Donya Dunlap

The power of choice is still on my mind...so I wrote a blog post about it. I hope it's helpful.

I had an interaction with a dear woman several weeks ago that has been on my mind ever since. She experienced abuse as a child at the hand of her father. Abuse that continued in various ways into her adulthood. As a result, she has some understandable doubts about the goodness of God. I won’t share the conversation verbatim. But the heart of her question was how she could trust that God loved…

Where Is Your Hope?

There is something special about sitting down with your Bible, a pretty colored pen, and a sheet of paper to see what happens. It feels like treasure hunting. And the nuggets I’ve found while studying 1 Peter chapter 1 is akin to striking gold.  In the first half of the chapter, Peter celebrates the work of God, begun before the foundation of the world, to purchase His children out of bondage…

The Beauty of Transitions

Autumn is a season of glorious transition. Bright days turn moody, golden light filters through red and orange leaves. Mornings are crisp. Apples are sweet. Bright blue sky hides behind mounds of gray clouds, astonishing us every time we catch a glimpse of its brilliance.  As the world shifts from summer to winter, I find myself contemplating transitions of a hidden nature. And as is God’s way,…

Trauma can distort our thinking about God. The good news is...you can change your habits of thinking!

Trauma has a way of distorting perceptions. Instead of trusting that others have good intentions and desire to bless you, you become suspicious and believe people are out to get you. When good things happen, you find yourself tensing up, waiting for the “shoe to drop” or the “tables to turn.” When someone expresses love, you wonder what their angle is, afraid of being taken advantage of or…

The Love of God and Attachment Science

Sometime late in 2021, a phrase from 1 John 4:18 started running through my thoughts. “Perfect love casts out fear.” I’ve been wondering on that phrase and studying around it trying to figure out the mechanics of the thing. I have a lot of fear and I would love to be rid of it. It’s plagued me all of my life, and frankly, I’m tired of it. I want to be free and courageous and ready for anything…

7 Simple Suggestions to Fight Human Trafficking || www.DonyaDunlap.com

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month. It’s been a decade since I first learned of its existence (more on that story here). During that time, there is one aspect of human trafficking that many people I speak to find difficult to believe is that it often happens close to home. By that I mean that it happens in local communities all across the United States and that many victims…

The God Who Is Near

Hide and seek is a game we learn as tiny children. Even before we become mobile enough to run behind a chair, we cover our eyes and think that this makes us invisible to those around us. We hide until “peek-a-boo” gives us sight once more and we giggle in delight of being seen and loved.  As we grow, we believe we are too mature for such childish games, and yet, we find ourselves hiding all the…

Jesus Is Calling Your Name

As trees begin to bud and tulips peep above the winter ground, thoughts turn to spring and new life. I’m not a gardener, but I love wandering through a well-tended space. The smell of the damp earth and the beautiful blooms stir something in me—a yearning I suspect is as ancient as the first garden, Eden.  It was in a garden where God knelt to gather earth and form it into a man. God breathed…

Three Practices to Enrich Your Easter Preparation

Are you observing Lent this year? Growing up Baptist, Lent was never something I understood or observed. In case you are also unaware of the practice, Lent is a 40-day period of fasting beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing through Easter Sunday. It is a reminder of Jesus’ 40 days spent fasting in the wilderness in preparation for public ministry and is intended to prepare hearts and minds…

My Word for 2021: Believe

Do you believe God?  I’m not asking if you believe in God as I might ask if you believe in aliens or in Santa. But rather, do you believe that what He says is true? Do you believe that the promises of Scripture are meant for you? Do you believe that the talents He has gifted you with were meant to be a blessing to you and others? Do you believe that the dreams He has laid on your heart in the…

Society has various guidelines for what makes a person worthy. Age, appearance, wealth, success, ethnicity, temperament, and more. With all of these different measures, how can we know that we matter?

It’s been amazing to me these last few days how fast my internal dialogue can shift. After one productive day I think, “Wow, you got a lot done today. You’re great!” Then one day I spend time coloring and binge-watching an entire season of Chuck and I think, “You’re so lazy. You’re wasting your life. You’ll never be successful.” 

When productivity becomes a measure for my self-worth, I’m in a…

"I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I’m not guaranteed another breath. Despite what I like to believe, I’m not in control. I can be a good steward of this life I’ve been given, but only God knows the length of the dash on my tombstone."

From the moment I first heard about the Coronavirus sweeping the world I’ve maintained the same stance. It sounds cruel, but it’s true. We all have a terminal sentence. From the moment we are conceived the clock begins ticking on our time on earth. At some point, we will all take a final breath here and enter into eternity. The vehicle for that passing could be a disease, a disaster, or simply…

New Post: The Vulnerability of Valentine's Day

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

From the time we first take breath on this planet we have a desire to be seen, loved, and wanted. As we grow, we manage this desire somewhat but it never fully goes away. We may transfer this desire from parents to a cute boy on campus, a significant role at a company, or an award or accolade, but we never lose the longing to be accepted, chosen, to matter. 

You’re Not Broken

I know it feels like you are. Losing your lunch in a parking lot because of a panic attack makes you feel broken. Racing thoughts that keep sleep at bay for days at a time can make you wonder if you’re crazy. Having flashbacks that make you leave a full grocery cart in an aisle while you run to your car and lock the doors can make you feel you will never be normal. But please hear this: 

YOU…

My Word for 2020: Transformation

In the last few years, in lieu of making new year’s resolutions, I’ve chosen a word for the year. A banner, of sorts, which summarized and hopefully prophesied what God might do in and through me in the months ahead. 

I had no plans to choose a word this year, but God chose one for me. As I served at Passion 2020, I had the privilege of hearing several of the messages. During a talk by Shelly…

During a recent church service, the pastor read Romans 12:1-2. It’s a common passage. I’ve likely read it hundreds if not thousands of times in my lifetime. I’ve heard it discussed in dozens of sermons. But never before have I seen the secret to being my authentic, true self in these verses as I did this week.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies…

As with many areas in life, I find myself ebbing and flowing in my sense of acceptance before the Lord. This may sound strange to you. If our standing before God in Christ is secure, and it is, why should my feelings on the subject change? I have my theories. Whispers of the Enemy, an upbringing focused on appearance rather than relationship, and hormones top the list. Regardless of the source,…