Perspective

This entire Ike experience has helped me put a lot of things into perspective.

Yesterday I was reflecting on the 10 days I spent away from my home and I wish that I would have remembered to bring my gratitude journal with me while I was away.

Yesterday I also returned to work for the first time since Ike. I listened to co-workers who are native New Orleanians and experienced Katrina and others who have immediate family from Galveston and have no idea what it looks like in person. The greeting on campus yesterday was “Good to see you. How did Ike treat you?”

My answer to that is that I truly can not complain. My situation is NOTHING compared to others. Yes I was inconvenienced but who am I not to be? I am nobody in God’s great scheme of things. As I spoke with a few SisterFriends this week, I stated that if I did not know it before, I definitely know now that GOD is in total control! HE is the Man!!!

Things that were lost can be replaced…..that’s what insurance is for.

While on my “hurrication” I really did have many good times. When was the last time I got to spend so much time with my family? I thank God for my family, because I know people who are not as close to their family as I am to mine. I was able to laugh, play and chat it up with nephews. I’d like to think that I have a big influence on them, and this time I may have been able to deposit something into their already precious life accounts. I was able to have some slumber party type conversations with my sister. Not too long ago she mentioned that she missed spending time with me because of my school and intern schedule. Well guess what. God took care of that! I feel a lot closer to my family than I did 10 days ago. Who thought we could get any closer? I was in constant contact with my Sister Circle. We pulled one another through and we are not done yet.

I am also very grateful because I actually have a job to return to. There are people in Bolivar and Galveston that have nothing to return to. Don’t take this experience for granted. Just like my first blog advises find the lesson in every experience or you will have to repeat it until you get it right.

Be blessed!!!! Actually you are blessed!!!!

Don't Let It Pass You By! Be Grateful!

In today's busy world it is so easy to get side tracked! Your day is so busy that you didn't realize that you made it to work safely, even though you were 2 cars away from an accident. You were so focused on the headache you had that you failed to realize that you are alive to even feel the pain.

Have you ever prayed and prayed for something so long that you did not even realize when it was granted? Day in and day out you get down on your knees and pray for God to bless you with this thing. You ask God to supply and you believe by faith that He will. You grow impatient for it to come, but you continue to pray for it.

Then one day it comes! Yet you are so engulfed in the minor things in life that you did not even realize that your prayer had been answered. Now I see why the old people used to "watch and pray." I need to begin to "pray and watch." I pray to God to meet a need, then I watch Him supply!

Count your blessings! Don't let God's goodness and faithfulness pass you by! Be grateful! Be blessed!

Delayed But Not Denied!

We have all talked about the whole idea of God's delay not being a denial of what He has already promised and this is just an extension of that.

This morning I watched Bishop Eddie Long deliver a sermon on the same topic. I watched it and it really penetrated my heart. I have been processing it in my mind and this is how I have applied it.

What do you do when God's Promise is delayed?
God gave you a promise and it seems as if it is not coming. What do we do? Do we take matters into our own hand? Do we try to speed God up?

What should we do?
God gives strength to the weary and power to the ones who lack might. They that wait will run and not be weary!!! They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Why will I wait?
Our thoughts are not God's thoughts and our ways are not His ways. God's word (promise) will not return to Him empty! His word will accomplish what it was set out to do! (Isaiah 55:8, 11)

What will I do as I wait?
HAVE A PLAN!!! I will plan my work and work my plan! God’s word says that we should write the vision and make it plain. (See Jan.17th entry) The vision is for an appointed time. That means it’s on God’s schedule! Though it tarries (delayed) wait for it!!! It will certainly come!!! (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Here’s the STAMP!!!
The just shall live by faith! (Hebrews 10:38) Faith it the hope and belief in GOD!! Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen! (Hebrews 11:1)
Without faith, it is impossible to please God! (Hebrews 11:6) Those who come to God (believers) must believe that HE is!! And that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!!

My Summary (This encouraged me and I pray it encourages you!)
I must remain in hope of the promises that God has given me. In times when I do not feel I can wait, I need to go to God and ask for strength and power to wait on His promises. I should write down the promises that God has put into my spirit. In times of weakness go over what has been written down! As I wait, just believe!!! My belief shows God that I trust Him!!!! I demonstrate to Him that no matter what it looks like on the outside, I believe that He will do just what He said!!!!

BE BLESSED!!!!

No Secret to Me!

Okay. I have had this thought....I talked to Ree a few weeks ago and she expressed the same thought....then Kim expressed the thought today when she commented on my blog.

I have not read, watched or listened to the Secret, but I have seen enough about it on Oprah that I really feel like I know what it's about. Here's my thought. If you are a child of God and truly believe what the Bible says about you and all that you are, THERE IS NO SECRET! I mean over the last 7 months (thanks for pointing that number out Ree) I have been diligently getting into the Word of God to know who I am in Christ. Why? Because I know deep down in the depths of my soul that the life I am living now is only because of God's grace and that this is just the tip of the iceberg! What I am saying for me, goes for every person reading this.

We are all on a quest (or at least we should be) to make meaning of our existence. Well guess what! That is exactly where God needs you to be. Searching! But how are you searching? I am not searching for a mystery! I want to search for the truth! The truth can't be a secret. The truth is the truth and there is nothing else to it!

Now I am not knocking anyone for getting into this Secret hype, but I want us to be very careful. Because my take on the situation is this.....The Secret is so popular now, because sooooo many people are apprehensive about acknowledging God in their life. Either they think they will lose fans (Ms. O), or they fear what they will look like to others if they get too "preachy." Everything that the Secret talks about, leads to God and His presence in your life. So why is He not mentioned?

Peace & Blessings!

Content

Today I sat down and paid my monthly bills. This month the pile seemed to be thicker than usual. As I completed the process by reconciling the pile to my bank account, I realized that I had more than enough to cover every expense that I had. It was at that moment that I thought of something that I have said many times before. I often say that I don't mind having all of my bills paid and not have a dime in my pocket, because at least all of my financial obligations are taken care of. Later, as I continued to reflect on this monthly routine, God dropped a word into my spirit.........CONTENT!!!!

I had a revelation. I am CONTENT! Now don't get content confused with being settled or set in my ways. Webster's defines "content" as "to hold in, contain." It also defines "contented" as "feeling satisfaction with one's situation." So if the word content means to hold in or contain, that's exactly what I am.

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  I am the container and my life is what I am holding in or containing. Now that does not mean that I don't want to hold anything else because I do. It simply means that I am sufficiently holding or keeping what I have right now in this moment.

Think about a container....let's say a gallon container.

• If the gallon is empty it has room to hold more.
• If the gallon is holding a cup of liquid, there is still room.
• If the gallon is holding a pint of liquid, there is still room.
• If the gallon is holding a quart of liquid, there is still room!!!!

So what are you saying Ivy? I am admitting that I WANT MORE, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HOLDING WHAT I ALREADY HAVE IF THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW!!!!

Philippians 4:11

Peace & Blessings! (I could go on with this message.......)

Who did Job look up to?

Today I was driving to work and I was thinking about "the struggle." You know, the daily grind, drama, stress, issues and everything else that comes with this life. Then I thought of how challenging it is to go through some things and still be able to bless and praise God. Then I thought of Job and how incredibly difficult it had to be for him to lose everything and still trust God. He lost his family, his wealth, his friends and everything that was dear to him. The story of Job is one of the most popular stories in the bible. We all know the defining statement made by Job, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” The more I thought of Job and his difficult test, I began to think about something that may be rarely discussed.

If we use Job as our role model when we are going through life’s test, who did Job have to draw inspiration from?

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.

A series of emails from my sisters sparked my reflection of this topic. A conversation with a friend from work, helped me zone in on the reality.


I am the type of person that always seems to have something on my plate. My sister calls them “projects.” When I complete one, she is usually the first to ask, “So what’s your next project?” The other day after work I talked to a friend and she mentioned that I always have “something going on.” Today, as my sisters and I carried on our daily communications, we began to talk about having a vision and how important it is to write down the visions we have for our lives, our family and our future. That’s when I realized that I have always been in the habit of jotting down my personal “To Do List” of things I would like to focus on. If I feel like it’s something that I want to work on, I write it down.

Career…social…travel…personal…anything.


The more I thought about it, I began to see that by writing down my visions, I also entered into a contract with myself and with God.

Proverbs 23:7 states "for as he thinks within himself, so he is." Therefore, if you think or see yourself going back to school, then you will. If you see yourself being in a loving relationship, then you will be. If you see your self being a person who characterizes love, then be that person!

Habakkuk 2:2&3
"Write the vision and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry."

So write your vision and put it in detail. That way people who are made aware of your vision will have no room to doubt or "hate" on what you have written. The vision is for a specific time. You may map it out this week and it doesn't come to pass until next year. WRITE IT ANYWAY! Just because you don't know WHEN it's going to happen, doesn't mean that it's NOT going to happen!

A VISION DELAYED IS NOT A VISION DENIED!!!

Be Blessed!