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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

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

Sometimes It’s Going to Take a Pressing

Sometimes It’s Going to Take a Pressing

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The song, You Made a Way, by Travis Greene sums up how I am feeling today. 

God never ceases to amaze me. He keeps making a way out of no way. Just when you think nothing makes sense…He does something to show you that there is a plan in place and that if you hang in there He will show you some amazing things.

I was thinking about how God works when the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit that sometimes to get fresh oil…to get a fresh anointing…there will be a pressing. It may appear that things are not getting any better, and you are not going to make it. But that pressing is bringing out the best in you. That pressing is not going to take you out…it is going to make you stronger. 

The Lord is moving mountains for you. He is causing walls to fall. He is removing obstacles and opening doors that no man can shut. But none of that will happen until you give up your right to be right. God needs you to know that in Him is where you will find your strength, your joy, your peace and your power.

God will never fail you. Nothing about what you are going through is random. God is bringing out of you what you will need in the days, months and years to come. He knows what you are going to come up against, so He has already sent ahead of you what you will need when you get there.

There will be things that are going to try to make you quit, but God will not allow you to abort your purpose. 

Right now you may be going through a pressing…just know that it is not designed to take you out, but to build you up, and strengthen your relationship with Him. God is always with you. Trust the process.

Until next time…

Be blessed

God’s Restorative Love

God’s Restorative Love

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Restorative love is the kind of love that doesn’t see wrongs. It’s the kind of love that allows for “growing pains.” It’s the kind of love that understands our weaknesses, faults, short-comings, and loves anyway. And it’s the kind of love that says…try again.

I like being able to start over. I like the fact that God built in a do-over for us. He knew we were going to need it, because according to the Apostle Paul…we want to do right, but it’s just not in us. Romans 7:15 says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

And because God has a specific purpose for each one of us…along came grace. God’s grace is sufficient for us (1 Corinthians 12:9). His grace covers all the wrongs we do, and even the ones we haven’t done yet. That’s because His grace is new every. single. morning. God’s grace says I understand what you are going through, and I will cover you until you get it together.

In the midst of all of life’s little ups and downs is God’s perfect grace…just waiting for the opportunity to show up. His grace molds us and shapes us and transforms us. We can no longer do the things we used to do. Guess what? We don’t even want to. Giving our lives to Christ transformed us. We have been changed…renewed…delivered…set free…there is no going back for us. 

And because we have been given that kind of restorative love, it’s our obligation to pass it along to others.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

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

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

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!

The Esther In Me

The Esther In Me

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I have been thinking about how dedicated I really am to the work God has called me to. I know what I love to do, but I find myself almost sabotaging my own success. I find myself holding back when I should be pushing forward. Watching television when I should be working my craft…and I don’t know why.

I have learned that the only way to really find out what is going on with us is to look to God’s word. When I went searching this time, God took me to the Book of Esther. I love this Book because it shows how we can overcome any obstacle when we take our minds off of our comfort and do what God is calling us to do. Here was a woman who had it all. She was young, beautiful, and she had the favor of the king—and she gave it all up to save her people. She could have kept quiet. She could have, but she didn’t. Why? Why would she jeopardize her own life for the lives of people she probably barely even knew?

She did it—because it was her destiny. She was the one. She was chosen.

…And so are we. God has chosen us too. We have a purpose that was specifically created just for us. Every time we don’t do what God is calling us to do…we short-circuit our destiny. That revelation is huge. I don’t want any of us to get to the end of our lives and look back on what could have been. Let the Esther in you come out.

I’m so glad that God never gives up on us. He specializes in second chances. He wants to be able to depend on us, and know that we are more concerned with pleasing Him than we are in being comfortable.

My hope is that the Esther in us will push us all to begin walking in our destinies.

Until next time…

Be blessed!