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Author: Sharon Ricks

Standing For What Is Right

Standing For What Is Right

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Yesterday we had our family cookout. I love being a part of a large family, and our family is HUGE. I guess that’s because it’s all I have ever known. And even though it was a nice turnout, it wasn’t even half the people who typically show up. 

Being with them is one of my greatest joys, but it can be a lot of work too. Not only physically, but mentally as well. What I mean by that is…you have to be able to stand on what you know is right even when you stand alone, and even when it’s not the most popular thing to do.

Let’s just say that I have a completely new respect for the word obedience. 

You know how God runs back events in your mind like a movie? Well, there were a couple of things that he showed me today that caused me to re-evaluate what was really important to me. On the outside, they seem really simple, but things are rarely simple with God. He always has a lesson for us…we just have to be willing to listen. 

Now, typically, after we unload our vehicles, we pull around to the front to park in the designated spaces. But when I got ready to move my car, someone told me that I didn’t have to move it, and gave me the reasons why. Then they said the thing that is almost akin to “I dare you,” and it was…“You are so scared.” 

When they said it to me they didn’t know how much I despise anything associated with the word fear. I explained that it wasn’t fear, but that I liked doing what was right. But then I said the words that God spoke back to me today…”Ok, I’ll follow you then.” OMG! When God brought that back to my remembrance this scripture immediately came to mind, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) What I did said that I cared more about what they thought then what God thought. That one really hit hard. I love my family, but not more than I love the Lord.

God also gave me some specific things that He wanted me to share with my family about the history behind why we do what we do. He said that people don’t participate as much when they are not invested in what is going on. When it came time to have the meeting, it was decided that we didn’t need to have it then, and that it would be best to reschedule it for another time. Even though I knew what God was leading me to do, I gave in…again. Once I realized what I had done, this is what I said, “I repent, Lord. Forgive me, Father for putting anything or anyone over You.”

We mess up sometimes. We make mistakes. The thing is to acknowledge them, ask for forgiveness, and make the best of the next opportunity…because there will be a next time.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Testimonies That Are A Blessing

Testimonies That Are A Blessing

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I woke up so grateful this morning, and I knew that God was going to show up big time…and He did.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for every day that God wakes me. I once heard the testimony of a young man that really blessed me. He stood there telling us that he had suffered not one, but two, massive strokes. Did you miss the part where I said he “stood” there? To look at him you would never have known what he had been through. 

Our God is amazing. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. We were actually attending a service at a local rehab facility, and his testimony gave those patients hope…it gave me hope. We all left that service believing that God could do anything. The patients believed that if they put in the work, it could happen for them too. When one of the patients was on the way back to his room, I offered to push him, and he said, “No, I have to do the work!” Praise God! That’s how a testimony should make you feel.

That’s what it’s all about…encouraging and motivating one another to go a little further, and push a little harder. 

Sometimes, God will place us together to help one another do what we think is impossible. Sitting in a wheelchair, you may feel like it will never get any better, but keep doing the work. Having to go to a job you don’t like may seem like punishment at times, but keep doing the work. Watching others succeed while you continue to struggle may seem unfair, but keep doing the work. 

God has a blessing with your name on it. If you stay faithful, and keep believing…anything is possible.

Until next time…

Be blessed

The Power in the Word “IF”

The Power in the Word “IF”

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I remember a message I heard about the power of “if.” That message really resonated with me, because lately, I have been battling with that very thing.

That word, if, symbolizes a struggle, right?

If I had waited…

If I had not waited…

If I had just finished school…

If I had taken that job…

If I could just lose 10 more pounds…

If….

I believe God is strategic in everything He does. He would never give us a dream, a vision or a plan, and not already have a way to bring it about. That’s not how He operates. He knows every hiccup, every doubt, and every fear that will cause us to stumble…the things that will make us back away from the promise. But, here’s the thing…even our cold feet won’t stop God from blessing us. It will not stop Him from bringing about the thing for which we were created.

Our God knows why He designed us, and believe it or not…He is pleased with who we are. He knows the struggles we will face. Guess what? He has already provided what we need, and it will show up at the exact moment we need it. 

In this season, we have to be prepared to move in line with God’s will. He is speaking, and He needs us to be obedient, to pray for one another, and to be in a position of service. God loves us with a passion, and He has promised to be with us every step of the way. God never stops leading and guiding us…sometimes we just stop listening, and we definitely have the tendency to stop following.  But He knows that about us too.

Today I just want to encourage all of us to keep trying, and know that if we don’t give up we will… 

Know our purpose, and walk in it. 

Become all that God has called us to be. 

Prosper and be in good health. 

We will live and not die, and we will declare the works of the Lord (Psalm 118:17).

I speak life over every area of our lives, and I declare and decree that we will be fearless and bold for the Lord no matter what.

Until next time…

Be blessed

In Due Time God Will

In Due Time God Will

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Here is what I know…

I know that our God still sits on the throne.

I know that our God can do anything but fail.

I know that our God would not allow anything that He will not use for our good.

I know that our God loves us and wants to bless us.

I know that our God is always in control.

It may appear that things are upside down right now. Like the things that used to be wrong are right and vice versa, but God’s hand is not shortened that He can’t save (Isa. 59:1). He will make every wrong right. 

We serve an awesome, and mighty God, and the Bible says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Due time is God’s appointed time. His timing is never off. He knows what you stand in need of, and He is never late. He knows why you were created, and nothing will be able to keep you from it.

When we are going through a trial it may seem like God is never going to show up, but God is always with us, and He knows exactly when to step in.

And this is how much He loved us…He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be the stand in for us on the cross. THAT alone would be enough, but our God didn’t stop there. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He left us the Holy Spirit. He is our Comforter, our Protector, our Guide, and our Friend. 

If we let Him, He will lead us and guide us to the place God needs us to be. 

God’s word says He will never leave us nor forsake us, and because of that–He will keep us.

And in due time…He will deliver us.

Until next time…

Be blessed

You Gotta Know Who You Are

You Gotta Know Who You Are

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Everything means something. We can’t live our lives looking over our shoulders, but we can be aware of the tricks the enemy sometimes plays with us.

First, he wants us to believe that we are not saved.

That is the first lie. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior…we are saved and nothing can change that. The Bible says that we cannot even come to God unless He first draws us. That means that He saw us and sent Jesus…just for us. He knows everything about us and He still felt that we were worth it. We are special in God’s eyes, and He would move heaven and earth for us.

Then, he wants us to believe that our ministry is not effective.

Each one of us has something God uses to bless His people. It can be something as simple as having a bubbly personality. We may never know how many people we encourage by simply smiling. Maybe people find us easy to talk to, and we enjoy having conversations with folks. When God gets the glory out of whatever we do…we are operating in our purpose. We get so caught up in what we think our purpose should look like that we sometimes miss God’s blessing. We can’t let the enemy mess with our minds.

Lastly, he doesn’t want us to know who we really are.

I think sometimes we even forget who we are. We are God’s masterpiece. He called us. He not only knows every hair on our heads, He knows us by name. He has made us to be powerful not pitiful…a victor, not a victim…a warrior not a worrier. When we walk in the authority of the Lord, Jesus Christ, no weapon that is formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). It can’t. That’s God promise to us. Receive it today.

And to make sure we keep our minds focused on the right things, Philippians 4:8 says, 

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious–the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

Well said.

Until next time

Be blessed

Making Myself A Priority

Making Myself A Priority

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I was listening to a message this morning that reminded me of something I went through a while ago. 

A few years ago, I took part in a service at my church for ministry workers. One of the things I love is being in the house of the Lord. It just does it for me. I love worship. I love praise music. I love God’s word…and I love the atmosphere. 

The thing is that even though I love these things, sometimes my body and my spirit are just tired. I didn’t recognize it at the time, because I thought pushing myself was what I was supposed to do. I remember going to the service, but not really looking forward to it. It wasn’t because I didn’t think the service would be good, I was just suffering from trying to be everything to everybody…except me.

Being tired was all a part of what working for the Lord was all about, right?

God gave me a good brain, but I definitely was not using it the way He intended. Saying no…to anybody was hard for me. I wanted to be the one folks could count on. That kind of thinking is not healthy, and it is definitely not what God was asking me to do. 

So glad that we serve a God of second chances. I have learned that it is perfectly fine to say no. It is also perfectly fine not to go to church every time the church doors open. Look, if God is calling you to rest…then rest. 

The world will still keep spinning even while you take a nap.

It’s hard to think straight when we don’t have the proper rest. When we are physically, emotionally or spiritually tired…we are not able to make the best decisions (Best believe the enemy takes advantage of that). 

Take some time to care for yourself, and do things that you want to do…even if no one else wants to. 

To make sure that I make myself a priority, I am making a promise to myself to be diligent about staying in God’s word, make sure that I am getting enough rest, and I will work on surrounding myself with people who want the best for me. 

How about you? What will you do to make yourself a priority?

Until next time…

Be blessed

Honoring God

Honoring God

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I am so overwhelmed by the love of the Lord. I know what the prophet Jeremiah meant when he said, “It’s like fire shut up in my bones” (Jeremiah 20:9). I just know that what I am feeling on the inside has to be showing up on the outside. There is no explaining worship. It just is. And, here’s the thing…It is in our walk, it is in our talk, it is in our work, and it is in our living. It is even in those things that cause us the most grief. Worship is not only when we are in church with other saints. Worship is an everyday act of honoring God. 

Worship is thanking God for allowing everything we go through to have a purpose. It’s knowing that even though it is sometimes painful…we can still praise God right in the midst of our pain. I heard a preacher say once that our trials…our burdens don’t always come from the enemy. Sometimes, we are praying that God removes the thing He designed to keep us humble. 

I believe that our greatest opposition, trial, or burden, reminds us that no matter how successful we become, or how talented we may be…we can do nothing without God. He is the Creator and the Sustainer of everything that is anything. He is our Rock and our Fortress. He is the One and Only True and Living God. He is our Provider, our Healer, and the Lifter of our heads. He deserves our worship, and He deserves our praise. He is all these things and so much more.

And, every now and then, I think we should stop and just tell Him so.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Watch What You Say

Watch What You Say

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The words we speak are powerful. What we say to others, and to ourselves really matter. The Bible says that, “our tongues have the power of life, and death.” (Proverbs 18:21) 

So, we have to really watch what we say, right? 

I am so glad that God never loosen His grip on us. And, even though that revelation anchors me I often struggle with knowing my place in Him. I mean…I know He loves me, and I believe the promises in His word. The crazy thing is even though I know that…I still find myself sometimes doubting what I know. 

We are going to have struggles. Our physical bodies will always be in conflict with our spiritual bodies. It’s like that for all Believers. But the Bible says that we are more than conquerors. So, when we are going through those times of uncertainty, or feelings of defeat…we just have to remind ourselves of that.

God has given us everything we need to live a victorious life in Him.

He even left His Holy Spirit to help us. Thank God that He knows what we need even before we do. His job is to help keep us on track.And here’s the thing…when we begin to wander too far (Because we are prone to wander)…God calls us back.

Not only does He keep His eye on us, He brings to our remembrance those things that empower us, and that are already inside of us. That means that things like procrastination, fear, doubt, or whatever is trying to hold us back…has no place in our lives. When those things start popping up in our heads is when we need to speak God’s word over them. We are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. We are redeemed from sickness and disease. We are heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ. And when God be for us, nothing can stand against us.

So, knowing all of that I speak these words over all of us today…

We are people of faith….and, our faith is strong. Our lives…just as they are—have purpose. God loves us, and there is no good thing that He will withhold from us. The love of God is our weapon, and we will love everyone the way Christ loves us. 

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Do You See What I See?

Do You See What I See?

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Ya’ll…I have to be transparent. I really want to speak from my heart this week. I have received so much revelation over the last couple of weeks. Our God is so purposeful in everything that He does. What He allows–He will definitely use. 

It’s crazy how God can take something as ordinary as washing dishes, or sweeping the floor to give you a life-changing message. I was cleaning and listening to this pastor online when God spoke through him, and He broke it down to me so clearly that I couldn’t help but see it. The online pastor said in part…”Look around you…everything you see on the outside is what you are feeling on the inside. That grief you are feeling is manifesting itself in your environment.” Now, what he said was not so earth shattering. It’s at the time that he said it. I had just finished saying that I needed to get my house in order (literally), and it was like God said…do you see it?

I looked around my home and I saw for the first time in a long time how disorganized my life was becoming. How I have been letting things go. I clean because I have to clean. Otherwise, the dust bunnies would take me over. The things that I have fixed are the things I have to fix. And although I am comfortable in my home, I do not always feel peaceful here. This pastor also said to stay current by doing things as simple as washing your face, cleaning your home, cleaning your car, and even for women– organizing your purse. He said that doing these things will help us stay present in the here and now.

OMG! That may not mean much to most of you, but to me it spoke volumes.

Look, the last couple of years have been so hard that just getting up every morning was all I could handle. But I know that the things he said were spot on. The Bible even speaks of the things we carry. One verse says that we should guard our hearts, because out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). Whatever you meditate on will come out. If you are sad…sadness will come out. If you are happy…happiness will come out, and if you are grieving…your grief will come out.

The good thing is that God doesn’t leave us in our mess. Everything that has happened over the last couple of years is behind us, and a new day is here. God is in the blessing business, and I want everything that He wants for me. We have the opportunity to begin again, and I do not want to blow it by allowing grief to dictate how I am living. What about you? What is in your heart that you can let go of, turn over to God, or learn to be at peace with?

Today, let’s begin the process of letting it go…for real this time.

Until next time…

Be blessed

The Fear of Missing Out

The Fear of Missing Out

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When I was a little girl, I wanted to be like superwoman. I mean I literally wanted to have super powers, and be able to fly anywhere I wanted to, and do anything I wanted to do. Well, I may not be able to fly without a plane, but God has definitely given me the power to defeat the enemy. Who knew that would be possible? God did. In Micah 5:9 it says, “Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.” According to the Word of God–our enemies don’t stand a chance!

I have so much to share with you that I hardly know where to begin. I love writing this blog, and sharing the things that God has placed on my heart. Lately, God has been speaking to me about finishing well. It has been difficult getting a rhythm going, but I think with God’s help, I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My focus is always on getting closer to God, and learning more about what He expects of me.  But somewhere along the line, I started getting anxious about finishing. I love the Lord with all of my heart, and pleasing Him is why I do anything. So I had to look at what changed in my life to make me feel that way. 

What I found is something that I think many of us struggle with…the fear of missing out (FOMO). 

I spoke about this a little in my last blog post where I talked about redeeming the time. I think this happens a lot when we focus more on the end result and not on the journey. Our minds are constantly moving from one event, one task to another without really taking time to breathe. That’s not living…that’s existing, and I don’t want that. None of us should.

So, I am going to re-prioritize my goals. I will find something to enjoy about each day…no matter what that day holds, because I know that it is not about finishing…it is about finishing well.  And it is about knowing that no matter what, when we put God, first…everything else will fall into place. The Bible says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

We owe it to God, and we owe it to ourselves to enjoy this day, and focus on one task…one moment at a time. 

Until next time…

Be blessed