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Measure of Faith

Measure of Faith

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Ok. So, today I want to talk about faith just a little bit. I think most of us have some level of faith. Even if it’s only the size of a mustard seed, right? I mean, the Bible says that “if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can tell the mountain to move from here to there, and it will.” (Matthew 17:20) 

Does that mean the actual mountain will move? Probably not. But it does mean that when we put our faith in God’s hands, great and seemingly impossible things can happen.

I wanted to post about faith today because I needed to talk it through for myself. To understand that even my doubt means maybe it’s possible. I needed to know that God will supernaturally multiply my faith when I give it to Him. 

The problem with many of us is that we believe having faith means we never have doubts about what God is doing. That definitely is not the case. God had to show the people in the Bible what they were capable of. That’s the same thing He does with us.

God will sometimes allow us to be in situations that test our faith, because He needs us to know that what is impossible with man is possible in Him. 

Our faith has to be tested. We won’t know what real faith looks like until we put it in the hands of the Master. He takes our little scrawny faith, and makes it something so powerful that it can move mountains. 

But that can only happen when we surrender it to Him. And because we put our faith in Him, He puts His Holy Ghost power in us. How amazing is that?

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

We Can Never Pray Too Much!

We Can Never Pray Too Much!

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As believers we should be getting outside of our church walls to do something to make a difference in the world. 

Our world will never get better if we all lock ourselves in our homes, and shake our heads at the problem. The saying goes that if you are not part of the solution…you are part of the problem. I want to be a part of the solution. But what does that look like?

I think it looks something like this…

The children in our world deserve a chance. They should be able to experience what it feels like to run and play without the fear of being abducted or shot. Today, we hardly ever see little girls playing hopscotch or jacks, or little boys playing baseball in the neighborhood. It shouldn’t be that way. 

When I was a little girl, we ran all over the neighborhood, and we didn’t worry about coming home until the street lights came on. Our children today will never know what that kind of freedom feels like…not unless we do something about it.

One thing we can do for sure is pray. 

Pray for change. Pray for direction. Pray for strength. Pray for peace. Pray for your neighbors…and your neighborhood. Pray for those who don’t have a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. Pray that God continues to show this world mercy. Pray because His grace is sufficient. Pray that love will grow more and more until there is no room for hate.

We can never pray too much. I know that may seem idealistic to some, but I believe it’s possible. The Bible says that anything is possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23). I believe. I believe in the power of prayer. And I hope you believe too. God’s word says that whatever we ask in Jesus’ name, He will do it (John 14:14). So, believe that it’s already done.

Don’t stop praying. And don’t stop believing that when the time is right…God will answer.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Pray Like God Hears

Pray Like God Hears

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I only have one message for you today, and that is…prayer is needed.

God is calling on us to step into the office of intercessor and pray for those who can’t find the words to pray for themselves. Sometimes….actually most of the time we are not going to see the things we have prayed for. That’s what having faith is all about. Faith is knowing that God will even though we don’t see it.

I think the problem for most of us is that we don’t believe that God will answer our prayers. I mean, we hope that He does, but there is that little nagging voice saying…He probably won’t do it. That voice is not of God, because over and over in the Bible it says that He will. 

John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Isaiah 65:24 says He doesn’t even wait for us to ask, “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

There are way too many promises in the Bible of how God answers prayer to list them here today. The point is that He does. Anyone that says differently just doesn’t know our Father. 

The thing is…God will answer…He just may not answer the way we want.

God loves us so much that He sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross to die a death He didn’t deserve. And because He did that….we can be assured that God does hear us, and He will respond.

He knows us, and He knows what He has placed down on the inside of each one of us, and right now He needs us to tap into that power to pray for one another like never before.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Having A Steadfast Faith

Having A Steadfast Faith

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Everything is not as it seems. I just believe that God is about to blow the minds of Believers everywhere. And when He does…there won’t be any doubt that it was Him.

This is not the time to shrink back or to give in. We have to stand up for what we believe, and know why we believe it. The Bible says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15). As Christians we have to know that what we believe may be different than a lot of folks. But if we stand on the word of God, the word will do the work. 

This season has been a tough one for a lot of us, but we have been through tough seasons before, and will most likely go through them again. Many of us have been through more rough times than we care to remember. But knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and covers us actually strengthens us.

God has a plan to prosper His children, and that gives me hope. I know that if I keep trusting in Him, if I remain steadfast…He is going to honor that faith. In James 1:12 it says, “Blessed is the man who stays steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” 

Don’t ever doubt that. Our God is faithful to His word. If He promised it, He has to do it. 

“I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge Him and He will direct my path” (Prov. 3:5-6).

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

You Don’t Have to Struggle

You Don’t Have to Struggle

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We are right at the cusp of a new day….a new year…a new season, and I am so grateful…not for the end—but for the new beginning…

I remember writing my first blog post in 2009 after the publication of my book, “Let My Life Be A Testimony.”  I was so excited and amazed at how God had held my hand through that whole process. He gave me each word, and then held my hand when I set those words free. I was so afraid of rejection that it was almost paralyzing—but God. He never left me…not once. That act of faithfulness changed my life, because now I know that no matter what happens…He will always be by my side. He did not have to prove Himself to me, but He did, and He did for no other reason than His love for me.  

Over the last twelve years I have been stretched in ways I never thought possible. I have made mistakes, and learned that those mistakes don’t define me…instead…they have empowered me.  Through these “lessons,” I have learned that the only enemy that can stop me from pursuing all that God has for me is…me.

If you are struggling to be all that God is calling you to be…stop struggling. Nothing will keep you from the blessings God has for you. Deuteronomy 31:8 says that “God goes before you.” That means that we do not have to fear loss of any kind. All we have to do is stay close, and listen for His voice. It’s so much easier to follow His plan anyway.

To close this post today, I want to leave you with this prayer from Ephesians 1:18-20, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.“

Let that scripture strengthen you.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Be Encouraged

Be Encouraged

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I know I’ve said it before, but our God never leaves anything undone. He is in the smallest detail. There is nothing that He will not do for us. He loves us in a way that is hard to put into words, and when you feel like you cannot go any further, He sends someone or something to let you know you can.

As I go through life, I make it a practice to encourage somebody every day, and it never fails that when I do that, someone will always bless me. I had a conversation with a young woman in a store who said that she was so upset that God had not heard her prayers. She had been praying, but things were not getting any better, and that they actually appeared to be getting worse. God allowed me to say some things to her that prayerfully encouraged her. He always seems to show up in places where we least expect. Like when we are at our lowest…He will give us a reason to take our minds off of ourselves, and be a blessing to someone else.

Like the time I met this woman who was in a wheelchair because of a stroke. I was feeling some kind of way about something that probably didn’t matter that much. When I asked her how she was doing, she said, “Blessed and highly favored.” That just made my day. It turned my whole attitude around. If she could feel like that in the midst of her current situation, so could I.

Know that whatever situation you are facing today…whether it is physical, emotional, or spiritual, our God is able. He knows everything that is going on, and either He is allowing it to purify your faith, or let your faith encourage someone else. Either way, there is always purpose in everything. And we can trust that at the right time He will make it all better.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Refining Faith

Refining Faith

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God has promised us a new life. It doesn’t matter what you have done or where you have been, God’s promise is that if you give your life to Christ, He will make your life brand new. For just a moment, I lost sight of that promise. Now, don’t get it twisted. I am not talking about my salvation. I have no doubt that I am saved. What I’m talking about is, every now and then when life gets a little rough…my focus tends to stay on my problem—and not on my God.

I believe we are in a season of strengthening faith. I love God, and I know He loves me. I do not doubt for a minute that He will deliver me out of all my troubles. The thing is…we have to go through our troubles in order to get to the other side, and it’s that going through that can sometimes take us to that lonely place. The awesome thing about that though is that God already knows the plan. Even when we can’t understand we can trust that first, there is a purpose for everything, and second…God is in control.

First Peter 1:7 says, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” Wow! That is so awesome. This scripture is saying that our faith is more precious than gold. Stronger and more powerful.

Before the refiner applies pressure, gold is simply a lump of ore. The refiner stirs and skims the gold to remove any impurities, and when it is just right, he lets it cool before sending it out into the world. That is what God does for us. He is the refiner. Our trials are what He uses to purify and strengthen us.

We will go through times of testing, but just know that God has promised to be there…right in the midst of whatever we are going through—good or bad. He never takes His eyes off of us, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Until next time…

Be blessed

My Dream, God’s Plan

My Dream, God’s Plan

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I am feeling the need to go deeper in the Lord. What I mean by that is, God is allowing me to see things from a different perspective. I think for the first time I am seeing that there really is nothing I can’t do when I connect my faith with His power. 

You know how it is when you know God is calling you to something, but you just can’t seem to get out of your own way. Well, I am realizing that I have been stifling my own creativity by not believing in my own dream. It finally dawned on me that the vision is for doing…not just for seeing. Wow…that was good even to me. I have been looking at the dream God has given me like it was going to magically appear. Ummmm…there won’t be any lucky charm moments. I can’t keep wishing and hoping. I have to be willing to do the work. 

Even though I have read what the Bible says about me, and the plans God has for my life, I am still finding it hard to walk in it. I have to get my mind to be in agreement with my heart, and my heart has to be in agreement with my spirit and it all has to be in agreement with God’s plan, and I am finding that if any one of those things begins to act independently of the other, it all gets out of balance, and out of order. That’s when I need the help of the Holy Spirit, because I know He will lead the way out, and show me the way to go.  

Right now it is time to step it up…to dig into God’s word like never before, and let myself believe in the dream that’s been waiting for me. 

God has so much for all of us…if we just let Him lead the way.

Until next time…

Be blessed