What did YOU get for Christmas?

It's no secret that Christmas time is the season known for purchasing, wrapping and temporarily concealing desirable gifts for those whom you love! You may have picked up on subtle clues all year long by listening to things your loved one wants or needs. Or maybe you blatantly sent out a message (or just asked verbally) the intended receiver what it was they wanted for Christmas. However the approach, after finding out their "list", you eagerly searched and shopped until you found the perfect gift.


And after purchasing it and taking it home, you figured out the best way to wrap it and with sneaky intentions, conceal it until the day it was to be unraveled. But the best part was (and is...if you're anything like me) watching in anticipation as your loved one opens their gift. For there's nothing quite like the look on their face and the expression they exude as  the wrapping paper reveals what they needed and/or wanted. The embrace they cover you with and the thanks they express as they celebrate the reception of their gift.




I must confess, of all the white elephant parties, office parties, family and friends gatherings I attend each year, this part makes me most giddy (second only to wrapping the gift- I am quite obsessed with gift wrapping)! A friend called me a day after Christmas and asked "what did you get for Christmas!?" I chuckled because I felt like a kid being asked that same question, yet I had no logical reply for her. My only reply was, "I didn't ask for anything. I didn't want anything. I only wanted to give gifts..."

"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." ~Matthew 7:11 NLT

A few days after this conversation was had, the Lord reminded me how much His desire to give "good gifts" to His children exceeds His desire to receive anything from us. God loves giving gifts to us. He goes to great lengths to hand-craft our gifts, takes great precision in making sure it's specially designed to our need, waits in anticipation for His perfect timing to reveal them to us (at just the right time) and beams at the reaction (glory) that comes when that perfect gift is revealed.

Does He want our worship? YES!
Does He want our lives? YES!
But what's more? He desires to GIVE...

...as evident in:

• His gift of Jesus to us
• His (free) gift of salvation (which is a result of accepting His Son)
• His gift of love (which is evident in giving of His Son)
• His gift of forgiveness and grace
• His gift of peace, joy and blessings in abudance!

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life..." 2 Peter 1:3a NLT

My family's dog sits behind this cage (which is really a 'rigged "cage" by way of a Baby Gate); but if you look closely all she has to do is push the cage and it will come falling down, freeing her when she whines to be set free (ooooh that'll preach). In short, everything she wants is at her disposal. For those of us who are Believers, we have much more (EVERYTHING, Peter says) given to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It's all, already at our disposal! Freely given.



So Tis the season for giving. Not just that God gave His Son...which is where we take our "giving of gifts from". But the fact that God would much rather give. His very nature IS giving. Let that sink in when you feel that He seems to be simply overseeing things and people being "taken" from your life. Marinate on His giving nature when you seem to be losing one thing after another. Celebrate His giving Spirit when all you can think about is what you DON'T HAVE YET or what you desire in 2015. I'm not preaching the prosperity theory nor promoting you to beg for all that you want and need. I'm simply saying reflect on God's nature...His giving nature--so that you don't slip into thinking He's NOT for you...when in fact He really is (and has always been). The true joy of this season (and namely every season of your life) comes from detailing what He already has done/given to you thus far!

Merry Christmas!! xoxo

Honoring my Pearls

Water colored Pearls are how God can use the tragic, the shameful and the less-than-perfect circumstances of life to create something beautiful.

I’m thankful for the pearls represented in this room, for you each have contributed to a beautiful me. “These older women must train the younger women…” I’m grateful for the seasoned pearls (the Sophias and Phoebes in my life) who live in a way that honors God. Sophia (wisdom) cries out in the streets and encourages me to gain deeper understanding. Mom, Grandma, Shakelle, Mrs. Val, Mrs. Eve and Mrs. Nola…you are my Sophias because you teach me what is good, how to love my future husband and children. I celebrate your wisdom!

Phoebe was a devout leader in the church. Lori, Adele, Nesha…you are my Phoebe because you are teachers of the faith by how you live. Like a trainer in the Olympics, Phoebe was known for standing by in case a believer was in need. Shanta, Lashawn, Monica, you live wisely and pure; you work in your homes and model submission to your husbands. “Then they will not bring shame on the word of God” and that’s what makes you Sophias and Phoebes in my life.

I’m grateful for the pearls who have been formed alongside me (the Priscillas and Elizabeths in my life).  You are the” iron that sharpens my iron”. Priscillas like Casondra, Kitty, Nikkea and Jarvis…you are women known for your wisdom, tact, courage and love. As Priscilla was a partner in ministry to Paul; so have you been to me. Crystal, Netta and Brandy, you are women who are respected for your age, wisdom and character as Priscilla was. Elizabeth means “God is generous”. Quitta, Candace you are representations of God’s generosity and represent respectable women. Tiffany, Kathryn, Shani and Winter…your great faith and trust in God will be rewarded for it has left me in humble amazement as it did for Mary when Elizabeth exemplified great faith.

Kim, “what you have heard in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful wo[men] who will also be able to teach others.” What rare friendships when one generation is bound to another by the cords of love. For this is the relationship Ruth had with Naomi. As for my Ruths; women who exhibit poise, Drew, Leah, Sly and Brina…your quiet fidelity will leave footprints on the lives of others. You are marked with love and loyalty as was Ruth. Much like Ruth, Sasha, Dawn, Kendra…your determination, humility, and serenity cause you to calmly submit to His Divine will.

“Having so fond an affection for you, [I] was well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also [my] own life, because you had become very dear to [me]”. Lydia wasn’t always a believer, yet when she heard the Word…she was hungry for an experience with God. Such seeking women, passionate in spirit and open to teaching, Linda, Mya, Cintel…you model the heart of Lydia. Diligent in business affairs yet balanced in worship to God, hospitable and set apart, Cyre, Lashon and Qua (Jackie)…I adore the Lydia spirit you possess.

Its’ commanded that we “love each other with genuine affection and I really do. Therefore tonight, I take delight in honoring you”.

James Fortune: Fall from grace or Full of grace?

What do I do with my favorite James Fortune mp3 songs now that I've read about his recent accusations?

http://theb3.net/2014/gospel-artist-radio-host-james-fortune-arrested-charged-assault/

I saw someone say they would never listen to his music again. I have to say for a fraction of a second I agreed with this sentiment. But the Holy Spirit immediately reminded me of two vital factors:

Grace: The world has trained us to use the rising fame of music artist (for example) as a crutch for extending grace. How so? When artists rise to a position of face and status (in the world's eyes...gospel arena included) we tend to figuratively pick them up, and delicately place them on a pedestal to shimmer and shine for us. They become this perfect point of reference when we are in need of solace. In a sense they become our idols. Therefore, we are often hindered from the freedom of walking in grace because judgement (the good kind) is more alive in us. As a result we fail to see that they (like we are) simply allowing the Holy Spirit to work through them when they speak and when they produce music that glorifies God.


We are given seemingly menial tasks such as loving our spouses, praying for our enemies, and taming our tongue. And we possibly feel we are doing just that. But we surely fall short and immediately extend grace to ourselves. Just as quick as we fall short, not a moment later does a justification for our actions coming gushing from our lips, "but she did this; I can't help it, its just how I am; it was the first thing that came out of my mouth." These short comings are of no more hurtful to God as when a gospel artist divorces his spouse or is caught up in domestic abuse.

Truth: When we clearly examine ourselves, we (saints) aren't different in God's eyes? The bible says in Galatians that our sin nature is full of every evil deed (5:19). Meaning the propensity for any sin (little or big in our frail, judgmental eyes) is possible because the desire for it lives (whether much alive or lying dormant) in us. Unchecked and uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit, at any time these desires can (and will) rear their ugly heads. Jeremiah talks about the deceitfulness and depravity of our hearts. It even says we are unaware of just how evil it is (17:9).

The ugly truth is that this same flesh can arise in Pastors and gospel artists alike. We are all responsible (equally) for submitting to the Spirit's leading, keeping accountability around us and being careful of not causing others to stumble. When someone does 'fall' into sin, it is our duty as brothers in the faith to restore them gently (Galatians 6:1), rather than judge them harshly. The warning that comes is not to disown them, but to beware because we are subject to the same temptation!

I'll still jam my James Fortune because I believe when he wrote his songs, he was truly expressing his love and gratitude for what the Lord has done in his life. And I equally feel grateful. But I know I'm not perfect, God is perfecting me and often using my failures (and the grace and forgiveness that accompanies it) to do so.

Top 3 Cliches Christians should NOT use

Often when I'm scrolling down my Twitter timeline, I'll see certain cliches that sort of get under my skin. It's not the cliches in and of themselves, it's moreso when I notice Believers retweeting those statements; namely because those cliches aren't biblical truth. No judgement, I'm subject to believe the same things. I believe God has opened my eyes over time to understand certain truths so there's grace for us all. So if you've believed any of these, I pray you search scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to transform your thinking, so we aren't duped by statement that offer false comfort.
Anyways, here are my top three:








3. Love yourself.
What's meant: People often think loving yourself is the key to allowing others to love you correctly. Its' used as if its the primary step before being able to love others; or the solution to not being so needy for others to love you.

What's true: In actuality, the bible says that we already love ourselves...too much, in fact. We are quite full of pride when it comes to ourselves (check out the number of selfies we take). And those who self-loathe are also full of self, in an unhealthy way. So when it boils down to it, we are lovers of self (2 Tim. 3:2) so it's already built in. Christ simply tells us to love others AS WE LOVE (care for) OURSELVES (Mark 12: 31) implying that the self part is already taken care of. This just leaves the focus of love to others.

I think people mean well, though because they're encouraging women to respect themselves enough to not allow anyone else to degrade or misuse you. However, that is still a task for our Maker. When we find out what He says about us, He washes us with His truth and it becomes our protection.

2. God helps those who help themselves.
What's meant: This can be heard when people are attempting to encourage others to quit waiting for God to cause something to happen. If we simply put our own plans into effect, God will eventually step in the process and bless it or give us what's needed to take it to the next level.

What's true: Let's start with the idea of salvation. At it's ground level, we are in dire need. Romans 5:6 is explicit by sayins "when we are utterly helpless...Christ came at just the right time and [helped us]". And to solidify that, a few verses later Paul adds, "while we were still [in need of help], Christ died for us...". This makes it clear that God was all about helping us when we were unable to help ourselves. This same principle is true when it comes to life in general. 2 Corinthians 12:9 "His strength is made perfect in our weakness..." is an assurance that God is willing to step in once we are willing to surrender our strength and admit our inability.

1. God won't put more on you than you can bear.
*Now I know you're not feeling me on this one. After all...THAT'S SCRIPTURE KIM!!! Right? Well if anything, its a popular Kirk Franklin song that just hits the spot at the right times in life. I know, I know...i'm guilty of jamming the song and allowing tears to flood my eyes. But when I thought about the character of God, I realized, that's not even like Him to hold back from us what we can bear. In my own life, I've felt at my wits end numerous times, and in those times I ran to Him for strength and He comforted me and lifted my head. He later showed me those times were intense for a purpose: my perfecting process!

What's meant: Like I once did, people often lean on this 'comforting' phrase when life gets too hard. They want so much to believe God won't press them too far.

What's true: The scripture we pull this from: 1 Corinthians 10:13 (in its natural context) is speaking ONLY about temptation. Read verses 6-14 for yourselves. God is saying that with His Spirit living within us, though temptations will rise, we have the strength to not indulge and He will even be faithful enough to show us a way out so we will not give in to it. He will keep it from becoming so strong that we that we can actually stand!

What we might want to say, instead is what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-12... "I feel troubled and oppressed in every way; I suffer so much embarrassments and i'm unable to find a way out; I feel pursued and persecuted...struck down to the ground even. But I am not crushed, nor driven to despair...I'm not deserted/alone nor am I ever destroyed! All of this i'm going through are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate his power and presence in and through me!" (paraphrased).

Why (on earth) would I pray for my enemies?

I'm sure you're thinking, "Oh I've got a prayer for my enemy alright..." I'll let you go ahead and finish that statement. But I heard a pastor say, one Sunday, "who is at the top of your prayer list? ...Is it you?"

It got me to thinking: Wow, I'm sure most of us would admit that we are at the top of our own prayer list; meanwhile another group of us might not admit it, but if we think back to the things we pray about the most--well we are the benefactor of those things.

So then that thought led me to ponder 'what would it be like if our enemy was at the top of our prayer list'. Immediately I whispered to myself, I'm sure our enemies are somehow already at the top of the list because we are probably praying they get "got" by God or some type of retaliation for what they've 'done to us'. Sadly, this isn't what God was referring to when He challenged us to...

"...I say love your enemies, pray for them that persecute you..." Matthew 5:44

How in the world do I pray for someone who is not only being unloving towards me, but who is plotting against and setting up for my demise? Keep in mind, some enemies are simply people who aren't blatantly accusing or attacking us but may silently drawing us to do evil, or even is unknowingly doing things that directly affect us in a negative manner.

So we pray for them by asking God and His angels to come against their plans...

"Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone." ~Ps. 31:4

After all the battle isn't against them, its a mirage to distract us from the real enemy- Satan who is after our lives.

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies (human opponents), but against evil rulers" ~Eph. 6:12

So this frees us up to pray that our 'enemies' would be silenced. We can pray that they be shown the love of God through us. We might pray that God would restore the fellowship or broken/bruised relationship for His glory. We can even pray that our enemy would come to know Him as their Savior.

What's the point though? If I don't feel like doing this to begin with, why do it? To activate the nature Christ has placed in us that causes us to be/act just like Him. To achieve the highest level of holiness and perfection (maturity).

Spotting our fears!

F-E-A-R! The four letter word that we are trained to fight, to resist, to never indulge in.


Fear. The ultimate enemy of anything we pursue in life.

Am I right?

It's the butterflies in our stomach before a huge performance. It's the short-lived hesitation we experience before boarding a roller coaster ride. It's the apprehension we sense right before baring our soul before someone who just might reject us.

I was comforted this week when I read Judges 6-7 about the story of Gideon. Being such a frail man, God chose to use him to deliver His people from the Midianites. Knowing Gideon to be afraid, God still gave him the directive and even made provisions for him in his weakness.

"That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! ¹⁰ But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah."

~Judges 7:10

 

 

I was encouraged because sometimes I'm prone to believe that the Lord needs to completely remove my fear or weakness before He begins to work in a certain area of my life. Before He can provide a need for me, or satisfy a desire or even fulfill His divine purpose in my life that I have to wait for Him to fix me. This one scripture would not let me continue to read because I was so lifted to be reminded that ...

 

 

"...for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. ...for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." ~2 Corinthians 12:9-10

 

 

 

So when God told Gideon "Go with the strength that you have..." (Judges 6:14), I can be assured that God has given me the green light in pursuing dreams and operating in my gifts and talents. That even when my fear tends to flare up, He is there assuring me that it is in that very moment He is present and willing to flex His strong arm. I'm led to believe He delights when I'm afraid, when I'm unsure, when I'm hesitant...because its' then that He can rise up and show off His great strength. It is THEN that He knows He will get the most glory from the outcome!

 

 

[pictures from (gymper.com) and (thefrontierpost.com)]

Our Lives...His Masterpiece!

"For [you] are God's [own] Masterpiece [handiwork, workmanship], created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God planned beforehand for us that we should walk in them." ~Eph. 2:10

Have you ever been to a painting class? I have a bit of a confession, I'm guilty of having gone about 10 times. All of my "masterpieces" sit in a box in my house, and my latest two are ones I'm most proud of, but I digress.

Any-who, at these painting classes, I love how the original version of the painting sits high up an easel on a stage for the entire class to marvel at. Then the master painter takes her post to step-by-step direct us in making our blank canvas slowly look like the original.

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image."

~2 Cor. 3:18

How fantastic that God has an original design that He desires to transform us into. But don't be misled, this transformation does NOT happen immediately. Some people are disillusioned and believe that after they 'walk down the aisle' on Sunday during the alter call or as soon as they say amen following the sinner's prayer something spectacular is supposed to come over them that causes them to stop every evil deed they've ever done.

Not true. Does something supernatural occur? Yes! Your nature changes (your blank canvas now contains the foundational colors needed); the Holy Spirit comes to live in you (to acknowledge you as His own) and seals you (as a deposit) to guarantee us everything He promises. [2 Cor. 1:22]

From this point on, we must enlist His supernatural strength and help to turn away from sin. Every temptation we face, every inner struggle we have, every area that falls short of God's standard needs a supernatural stroke of His brush. We must allow Him to dip His brush in His cleansing waters, select colors of His choice and creatively manipulate our canvases.

I think back to areas I used to struggle with and how I fasted and wept and prayed God deliver me from. Yet every time I failed in that area and confessed my sin, I couldn't understand why He wasn't removing that struggle from me. But now I can be faced with that temptation and it not tempting to me anymore. I have no desire to yield to it. He reminds me that He was patiently delivering me through that in His time. That's how He paints our canvas.

Know this, each victory over our sins that we encounter is an example of how strong HE is and we should be so grateful that He is working His righteousness out in us.

Your Creator designed you and He is the master painter; let Him take His post to step-by-step transform your blank canvas and slowly cause you to look like Him...the original design.

I may not look exactly like my Creator right now, but I do not look like I did when I first trusted Him as my Savior. However, I keep the finished result in my view, so I know that as He continues to paint my canvas, I'm certain of what I'm pressing for. Being a reflection of the character of God.

Grown-Up Temper Tantrums

Ok, so this summer I got my final tattoo. Yes I have more than one and yes, they're all hidden (for the most part). But real T, my tattoos are all symbols of deep convictions I've experienced in my walk with the Lord. This latest is my smallest one and hands-down my favorite. Why? Well let me tell you.

Have you ever seen a kid throw a temper tantrum in the store and wonder "Ooooh lemme see how this parent is gonna handle THAT!" I'm guilty of lingering just to see if that kid is gonna get a whooping from their parent. I know my mom would have yanked my chain RIGHT.THERE.IN.THE.STORE!!!

Well as an adult I've thrown some "Grown-up temper tantrums". What do I mean? I'm the kind of person who likes to plan things and then witness those things go just as I planned them. So when those things do NOT go as planned, I throw an adult version of a temper tantrum.

Am I saying that's okay? By no means. I recognize my flaws and how childish this error is and I'm thankful God has revealed it to me, because I can actively ask Him to mature me in that area and eagerly anticipate the act of renewing that will come as a result! But recently a friend called to my attention my anxiety that I was experiencing when I began to notice that a certain event I'm planning wasn't unfolding as planned.

Her words were, "Kim, don't allow yourself to get frazzled. Things will work out as they should and those who need to be there, will be there. Do your part in excellence and leave the results to God." I can't say this is my first time hearing this type of advice.
I once asked my mom, "Aren't you afraid that your kids would grow up and turn against God?"
Her confident response was, "No, because I did my part, obediently, in raising you all and now I leave the results to God."

I remember being appalled (at first) by her confident response, but then later understanding that it wasn't self-confidence she spoke in, but it was hopeful trust in God.

"But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15

Lately the Lord has been showing me that the same confidence and hope that I utilized when I put my trust in Him to save me from my sins (some 27 years ago) is the same confidence, hope and trust I must utilize daily. This hope and trust I placed in Him to save me from the wages of my sin and eternal separation from Him is able to keep me grounded when I'm facing the struggle of yielding to the desires I have; it's able to assure me when I'm unsure of what decisions to make, and it gives me wisdom when I'm battling whether to ditch situations that He prefers I face.

When you placed your trust in Christ to be the anchor for your soul, you blindly relied on Him to secure your position with God when your life on earth ends. What a colossal leap of faith. That same measure of faith can be applied daily to the menial moment to moment, day to day things that we should be relying on Him for.

"[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil" ~Heb. 6:19

Needless to say, I'm anticipating that my boat (of emotions) will be rocked less and less and as I grow in this area, I will be moored (anchored) to the sea bottom. I trust the Holy Spirit will remind me of the hope I placed in Christ to be my unbreakable spiritual lifeline and dropping this anchor into my daily situations should keep me at a level of unusual rest even while things around me look awry.

Be careful what you pray for

When someone tells you "be careful" they can mean one of two things:

"Girl, be careful fooling with that chick."
Interpretation- Don't fool with ( be friends with) her.

"Hey I'm about to get on the road!"..."ok, be careful!"
Interpretation- be watchful and proceed with care

I don't know about you but often times I get caught up praying Gods Word because I want so much to please Him. Isaiah 55:11 tells me that his Word doesn't return to Him void but it will accomplish what it sets out to do. So I'll pray for specifics in my life but I also pray things like, "Your will be done", "show me my purpose" and " Be glorified in my life".

Little do I realize when I'm praying these phrases that I'm giving God permission to do what He wants (I.e: what He was ALREADY going to do) but with my full cooperation! Well that's all cute until...

...I start thinking about things on my own agenda, that I desire. Yes I even pout sometimes because I feel (I be in my feelings every now and then) like my own wants are being ignored.

Here's the irony...God is busy taking care of His agenda (like I prayed for Him to do) therefore it's possible that my selfish and/or self-focused motives might not be significant in the grand scheme of things.  What's amazing, however, is that He has makes it His purpose to take care of our needs and grant our desires (when delight ourselves in Him) in His own way and timing.

So I admonish you to "be careful" what you pray for. Not in a "BEWARE" tone! But what I mean is anticipate great things as you proceed in prayer; be confident when you pray His will. Your agenda may not get accomplished, but His will will be done and you can rest assure that He's carefully taking care of your needs and desires in the process!

The Hounds of Heaven

When I was in primary grade school, I remember living at this one house where my bus stop was literally 2 houses away from my own home. It didn't seem like that bad of a deal except EVERY.SINGLE.DAY there was this hairy, brown Chow (a breed of dog) that used to be there when I got off the bus. It was as if he knew what time the bus would arrive and would be waiting at the foot of the steps for my descent onto the pavement. What's more is that I was one of the three people who was assigned to get off at that stop and somehow the dog always decided to follow ME home. I literally dreaded getting on the bus at school because of fear of what was awaiting me when I got to my bus stop. It was as if he smelt the fear in me and taunted me every step home. If I ran, he ran...if I walked fast, he was on my heel; there was nothing I could do (or others kids could do) that would keep him from following ME home. I didn't really have a fear of dogs, but for some reason, I was very afraid of this one dog and his obsession with me.

Let me introduce you to the 'hounds of Heaven':

Grace: Receiving something we don't deserve.

Mercy: Not receiving what we deserve.

I find this same story to often be true in our lives: We are oddly fearful of grace and mercy. These 'hounds of Heaven' are assigned to chase us down and follow those of who walk with God as Believers. But yet we seem to fearfully question their pursuit.

I know you're probably thinking, "Tuh, I welcome grace and mercy in my life...I'm grateful for them!" But not always. When I say we are fearful, I'm not meaning fearful in the literal sense. If we were quite honest with ourselves, some of the ways grace and mercy present themselves- cause us to flee quite hurriedly. How so?

Let's say, for example you are going about your life trying to please God and yet there's an area of your life that you continually seem to fail in when it comes to yielding to Him. As a matter of fact, let's just take it a step further than that. Let's say you are unwilling to yield that particular area to Him. You know He's not pleased with it and you sense some form of conviction, but you just aren't ready to let Him be Lord of that habit quite yet.



So now, you are faced with a situation where you need to ask for something in particular, in prayer.
What do you do?
You either relent in asking Him for it, or you shy away from expecting Him to come through for you. Why?...
Because you figure, you don't deserve for Him to answer that prayer. So you just don't ask for it, altogether! Yea, THAT'S running from His grace.

But let's say He answers that need (that you decided not to ask for) or better yet, EXCEEDS your un-spoken request. Don't you feel a sense of undeserved gratitude?

What we fail to understand is "God IS good". PERIOD! Therefore, because it's in His nature to be good, He can't help but give good gifts to His children (Matt. 7:11; James 1:17).  Giving grace is a by-product of Who God is!

"For by GRACE (hound) you have been saved, through faith. This is not your own doing, so that you cannot boast..." (paraphrased)

Ephesians 2:8-9 is the foundation of our faith...it is the ultimate picture of GRACE waiting for us at the bus stop. When we aren't even looking for it (Romans 3:11), it's chasing us down.

Society has taught us that merit-based, reward/consequence system is just. The great thing is that although God operates within that system, He isn't confound to it! His nature supersedes that system as He desires to saturate us with things we don't deserve, at times we aren't expecting it and in ways we could never imagine. And at our lowest moment, when we are ready to sentence ourselves with the greatest of punishments, He chooses to hold back His wrath and spare His ability to consume us.

THAT is grace and mercy. Don't fear them...embrace them.

If you've messed up, before you spiritually hang yourself (by backing up from church, stepping out of ministry, walking away from relationships) loosen your grip on that rope. God desires to release His hounds on your life.
Are you feeling less than deserving of blessings and good gifts? Take yourself out of the equation and your focus off of yourself...God has His hounds chasing you down; it's only a matter of time before they overtake you! Prepare yourself for them. Their purpose is to compel you towards giving Him thanks and causing your life to bring Him glory.

Hurt people, Hurt people

Often times in life, we may come across a situation where an old friend decides to 'burn the bridge' of a friendship unexpectedly (and maybe even without a complete understanding of why). This can cause a lot of hurt and emotional imbalance. Depending on how deep or long the friendship, it can lead to nights filled with tears and even borderline depression.

The phrase "hurt people, hurt people" comes to mind. Its the thought that when people are hurt by others, they tend to inflict that same type of hurt on those who cross their path. This, whether knowingly or unknowingly tends to happen and thus begins a domino affect of damaged emotions and battered relationships.

As I reflected upon this and how it's hit so close to home for me, I happened upon an interesting thought: 'Hurt people don't have to hurt people.'

We use that phrase to excuse (if you will) or justify the actions of people, but for believers, honestly we are not justified by that phrase. As a matter of fact, we are held to an entirely different standard.

We are expected to bring our wounds, hurts and pain to the Lord. In exchange, He promises His healing and frees us from having to hurt other people. His ointment soothes the injury that results from our wounds which compels us to act in a way that pleases Him.

Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds"

 

 

No longer should reacting to situations become our mantra, but acting in the power and under the influence of the Holy Spirit becomes our way of life.

 

If you're the one who has burned the bridge, pray the Lord heals your broken heart and rectify relationships you may have destroyed. If you're the one reaping the destruction of the burned bridge, pray for that person who was hurt...that the Lord would heal them. But understand while men are predisposed to rejecting others, it's Gods nature to accept us. Find healing and freedom in that truth!

Bio-illogical Clock

A year ago, I had fibroid removal surgery (just non-cancerous growths on my internal lady parts). It was quite the experience, emotional, physically and spiritually.

Emotionally: My biological clock was booming in my ears! It didn't help that my sexy, African American OBGYN was questioning why a pretty gal like me wasn't married yet. His line of questioning had me wondering if HE was available for the baby making process! Ya know!? LOL (low-key kidding) But seriously, I wasn't getting any younger and even when I went to get a 2nd opinion, my much older, very foreign-accented doctor found a way to clearly articulate that I needed to hurry and pick a man to have a baby with.

Physically: I'll spare you the grimy details, but in short, there was a lot of pain, a huge belly and one very specific woman in a New Testament story that I could have identified with a bit. From that, it was imperative that if I wanted to conceive anytime soon, those watermelon sized fibroid needed to be removed for the safety of that process.

Here's the catch! My doctors conveyed to me that the fibroids could return in as little as 2 years and that I needed to plan to get pregnant within that window ..."or else".

Spiritually: Bear with me as I connect the two.

Plan A: My own bio-LOGICAL plan- Get married (whenever God sends a suitor), conceive and viola...my life is set!

Plan B: Take my Doctor's advice- rush my plan along by considering a rush order on plan A.

Outlandish Plan C: Considering that in 1990 I gave my life to the Lord, fuel my growing desire to trust Him with the details and plans of my life.

Which door do I choose? Plan A, B or ...and I do mean OR... wait on the Lord. But do I really have time to wait? I mean according to plan B's advice?

Genesis 16 is an account of a man and woman who did just that. Chose their own plan over God's and although God saw fit to make provision within that, there were some repercussions from their decision. It was very obvious what was expected of me...to wait and trust God's plan for my life.


Did I get the surgery? Yes!
But if God doesn't allow me to conceive within 2 years, that's His business...not my queue to jump in the driver's seat and take the wheel. Because ponder this: I can decide to get married, attempt to conceive, and He STILL (Sovereignly) decide that fibroids or no fibroids...He doesn't will that I have children that way.

Ultimately its His temple that I manage and He desires we yield to His plan...for it is far better than ones we could ever dream up or chase after!

Be encouraged friend, "wait, I say, on the Lord..."

My Mind's playing tricks on me

Some of yal may be too young to remember that song by the Geto Boys back in the 90's. "My Mind's playing tricks on me" talked about the paranoia, hallucinations and delusions that can exist in our mental state. Am I the only one whose mind takes me back to the mistakes I've made:

• The great guys I've dated but nit-picked at and thus let go of.
• The foolish activities I chose to behave in when I knew they were no good for me to begin with.
• The secret sins I indulged in to temporarily satisfy my hidden cravings.

The mental chastisement is often too much to bear. The emotional side of me encourages me to run home and bury my head in my pillow and cry. If left to these thoughts too long, thoughts of depression are only a block away.

The only thing that pulls my mind away from this trap, is the Holy Spirit's reminding me of God's character: His faithfulness, love, patience with me, forgiving nature. All of these things come rushing in and all of a sudden I'm not so blue.

I went to the beach the other day and although the beach is a beautiful place to be because of the blue water and the crashing waves, there's an unavoidable evil you MUST face before you hit the water. Its the burning, sticky sand. Those little irritants get into everything you bring...your clothes, your shoes, your electronics, your food (if you're not careful) and your drinks! It's inevitable. It's so frustrating that as sure as I get all the sand washed off of me from the ocean and make it back to my blanket, I've managed to get full of sand all over again. Then my blanket gets infected as well as pretty much everything I touch.

Have you ever dealt with tormenting thoughts of your past? It's inevitable and an unavoidable thing that the enemy (via your mind) wants to control you by sticking those burning thoughts of your past, your mishaps, faults and mistakes to your conscious. Like irritants they can infiltrate your emotions and take you down paths that lead to depression.

Joseph (Genesis chapters 37-46) had a lot of things he could have regretted: telling his brothers about his dreams, getting passed over when the cupbearer and baker's dreams were interpreted, and maybe even saying 'no' to Potiphar's wife may have seemed like a bad idea in a weak moment. But in chapter 45 verse 5 he tells his brothers 'don't think this was a bad thing on your part...God did this!'.

"I form light and create darkness,
    I make harmonies and create discords.
    I, God, do all these things." Isaiah 45:7

Not that He orchestrates sin, but he permits the punishment of its actions and is Sovereign enough to use it for His benefit.

Yessss! That's it...there's your blue water and crashing waves! God allows calamity and darkness and bad times! He has so much purpose that lies beyond the sand grains of our lives. He wants the waves of his love, mercy, grace and joy to crash upon our lives and wash away the stains of our past so we are ignited into new, refreshing seasons.

Life can be found in Death...

Typically when we think of death, we think of a morbid situation. Losing someone we love, or a tragic lost of life. The ending of something, the burial of someone, the weeping and sorrow associated with such events come to mind.

While browsing in Hobby Lobby, a lady summoned my opinion on a bouquet she was putting together for a burial site. It got me to thinking about how my own family frequents the site of our lost loved ones. We demonstrate our respect for their passing by adding flowers to their tombstones and discussing beautiful memories. Strangely enough, we somehow find joy in what was once a sad occasion.

I played basketball (quite well I might add) from 6th grade all the way through my first year of college. Some of those years were more intense than others. During high school, of course, I hit my peak for the love of the sport and vowed to pursue a future in over seas League Ball post-college. More immediately, I sought after schools who were willing to offer me money to play during my college years. Seeing that my most desired school (Baylor) had NOTHING to offer me, yet wanted my high school rival on full-scholarship, my dream began to dwindle. And though I was a proud member of the championship Intramural women's team my freshman year in college, I soon had to face the death of my dream.

I mourned for about a month, but not a minute longer, because from that death, was birthed what would become a mighty ministry on the Baylor Campus. Not long after giving up the dream to play ball, the Lord ushered into my life two women who would set the foundation for and be the catalyst behind my facilitation of women small groups on campus that would later launch a movement of men and women who desired to learn how to practically walk with the Lord.


I'm reminded of the phrase "...If a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest." It seems that the most productive life can be found in death.

What has died in your life? What have you wept over? What have you lost and/or given up? Remain encouraged as you look for the life that God desires to create out of your situation. Know this (as well), dying to ourselves (our own desires) produces life in us as well. It allows Christ to live IN us. So don't mourn too long over the things that are dying, the closed doors, your sacrifices; for life is right around the corner! So rejoice in what's to come!