Month: November 2023

No, Not Right Now

No, Not Right Now

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, His Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

No, Not Right Now

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV

You’re not the only one God has said no to you know. I have had my share of NO’s too. My journey to becoming an author was meant with plenty of opposition along the way. Sometimes I was the one standing in the way. I chuckle when I remember the Lord, saying to me that he was going to put me on a book writing journey. I remember saying to him, Lord you sure you are talking about me. During those early development stages, I had no idea how this was going to come to be. All I really knew was he chose me for it. Then my question was, how? I looked at some publishing companies that accepted work from new writers such as myself. Back in 2019 after working on what I thought was a READY and COMPLETE book, I submitted my work. The response letter I received from the publishing company was full of pleasantries, that concluded with No, I wasn’t the right fit, no, because of a lack of experience, and No, I was a risk. It hurt, cause I thought I had it right, the Lord knew I wasn’t ready, and somewhere deep down inside as I thought things through more slowly, as always he was right. I still had plenty of work to do, not just the manuscript either. I had to get me in order as life continued to happen all around me. I had to stop running, I had to stop thinking it’s my way, I had to get beyond opinions as I step out of my familiar box, began this new journey God had given me. This was going to be my preparation time for the next couple of years. I used that no to prepare my manuscript for God’s glory. This was about me, but then again it wasn’t. As a servant in God’s army, it’s not about what I want, but I am I willing to trust God to share what he gives me, the way he wants. Amen!  Life went on happening, a year and plenty of revamping work later, I heard back from that publishing company asking me to consider self-publishing with them. As I look back on these humble beginnings in hindsight God’s NO was the right call. I wasn’t ready. I knew that God had given me this work to do, his way and in his time. There were days I didn’t know if I was coming or going. I had to STOP and LISTEN to what the Holy Spirit was saying. Moving on out of my own way, to just have faith in the only thing I had, God’s Word. I heard him saying to me, I have been with you this far, I am not going to leave you now. Continue to trust me and what I have given you, you don’t know how to get there, I will show you how.” February 2022, I published my first book, Out of the Belly.

There were plenty of no’s in the scripture too.

  1. No to entering the Promised Land
Numbers 13, 14 and 20:2-12
Because the Israelites did not believe in God’s power and disobeyed, and Moses failed to follow God’s instructions when bringing water from the rock, God did not permit them to enter the land He had promised.
  2. No to cursing the Israelites
Numbers 22-24
When King Balak asked the prophet, Balaam, to curse the Israelites, God refused to curse them. Instead, He blessed them, not once but three times!
  3. No to building His temple
1 Chronicles 28
David has plans to build a temple for God, however, God tells him “no”. Instead, God designated David’s son, Solomon, to build His temple.
  4. No to Paul’s travel plans
Acts 16:6-10
Paul and Silas are planning to travel to Asia Minor to preach when God stops them and sends a vision to Paul. As a result, they travel to Macedonia instead.
  5. Even Jesus petitioned God Matthew 26:39 to rid Him of His suffering the night before He died on the cross and God said no.

For those of you who are experiencing God’s NO right now. Maybe it’s about your career goals, starting a business, homeownership, marriage, children, school, family issues, or maybe it’s just the dating scene. There is so much we cannot see and because of that we must rely on the all-seeing eye of God, who wants nothing but good things for us. We must trust that whatever decision he is making for us, it’s for our good. We are not going to always understand, but that’s where our faith must come into play. Whatever is for you friends, you are not going to miss it. You can’t force yourself in places you’re not meant to fit in. Like a puzzle with a strange piece, it’s just not gonna fit. Amen.

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

Audience of One

Audience of One

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, His Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

Audience of One

“Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Ephesians 6:7 NLT

This ministry the Lord has given me, means the world to me.  I take pride and put everything I have into giving the best I can every week to readers and listeners. That for me means research, study of the word, and using all the resources that are available through the web. Some of the best things about my work is all the conversations I get to have before I share anything with you all. It has enhanced my life in so many ways and has given me purpose. There is a personal fulfillment, that makes my soul joyful. No matter the number, I just want to always give God my best effort. Doing the right thing generally means making decisions that are not based on your own personal needs, that don’t expand your popularity, or enforce your personal beliefs. And when I may be in doubt, I can look to the scripture to see, what would Jesus do (WWJD). There is no doubting that doing the right thing does boost your attitude, and it’s something we can feel proud about. On a positive note, it comes back around. Good for good.

Why should you and I do the right thing?

  • You get what you give. Somewhere down the line, it is going to come back.
  • To raise your self-esteem. Not only do you send a message to the world, but most importantly it’s the message you send to yourself. And that is something you can always feel good about as you look at the person you are in the mirror, knowing you did the right thing.
  • To avoid self-sabotage. I thought this was an interesting view, of not doing the right things, and how it can build a powerful side effect that we do not deserve. Which can lead to self-sabotaging unconscious thoughts, or deliberately standing in our own way.

Even As the audience of what sometimes may feel like one, our focus is crucial. Who and what are we putting our trust in?  The real goal here, seeks to build up our personal relationship with God and how to find meaning in not just the big stuff of this life, but in the small things too.

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

Rehab: Spiritual Recovery in Truth

Rehab: Spiritual Recovery in Truth

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, His Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

Rehab: Spiritual Recovery

“It wasn’t any herb or ointment that healed them but your word alone, Lord which heals everything.” Wisdom of Solomon 16:12 CEBA

How many of you are familiar with the American documentary series Intervention? It follows participants, who are dependent on or addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. They are documented in anticipation of an intervention meeting with family and friends. During the meeting, loved ones read letters as they plead with them to go to an inpatient drug rehabilitation program or risk losing everything. The show also shares follow up on the recovery progress. On this show I have seen both frightening and heartbreaking episodes that reach across social, demographic, racial, and age barriers. Even Hollywood celebrities are not exempt from this show.

When I think about rehab as it relates to spiritual recovery, it is a journey of faith, courage, honesty, hope, and acceptance. No, we are not alone, the Lord is with us, we are his and we are the sheep of his pasture.

Here are some of the benefits of spirituality in recovery:

  • Helps You Find Renewed Purpose.
  • Promotes Accountability.
  • Helps You Connect with Something Outside Self.
  • Increases Compassion and Humility.
  • Promotes Greater Mindfulness through meditation and prayer.

No doubt about it friends, we have all gone through things. Do you sometimes feel this is “a test of the emergency broadcast system, this is only a TEST!” Recovery means a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength. It is the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost. My friends we have a God who deals in the impossible. He has the power to heal those invisible wounds that no one can see. I can remember when my way was dark, and with tears in my eyes, I could feel the chains on my ankles tighten as I was pull further into a lifeless black hole. I was alone and afraid. But there came Jesus, who brought the light into the dark places of my life, and then he touched me with his finger of love, mercy, grace and then He lifted me. No matter what you may be going through, you are not alone. And what I found out,  I was never alone. He was there all the time.

If you are dealing with some issues, that are too heavy for you, don’t go it alone. Talk to a trusted family member, friend, see a counselor, or pastor. If you are willing to take one step, God will take two.

There are resources and support:

National helpline, SAMHA.gov or mentalhealth.gov

1.800.662.HELP(4357)

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

Why?

Why?

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, His Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

Why?

“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” Proverb 24:19-20 NIV

On my tenth birthday, I had my heart set on either another barbie doll to add to my growing collection or maybe one of those cool Easy-Bake Oven, to fix those little cakes, of how about my favorite school toys skip it. I don’t know if you all remember that thang, it was a fruit shaped weight, which affixed to your ankle; it’s had a plastic hoop that spun around in a 360-degree rotation while you constantly skipped. Instead, my mom bought me a diary, I wondered to myself, mom what am I going to do with this? Why mom, why this gift? As I looked at the pink Hobby Lobby diary with flowers on it, I thoughts what an odd gift, I didn’t have much worth writing about, besides I couldn’t spell all that well. I couldn’t use it to draw pictures, I wasn’t good at that either. But one day, I picked it up, thinking maybe I could try to write a few things. As I opened it up, the first page said this belongs to and down below was a line for my name. Flipping through the pages of the book, it was completely blank, just waiting to hold some words I suppose. It was then I started with one small phrase, Dear Mr. Jesus Christ. Blind as a baby bat, this would begin a lifelong relationship through prayer, as I asked why.

The prophet Jeremiah grappled with issues ask he asked the Lord why? Why do the heathen rage? Why do good things happen to the baddest of the bad? Why this, why that. In those younger years for me, there were things I felt he answered through my parents and others that were not answered until my adult life. There are songs, poems, movies, and books devoted to the question why. Is it not the curiosity of man, to if not know why, to at least ask? 

Curiosity to answer some of those questions why gave us breakthroughs from the three-light traffic signal, refrigerated trucks, automatic elevator doors, color monitors for desktop computers, blood banks, laser treatment for cataracts, and home security systems just to name a few.

As we consider today’s scripture perhaps a better question is why are we concerned with it? Do not lose sight of the Goal here friends, to be the best YOU can be. The Word tells us, Do not fret (worry), because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

It’s natural to wonder why God is gracious and merciful to people whose hearts are hard and stubborn. Shucks there been plenty of times I know I didn’t deserve it, but His grace and mercy gave me what I couldn’t often do myself and that’s forgive and let it go. One answer to the question “Why do the wicked prosper?” is that even the wicked have a purpose to fulfill in God’s plan. Consider this question, what would we do without the Lord’s patience in our lives?

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

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