I have learned in my world that EVERYONE goes through low moments of despair. Sometimes there are things we go through that we would have never dreamed that we would experience. For some of you, our lives have been so difficult that they would pay you to make a movie out of your life story. It doesn't matter who we are or where we were born; anyone who is alive has gone through at least one thing that causes you to question things, cry much, or drop to your knees in prayer.
As I've talked about in earlier blogs, one of the things that really helps in our moments of despair is when we surround ourselves with people who we know have encouraging spirits. There are far too many of us who actually begin enjoying our moments of despair and will invite thousands of people to our pity party because we don't have people in our lives who encourage us. One of the things that has been rather difficult for me when I was at my lowest points of health was hearing people who really knew how to encourage me. There are times when we definitely have to do like David and encourage ourselves in the Lord; but there are other times when we find ourselves in a garden of gethsemane and look for people who can just pray for one hour!
I encourage anyone who is reading this blog right now to make sure that you have in your life right now at least ONE person who will do the following:
1. Who will NOT co-sign on your mess. Don't crowd yourself around people who keep you where you are. Stay away from people who tell you that its okay to stay stuck on stupid and parked on crazy.
2. Who will be honest with you about who you are. Don't accept people's lies about yourself. Don't tell me stuff that will allow me to stay beneath my potential
3. Who love you unconditionally. Oftentimes relationships are based on ifs. Some of the people in your life are only there because of something, and if that something wasn't there neither would they be.
4. Who know how to encourage you. We all hit low moments and need people to speak peace and a Word from God into our lives
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Lost
I had the privilege this week to go to New York, NY and visit in Manhattan. It was great catching up with good friends and seeing sights and watching a play and just enjoying each other's company. Its been a while since I experienced New York traffic (which is like none other) and so I was cautious when driving around in the city.
While leaving the city in the evening I had an unexpected revelation from God that I wanted to share. As I was pulling out, I had my gps out and ready to show me how to get out of the city. Traffic wasn't too bad as it was around 10p. As I was driving out of the city though, for some reason the gps was not giving me proper directions. Even when I thought it was showing me the correct way to go, I ended up in another area trying to find my way out of there. I would circle around and then hear on my gps what we all hear from a gps when we have made wrong turns: "recalculating". I was hearing that a little too much on this night! I finally pulled off to the side, but because of traffic and some cars not moving I found my way still basically in the middle of the street, but because I didn't know where I was going I said to myself: "I'm not going anywhere until I know where I am going". Despite the constant honking of horns (for some reason the horns in NY seems so much louder...lol), the hand and verbal gestures and even police cars telling me to move on; I told myself that I wasn't moving until I knew I was going to be headed in the right direction. What's the use of going around in circles, burning up unnecessary gas, and getting more and more frustrated...when I don't have a clue where I'm going.
I was able to finally get my bearings and gps got on track and I found myself on the correct way home. God taught me an extremely valuable lesson through this. Most of us are going around in circles in life, frustrated on our jobs, fed up in our relationships, and are oftentimes very moody people because we are literally LOST and don't have a clue what we are doing or where we are going! Do you often always find fault with everyone else but yourself? Do you spend a lot of time critiquing other people's lives and how they are living them? Do you often get frustrated in your position in life and know that you are smarter than your current bank account? Be honest with yourself today and understand and realize that you may actually be lost...Lost in your purpose and direction in life and what you were actually created for.
I want to encourage you today, and let you know that its okay if you are lost, because if you feel that you are lost today, recognizing you are lost is a great step in finding out how you can get on the right track!!! What most of us have to understand though is that you can't get on track constantly hanging out with people who are lost and off track as well. Get in His word, Listen to His Spirit, and allow Him to show you what the next move is. Pull over, take some time, get refocused...and allow Jesus to get you in Purpose! God bless you as you get where you need to be in God!
While leaving the city in the evening I had an unexpected revelation from God that I wanted to share. As I was pulling out, I had my gps out and ready to show me how to get out of the city. Traffic wasn't too bad as it was around 10p. As I was driving out of the city though, for some reason the gps was not giving me proper directions. Even when I thought it was showing me the correct way to go, I ended up in another area trying to find my way out of there. I would circle around and then hear on my gps what we all hear from a gps when we have made wrong turns: "recalculating". I was hearing that a little too much on this night! I finally pulled off to the side, but because of traffic and some cars not moving I found my way still basically in the middle of the street, but because I didn't know where I was going I said to myself: "I'm not going anywhere until I know where I am going". Despite the constant honking of horns (for some reason the horns in NY seems so much louder...lol), the hand and verbal gestures and even police cars telling me to move on; I told myself that I wasn't moving until I knew I was going to be headed in the right direction. What's the use of going around in circles, burning up unnecessary gas, and getting more and more frustrated...when I don't have a clue where I'm going.
I was able to finally get my bearings and gps got on track and I found myself on the correct way home. God taught me an extremely valuable lesson through this. Most of us are going around in circles in life, frustrated on our jobs, fed up in our relationships, and are oftentimes very moody people because we are literally LOST and don't have a clue what we are doing or where we are going! Do you often always find fault with everyone else but yourself? Do you spend a lot of time critiquing other people's lives and how they are living them? Do you often get frustrated in your position in life and know that you are smarter than your current bank account? Be honest with yourself today and understand and realize that you may actually be lost...Lost in your purpose and direction in life and what you were actually created for.
I want to encourage you today, and let you know that its okay if you are lost, because if you feel that you are lost today, recognizing you are lost is a great step in finding out how you can get on the right track!!! What most of us have to understand though is that you can't get on track constantly hanging out with people who are lost and off track as well. Get in His word, Listen to His Spirit, and allow Him to show you what the next move is. Pull over, take some time, get refocused...and allow Jesus to get you in Purpose! God bless you as you get where you need to be in God!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Hearing from God
Today's blog post is going to be extremely short. Just recently I have gone back to church since being away since October because of my health. When I woke up this morning, in a very intimate way, God asked me a simple question: "Have we talked today?"
I was about to plan out my day, week, and then look at some other things, and God said to me (and I know you have heard him say the same thing to you): "Unless we have talked, all of your activities, plans, and appointments are not going to mean anything!"
Its interesting how many of us make plans and think about how we want to do things, but if you are in relationship with God, the most important thing that you could ever experience is to experience God speaking to you. Whether through his word, an impression, a Godly person, or you hear him audibly...Its a wonderful and amazing thing when God speaks to his children, because unless He says something to you....what are you really doing, where are you really going?!?!?
Have you heard from God today?
I was about to plan out my day, week, and then look at some other things, and God said to me (and I know you have heard him say the same thing to you): "Unless we have talked, all of your activities, plans, and appointments are not going to mean anything!"
Its interesting how many of us make plans and think about how we want to do things, but if you are in relationship with God, the most important thing that you could ever experience is to experience God speaking to you. Whether through his word, an impression, a Godly person, or you hear him audibly...Its a wonderful and amazing thing when God speaks to his children, because unless He says something to you....what are you really doing, where are you really going?!?!?
Have you heard from God today?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Do you need stronger faith?
I have realized that there are many people who struggle with exercising their faith. People who have been in church for years; holding leadership positions in ministry for years, and sing in groups and choirs about faith for years....BUT struggle with exercising faith. I'm still in study about it fully but I think part of the issue is that as much as we would like to believe we do, we don't know God like we think we do; and our ignorance of God keeps us from placing so much trust in Him. I do know though, that for everyone we all have different reasons as to what is keeping us from trusting God with our finances, with our relationships, with our lives...
Be honest today, whats really keeping you from trusting God?
So, I thought today about helping some people out based on what I have learned in my world. I want to give some tips on how to have more faith in God. These are not exhaustive AND trust me, I don't profess to be any type of guru with exercising my faith...LOL (God's still working on me!). However I do believe that my faith is definitely stronger based on things I have experienced that I can pass on to others.
So here it is...How to strengthen your faith:
1. Read God's word. How will you know what God has promised you if you don't know what he has said? There are MANY of us who expect things from God that he hasn't said, and don't expect things from God that he has said. So, find out for yourself what you can expect from God by reading what he has said. I have learned that on the days when you don't feel like reading, just stay in the habit of reading something. Get in the practice of hearing what God has said on a regular basis. I can't stress this point enough, it is key to strengthening your faith.
2. STAY AWAY from faithless people. I have learned that it helps when you are around people who speak faith. Many times, God will only give you a word, not your entire group of people that you hang out with, and when you speak what God has said it can sometimes be met with much misunderstanding or even jealousy from people who are both family and friends. However when you need to exercise your faith you don't have room for people who are not in agreement with what God has said. This is extremely crucial because I have learned for many of us, that people can talk us out of a promise!
3. Don't run from moments of pressure. This is extremely hard but it helps! Most medicine doesn't taste or feel good but...its ultimately good for you. For most of us, as soon as we see trouble coming we run! Anyone who works out regularly in the gym knows that in order to gain muscle and take away fat, you have to sweat. The workouts aren't fun and at times you want to give up, but when you start looking in the mirror and seeing improvements...when you try on clothes that you were about to give away because you couldn't fit them and realize that you can wear it again; you realize that pain has a purpose!!! Allow the times when you want to give up and run be used and times to push, to sweat, to exercise your faith!
God bless you today as you become stronger in Him!
Be honest today, whats really keeping you from trusting God?
So, I thought today about helping some people out based on what I have learned in my world. I want to give some tips on how to have more faith in God. These are not exhaustive AND trust me, I don't profess to be any type of guru with exercising my faith...LOL (God's still working on me!). However I do believe that my faith is definitely stronger based on things I have experienced that I can pass on to others.
So here it is...How to strengthen your faith:
1. Read God's word. How will you know what God has promised you if you don't know what he has said? There are MANY of us who expect things from God that he hasn't said, and don't expect things from God that he has said. So, find out for yourself what you can expect from God by reading what he has said. I have learned that on the days when you don't feel like reading, just stay in the habit of reading something. Get in the practice of hearing what God has said on a regular basis. I can't stress this point enough, it is key to strengthening your faith.
2. STAY AWAY from faithless people. I have learned that it helps when you are around people who speak faith. Many times, God will only give you a word, not your entire group of people that you hang out with, and when you speak what God has said it can sometimes be met with much misunderstanding or even jealousy from people who are both family and friends. However when you need to exercise your faith you don't have room for people who are not in agreement with what God has said. This is extremely crucial because I have learned for many of us, that people can talk us out of a promise!
3. Don't run from moments of pressure. This is extremely hard but it helps! Most medicine doesn't taste or feel good but...its ultimately good for you. For most of us, as soon as we see trouble coming we run! Anyone who works out regularly in the gym knows that in order to gain muscle and take away fat, you have to sweat. The workouts aren't fun and at times you want to give up, but when you start looking in the mirror and seeing improvements...when you try on clothes that you were about to give away because you couldn't fit them and realize that you can wear it again; you realize that pain has a purpose!!! Allow the times when you want to give up and run be used and times to push, to sweat, to exercise your faith!
God bless you today as you become stronger in Him!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Get Close!!!
I have at many times wondered to myself: "Do I often keep my distance from God because I am scared of what He wants to tell me about myself?" Am I afraid that He is going to tell me to stop hanging out with certain people, doing certain things I love that I don't think is a problem for me? Am I worried that I will have to do something that I really don't want to do? What is keep me or maybe you for that matter away from drawing close to God? If you are reading this, you could be honest in saying that you have at certain points and times in your life been in a place where you just felt SUPER close to God! You were reading your word, fellowshipping with other believers, sharing your faith...You just felt that you were really close to God!
However (somebody say however), there have also been times when you can admit that you have felt far from God! Maybe you feel far from Him now...You have felt in your life when your decision making was ALL WRONG! Your finances were a mess, your relationships were pointless, and your life was meaningless. When you compare the two, even though sin does have as the bible says, pleasure for a season, you would have to admit that its far better being closer to God!
I have found in my life that one of the reasons I tend to stay away from God is when there are things in my life that I am doing or thinking that do not line up with His word. I already know I should forgive that person, I know I should not be mean-spirited, I know that I should not be cussing ( I know its cursing, but those who do really cuss, know that its CUSS not CURSE..lol); but oftentimes I allow my comfortability of where I am to outshine where I should be in God. We will often let this ride to the point where its okay to be away from God. Yet when there is no known sin in your life, and you are abiding in His word...You literally are rushing to wake up because you can't wait to see what God is going to reveal to you next. He wants to take you from faith to another level of faith and from glory to another level of glory.
So what are you waiting for? You are scared because there is sin in your life?!?! So what! Let God worry about your issues...You focus on just getting close to Him. Besides...if you could fix yourself, wouldn't you have done it already? God bless you as you get close!!!
However (somebody say however), there have also been times when you can admit that you have felt far from God! Maybe you feel far from Him now...You have felt in your life when your decision making was ALL WRONG! Your finances were a mess, your relationships were pointless, and your life was meaningless. When you compare the two, even though sin does have as the bible says, pleasure for a season, you would have to admit that its far better being closer to God!
I have found in my life that one of the reasons I tend to stay away from God is when there are things in my life that I am doing or thinking that do not line up with His word. I already know I should forgive that person, I know I should not be mean-spirited, I know that I should not be cussing ( I know its cursing, but those who do really cuss, know that its CUSS not CURSE..lol); but oftentimes I allow my comfortability of where I am to outshine where I should be in God. We will often let this ride to the point where its okay to be away from God. Yet when there is no known sin in your life, and you are abiding in His word...You literally are rushing to wake up because you can't wait to see what God is going to reveal to you next. He wants to take you from faith to another level of faith and from glory to another level of glory.
So what are you waiting for? You are scared because there is sin in your life?!?! So what! Let God worry about your issues...You focus on just getting close to Him. Besides...if you could fix yourself, wouldn't you have done it already? God bless you as you get close!!!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Its Always Time
January is usually a month when most people make resolutions to do different things for the new year. Its a time when people who are in school, return after the holiday break and those who have traveled because of the break return to their normal routine. However many people use this month to make decisions that they hope will carry them through the rest of the year: spend more time with God, better eating and exercise, more time with family, and so on and so forth. Some suggest that the book of Genesis is the most widely read book of the bible because so many begin the year trying once again to read the bible through in a year and yet by February we usually sink back into our former routine of things, only waiting until the next January to do it all over again.
I was however thinking of the fact that there is no 'clock' in heaven. God is not constrained by time, yet he is so powerful and loving that he dips down in our 'am and pm' schedules just to bless us! I was thinking as we have just started a new year, what "January" really means to God? The reality is that it is ALWAYS time to do for God! I wonder often if I am sometimes reluctant to get close to God because I am scarred about what He will reveal about me? It seems that we, all too often, wait for the right moment, or the right circumstance or environment to do certain things. We won't start exercising until we have a workout partner. We will wait eat right as soon as this week is over. We won't share our faith with anyone if other people are looking and for some of us, we will stay in an unhealthy relationship until...( You are still in...GET OUT NOW!!!)
Yet because God is not boxed in by time, its always time to do for him. I have learned in my world that time is too short. We really don't have time to be stuck on stupid and parked on crazy! You could have died in 2011...still talking about what you would have done, or should have done or in most cases should have stopped doing. Stop waiting, stop wondering....just do it, because its always time!
I was however thinking of the fact that there is no 'clock' in heaven. God is not constrained by time, yet he is so powerful and loving that he dips down in our 'am and pm' schedules just to bless us! I was thinking as we have just started a new year, what "January" really means to God? The reality is that it is ALWAYS time to do for God! I wonder often if I am sometimes reluctant to get close to God because I am scarred about what He will reveal about me? It seems that we, all too often, wait for the right moment, or the right circumstance or environment to do certain things. We won't start exercising until we have a workout partner. We will wait eat right as soon as this week is over. We won't share our faith with anyone if other people are looking and for some of us, we will stay in an unhealthy relationship until...( You are still in...GET OUT NOW!!!)
Yet because God is not boxed in by time, its always time to do for him. I have learned in my world that time is too short. We really don't have time to be stuck on stupid and parked on crazy! You could have died in 2011...still talking about what you would have done, or should have done or in most cases should have stopped doing. Stop waiting, stop wondering....just do it, because its always time!
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