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Tag: Pandemic

God, You are Amazing!

God, You are Amazing!

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I am so utterly and profoundly grateful for how God watches over us. He blesses us in ways that still amaze me…

Before the pandemic, every first Sunday we would meet at one of the local rehab facilities to minister to the patients there. We know that we are there to pray and sing and love on them, but every single time that I was there…I felt like I was the one being ministered to.

Once while we were there, the young man who was preaching that day became so overwhelmed while reading the scripture that he could hardly read it. The Spirit of the Lord was so heavy on him that the word of God came to life right before our eyes. The other thing that made it so amazing was that four of the five patients that day were men. 

That may not seem like much, but typically the services would always have mostly women. God is so intentional. He knew in advance who would be there, and He sent the one that the people could identify with.

The one that they would open their hearts and minds to hear.

When a man loves the Lord it is so powerful. It’s awesome when anyone loves the Lord, but women typically won’t have a problem expressing how they feel. Men, on the other hand very seldom let their emotions show. To them, it feels like they are showing weakness…when in fact, it’s the other way around. It shows a confidence in Christ that wherever I am…Christ is with me, and I am not ashamed of how I feel about Him.

God wants all of us to open up to Him just like that. 

He wants us to not be so concerned with others that it affects our worship to Him. Don’t let anything come between you and your praise to the Father. We want the kind of relationship with Him that even when we don’t have the words to say…we know with confidence that God hears our heart. And if we put our relationship with God first…the Bible says EVERYTHING else will be added unto us.

How amazing is that?

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Staying Connected

Staying Connected

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Not too long ago some of my old coworkers, and I got together for an afternoon to just reminisce and catch up on what has been happening with one another. What I found interesting is that whenever we come together, it’s almost like we have never been apart. There are never any awkward moments of silence. Actually, there are usually several conversations going on at once…just like family. The surprising thing is that we all began working together 15 years ago, and we still make getting together a priority. We have all made a conscious effort to come together every so often so that we don’t lose that connection. Someone in the group will send an email, and anyone that can make it…does. No pressure.

Before the pandemic, some of my family members would get together every month or so to just eat a meal together. Some of my nieces and nephews would have a cousin’s day, and some of them even have sister weekends. I have one friend that still texts me everyday just to say good morning…I love you…have a blessed day. I had another friend that would call me every few days, and when I would pick up the phone, she would start singing….lol. I really hope that she starts doing that again. I miss it. 

I am praying that we don’t lose that feeling of connectedness (Is that a word?). Life is so fleeting, and time goes by so quickly that if we don’t grab those moments…they soon disappear. 

So, the goal for the rest of this year is to stay connected. Let people know that you care about them. Don’t think about why they are in your life, just enjoy the fact that they are. That’s my goal, and I hope you make that your goal too.

Maybe I’ll call up my friend and just blast out a song today. 🙂

Until next time…

Be blessed

This time of year

This time of year

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November always makes me feel just a little more thankful than any other time of the year. I guess it’s because the Thanksgiving holiday is on most people’s minds right now.  I am thankful for so many things…my family, my friends, my home, my work, but I am thankful most of all that God loved me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross for me. When I remember that…it always makes me want to do better.

I feel like we are on the verge of something so much bigger than us. There are obvious reasons for that feeling…namely, this last election. Well, actually the last four years, this pandemic, and everything else in between. It has been a time of awakening. A time to deal with the things we have been ignoring for way too long, and it’s time to just do it differently. 

Yesterday, I spent the day volunteering for an organization called, Fayette Street Outreach. It consists of local residents who have banded together to clean up and bring opportunities to their neighborhood. I think that’s what this last season has been all about. We have to stop playing the blame game, and waiting for someone else to do it. It’s time for healing to begin in our land.

In order to get there though, we are going to have to focus more on God’s plan. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Good ideas are not necessarily God ideas. Staying focused is going to be important in this new season. We have to get back to the basics of loving and caring for one another. We are our brother’s keeper. What happens to you, should affect me. We are in this thing together, and it’s going to take all of us to make it better.

I am so excited to see where God is leading us, and I am so thankful that we are all on this journey together.

Until next time…

Be blessed.

New normal (New name)

New normal (New name)

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Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend, and we were talking about our “new normal.” People tend to use that term whenever things in their lives are no longer the same. When things change so much that it no longer resembles what it used to be. But what is “normal” about that? And life changes are definitely not new.

For some reason, I never liked that term. And I like it even less now. I’m not sure I ever knew what “normal” was supposed to look like…but what we are experiencing now is definitely not it. 

We talked about our virtual lives, and how we have begun to use the internet to do everything from selling merchandise to attending conferences. We even talked about the number of people who are being reached for God that may never have set foot inside of a church building. But even with all of the positive things happening, there is still something missing. The one thing this “new normal” can never replace is the human touch. There is nothing normal about not being able to shake someone’s hand, sit in a movie or console a friend without fear. There is nothing normal about not being able to go out in public without a mask, visit someone in the hospital, or even God forbid…attend a funeral. And there is nothing normal about having to wash your hands with sanitizer every five minutes, or even hug a friend.

I know this situation will not last forever. And I thank God for that. One day we’ll look back on this time and marvel at our ability to cope under these extraordinary circumstances. We will even reminisce about how some of us actually thrived during this time. I’m looking forward to that day. In the meantime, even though I know I can’t change the things that have happened because of this pandemic, I can change what I call it…

I think I’ll just call it “different.” 

Until next time…

Be blessed