Give!

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

Now more than ever, the mantra of the day has been to go and 'get yours!'  It's an 'Empire' type of society where life is all about making dreams come true.  And dreams are real, they are precious and are worth struggling for! 

Yet, when one is making the hustle happen, how often does it feel just thisshort of fulfillment?  Maybe because you think it's all about you.  There are some realities that everyone must grapple with as they begin pursuit of their dreams.  The biggest one is that goals for material and wealth possessions are fleeting.  It's true; all it takes is one bad investment mistake, natural disaster and greed on the part of another, that can send one plummeting back down to the financial status they formally possessed leaving them financially destitute!

We've seen it happen before!  

God has a financial plan that surpasses any that man can think of, that is really quite simple: give!

Give!  Straight out of the mouth of Jesus, the text of Luke 6:38, is surrounded by Jesus' words to us about how we treat others!  What we do, judging, forgiving, and giving has a direct impact on what happens to us!  Believe it!

What we get is related to what we give because we do not live in this world unto ourselves, and our very existence is not grounded in our selfish desires to just get and acquire.  

When you are the Creator, you are the master of your created work!  That means you can produce what can help others, because  it's all yours anyway.  We were made to be a blessing to others, not to just reap blessings of our own. That would be God's viewpoint, but God has made life for us so that as we struggle to give to others outwardly, there is a continued divine flow that comes back, often that surpasses what you originally put out. It's all determined by the measure you use!  Little outflow, little inflow.  Generous outflow-generous inflow!  

That's God financial plan and how well we do, is determined by our heart and attitude in giving!

It's a decision everyone has to make; there is no guarantee that the wealth you receive will be monetary, but the rewards are always great!  Ever wonder how some giving people are able to maintain their health? How those same people have great families and children who are doing the right thing? How those giving people are successful in their business and keep moving up in their careers-which in turn produces the wealth and success you are looking for?  Start giving!

Give to your church, charitable organizations, give your time and volunteer!  Give of your talent get on the board of directors of a worthwhile organization!  Give, with the right attitude, to be a blessing to someone else and watch the wealth increase and flow in your direction. If only more of us had an attitude of 'Let's get ours" instead of a me, myself, and I mentality, how much more wealthy the world would be!

The New Thing!

"The Lord says, 'Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past.  Look at the new thing I am going to do.  It is already happening.  Don't you see see it?'"  Is. 43:18-19 CEV

It may be a cliche for some to think about how one might do things differently in the new year.  Some may be jaded regarding making New Year's resolutions, because of failed attempts to keep their resolve in the past.

Suffice it to say, I'm sure that there is not one person who would say that nothing in their life needs to change or be improved.  It is not a secret, that failures and wrong turns in the past often contribute to the desire to make changes, and it is those same failures and wrong turns that can make one reticent about making change for fear of repeating past mistakes.  I can recall times where I dived head first into trying to change things to make up for past mistakes and didn't think about the changes that really needed to be made to ensure a measure of success.  And then there were other times when I resolved to do things differently, at least in mind, but was so discouraged by past failures, that the thought of making resolutions-'out loud' through my actions was absolutely terrifying!

Through the prophet Isaiah, we get God's view on the situation of moving forward. God instructs the people to forget what happened before; to forget the past and not even think about it.  In Isaiah's time and in the context of what was written, the Israelites had once again become oppressed.  And in these two verses, God commanded them not the hold on to thoughts of what happened in the past, because He had a plan for something new!  Though God had delivered them time and time again, He promised that He would do a new thing!  The past miracles were nothing compared to what God would do for His people in the present and future.

Here's very real talk: God knows how much of a screw-up you really are!  Whether you admit your flaws or not; He knows who we really are!  And yet, in His wonderful grace, despite our shortcomings, God gives us an opportunity to forget what has happened in the past; forget the mistakes, forget the wrong moves-the wrong turns, and the missteps!  We do not have to allow our yesterdays hold hostage the potential for today and tomorrow!

God's got a new thing going on!

Blessings!

A Work in Progress

"God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again." Phil. 1:6 NCV

Okay, I will admit it, I have struggled  with self esteem and self doubt on more than one occasion in my life.  I still wonder sometimes if I am all that God had in mind for me.  There, I said it, and it's not the easiest thing to say!

In our society, admitting to personal struggles, character flaws, and other vulnerabilities only serve to encourage a perception of weakness.  Yet, when those people who make us feel less than relevant for having these vulnerabilities, or weaknesses, are caught with 'their hand in the cookie jar' for the commission of some sort of  socially unacceptable infraction or crime; all of a sudden, it's convenient to point to their own human frailties.

It is the norm and the usual practice for people to post their triumphs and successes on social media.  I have friends who are 'superheroes' on their jobs and in their communities.  And I so appreciate  hearing about their victories, which sends out a positive energy.  However,  for someone like me, who often feels not so heroic, how encouraging and inspirational to hear from these successful people about the personal struggle that led to the public victory.  How encouraging would it be to hear the backstory, when that superhero wanted to quit, but found the inner strength to continue on.  To share the secret with everyone that there is a potential superhero waiting to be born in each and every one of us!  That's an FB post I'd love to read!

From God's perspective, we all were meant for something greater than the world may tell us, even more than we may believe is possible for ourselves.  It all starts with the firm belief that God created something good when He created you.  It's in the Word!  And Paul lets us know that the work is a continuous action!  The work has a date of completion, when Jesus Christ returns!  Now, if one doesn't believe in Jesus, then this wonderful promise becomes null and void.  One will be stuck believing that he/she will not get any better than what their present condition is.  But for believers in the faith, we've already seen the progress, right?  We know we may not be all that we ought to be, but we give God the praise that we aren't what we used to be.  We know we continue to be under construction with the God given ability to accomplish super things and attain a level of superhero status all while continuing to be a work in progress!

The Reward in the Waiting

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew thy strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
 Is. 40:31

Patience has become a lost art for many people, including myself depending on what I'm being called to be patient with.  Whether with people or situations, I am not always successful in depicting this virtue and taking the time to wait.

I call it being spoiled in my inability to exhibit patience.  We do have an instant society, for sure; but it is in the bountiful blessings-at least for me, that lies in the foundations of my resistance to waiting.  I admittedly have taken my God for granted far too many times, just believing I'm going to get my wants and needs exactly when I want and need it.  Then, I sometimes take it to another level and begin to become frustrated at the pace or lack thereof of the things or people I'm looking for.  I don't know about you, but sometimes, these frustrations take on a dramatic form of an unpleasant nature that really is down right ugly! 

There are other reasons though, that make waiting so tenuous for people.  Many of us do not like the tension; the un-comfortability it creates in us, particularly when we don't know what the end result will be.  We sometimes believe that certain things we shouldn't have to wait for, and for somethings like basic civil rights that is true.  And yet, we who are African Americans and other peoples of color are marginalized and treated differently here in the 21st century!  As an African American woman, I could ask 'How much longer do I have to wait?'

However, even in such important human rights matters, there is a reward in the waiting!  I have recently been in a season of waiting in several areas of my life and I cannot pretend that it was anything less than torturous!  Yet, when I stopped fighting the waiting, when I let go of control of the process that I hadn't even realized I was in the midst of, then I received many rewards--even without an apparent outcome in the midst of waiting.  

When I stopped fighting the waiting, I discovered some things about myself.  Beside being more controlling than I actually thought I was, I received the reward of surrender.  I had no alternative but to surrender my all: concerns, cares, anxieties and hopes to the Lord.  When I did, I was scared, but I got permission; I got room to rest in God's presence and care.  It is difficult for someone like myself, as a believer and as a minister to admit that I wasn't wholly surrendered to God, because I still held on to parts of my life that I felt that only I could handle properly.  This was ignorant, but admit it or not, we all have those tendencies.
Another reward in the waiting was the sweetness of depending on God.  Many of us are leaders in some way shape or form, but who doesn't like it when you have an assurance that someone greater than ourselves; who actually loves us will take the lead in your concerns and we can be confident that everything will be okay-no matter what the outcome?

So today, as I am still in that same period of waiting I mentioned earlier, am I any less impatient?  Sometimes; I find I that I do make more attempts to invoke patience in myself instead of allowing frustrations to grow.  But, I am now conscious to what God has for me in the space between expectation and outcome.  God is rich in rewards in the waiting!

A New Way to Plan for the New Year

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2nd Chronicles 7:14 NIV

As another year in the life came to a close for me, I like maybe countless others found myself reflecting on what was in the year 2014.  And like years past, it was a year like no other; it contained its share of good times, bad times, surprises, and losses.  Yes, these sort of events can be expected every year God allows us to continue to take breath, but it's the particulars of these events that make our lives interesting.

It was an exciting year for me as I've not known before!  It wasn't all just exciting in having a multitude of blessings come my way, though they did.  It was exciting in the not so great times as well.  I made wonderful discoveries that made me smile, but I also made shocking discoveries about myself that I wouldn't necessarily brag about in a public forum.  Yet, still exciting were these discoveries because I was blessed to experience first hand God's presence and movement in those not so joyous occasions.  Don't get me wrong, God has answered many a prayer in my life, but during a crisis of faith, God showed up and answered IMMEDIATELY!  It was what I needed at that time.

As I looked onto the sunrise of 2015, I was reminded to give reverence to whom reverence is due, to truly give in to renewal by understanding that I could not start anew without seeking the face of the One who would ensure that I would actually see 2015.

We are often cavalier about our hopes, plans, and dreams for each in-coming new year, but consider this, is it wise to shut out our Creator, when we have no real guarantee that we'll see it?  Who are we to enter in even another day without humbling ourselves and pray to the Author and Finisher of our faith for guidance on those very hopes, dreams, and desires? I can attest that God has shown me in my life that I need to be in open communication with Him every step of the way.  After all, God knows the future, He knows my future-why would I not humbly come before Him?  

Part of coming to God, is to come before Him in a humble manner; recognizing that on our own we are thoroughly unworthy.  Our first desire should be to repent, to seek God for forgiveness.  If we confess our sins to God, He can ALWAYS be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.  It's in the Word!  We ought not take this powerful promise lightly; if your life is feeling stagnant you may be in need of divine forgiveness!  

God promised that when we come correctly to Him in humility and repentance, God will be listening,  and we get forgiveness and healing!

It is an incredible feeling to know that God is listening; it's more than a hope, it's a guarantee!  It is an opportunity to have an intimate moment for renewal, restoration, and healing!  I don't know about you, but what better way to start the new year with each new day, than to humble ourselves, and seek the face of the God who holds our future!

Blessings!

Staying Connected

"Stay joined to Me and I will stay joined to you..." John 15:4 (CEV)

What lengths do we go to find or make connections?  It is common practice for many to reside on social media sites all day to watch for the activity of their friends, comment on that activity, and make what seems up to the minute reports of their own activity.

It is quietly understood that one may have a thousand plus 'friends' on their site, but actually know one-third of that number, and there is an even smaller percentage of that number that one actually speaks to or sees on a regular basis.  We [yes, even you!] take pride in having all of these 'friends'; it's an esteem builder to have 'followers', people responding to your every move!  Technology has done wonders for finding people we have lost touch with, and the ability to share information in a more expeditious manner.

Technology has also done wonders in a not so positive way as well.  It has come to dissuade people from talking face to face, has reduced our feelings down to emoticons and the description of those feelings to abbreviated words that fit in a space of 140 characters or less.

I find it sad that so many of us have lost the art of simple conversation and believe texting is a sufficient means of communicating one's deepest thoughts and feelings.

Can you imagine your significant other robbing you of the the sweetest opportunity of telling you he/she loves you for the first time, by saying it via text or tweet?

Can you imagine trying to get into heaven, and receiving a text from God saying, 'u suck- u need 2 repent b 4 u can b here!"  Jesus said that He was the true vine and that we are the branches.  If we stay joined to Him, our lives will produce much fruit. Without Jesus, we produce nothing of value and definitely nothing that lasts!  Relationship is key to staying connected! It's about spending time, talking, listening, getting to know Jesus!  How we relate to Jesus, our primary relationship, should be the model on how we relate to and treat others in our relationships.  And last I heard, no one has yet to be able to text Jesus!

This is the world we abide in; a world with ways, some of our own choosing, others not.  But we can control how we stay connected to each other.  So, perhaps to the majority of your 'friends' you can say 'what's up' or 'poke' on FB.  And there may be yet another hierarcical layer that will get bestowed the pleasure of a letter via email, and if you're considered to be all that, you'll get the text from their personal cell phone.

 But my hope is, that you and I will be considered 'so special,' by people we consider 'so special,' and our connections so meaningful, that we would receive telephone calls, lunch dates, dinner dates and any sort of face-to-face interaction to show one another how much we mean to one another!  It's about staying connected!

ALL OF MY HELP....

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 ESV

Help:  to give or provide what is necessary to accomplish a task or satisfy a need; contribute strength or means to; render assistance to; cooperate effectively with; aid; assist; to save; rescue; to make easier or less difficult; contribute to; facilitate; to be useful or profitable to.

Absolutely all of these phrases describe the God I serve.  God is omniscient, omnipotent, He is the Beginning and will be the End!  But, God also is love! [1 Jn. 4:8]  And because He is love, I know when no one else can love me-not even myself-God loves me!

I think it is an accurate statement that we will one day find ourselves in a situation or circumstance where we feel totally helpless.  A day when even the wonderful people God has sent into our lives, can only do so much to help us.  A day when there are no words that can make it better, no tender touch, no amount of money that can fix a pain or a hurt so deep.

It is in that hour and in that space, in the midst of our mess that we literally look up to where our one and only hope and help comes from!  It is only to our Creator that we can look to because He is the sole designer of not only our existence, but the whole world!  

When nothing else can help, I know all of my help, come from the Lord!

Let God Be God!

"And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today.  For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.'  The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." Ex. 14:13-14 (ESV)

We sometimes say that life is a struggle, or that we have to fight for what we want in this life.  And you know what, I will be the first to say that I struggled and fought to accomplish my goals!  But after a while, I discovered that I was tired!  

I believe that if we are not in touch with our Father, we lose sight of what we should be fighting and struggling for.  In fact, I would bet that we have fought for things that were not in God's will for us!

We find in God's word, God doesn't have a problem fighting and standing up for us against those that will oppose us and even for those things that are in His will for us.  Maybe it's time to let God be God and don't fear!  All we need do is what He instructs us to do in His word and see the salvation of the LORD!

The Journey

We are supposed to keep our eyes on road and stay alert while on the highway, but do you ever find yourself daydreaming just a bit? I'll admit that while driving I look at the road ahead of me and consider the 'journey.' 


What journey? My personal journey. Remember the song from the movie Mahogany? "Do you know where you going to, do you like the things that life is showing you? Do you know?" These are the sort of questions I ask myself about my life. 


 My life's journey has been exciting; its had some twists and unexpected turns. The bible says that "Man's steps are ordered by the Lord." I love that God has a grand design for our lives, I don't love that with God's gracious gift of free will, I step out of His will for my life and end up sinning. We need to give God the glory for watching over us and preparing a Plan B for us when we veer off of His original plan along this journey called life. I think the key at this present time is to look at that stretch of road ahead and ask God, "Which way Lord?" and let Him direct our path!


Blessings!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Bordentown,United States

Assessing Your Reality

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!"  John 8:32


Here's my reality: I am not in a job I love, I can stand to lose a few more pounds, I have a hard time planning for fun things or otherwise because on any given day I'm not sure how my body is going to feel and there are other things; good and bad that are a part of my reality.


What about you?  When was the last time you took an assessment of your present reality?  Now perhaps you feel that you are more than aware of what's going on in your world, but are you really?


Think about all the things in our lives and about ourselves that might need adjusting or to be totally changed that we turn a blind eye to?  


I know that if given the chance, I would do some things differently.  But the reality is, the past is past!  What we once were or did; how we may have once lived may not be how things are now because life's circumstances are always changing! 


So, stop deluding yourself!  Things are the way they are!  Assess your reality-truthfully and reposition your life to what you want it to be!  We all have the potential to be better than we ever were before!


But you cannot operate in fantasy!  Stop pretending to be something that you're not or that you and your situation haven't changed!  Not all change is bad.  And even if the present change is not positive, assess what you can do to fix it!


Blessings!

Solid Rock

Rock is a naturally occurring, solid aggregate of minerals.  In plain terms, it is a sum total a particular minerals.  Pulled together, minerals form something difficult to break. What would be the 'solid rock' in your life?  What or who is the foundation in your life?  Better yet, who or what is the cornerstone that you've built your life upon? Did you know that a cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a foundation and is important because all other stones are set in reference to it and the cornerstone determines the position of the entire structure.

The bible says in 1 Peter 2:4-7, "Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored.  And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house.  You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.  It is just as God says in the Scriptures, 'Look! I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone.  No one who has faith in this one will be disappointed."

In life, surrounding yourself with smooth and polished living stones to help you stay grounded is wonderful!  But, when you want to build on your support system, think about starting with Jesus, the True Cornerstone! 

When you start with Jesus as your foundation, He helps you discern between the rocks and sand, the smoothed stones and the pebbles. With Jesus as your Cornerstone, you have a firm foundation in assisting you in developing a solid rock support system.

Blessings!

Yet, Still I Rise!

Shattered, but I'm not broken, wounded still time will heal. Heavy the load, the cross I bear; lonely, the road I trod I dare.  Shaken, but here I stand; weary, still I press on!  Long are the nights, the tears I cry; dark are the days, no sun in the sky.  

Yet still I rise!

Never to give up, never to give in against all odds!  

Yet still I rise!

Sometimes I'm troubled, but not is despair!  Struggling, I make my way through!  Trials they come to make me strong!  I must endure, I must hold on! 

 Yet still I rise! 

Above all my problems, above all my eyes can see.  Knowing God is able, to strengthen me!

                        Yet still I rise!   Yolanda Adams

The words to this song have inspired me since the first I heard them.  I don't know if Yolanda Adams penned these lyrics or not.  But the author did a wonderful job in summing up our hard times.  We do sometimes feel like we have been shattered!  We have been wounded by people in this game called life!  We get weary, we cry over the load we have to carry, we're struggling and sometimes trouble seems to follow us everywhere we go!  

But because we have that one mainstay; because God is the same, yesterday, today and forever-we know He is ABLE to strengthen us and Yet still we rise!  

As I sat in my car today, with tears streaming down my eyes, I felt compelled to share the words of this song, and the facts I've come learn over the years: God is able to strengthen, comfort and keep!  With God in your life, you may be at the edge of the cliff, but God is able to keep you from falling!  

Sometimes I feel low, YET STILL I RISE!

It's All Good!

Recently I experienced the beginnings of a "mini-meltdown" at work.  Embarassingly, I admit that I wanted to have french fries to go with my meager meal.  However, I had been restricting my diet and there wasn't an affordable place around where I work to get an inexpensive serving of good french fries.  So, what do I do?  I go to the vending machine to get some potato chips, thinking it's not exactly what I want, but it is a cheap alternative that could possibly satisfy my need.  The dispenser in the machine wasn't working properly and the office manager does not have a key to the machine.  Yet, someone else who went to the machine, while I was trying to solve my problem, apparently took my chips and whatever he/she purchased!



I was livid!  And worse yet, I was ready to throw a pity party!  Wanting to become angry and sad all at the same time, something in my spirit brought to my memory God's blessings.



I may have alot of goals and  aspirations not yet fulfilled, but God has and is still bringing so much to my life, as recent as yesterday!



The situation made me realize that if I just had spent the money and honored my craving for the french fries, there wouldn't have been so much drama!  I mean, I don't eat them everyday, I'm not on a fast, so why not?



I remembered what the Bible says in Psalm 84:11, "The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."



The big picture, "It's All Good!"  Sometimes we only look at one side of restricting oneself.  But, for those whose walk is pleasing to the Lord, there are no real reasons to restrict yourself: for diet or otherwise because all the good things are before us from God, through Jesus Christ!



Next time you're craving something you haven't had in a while, go on an indulge yourself!

It's All Good!

Recently I experienced the beginnings of a "mini-meltdown" at work.  Embarassingly, I admit that I wanted to have french fries to go with my meager meal.  However, I had been restricting my diet and there wasn't an affordable place around where I work to get an inexpensive serving of good french fries.  So, what do I do?  I go to the vending machine to get some potato chips, thinking it's not exactly what I want, but it is a cheap alternative that could possibly satisfy my need.  The dispenser in the machine wasn't working properly and the office manager does not have a key to the machine.  Yet, someone else who went to the machine, while I was trying to solve my problem, apparently took my chips and whatever he/she purchased!

I was livid!  And worse yet, I was ready to throw a pity party!  Wanting to become angry and sad all at the same time, something in my spirit brought to my memory God's blessings.

I may have alot of goals and  aspirations not yet fulfilled, but God has and is still bringing so much to my life, as recent as yesterday!

The situation made me realize that if I just had spent the money and honored my craving for the french fries, there wouldn't have been so much drama!  I mean, I don't eat them everyday, I'm not on a fast, so why not?

I remembered what the Bible says in Psalm 84:11, "The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

Looking at the big picture, "It's All Good!"  Sometimes we only look at one side of restricting oneself.  But, for those whose walk is pleasing to the Lord, there are no real reasons to restrict yourself: for diet or otherwise because all the good things are before us from God, through Jesus Christ!

Next time you're craving something you haven't had in a while, go on an indulge yourself!  IT'S ALL GOOD!

God's Accomplices (Angels in Disguise)

As many today will celebrate Mother's Day with their families and extended families let us think about how these women (and even some men) were used by God to aid and abet in forming who you are today.

These angels in disguise unwittingly helped groom, mold, and shape you. They had the special assignment of pouring into you to help develop you and stimulate your growth. They provided materially and they fought spiritually for you.

Who were these angels? Only you know who they are, whether parent, relative, friend, or even stranger, know that God has a whole team assigned to your case to assist you in becoming what He wants you to be!

I thank God for my team of angels surrounding me, especially the chief angel in my life! Thank you Mom!

Blessings!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Oceania St,,United States

External/Internal Hunger

In the effort to lose weight, diet and weight loss experts often tell people to ask themselves if they are really hungry or not.

And what is meant by that question is whether or not the individual is experiencing true physical hunger and in need of physical food.or is there something else that one hungers for. 

It is admirable to have goals and dreams you aspire to achieve.  But where does your hunger come from?  Is it an internal hunger that comes from the will of  God?  Is it birthed from the gifts and talents instilled in you by the Creator?  Is it the hunger from within that drives you to want to live your highest life and live a life pleasing to God?

Or do you find that you have a source of hunger that is outside of you, influenced by the world and what it wants you to want?    Think about the source of your hunger and consider where it is leading you.

Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?"  Something to think about...

Exercise for Body and Soul

The bible says in 1 Timothy 4:8, "For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 

I believe God meant for us to take care of both body and soul.  In that verse, God is letting us kmow that we must not solely focus on the physical, but also be careful to take care of the spiritual.  We need to train toward godliness.  We must make an effort to develop our spiritual physique, perfecting it, strengthening it as well and even more so than our physical bodies.  Without spiritual fitness, how will one stand against the enemy, Satan? 

And even God wants us to take care of our physical bodies because they are the temple of the Holy Spirit for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

So whatever your form of physical fitness; keep it going, but consider exercise for the soul!  Confess your sins, and make Jesus Christ your personal Savior, reconnect to God thru prayer, reading and meditating on the Scriptures, or deciding to attend a church service next Sunday.  Exercise is good for both body and soul!

Blessings!

LET NOTHING MOVE YOU

In 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV), it says, "Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

For me, as I for many years now have devoted myself to the work of the Lord, it means to continue in the work I've been called to do.  It means don't give up and don't be easily influenced by things or people who would distract me away from this work.

But what about you?  Life is so busy and you do have many distractions and the world provides a plethora of influences for all of us to succumb to. Do you even know what you are doing and what you are laboring for?

If you know that what you labor for and what you stand for is God honoring and represents your highest self-then to God be the glory and LET NOTHING MOVE YOU!

But, if you examine yourself and your motives and find that your labor is not worthwhile or is not conforming you to the image of Christ, then you may very well have to make some moves for the better. 

Something to think about...

Blessings!

MIND YOUR BUSINESS!

Yes, I said it, MIND YOUR BUSINESS! 

I found myself once again getting that feeling of being overwhelmed over the amount of tasks and duties that have to get done.  All week I've been walking around with my big bag, which if you didn't know, I love my bags!  But, I don't love my bags being so heavy!  Why heavy?  My bag has been filled with files, notes, unopened mail, mail that has to be mailed, mail that needs an answer, books and sermons, and Sunday School lessons.   So much that I have to address.

Yet, I thought about how the night before, I vegetated in front of the television.  I thought about other nights or Saturdays where I had 3 or more hours where I wasn't driving my daughter around somewhere, where I did nothing but watch television or laid in bed.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with down time, we all need it.  But I believe that in some of those hours where I did nothing, I missed the opportunity to mind my business! 

So, what about you?  Are you minding your business? 

I think about the Proverbs 31 woman, who is the ultimate and ideal woman who held down her business: she took care of her children, took care of her man, took care of her home, was an entrepreneur!  She was EVERY WOMAN!

But handling your business is not just about being a woman!  Men and women should all be about minding their business so that they can teach their children to mind their business!

If you have time to sit on the couch, leave the tv alone, get on the laptop-pay some bills!  Respond to some correspondence, make that needed phone call.  Better yet, get off the couch, get your workout on, then clean out the clutter: in your closets, desk, in your mind!

Whatever it is that you need to do to further and advance you and your family-GET IT DONE!

Let's stop minding what the soap opera couples are doing!  Let's forget about all the housewives and basketball wives!  Let the guys play their games without you, because guess what?  They make their money when we mind their business!

So you get yours, by MINDING YOUR BUSINESS!

Blessings!

Nourished

I'm sitting this evening listening to the steady rain and it made me think about how much we need the water.  But tonight, as I think of the rain; the water makes me think about being nourished.

It is said that if one were deprived food and not water he or she could survive for quite awhile.  However, if one were deprived water the individual would perish much quicker. 

A good portion of the human body is made of water, even in the womb, humans are surrounded-nourished by water.

This brings to mind for me, Psalm 1 because those who are righteous, they are like a tree planted by rivers of waters.  They are physically nourished with water; but what nourishes them spiritually is the Word of God!

The more you choose to walk with God; the more the world tries to drain you, weaken you so that you're more vulnerable to sin. But being nourished by the Word of God is the believer's feast!

Learn to listen to your body; feeling a little run down or weak and food is just not doing it for you?  Let God's word replenish your soul!

Jesus said "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..."