The Special Encounters

The last couple of months I have allowed the worries of the world to interfere with my spiritual growth.  About a week ago I got a tweet from a new follower named Stephanie and it read: “Hey lady! How is God treating you today?”  I literally stopped what I was doing because it caught me off guard. I was just tweeting random craziness and out of nowhere here was someone asking how God was treating me.  I instantly felt condemned about my recent actions, words and thoughts.  I responded “Hi, he’s been great to me, what about you?” I replied but you know, sometimes we go through the motions and say what we feel people expect us to say or we answer with truth not really pondering the significance of the words we speak.  Later that week Stephanie tweeted Everyone has something they feel strongly about.  But the question becomes are you going to do anything about it.

Yesterday I went to the track to walk and I had the pleasure of accompanying a beautiful young lady around my age that I knew while growing up.  It was my first time really talking to her and her spirit was AH-MAY-ZING! She spoke with such grace and conviction about her love for God and all he’s done and is doing in her life.  I saw in her what I need to see in myself.  She truly inspired me and spoke to my heart and made me do inventory of my spiritual characteristics.  After leaving the track, I felt like God put us on the track at the same time for a reason.  I thought back to the tweet Everyone has something they feel strongly about.  But the question becomes are you going to do anything about it. And it meant something totally different at that moment.  I ‘claim’ to have such a Fear Of and Love For God, yet I do nothing about it.  It’s not in my everyday talk or my walk and definitely not in my tweets LOL. I’m not saying that it should be all that I talk about, but it should be evident when coming into contact with me.

So Today my Voices are Praying: praying for forgiveness of my transgressions, strength in my never ending journey of being a better person, awareness of my actions both good and bad, control to guard my tongue from the things that are unlike him and I pray most of all for a more profound voice to speak of his greatness!

In the words of Stephanie How is God treating you today? And what are you going to do about it?

…Until Next Time

Moments of Stillness

I started a book called “Mornings with JESUS” it is 365 devotions to start each day with. It was recommended by one of my twitter followers.  It’s very similar to what I had in mind when I started my blog.  It includes short inserts that don’t take up much of your time but it’s always a good message.  Reading the book made me question my blogs because somewhere along the way of my blogs, God starting giving me more information that needed to be related so my blogs got a little longer.  A few people mentioned the long blogs, but I would never want the acceptance of what I’m doing to overpower the message that God wants delivered… so I continued to write as the sprit led me. 

About a week or 2 ago my church and book club member wrote a response on a blog saying that it’s ok to be still. In the introduction of “Mornings with Jesus” it reads “Stillness is a word and concept that is foreign to our modern, scheduled ears.  But Jesus is all about stillness..”  This served as confirmation that I was being led by the spirit and doing the right thing.

Today my voices are saying even if you do not take time out to read my blogs daily, make sure to put aside some time to spend with God.  I am also guilty of feeling as though there isn’t enough time for me to fit it in...but whenever I go too long without giving God his quality time he reminds me that it’s only because of him that I’m able to accomplish all that I do.

Freely give God your time daily, before you have nowhere to go but down on your knees and pray! Moments of stillness can save you a lifetime of heartache.

..Until Next Time

God's Favor

My career plan in 2010 was to start working when the kids went back to school, stay on that job a year, then move on. I started working in August of that year, but before I knew it, a year was gone, I was still there, and I didn’t have any prospects for a new job. Honestly speaking, I was a little down in the dumps about still being there and not moving on. Because in my mind, my course there had ended, the job served its purpose and I was ready to move on.

On May 22, 2012 I wrote down my prayer “I pray for a job with great benefits, good understanding people, not far from home, more money, good working hours, not much overtime... I pray for a job that will allow me to utilize my current abilities as well as grow in other areas. A job that will challenge my mind and get me out of this current rut.  I am not an average person, therefore I want greatness to reflect in all areas of my life! Work, home, family, demeanor....” I prayed for a new beginning…a chance to meet new people at my new place in life.

In June I was offered a job, but I had prior engagements that were top priority for me at the time and my current employer agreed to wait for me an entire month. (good, understanding people *check*) When I turned in my notice one of my former co-workers told me “You don’t want to burn any bridges” and my response to him was “Some bridges need to burn to prevent you from trying to cross them again.” At the time I didn’t realize how powerful that statement was, the only thing that mattered to me was, in my heart I knew that my time there had come to an end and God agreed.

My travel time to work was once anything from 45 minutes-2 hours dependent on traffic; with the new job my travel time became 15-25 minutes dependent on traffic (not far from home *check*) Hurricane Isaac happened and we experienced damage to our home so we have been staying by my mom, the kids school was destroyed so their schools are now in alternative locations.

Jeremiah 29:11 reads For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Being that I got my job only a month before all of this happened, I am able to recognize God’s favor in my life. The toll that living on one side of town, working 5 towns over, and my kids being 3 towns back would have taken on my mind, body and spirit would have been tremendous.  God spared me from the exhaustion that would have happen to me had I still been working that job, but he also made sure that his timing was perfect so that I realized it was him working things out in my favor, not just “my plan” unfolding.  In a previous post entitled Restoration I wrote “Restoration happens when your willingness to live a Godly life and God’s timing collide…” I also wrote “We have to be at the point in our lives where we allow him to take away what we have in mind for ourselves…and allow his will to be done” and this is exactly what happened to me.

      Moral of the Story: Just because things don’t happen when you want them, doesn’t mean they won’t happen when God’s timing is right. In the bible there are many instances that God performs acts to make people aware that HE IS! “You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other”. I feel the reason God doesn’t allow things to happen when WE want them is because he wants his presence and power to be recognized and not overlooked! If things happen in our timing we may think it was a lone act when in all actuality it wasn’t.

I almost forgot, the other blessing staying over a year brought me was some friends that have changed my
life forever! God allowed me to meet them at a time when we could each compliment each others lives. How's that for favor?

So today my voices are praying that God continues to make his favor known in my life and that I continue to realize it and give him thanks, glory and honor! God loves when we share the greatness of his word and his great works and I love it when he shows off!!

…Until Next Time

  

Happy Birthday to Me

Looking at myself I see a 33 year old woman who has lived life to the fullest! I see a woman that knows REAL love, REAL heartbreak, REAL success & REAL disappointments. And in experiencing all those things, I see a woman that has learn to embrace herself and all that she is.

 

Here's to loving me and all I represent...strength, weakness, beauty, flaws, brilliance, ignorance, compassion, wit, aggression, the fear of God, love of life and all it has to offer!

 

Happy Birthday Me!!!

September 13th

I'm Not Lucky

I remember it as if it were yesterday; it was an email to an old friend that I ended with “Good Luck… No scratch that, I don’t believe in luck, Be Blessed!” It was one of many times my use of words and their importance was brought to my attention.  After that email, that sort of became my saying, but I never truly understood the power and truth in that statement until recently.    

Luck -success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions. The force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person’s life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities.

Blessed -of or enjoying happiness; specifically: enjoying the bliss of heaven. Pleasure, contentment or good fortune.

Those definitions really made me think. I remember saying  “I’m not lucky” “You’re so lucky” and “Good Luck”.  But the truth of the matter is, I’m not lucky! I’m not one of those people that just stumble upon fortunes or one of those people that know what to say to get ahead.  I’m the person that never gets a full refund, the one that buy things at full price and the next day it goes on sale, I’m the one that never seems to get a break when looking with the human eye.  

As I grow in Christ I’ve learned a new word called favor and favor is defined as an attitude of approval or liking.  A gracious, friendly, or obliging act that is freely granted. Something granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for compensation; a kind act.  So something I’ve realized about myself is I’m not lucky BUT I do have God’s favor and having God’s favor allows me to be blessed..which means I enjoy the bliss of heaven and have good fortune, contentment and pleasure. I may not be the lucky one that walks into great opportunities but I AM the one that God sets things aside for personally. I’m the one that God gives the knowledge and strength to endure any situation so that when the going gets tuff I don’t rely on luck to make it through. I’m the one that knows what God gives, no man can take away!  Which means.. what’s for me and given to me, by way of blessings and favor can NOT be taken by luck and happenstance.  The only thing that can alter my outcome is the way I choose to handle the situations that I’m faced with.

Life and death truly are in the power of the tongue; when I took luck out of my vocabulary and replaced it with blessed, I subconsciously took the restraints of luck off and replaced that with blessings, which released a whole new world full of possibilities. 

So today my voices are asking you to leave luck to people who don’t believe in free will and the ability to make one’s own decision. Leave luck to those who don’t believe in God’s favor and blessings.  Do you want your success or failure to be left up to chance? Do you want your circumstances to be dictated by things against your will and God’s desire for your life? 

Remember with God all roads lead to success, some just take longer dependent on the way you handle the situations your faced with.

Until Next Time…

Be Blessed

Hurricane Isaac

It started off as typical day when there's a bad storm. We all slept in one room because I didn't want us split. The boys were on a mattress on the floor and we were in the bed. We rose to no electricity, no water and HUNGRY! Demond went in the garage to fix breakfast on the grill and we followed behind him… outside the clouds were threatening, the rain was endless but there was still a sense of calmness in the air despite the strong winds.  We looked around and noticed that the area behind the house was flooded and so was the street in front of the house.  But there was still grass that was visible along the side of the house and in the front.  We went back inside and ate, we may have stayed inside for about an hour or so…when we went back outside everything had changed drastically it was now extremely gloomy outside, there was no sign of grass only water that went back as far as we could see… What was once visibly our yard, our street, our driveway was replaced with never-ending water resembling a lake with mailboxes, houses and cars strategically placed in it.  

We called to be rescued because the water rose really fast. I grabbed everyone's hand and we made a circle on the floor, it was time to pray..."Lord we come before you giving you all the glory, all the honor and all the praise! I pray the blood covering over me and my family, I ask that you send your angels to watch over and protect us during this storm. We love you Lord, Amen."

A fire truck came hours later "Someone will be back in 25 minutes to get you, be ready!" was shouted through the intercom. We opened the door without thinking and a tidal wave of water stormed in the house, it was instant panic as the water poured into the house. We closed the door and tried to absorb as much water as possible. Later a boat came that took us away from our home.  We floated away with all signs of coming back to anything pointing at slim to none.  

While in the boat we were surrounded with devastation but not defeat so that in itself was a blessing. During this test God used so many people to show his Greatness and for that I will always be thankful.  God's favor just kept shining through so many people.  The love, sincerity and concern showed by our family and friends has truly been an amazing gift from God.  Initially people are inclined to say "If you need anything let me know" but we are blessed enough to be surrounded by people that actually mean what they say.

...Until Next Time

Outside My Front Window

...Asking all them questions

In life, we as human beings question things often.  Why, when, how and who are just a few of the questions we ask. As we grow older these questions never really change, the circumstance and seriousness of the matter may, but we still question life. Eventually after having millions of questions and no answers we usually take those questions to God.  But, as our relationship with God matures, there are certain questions that we expect not to have to ask anymore.  Have you ever found yourself wondering why your still enduring some hardships now that you are trying to develop yourself in Christ? Have you ever found yourself asking God why, how, when or who? When heartache comes we often wonder why God would allow us to feel the way we do.

As I was reading I came across something that read  “God is more concerned about your character development than your comfort level.” When I read those words, it was as if the wind was instantly taken from within me.  What I’ve noticed through this journey is, revelations and confirmations come in the strangest forms.  God will get his message to you through many venues.  After reading, I had to thank God for answering my prayers and giving me the information needed to continue my walk with him.  There are times that I have questioned God,  but reading that made me understand that I have no right to question him in some things, because I’m the one that’s missing the point.   

Let me take a different approach.  If we are a child of God, that makes him our father, right?  What do we give our parents? What is it that most parents want? What gives them the most joy? First and foremost we MUST give our parents respect. Meaning we don’t question why they did something or when they’re going to do something (unless we are ready for the consequences). We should give God (our father) the same respect.  Some questions we should NOT ask, we should trust that whatever is happening is happening for a reason and we should know that his ultimate goal is our well being. And we should be aware that by questioning him we are not having faith in him and we will reap what we sow. Parents also want to feel proud of their children.  They love nothing more than having the assurance of knowing that when they are not around you show people respect, courtesy and compassion as you were taught. The same with God! Futhermore, parents love when you are successful and accomplish things.  It allows them to stick their chest out and feel proud and accomplished through you because you are theirs.  It’s the same with God!  When you react in the spirit its like showing him that you are capable of carrying yourself in a way that is pleasing to him.  And what do parents do when they’re proud of you? Yep. They reward you.. Same with God, hence a blessing!

There are times as a child of God we feel it should be easy sailing... but, Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, yet he was crucified! So remember you will never be above disappointment, hurt or pain. But you can rise above allowing any situation to overcome you. 

Today my Voices are encouraging you to give God something to be proud of! Show him growth, respect, and knowledge! When you fear someone you dont usually question them and we as Christians should possess the Fear of God, so STOP ASKING ALL THEM QUESTIONS!

Until Next Time…