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Author: Sharon Ricks

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.

Plant Seeds

Plant Seeds

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Several years ago, I was part of a training seminar that focused on evangelism. We are all called to carry the message of Jesus Christ…especially to those who may not know Him. The goal was to make sure that the gospel was presented in a way that can be understood, embraced, and retained.

During one of the breakout sessions, we had to pair up with another person to “evangelize.” My assignment was to explain “The Rapture.”  OK. I don’t know if you have ever tried to explain that to an unbeliever, but I found out how totally inadequate my words were. The more I tried to explain, the more confused my unbeliever became. I realized that even though I understood the concept, explaining it to someone else was no easy task. The exercise let me know that I still had a lot of work to do. But what I realized most was that we are like farmers, and all we really have to do is plant the seed.

My mission then, and my mission now is the same….to communicate the “Good News” in a way that will help others seek a closer relationship with the Lord. I am so grateful for every opportunity He gives me to reach others for Christ. I have a passion for reaching the unsaved. The great thing is that God uses who we are. We don’t have to be like anyone else, or speak like anyone else. We don’t have to have a degree, or went to seminary school. All we have to do is love God, and be open to being used by Him. That’s it. And don’t worry if you don’t have all the perfect words to say…He has a specific group of people who needs to hear it just the way you deliver it. 

I pray that God will use each of us to help reach others with the message that Jesus Christ saves, and that we will be able to “plant seeds” that will reap a harvest for the Kingdom of God.

For information on this evangelism and discipleship program, go to www.goodsoil.com.  

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Do The Work

Do The Work

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sometimes I forget that God does not look at us the way we look at ourselves. What I see in the mirror is totally different from what God sees. When He looks at me He sees His Son, Jesus Christ. I am covered by the blood of Jesus, so God no longer sees the me I used to be…He sees the me I will be. I thank Jesus for covering me and protecting me. For giving me a brand new start. I love knowing that I have another chance to get it right.

It’s not so much about achieving some thing. Sometimes it’s just about being a blessing. My prayer is that God will allow me to be a blessing to someone everyday and that He will send someone my way that needs a witness of Him. And I pray that when He does, I honor Him well. I pray that He smiles when my feet hit the floor in the morning. But, I don’t do the things I do expecting anything. I just love Him.

We especially need to be dedicated to uplifting and empowering the next generation. There is so much work to be done, and God is calling all of us to do it. If God has not given you anything to do yet…doesn’t mean that He won’t. Until He does, pray for those who are already working in the field. Your purpose, your part, may be to encourage someone else to do the work. Nothing is wasted with God. 

Don’t wait for a consensus…you may never get it. If you know you have been chosen to do a work, pray a prayer, sow a seed for the Kingdom, pray and ask God to bless it and then trust Him to make it happen. He will guide you to resources that you didn’t even see. I love how He does that. Then believe that when you take those first steps in faith—God will be with you.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Do It Again God!

Do It Again God!

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I think it must be the seasons changing that has me feeling so expectant. It happens every year at this time, and I always look forward to it. There is something about shedding winter that just feels so good. Everything is new again. Leaves are beginning to sprout. Birds are singing more. And because I know that whatever happens in the natural world also happens in the spirit, I know that God is resurrecting everything that was old…and making it new again.  

Grateful can’t even begin to express how I feel about the Lord. He has been so good that words don’t seem to be enough. And even though things  are not ideal right now, I know that 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.

I have learned that life is a series of twists and turns, ups and downs. I also know that God has built us to handle it, and when it gets to be too much—He covers us until we can get our footing again. I have had those times when I have wanted to give up, but the Spirit of the Lord is so strong within me that I couldn’t quit even if I wanted to. I thank God for never giving up on me…or on you. He will never abandon us, or leave us to our own devices; not after we connect to His Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God!

So know that God is making everything new again. Go ahead. Dream big (It’s impossible to dream too big with God). Give more. Bless someone just for the sake of blessing them. The word says that He can do exceedingly and abundantly above what we can even ask or think…that is HUGE. Just imagine, when you let your mind go and you think of the greatest thing imaginable…He can beat it. That’s the kind of God we serve…

This week, think big…dream big…and believe big!

Until next time…

Be blessed!

When I Sleep

When I Sleep

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I absolutely love how God speaks to us. He always speaks to me through music. God will use whatever means necessary to reach his children, and gospel music is my favorite. It just seems to help usher in the Holy Spirit…not that He needs any help. It seems to till the soil so to speak. 

Lately, God has been speaking to my heart through a particular song, and I’ve been singing it over and over. In part, the lyrics say, “…there’s a pressing in the spirit…” I love that song. Every time I hear it I’m reminded of how much God loves me. I woke up singing that song the other day, and sang it all the way to work. I know that whenever that happens God has taught my spirit something during the night as I slept. The funny thing is that a lot of times He doesn’t reveal it to me right away. I have grown to trust Him so much that I no longer try to figure it out. I just wait on His perfect timing.

I was asked to do something a while ago that God didn’t want me to do….yet. But I have this tendency to get caught up in someone else’s excitement. It’s like God has given them a vision, and the next thing you know, I’m knee-deep in a place I shouldn’t be. This time, God was saying that I have something for you and it’s not that…and this time I listened.

When God has something for you nothing can stop it. We will oftentimes prolong our journey by taking turns we shouldn’t take, but God is so patient with us. He loves us and wants to bless us, so He waits for us to realize where we should be, and then He moves us into it.  

For me, that means that He waits until I sleep, because that is when my heart is open to Him. When I can’t mess it up by talking, or singing, or any of the other number of things I do. He wakes me up with a song as His way of letting me know that everything is going to be alright. That lets me know that He is always listening. He knows what needs to be done…and He is the One that is still in control. 

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Are You Afraid?

Are You Afraid?

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This month has been one of reflection, anticipation and growth. I have been exposed to a whole new level of God’s grace. Learning to stay focused on one thing at a time, one project at a time, one goal at a time is hard for me. I equate everything I do to time, and I sometimes feel that I just don’t have enough of it. 

I thought that I had learned to listen for God’s voice and not to follow where He wasn’t leading, but I have found that is not always the case. Even when we hear God’s voice clearly, we will sometimes doubt what we hear. That reaction is called a lot of different things, but it mainly boils down to being afraid.

Afraid that we waited too long. Afraid that we don’t have what it takes. Afraid that someone else will do it better. And sometimes we’re just afraid of failing. It’s like being caught between wanting to move where God wants us to be and staying where we feel all warm and safe.

I have been focusing on my relationship with God and trying to really grab hold of the things He has for me. It’s an awesome thing to know that God loves us so much that He is willing to wait for us to get it. He keeps showing up in the most unlikely places and sending people to say the exact thing we need to hear. I love that about Him. He lets us know that when we keep our heart focused on Him, He will be there for us.

But more than anything, we have to learn to trust God, trust the process and know that God’s plan is perfect. Things may not go the way we think they should, that doesn’t mean that we’ve failed…it just means that we still have some learning to do.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Don’t Get Comfortable

Don’t Get Comfortable

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God has been slowly taking me step by step to where He needs me to be. In the past, I have tried to rush that process because I felt that it was taking too long, or that I should be much further along than I was, but I know that God’s plan is perfect, and I learned that when I wait on Him it works out much better for me in the long run.

Right now I am doing a job I have never done before…I’m not sure why I even applied. Actually, this is the fourth time that has happened to me. And each time, once I learn what God wants me to learn, something happens to cause me to move on. I have a tendency to get too comfortable…to settle. Even when the situation is not good for me, leaving hard. I guess God doesn’t want me to be so attached to anything that I’m not willing to let it go if He needs me to.

The first time it happened, I got a job as a writer. I had never written anything professionally in my life. That job taught me how to write within specific guidelines, and restraints. But, my work began to be repetitive. I was no longer learning anything new…just doing the same thing over and over. I applied for another position in the same company, again doing something I had never done. That job allowed me the opportunity to work with various types of people, and cultures. I loved it, but then, there was a big departmental restructure, and I had to change departments. The next job allowed me to travel to different cities in the area. I learned how to give presentations, and speak in front of groups at conferences and conventions. All the while moving further and further from my comfort zone. I can see now how God has used my secular work to move me closer and closer to my purpose.

I have learned a few things from these experiences. One, don’t get too comfortable. Two, God is everywhere we are. Three, God will never allow us to do anything that we won’t learn something from. But the biggest lesson I have learned is that our confidence can’t be in us…it has to be in God. When we put Him first in everything we do, He will cause the work of our hands to prosper.

Until next time…

Be blessed.

It’s All In How We See It

It’s All In How We See It

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Today many couples are celebrating Valentine’s Day. This day has many different meanings for many different people. Some good, and some not so good. The origin of Valentine’s Day is not reflective of what we see today. It ranges in everything from the death of a martyr to the celebration of fertility. Those things, although negative, show how the beginning is not necessarily representative of what the ending will be. This example actually shows how the spirit of a people can turn what could have been a day of mourning, and offense into a day of celebrating those we love, and care about. How amazing.

The good thing about this holiday is that although it is seen as a couples holiday, anyone can give and receive love. And it is not just limited to one day a year. We can celebrate love every day. As a matter of fact, God commands it. He put a lot of emphasis on not only loving Him, but on loving one another. The Bible says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

I don’t want to get into the technicalities of this day, because there are as many reasons for wanting to celebrate it as there are for not wanting to celebrate it. I really wanted to just focus on our ability to take a negative and turn it into a positive. How we can bounce back from just about anything. And if we desire to live a life motivated by love, and peace, and joy, and faith, and hope…we can. 

God made us resilient. He made us to be overcomers…more than conquerors. Bad things are going to happen, but it’s how we choose to see it, and how we choose to  walk it out. 

Until next time…

Be blessed!