Something Different

I really appreciate those who have chosen to follow my blog. I really enjoy blogging and exchanging thoughts and information with you all. I’ve been thinking for some time of combining my two blogs, Loc’d & Loving It and Ivy League Reflections for easier maintenance. My hesitation was because I wanted a better platform for doing so. Well, I think I found it. Over the next month or so I will be combining my blogs and posting them to my new blog page http://fearfullynwonderfullymade.tumblr.com/. I pray that you enjoy my posts enough to join me there. Thanks again for following! Pray and lock on!

Peace & Blessings!
IJ

Wrestling with God

For about 4 weeks, I have been having lower back pain. I’ve had back pain before that went away so naturally I thought that would happen in this case. Well over the last 2 weeks the pain has been worsening. The last 2 days, the pain has been unbearable. I was going to try to wait it out the weekend and go see my doctor this week. This morning (Resurrection Sunday) I was eager to be in church, when I got out of bed with much effort, I could hardly take 3 steps without thinking I would collapse in pain. So I made the decision to go to urgent care. At urgent care I found out that my sciatic nerve was inflamed. I’d heard of sciatica before but I had no idea what it meant. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve that comes from the spine, across the lower back, buttocks, and leg. When it’s irritated or inflamed it can be debilitating. I was on my way to debilitating today if I had not gone to urgent care.

When I got home my curiosity had me looking up more information on the sciatic nerve. I did a search and a few results included some very interesting references to the sciatic nerve. A couple of search results referenced the account in the Bible where Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32). Jacob wrestled with God and refused to let HIM go until HE blessed him. During the wrestling match, the MAN touched Jacob in the hip/thigh area. Some refer to this area as the sciatic nerve. That information caused me to apply Jacob’s experience to my own.

The Life Application Study Bible (New Living Translation) states:
“Jacob continued this wrestling match all night just to be blessed. He was persistent. God encourages persistence in all areas of our lives, including the spiritual. Where in your spiritual life do you need more persistence? Strong character develops as you struggle through tough conditions.”

Jacob states in Genesis 32:26 “I will not let YOU go unless YOU bless me.”

I’m following Jacob’s lead! I’m going to be persistent! I am struggling through some tough conditions and I refuse to let GOD go! He has ordered my steps and I trust Him in every area of my life!

God, you know the things that I am wrestling with mentally, physically, financially and spiritually! I won’t let YOU go until YOU bless me. Just like Jacob, I know YOU have a calling on my life and an assignment for me to complete. YOU changed Jacob’s name to Israel and made him the father of a great nation. YOU changed my name and I know you have birthed and are birthing some things in me! I won’t let YOU go until YOU bless me! Amen!!!!

What are you wrestling with?

Peace & Blessings!
IJ

Stained but Still Useable

For the last week or so I have been listening to the song named Even Me by Crystal Aikin (lyrics to be included at the end of the posting). If you haven’t heard the song and you are a true believer, you MUST find it and listen.

The song has ministered to my spirit in a manner that I can hardly put into words. But do we really realized how much God loves us? He sent His Son to die for our sins! Sins that we had not even committed yet at the time of Jesus' death. God knew we would need a redeemer. But God is so loving that when He looks at us as believers He doesn't see our sin. God is not like us, when someone wrongs us, we see what they did to us even when we say we forgive them. But God does not. Psalm 103:10 says "He does not punish us for all our sins;he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve." Many of us deserve death and even hell for some of the dirt we have done. But God is faithful. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Johns 1:9).

And even when we try to be "right" we still are wrong! Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 64:6 that "we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." That means even when we are treating one another right, going to church, tithing, praying, fasting and reading our Bible that we are still as "filthy rags." But THANK GOD that He sees us as righteous (Romans 3:21-24).

Psalm 51:7 says "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

AND He still wants to use you!!!!! Yes, even you! Even me!!!! There is something for each and every one of us to do in the Kingdom of God.

In Matthew 9:37 Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few."

What are you doing? Don't let your scars and brokeness keep you from being used by God! Don't let your guilty stains go unwashed by a Merciful and Loving God!


Even Me (Crystal Aikin)

I don’t deserve, the love You’ve shown
The blood You’ve shed, covers my wrong
Beyond my faults, Oh, Lord You see,
And said You’d still use, use even me


Oh, Lord I’ve tried, to do my best
Although sometimes, I do much less
You’ve called my name and, and I ran away
But still You called me another day


Yes, even me Lord, even me
Though scarred and broken, and unworthy
My guilty stains, You washed them clean
And said You’d still use, use even me


Sometimes I fall, and make mistakes
But brand new mercies, You show everyday
You are my strength, when I get weak
And out of the darkness, You lifted me

Yes, even me Lord, even me
Though scarred and broken, and unworthy
My guilty stains, You washed them clean
And said You’d still use, use even me


Oh, even me, even me, Lord use even me
Though I’m scarred and broken, scarred and broken, and unworthy
My guilty stains, You washed them clean
But You coulda used anybody else, anybody else, but Lord, You still used me

Word!!!!!

I have hidden your WORD in my heart that I might not sin against YOU. (Psalm 119:11-NLT)

Back in the day when someone would say something that resonated in your spirit, the correct response would be “Word!”

That typically meant….“You are absolutely right!” or “I agree!” or “Good point!”

Today, I have a new appreciation for the word “WORD”.

I am not ashamed to admit that I am in love with the WORD of GOD. I get excited when I open my bible because I am excited about what GOD wants me to know. I share with women all the time that the WORD of GOD is how GOD speaks to us. As far as I’m concerned I need GOD to speak to me erry (every) day!

We learn how to do so many cool things. We learn the latest line dance. We learn to cook our favorite meals. We learn new languages. We learn lyrics to songs. We learn how to use the latest technology. So why can’t we learn the WORD?

How do you learn that other stuff? Practice! By doing it over and over until you have it committed to memory. The same thing should be done with GOD’s WORD!

Open your bible more than just on Sunday. Read it out loud. Listen to it audibly. Share it with someone else. Read it over and over until it sinks into your heart. You never know when you may need that WORD.

What does the WORD do for me?????

1. The WORD is my way! The WORD shows me where to go and how to get there!

YOUR WORD is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)

2. The WORD is my weapon! I use the WORD to fight!

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of GOD. (Ephesians 6:17)

3. The WORD makes me whole! The WORD shows me to myself and points to areas that need to be strengthened!

For the WORD of GOD is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (Hebrews 4:12)

GOD’s WORD is full of the love and the promises and the plans that HE has for us all!!! Get in your WORD……Word???

Peace & Blessings!

Bless the LORD!

I will bless the LORD at all times. HIS praises shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD, the humble will hear there of and be glad! Oh magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt HIS name together!!!!!!!! (Psalm 34:1-3)

GOD is so good! GOD is so kind! GOD loves you so much, more than you can even imagine!

34 Reasons to Thank GOD!!!!

I have far more than 34 reasons to praise the name of the LORD. Since I'm celebrating turning 34 I will share 34 things I am ever so grateful for.

Thank YOU for……(in no special order)

1. Saving me from a life of sin.

2. Calling me into YOUR family as one of YOUR children.

3. Blessing me with two parents who love me and did the best they could to make me the woman I am today. I love them more than I can ever show or tell!

4. Blessing me with 2 sisters and a brother who love me and are genuinely my friends. I love them more than words can express!

5. Blessing me with 7 handsome nephews of whom I am peacock proud. I love them like I birthed them myself!

6. Sending a man in my life who knows YOU, seeks YOU and loves me and treats me like the queen I am. Thank YOU for allowing me to see the GOD in him.

7. Blessing me with real friends who have been by my side through it all. My aces! My queens!

8. Providing me with a family that loves all the way!

9. Giving me direction and purpose to live this life with meaning!

10. A discerning spirit.

11. Wisdom!

12. Giving me the strength to overcome some tough life challenges.

13. Giving me the desire to live in YOUR will.

14. Allowing me to elevate my mind through education.

15. Providing me with the opportunity to touch other people’s lives.

16. Always providing for me.

17. Being faithful to me even when I was not faithful to YOU.

18. Allowing me to see the Motherland!

19. My health.

20. Loving me enough to allow YOUR SON to die for me!!!!

21. My home.

22. Removing worry and doubt from my mind.

23. Removing toxic people from my life.

24. Giving me a thirst for YOUR WORD!

25. Grace, YOUR unmerited favor over my life!

26. Mercy, not doing to me what I truly deserve.

27. The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness, faithfulness, self-control) and continuing to cultivate it in me.

28. Ordering my steps.

29. Making me comfortable in the skin I’m in.

30. Making all things work together for my good! The good the bad and the ugly!

31. My life!!!!!!

32. Being GOD!!

33. JESUS!

34. YOUR HOLY SPIRIT!!!

One to grow on……

35. Thank YOU for the best that is still yet to come!

I LOVE YOU LORD AND I AM EVER SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BLESSED ME TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE!

Peace & Blessings!

IJ

You ain't seen nothing yet!!!

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)”No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.”This scripture was dropped into my spirit today and I have been letting it marinate all day! In so many words, it seems that God is saying, “Baby you ain’t seen nothing yet!” He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

We have no idea what God has in store for us! Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God can do even more than we can ever ask or think. As Oprah says, God’s dream for you is bigger than any dream you can ever dream for yourself. That’s good news!

In our limited minds we only see what’s in front of us. Bills, burdens and barriers. But keep pressing on. God has something prepared for you! Something with only your name on it! And it’s not just in this life, but also in eternity. Don't get it twisted, the world as we know it is not all there is to this life. But God is so good that we don’t have to wait until this life is over to see God’s blessings. He wants us to be blessed here and in eternity. Jesus told us that he came to give us a "rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10 NLT). So when things are not looking as good as you would like them to, think about what God is working out for you. Think about what we have no idea about. Dream and see God go above and beyond that dream.

There’s reason to hope! The best is yet to come!

Peace & Blessings!!! IJ

Release Your Power!!!

Oh man! Last night at church the message was titled "Release Your Power". I woke up this morning thinking about it so you know it was goood! The scripture references were Luke 9:1,2,6; Ephesians 3:20 (my favorite scripture) and Acts 3:1-5.

The minister talked about how God has given us too much power to be walking around defeated and letting the devil beat up on us. Jesus freely gives us power and authority once we accept Him as LORD and SAVIOR. So why are we still on the bench? Get off the bench, get on the field, and get in position! We can't walk in authority if we don't activate the power that is within us. She also said that we didn't sign up to be in God's reserved army! We signed up to join the fight! The front line!

It was confirmation for me because the night before I was thinking about how real spiritual warfare is. I have learned that we have to open our mouths and confess, profess and decree the promises of God. It's time out for being quiet. She asked us if we are willing to take hell just to prove God right? I am! Because I know who takes care of me and who has been taking care of me all this time. Even when I didn't acknowledge Him. The devil is on attack in our families, our health, our marriages, our finances, our jobs, our minds and our spirits. God gave us power of ALL demons (Luke 9:1). We are in Christ and Christ has already defeated the devil (John 16:33). At the name of Jesus demons tremble (James 2:19). So exercise your authority over the things the devil is after. Resist the devil and he will flee! (James 4:7).

1 John 4:4 Greater is HE who is in me, than he who is in the world.

PEACE & BLESSINGS!

HE’S Able!!!

GOD is able to do just what HE said HE would do…. HE’S gonna fulfill every promise to you…. Don’t give up on GOD, cause HE won’t give up on you……HE’S ABLE!!!!

Now unto HIM who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ever ask or think according to the power at work in us! (Ephesians 3:20)

For all the promises of GOD in HIM are Yes, and in HIM Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20)

GOD is not a man, that HE should lie, nor a son of man, that HE should repent. Has HE said, and will HE not do? Or has HE spoken, and will HE not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)

Being confident of this very thing, that HE who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Happy New Year all! 2010 is here and we all begin a new decade of life. Begin 2010 believing that GOD is able to do everything that HE has promised to you. We didn’t come this far to give up now. HOLD ON!!!! Hold on to your faith, hold on to your hope, hold on to your dreams, hold on to your prayer life, hold on to your joy! God is good! HE always has been and HE always will be. GOD provided in 2009, so what makes you think HE won’t in 2010? Be blessed and watch the move of GOD!!!!

Peace & Blessings!
IJ

Look Beyond Where You Are

As I have written before, there is a church marquee that I pass by daily on my way to work. Every week I am excited to read the new message posted. This week’s message reads, "Always look beyond where you are." The bible tells us that the end of a thing is better than the beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8) & our latter will be greater (Haggai 2:9). So hope in what's to come! If things are bad now…they will get better! If things are good now…they will get gooder (LOL)!! GOD is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)!

You may be thinking:
How can you say look beyond where you are when things are so bad now?
How do you know things won’t get worse?
Times have been better than they are right now!

Well let’s put this into perspective. God has a perfect purposed plan for ALL of His children (Jeremiah 29:11). So if you belong to Him, you are covered! Do you know when things were bad? Really really bad? When you were outside of the family of God! When the devil could have taken you out and made you a permanent member of his team! So if you are saved by grace, there is nothing that can be done to you that would be worse than you having to spend an eternity with the father of lies (John 8:44)!

So again I say……HOPE in what God has in store for you! Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrew 11:1)!BE BLESSED!

More Than I Can Say….

If this recession has done anything, it has pushed me (and I am sure) and many others closer to God. Over the last few months I have seen my comfort zone get smaller and smaller and my relationship with God get bigger and bigger. No, things are not the way I would like them to be. But I am content! As Paul says in Philippians 4:11, I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. How can I be content with much less money than I am used to having?

1. I know that God is in control!
Psalm 24:1 says that the earth and everything in it belongs to God. I’m in the earth and so it the economy. So it all belongs to God. I am His child so I can rest knowing that He is in control of what is going on in my life.
Matthew 6:24-34 reminds me that if God can take care of the flowers in the field and the birds in the air, SURELY He will take care of me!

2. I believe God’s promises!
In Jeremiah 29:11 God tells me that He has a plan for me. His plan is for good and not of disaster, to give me a future and a hope.
Philippians 4:19 promises me that God will supply all of my need. Throughout these last few months, I have not missed a meal and all of my living needs are met. Even if they weren’t my trust is still in God.

3. I trust who God is!
Numbers 23:19 declares that God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? So if God said it then I can believe it!
1 John 4:8 tells me that God is love. If God is love and God loves me, then I am good! Psalm 91 provides me with the ultimate protection plan. I am safe from all danger!

Now that’s good news! This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me therefore the world can’t take it away. I will not be defeated by unfavorable situations in my life. I don’t share this to brag or to boast, because my situation ain’t a bed of roses. I share this to bless you! Change your perspective and change your life!

Peace and Blessings!

Whatever……

As we go through this journey we call life, we have to dig deep within ourselves to find the strength to go through the roughest times of our lives. As much as we would like our lives to be good all the time, reality and the WORD tells us that we should expect tough times (John 16:33).

I find encouragement in knowing that I belong to GOD (Psalm 24:1). Since I belong to GOD that means that NOTHING can happen to me good or bad without GOD’s permission! Really! If you don’t believe me, look at the book of Job. GOD had to give satan permission to do all that was done to Job (Job 1:6-12). That tells me that anything that goes on in my life has been permitted by GOD. If I know that GOD loves me, then I know that what I am experiencing is for a purpose (Romans 8:28). More than that, I know that GOD thinks enough of me to allow certain events to happen because HE knows that I am strong enough to deal with it.

Parents give their children more responsibility when they see that a child is able to handle it. When a child is granted another privilege they should feel special because they have gained something from their parents….Trust! It’s the same with GOD. When GOD allows us to go through tough times, we should see it as GOD saying, “you can handle this.” That’s a compliment! GOD would not send it if HE didn’t think we could handle it (1 Corinthians 10:13). GOD sees you as fit enough to handle your circumstance. Just don’t get beside yourself and forget that you need HIM to endure (2 Samuel 22:33 & 2 Corinthians 12:9).

So walk through that storm, knowing that the sun will shine on the other end! Knowing that GOD is with you (Mark 4:35-39). Walk through the valley, because you are not alone (Psalm 23). You got this! GOD’s got you! Go ahead, and knock it out!

Peace & Blessings!

One Promise You Can Count On….

The events of the last few months have made the world stop and think about their own mortality. People are talking about the concept of life. Some are discussing how they want their children to be cared for. Others are obtaining insurance policies so their family doesn’t have to worry about funeral expenses. I encourage you that while you are getting your affairs in order to get your life right with Christ!

You never know what kind of day you will wake up to. You can plan to run errands, go workout and spend time with a close friend. But if you wake up and get a call that some tragedy has happened, your plans will be derailed. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring to me, but I know that GOD does! So why do we fight having a real relationship with the ONE who knows what our future holds? (Matt 6:34 and Jeremiah 29:11)

The win-win situation is to die having a relationship with the Lord. The bible says, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) That’s a win-win situation. That means as a Christian we live in the will and favor of God. Nothing can come to us that God has not allowed. Win! To die is to leave this corruptible world and be with the Most High! Win!

When we lose a loved one, yes we will mourn, yes we will miss them, and yes we will hurt. The real tragedy is to lose a loved one who did not know Jesus. For someone to die and never experience the pure and unconditional love of God is the real tragedy. So people get you business straight. If you know Jesus, introduce Him to someone who doesn’t know Him. Jesus is the only way……(John 14:6)

For those of you who are “lost” this blog entry will seem sad and dreary, but those reading this whose names have been written in the Lambs book of Life will find encouragement. The good news is that if you are still breathing you still have time.

Scriptures for those in mourning (Matthew 5:4, Revelation 14:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

Peace and Blessings!

Do You Know Who You Are? Don't Suffer An Identity Crisis!

While riding to work this morning, I listened Jonathan Nelson's song, My Name Is Victory! As I jammed, I thought about how many people have IDENTITY ISSUES. Christians too have identity issues, it's not just the lost souls. I have included the lyrics to the song and it's all found in THE BOOK! That's the evidence they are singing about is in the Word of God. How can God get glory from a person living a defeated life?!? God wants us to succeed because we are His creations. We are supposed to help point people to Christ. If you are living a defeated life, how can you draw someone to the God that you serve? We are Victorious! We are MORE than conquerors! It's all in the Word!



I've got evidence I've got confidence I'm a conqueror I know that I win!
I know who I am, God wrote it in his plan for me!
MY NAME IS VICTORY!
God gave me AUTHORITY

To conquer THE ENEMY

He wrote in MY DESTINY

That my name is VICTORY

He said that I've OVERCOME

I know I've ALREADY WON

He wrote in my DESTINY

That my name is VICTORY

I know who I am God wrote it in His plan for me!

MY NAME IS VICTORY!

I know my identity, my name is victory!!

Victory... That's my name... Victory.... I KNOW WHO I AM!!!!

Scripture References

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

Luke 10:19
Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.

Romans 8:37
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Deuteronomy 28:13
If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.

1 John 4:4
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 John 5:4
For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

What Are You Afraid Of?

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love : Pearls Of Wisdom

Remember, Reflect, Reward, Revealation

It is not my intent to brag or boast about myself but about the goodness of God. I had a revealation last night that is penetrating my heart so I have to share. I understand why God wants us to meditate on his Word day and night. Two scriptures come to mind before I give you this praise report.

Psalm 105:8 (New Living Translation)
He always stands by his covenant—the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

Deuteronomy 28:12-13 (NLT)
12 The L ord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. 13 If you listen to these commands of the L ord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the L ord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.

Now I have been praying and meditating on the Deuteronomy scripture for a while. I am claiming to be debt free, because God's Word states that those who are in covenant with Him should be lenders and not borrowers. I put DEBT FREE in my prayer list when our church fasted together and I posted the scripture on my fridge and my vision board. Last night in my counseling class, Dr. D mentioned that when we get a Word from God, we can't lose sight of it.

Well, without putting all of my bizness out in the street. God has moved in my life recently in a way that I could have never thought or asked. (Eph. 3:20) I encourage you all to TRY GOD!!!!! Love you!!!!

Malachi 3
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the L ord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

Philippians 4:8: 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Peace & Blessings!

Graduation Revelation

Ephesians 3:20

20 -21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (The Message)

There are a lot of things that we know yet sometimes we don’t have a full grasp of until the picture is painted very clearly before your eyes. Yesterday on my graduation day, that picture became crystal clear. Sitting at the dinner table surrounded by family and friends who have become my family; for a moment I did not see their faces, I simply saw their love. In that moment I was emotionally overwhelmed.

I know that I am blessed and yesterday was a wonderful visual representation of my past, present and future. My village…..My parents and other family members made deposits into my life that fed me with confidence and security. My siblings and cousins poured into me and now allow me to pour into them. My girls and I have been able to see each other bloom into the phenomenal women that we are! We got some scrapes and bruises on the way; but they are part of our story. The future spoke that we are impacting their lives. Texts, emails and phone calls, from those who couldn't attend but still wanting to send their love.

If I could bottle that day up and savor every moment………

As Ephesians 3:20 states, God is able to do far more than our finite minds could ever dream.

20Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (KJV)

Marque Messages

Every morning I drive by a church that has a message on it's marque that changes every week. The message that's there this week has actually been there for about 2 or three weeks. I was wondering if it was a mistake or if it's deliberate. Nonetheless, this morning as I drove by and read it, I began to really reflect on it.

The message said, "How good is your word with God?"

It made me think. We really want God to keep His Word with us, even though we should know that He is incapable of lying. But how good is your word with God? How many times have we presented God with an "if, then" statement? If you get me out of this ________, then I will/won't _______.

Not only that, but how good is your word to others??? Are we promise keepers or do we consistently have to modify our agreements? If you can't keep your word to a person that you can see with your natural eyes, how are you able to keep your word to a being that you MUST see with your spiritual eye?

Food for thought! Be blessed!

3’s

My sisters tease me about my OCD tendencies or as a friend put it my “appropriately detailed” need to do things in 3’s. Ironically this weekend I received a message from God in the form of 3’s. I would admonish each and every person reading this to be present in every moment in your life. You never know when God is trying to get a message to you.

We hear preachers all the time state that we should be thankful that we were “clothed in our right mind.” Ironically, that is one of the many church clichés that I have a desire to address.
1. On yesterday I attended a funeral of a person who had succumbed to Alzheimer’s. As we all know the disease is a devastating condition. The minister made it a point that if we woke up without mistaking your foot for your hands, then you have something to be thankful about.
2. Less than 2 hours later, I ran into someone that I had not seen in years. During our conversation it became clear to me that the person was in an altered mental state. The person I had known years ago was not the same person I was having a conversation with. I was so affected by the encounter; I had to immediately give God glory for how He has kept me.
3. This morning at church, the minister gave a sermon about telling God “thank you.” He stressed that it did not matter how bad our lives get, we should always have a reason the give God thanks. Even for the simple things. He mentioned the fact that we wake up and know that toothpaste goes on a toothbrush and can actually perform that act is enough to tell God “thank you.”

I know these experiences may seem menial to some but it really is a message behind it. We tend to focus on all the problems that we face day to day. The truth of the matter is that we should be thankful that we are able to deal with the problems without losing our minds. You’ve heard the statement of the “straw that broke the camel’s back.” It would not be a popular statement if it did not have any meaning behind it. Some people actually snap after one situation that may not affect one person the same as it would another. Road rage is an example. If you cut me off, yes I will have a few choice words for you, but I am not going to follow you or pull a gun out and shoot your tires flat. But who’s to say the next person you cut off won’t go there???? You never know. If you don’t tell the people you love that you love them, who says that you will get the opportunity to do it again? Make the most of your life! Make the most of your experiences! Even the not so pleasant ones!

Change your perspective. Be thankful what you have right now. God will honor your praise faster than He will honor your pleas.

BE BLESSED!

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!!!!