Choose Joy daily.