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Month: April 2021

Good Old Days

Good Old Days

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Not too long ago, my friends got together to celebrate the birthdays of one of the parents from our old neighborhood. I was so excited. I had this expectation of what the event was going to be like even before I got there. And every time a new person came into the room, we celebrated like it was the first time. Most of my friends have children of their own now, and it was amazing to see how much they all resemble their parents. The funny thing was, they didn’t want to be around us any more than we wanted to be around our parents back in the day. We thought we would be so different when we had children, and here we were…being our parents. Hilarious.

In our old neighborhood, our families were always close. There were probably five families in our circle, and when I think back as far as my mind will allow, they were there. Our parents went through some tough times together, and when we were young, they all looked out for us. That’s how it was back then. Many of us grew up and left the area, but there are still a handful of people left in the old neighborhood. So, it was great to get together and just reminisce about old times. 

And here’s the thing, I never thought I would look back and be glad about those days. I always thought my mother had lost her mind most of the time. Actually, she probably had, because my siblings and I probably took her to a whole new level I’m sure. But, today I am so grateful for parents who cared. They raised us to love the Lord, respect our elders, and help one another. Our parents knew what it was like to struggle, and yet they still found time to call on a neighbor in need. I remember our parents speaking encouragement to one another, going over to each other’s homes when there was a tragedy, or watching out for me and my friends while sitting on their porches in the cool of a long summer night. 

I miss that feeling of community. That feeling of family. Those are the same things that God wants from us today. To be there for one another. To love one another. I think it’s good to look back every now and then, and remember the “good old days.” It just helps us appreciate the journey.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Try God

Try God

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There is something in the atmosphere. I don’t know how to explain it, but it feels like whatever you want, whatever you have dreamed, whatever decision you need to make…now is the time to go for it. God knows what we stand in need of, what our desires are, and even before we ask He is already setting things in order. And that’s because He put that desire in us. He knows exactly which way we will go…even before we do.

Grateful can’t even begin to express how I feel about the Lord. He is the great I AM. He has been so good that words are just not adequate enough to express it. And even though things are not ideal right now, I know He is still good. I love Him fully, wholly, completely…and because I know that He loves me…I know that if I keep my mind fixed on Him…everything will be alright.

Life is a series of twists and turns, ins and outs, extreme highs, and even lower lows. But God has built us to handle it. God has given us everything we need to live an abundant life in Him. I have had those days when I wanted to give up, but the Spirit of the Lord within me was so strong that I couldn’t quit even if I wanted to. Those things we think are so huge that there’s no way we will be able to make it through, are nothing for God. He has a plan, and He is not going to let even us mess it up. 

I thank God for continuing to bless me over and over again…in spite of the things I do at times. The word says that God can do exceedingly and abundantly above what we can even ask or think, and when we put our faith, and our trust in Him, that is exactly what He will do.

This week, don’t be afraid to think big…dream big…and even believe God for big.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Hold On To Your Peace

Hold On To Your Peace

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My prayer every day is that God will allow me to be a blessing to someone, and He never disappoints me. And it doesn’t have to be anything big. Sometimes it’s just smiling at someone, or holding up the traffic to let someone merge in. Little things that really don’t look like much, but could turn someone’s whole day around 

I was thinking about that recently, because I was out dI’riving, just trying to take care of a few errands. As I rounded the bend trying to merge over into traffic, the other driver sped up so that I  couldn’t get in. Thankfully, the person behind him had a little more grace, and slowed down so that I could get in. But I was so angry. I had to talk myself down, because I couldn’t understand why the other driver took it as a personal attack. I wanted to catch up to him to give him “the eye,” but God reminded me about the grace I had just received (I hate when He does that)…sigh. And on top of that, why was I taking it as a personal attack on me? That person didn’t know me, he never even turned in my direction. 

It made me think about the scripture in Matthew 7:3 when Jesus says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank that is in your own eye?” Even though I didn’t like it, I had to admit that it was kinda funny. Here I am praying every day to be a blessing, and at the first sign of someone else’s bad behavior, I was ready to throw it all away, and lose my peace…over nothing. 

It just goes to show, there will always be opposition. But we can’t allow things or even other people to dictate how we respond. We control our response…especially when it comes to our peace of mind. No one can take that. But we can definitely give it away.

Until next time…

Be blessed

New Life

New Life

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…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” –Romans 6:4

This past week, many of us honored the walk Jesus made to the cross.  Today, I think of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for all of us…even for those who did/do not believe. What kind of man would do that? I’ll tell you what kind of man would do that. The kind of man who loved us so much that He would die and go to hell so that we wouldn’t have to. The kind of man who never sinned, but took all of our sin so that we could have new life. And here is an even better question. If He could do that for us…what is it that we can’t do for Him? 

God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross. And He did that because He couldn’t bear being separated from us. It is so amazing to me that the Creator who created it all thought enough of us to do that. And even more amazing is that the Bible says, “The Lord called me before my birth. From within the womb he called me by my name.” (Isaiah 49:1 TLB). I thank God that He called us by name. That scripture says that we were always on His mind…even before we were born. How awesome is that?

God called us into being because He had a plan for each one of us. He has individually chosen us to represent Him in the earth. To tell others about the saving grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And He has given us all unique gifts that only we can do to reach the people that only we can reach. So, what are you doing with your gifts? 

I am challenging all of us, on this Resurrection Sunday to live the best life we can possibly live. To use every gift, every skill, every talent, and every dream to honor the One who has given us new life. 

Whatever God is calling you to do…don’t stop until you do it.

Until next time…

Be blessed.