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Author: Sharon Ricks

Let God Handle The Rest

Let God Handle The Rest

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I am so excited about what God is doing right now. I just know God is going to do something amazing. 

We are seeing wars break out all over the place, and rumors of wars circulating in the atmosphere. It could be a time of great fear, and anxiety. But this is what I know…these wars did not catch God by surprise. He was fully aware of what was going to happen. Our job is to keep on living, loving, praying, and believing. 

And let God handle the rest.

If this world has taught us nothing else, it’s taught us that waiting for the right moment may be too late. Although we are in the last quarter of the year, it is not too late to do what you have always wanted to do. Maybe visit places you have never been, or try that thing that has always seemed impossible. 

It doesn’t matter what is going on in the world. This is the time to dream bigger than we have ever dreamed before. God is going to put super to someone’s natural before the end of this year. Will it be you? 

God wants us to walk by faith. That means that we can’t be so focused on the things we see that we forget who He is. There is no war bigger than the plan God has for our lives. 

The things we have been believing God for…keep believing. We can’t afford to let any opportunities pass us by. Not now. Not with the way things are going in this world. We have to expect God to move on our behalf. This is a new day, and we owe it to God to live it to the fullest. To keep dreaming in spite of what the news is telling us. It’s time for us to get to work. 

And let God handle the rest.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Trusting The Process

Trusting The Process

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When God made us, He made us unique. He created us so that our gifts and talents would compliment one another…work together. My gift may be different from yours, my process may even be different from yours, but all of our gifts are important in the eyes of God. He designed it that way on purpose so that in whatever we do, we would hopefully remember to give Him the glory. 

I have been in this place of transition lately, and it has not been easy. I feel like I’m in a place where I can’t go back and I can’t move forward. My spirit is yearning to move into that new place…that place where all of my gifts begin to operate on one accord. The problem is…my flesh just hasn’t caught up with that revelation yet.

Transitions can be hard because there is no one that can really talk you through it. Everybody’s experience is different, and what worked for them may not work for you. So, how do we get through this period in our lives? We believe the word of God, we keep moving forward, and we trust the process.

The plan God has for our lives is simple, yet so complex at times. Simple because we have the plan laid out for us in God’s word…we just have to follow it. Complex, because we have free will, and our will is always in conflict with God’s will. 

We spend a crazy amount of time trying to get to the place God is calling us to and yet the word says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand (Prov. 19:21 NIV). What that says is that all we have to do is wait. We can plan whatever we want. But there is no plan we can come up with that is going to be better for us than the one God put into place before we were even born.

So, today I think I’m just going to trust the process, and know that God is faithful to His promise. 

If He said it, He will do it.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Sometimes We Have To Take Baby Steps

Sometimes We Have To Take Baby Steps

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I listened to a young preacher do her initial sermon once, and I could tell how nervous she was. It’s an awesome task to stand in front of an audience, and pour your heart out, not knowing if they would even listen to what you had to say. 

It made me think about the first time I spoke in public. I was a member of Toastmasters. I was so nervous that I could feel my legs shaking through my pants, and I was sure everyone else could see it too. I had a written speech, but I couldn’t even see the words. It was a mess, but thankfully I made it through without passing out.

Back then I dreamed of speaking all over the world one day. Actually, I still hold onto that dream. I believe through God anything is possible. During those Toastmasters meetings, at times, I would feel so defeated, and my faith would feel so small. But I learned to be patient with myself, and to take baby steps.

Speaking in public didn’t come easy for me, because I was a background kind of girl. But I believe that God doesn’t give us a vision for something without also giving us provision to carry it out. The problem is that the enemy knows who you are too, and he knows what God sees in you because he sees it too. His job though is to keep you from it. Our job is to not let that happen.

Taking baby steps means that progress may be slow, but it’s still progress. I believe that one day if I want it badly enough, I will walk boldly into that thing God is calling me to. I won’t ever give up, because I know God is faithful to His promise. We serve a powerful, and amazing God. 

Keep pressing. Keep going. Keep believing, and trust that with God all things are possible. 

Until next time…

Be blessed

It’s For The Generations To Come

It’s For The Generations To Come

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We had an awesome time at the park this year for our family get together. God blessed us with a great day for a cookout. Although it was hot, it didn’t matter, because we hadn’t been together in a year.

When my father was living, he had Alzheimer’s. So we started having cookouts every year…not so much that he would remember who we were, but so that the younger generation would remember who he was. 

Just seeing generations of family cooking, and eating, and enjoying one another was amazing. Especially since one of my brothers had come home. My brother hadn’t been home for something like 30 years. He had been gone for so long that it was like having a celebrity in our midst…lol.

To say I am truly grateful to God is an understatement.

My parents were always big on family traditions. We got together at our family home for every holiday, birthday, and family reunion. My mother, especially, wanted all of us to remain close. And I feel blessed to be a part of a family that cares enough to want to keep at least some of our family traditions alive.

When both my parents passed away, my siblings, and I made a promise to do what we could to honor our parents wishes, and for the most part we have done that. Do we always get along? No. Do we always agree? No. Do we have differences and still find a way to love one another. Yes. 

And that right there is the most important thing…

God is at the heart of my family…right in that place where my parents used to be. He blesses us individually and collectively. He keeps our family grounded and focused on the whole…not on just a part. That is what has kept us together all of these years, and with the Lord’s help…will keep us together for the generations to come.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

It’s Not Always Comfortable

It’s Not Always Comfortable

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In this part of the world we are beginning one of the hottest weeks of the year. The weather report is saying that this week we are going to hit the upper 90s, and maybe even over 100 degrees.

Just thinking about that is making me hot. 

I am not a summer person. I would rather it be spring all the time. I don’t like being uncomfortable. Actually, I don’t know anyone who does. Most of us would love for it to be smooth sailing all the time, but if that were the case we would never grow, and we would never need God.

I was pondering these thoughts when I realized that we all fall short at times. None of us are perfect. The Bible says that God knew us before we were born. He already knew who we would be. And in spite of that, He still had a plan and purpose for our lives. I guess sometimes we just need a little reminder. 

God is always there to help us through those times when we want to give up. When we don’t know where to turn. When life is…just life. 

Through those times we learn how to persevere; how to endure; how to fall, and get back up. The thing is…if we never have hard times, we wouldn’t know how good the good times really are.

We have to remember that we belong to God, and no matter what situation we find ourselves in, when others see us…they should really see the God in us. 

That means that if God needs to use us to show His love to our neighbor…even the ones we don’t particularly care for, then we need to step up to the plate. God is glorified every time we turn the other cheek, give someone a little grace, or bless someone unexpectedly. 

God didn’t call us to be comfortable. He called us to be His disciples, and to represent Him in every area of our lives…good, and bad.

It’s not about our comfort..but it’s all about giving Him the glory.

Until next time…

Be blessed

In All Things God Will Cause Us To Triumph

In All Things God Will Cause Us To Triumph

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I have had the pleasure of serving at the nursing home for many years. Matter of fact, I served on two different nursing home ministries…one through my church, and one for another church. And even though I loved it, and have always had a passion for that ministry, I had to take a little break from it. 

When God tells me to move, I don’t ask any questions.

I loved that ministry because the focus was not on what we were doing as much as it was for who we were doing it. God first…of course, and second, for the residents there. They came expecting God to show up, and let me tell you…He never disappointed.

Although we had an order of service, we always left room for the Holy Spirit to do whatever He wanted to do. We realized a long time ago that the services we did there didn’t belong to us. And we knew that, because God always leaned in our direction when we were there. 

There was an anointing on that ministry. You could tell that by the way the residents responded. It didn’t matter that they were in a nursing home…for that moment, it was transformed into God’s sanctuary.

I remember one of my sisters in Christ preached this sermon that really stuck with me. She reminded us of the importance of balance. She spoke about how we sometimes forget that those things that are good to us are not necessarily good for us. She also said that too much of anything can turn a blessing into a curse. 

Things like, not taking care of our bodies will eventually cause problems with our health, going to the church every day knowing that your family needs you at home, eating ice cream every night even though your cholesterol is sky high. 

That’s exactly what the enemy wants. 

He wants us to be so distracted that we miss the move of God. To be honest, that is one of the reasons I had to pull back from a ministry that I enjoyed. I realized that I wasn’t doing it to please God. I was doing it because I had always done it. It had turned into a habit…not a calling. 

We have to be intentional about the things God is leading us to do. Listen for His voice; stay focused on Him, follow His lead, and make sure that He gets the glory out of everything we do. 

When we do that…He will always cause us to triumph.

Until next time…

Be blessed

The Truth is Hard Sometimes

The Truth is Hard Sometimes

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The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people. It also says that wherever there are two or more gathered in His name He is in the midst. I believe He was in the midst today. 

Actually, I know that He was present in that place, because I didn’t think about what I was going to eat for dinner not one time. Don’t judge me. My mind tends to wander during church service every now and then. But I digress…

My pastor is teaching through the Commandments of God. And today, he taught from Exodus 20:14: “Thou Shall not commit adultery.” 

Committing adultery is an obvious sin, right? But how about those innocent looks that lasts way too long, the touches that linger a little longer than they should, married people confiding their relationship problems to single people, and vice versa, watching movies that promote a sinful lifestyle…it all matters.

What I love most about Sundays like this is how God allowed my pastor to teach the hard stuff. He spoke exactly what God moved him to speak. Not that he doesn’t always do that, because he does. But this time it just seemed to hit different. Even though he used humor to convey his message, we all got the point. 

God will definitely do a work on His people when we get out of the way.

Today was about making sure that the people of God knew the truth. We can no longer pretend that we don’t know, or that it really doesn’t matter, because God forgives. Although that is true, it doesn’t give us license to keep on living a sinful life.

The world is not waiting for us to get it together. People are dying and we have to be sure to capture as many moments for God as possible. What I mean by that is…we can’t let an opportunity to minister pass us by. We need to share His word with our family, with our friends, and with the world, because all of our lives depend on it.

Until next time…

Be blessed

All You Have To Do Is Walk In It

All You Have To Do Is Walk In It

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I am telling you…our God is awesome. When God wants to really get through to me, He will do it while I sleep. I often tell people that He does that because it’s the only time I stop talking long enough to hear Him (I can’t help it, that’s how He made me). 

But, here’s the thing…when I wake up, I always, always have a song in my heart. The song will typically be the answer to or the confirmation of a situation I am dealing with. He takes that opportunity to search my heart for those things that I am struggling with and He helps me put them in perspective and I always wake up feeling better. 

The thing is I have been in a holding pattern for way too long.

God led me to share that today because there is someone out there that needs to know that God is aware of everything that concerns you. You don’t have to try to figure it out by yourself. He has the solution, you just have to go to Him and let Him know that you are ready to let it go.

My pastor did a sermon once about the man at the pool of Bethesda. He said the man had been right at the point of his breakthrough and just didn’t complete the act. An angel would come and stir up the water once a year, and the first one in the pool after the water had been stirred would be healed. This man was at the edge of the water and all he had to do was roll, but for 38 years he laid there waiting for someone to help him get in. When Jesus came along, He simply said take up your bed and walk and the man did. He didn’t ask any questions. He didn’t gripe and complain, and he didn’t consult with others around him…he just did it.

Today, I want to tell someone that your breakthrough is here. You don’t have to wait for anyone else to help you move into what God is calling you to do. All you have to do is move. God will be there to help you, you just need to prepare yourself for the blessing. I am a firm believer that when God speaks, He makes it so. Your flesh won’t be able to comprehend that, but your heart will. 

Trust the God who loves you and knew you before the beginning of time. He has a plan for your life…walk in it.

Until next time…

Be blessed

The Power of God’s Presence

The Power of God’s Presence

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The power of God’s presence can be overwhelming, but it can be empowering too. 

Most of the time though we don’t even realize he is there. We go about our lives without recognizing, or even acknowledging Him. We get so used to Him being there that we start to take Him for granted. 

It’s not intentional, but it does take advantage of the way He loves us. 

We sometimes think that if we are where God is there is no conflict, no issues, no problems, and when that doesn’t happen, we feel like He has abandoned us. The truth is there is never a time when we are not in His presence. So, when we are going through our season of triumph or our season of turmoil…He is there. 

In Psalm 139:4-6, it says, “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too—your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful—I can’t take it all in!” (MSG)

These verses are saying that no matter where we are or what we do…God knows us intimately. Before we even think a thought, or speak a word…He knows. 

It’s comforting to know that no matter where we are, we are never alone. That in Him there is no condemnation, no guilt, and no shame. That we can find peace that surpasses all understanding, love that overflows, and joy that really makes no sense at times.

Knowing that strengthens me, and gives me an assurance that can only come from being in His presence.

Until next time…

Be blessed

It’s OK to Take Time to Rest

It’s OK to Take Time to Rest

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Ok, so today at church my pastor spoke about the sabbath, and how it was set aside as a day of rest…not for God, but for us.

He talked about how many people get so hooked up on when the sabbath is supposed to be that they forget what the whole purpose of what the day is supposed to be for. What he said was that the sabbath may be different depending on your faith. The point is…that it was intended to be a day of rest. And whatever day you set aside…just make sure it is set aside unto God.

I was blown away. Not so much because of what he said, but because I will be speaking on a similar topic at a women’s conference in August. God is so strategic, I love how he confirms that what you are doing is on track. He even reminded me of a few things that I needed to include. 

Rest is one of those things that people get so mixed up. Either we rest so much that we don’t get anything done, or we never take time to really let our bodies rest, because we feel so guilty. We really believe that if we are not doing anything, we need to find something to do. 

And to prove that point, on my way home from church I stopped to talk to my nephew, and he said he wasn’t doing anything but lying around, so he was thinking about working on his car. I told him to just let his body rest, and you know what he said…”I’ll rest when I’m dead.” 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that to be the only time I take time to rest.

I am so excited about this conference now, because I know that there is going to be someone in attendance that God is trying to reach. He always gives me a specific word that sometimes doesn’t even make sense to me. But I have learned not to question it. I just do exactly what He says, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. 

I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Until next time…

Be blessed