Thanksgiving Friday!

Praise God! We not only made it through another week, but we made it through another year! God is so good!

I am thankful today for everything that I have learned about myself this year. Realizing the true value of my talents and gifts has helped me to pursue my purpose with more conviction. Taking control of those negative areas of my life and working to better myself has helped me to stay humble and brought me closer to my heavenly Father.

I'm also grateful for all of the friends and even associates that are in my life. The Lord has truly blessed me to have such an amazing pool of people surrounding me. Their strive for greatness, goal reaching, honesty, and character has helped encourage me to keep trucking. They inspire me to keep up with them!

I know I've thanked you before, but today I'm thankful for you as well. The fact that you appreciate what is written in this blog means more to me than you'll ever know! I'm happy to share what I glean from my walk with God, and I pray that you continue to be blessed by My Morning Ti.

Next year, I'm looking forward to kicking it up a notch - videos, anyone? - and spreading the Word of God to even more people!

Have a Happy New Year! May God's love and peace be with you continually! See you Monday...

Verse of the Day: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High... Psalm 92:1

God's Peace

As the year is drawing to a close, many of us are reflecting on the time that has gone by and are looking forward with anticipation to the year that’s on its way.

With all that’s gone on in my life in 2010, I am truly grateful for God’s peace. Yes, I have struggled, cried, pushed, and fought to get through some challenges. Yet, in every situation, I have had the benefit of God’s unwavering peace in my spirit.

Since I have matured in the things of God and developed a closer relationship with Him, I have seen my outlook change. What would have brought me worry, fear, and anxiousness, no longer causes me to panic.

Don’t get me wrong. I still have parts of my pessimistic and sarcastic nature. And I have to battle doubt from time to time. There is still plenty of room for improvement!

However, I can now face circumstances with the quiet reassurance that the God of the Universe is with me and is helping me defeat every roadblock. That Truth has given me a peace that passes all understanding. It has allowed me to sleep more soundly at night, go about my days without needless distraction, and has bolstered my spirit where I otherwise would have gone nuts.

God is faithful and a keeper of His word. Everything He has promised, He will do. We just have to trust our Lord enough to allow Him to do it… on His terms and in His timing. Once I surrendered to this fact, God blessed me with peace beyond measure.

You also have the same God of the Universe in your corner. Let go of fear and grab hold to the Father’s hand. Allow His peace to envelop your soul as well.

Verse of the Day: The LORD will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Spritual Rest

Right now there’s a lull in my work office. Things have slowed down, and many people are out on vacation. There is a relaxed air about the place, and people are enjoying the more leisurely pace that the holidays have brought.

I’m not concerned with any work issues (there isn’t much work to have issues with, for one thing), I don’t have any stress with deadlines, and the fewer people in the office means I receive fewer requests for assistance.

It’s times like this that I love. I can collect my thoughts, muse on some creative ideas, and give myself a break from the normal hustle and bustle.

Our spirits need these times of refreshing as well. So often we allow the issues of the day, our fears and concerns, personal struggles, and prayer requests to monopolize our fellowship with the Father.

These things can cause our spirits to be drained and on edge. The constant warfare can cause us to grow weary. Even champions have to take a break from the ring in order to regain their strength.

In order to keep our spirits refreshed, we have to spend time in worship before the Lord. Entering into His presence just to love on Him and allowing Him to love on us, will cause us to experience a ‘vacation’ for our spirits.

Pouring out our adoration for God causes His spirit to show up and fill us up with the strength, assurance, and courage we need to go back into the ring and battle the enemy. Lifting up praises instead of prayer requests causes our ears to catch God’s voice on the matters that are most important to Him for our lives.

So, if you’re feeling weary and worn, draw close to your Heavenly Father in worship and praise. Allow His love to rejuvenate your spirit and refresh your soul. Listen to His words of encouragement and life for you. You’ll be so glad you did!

Verse of the Day: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort… 2 Corinthians 1:3

Making Plans...

I’m back, everyone! I took a couple of days off for the holidays. I hope you all enjoyed your festivities as well. We’ve got one more celebration to go! I’m so glad I get another extended weekend. I truly appreciate having some time off.

As 2010 is winding down, I am honing the milestones I’m setting for the coming year. In November, I wrote about how I was planning for my church’s youth group. Now I’m looking at my personal goals.

These plans are a bit harder to pin down. I have so many things I want to do! I have lists of items that I want to experience, implement, and develop. And I think they’re all perfect for where I am right now. The possibilities are so exciting, and I can see myself enjoying every one of them!

Then I think about getting started.

It’s overwhelming in some areas and confusing in others. Where do I begin? Which one should come first? Who should I partner with? Which path should I take?

In the past, these questions have stopped me in my tracks to the point where nothing I wanted to do got done. The indecision and fear caused me to miss out on the completion of my goals.

That will not be the story this year! This year everything on my list is getting a thorough editing by my Heavenly Father! Every project, every dream, every step will be scrutinized by the Leader of this mission.

No matter how excited I am, I will submit my will to the will of the Lord. He has the right to make additions and deletions that I may not have considered.

I will follow God’s direction on how to get started, keep motivated, and complete every item on His agenda. With this game plan, I know that I will accomplish every single one of my 2011 goals!

Verse of the Day: Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I pray you enjoy your holiday, friends, family, and loved ones.

Remember to celebrate our Savior - the REAL reason for the Season! Today, I am thankful that Jesus chose to come to earth, so I can live with Him in heaven for all eternity! He could have easily stayed on His throne allowing me to perish in sin. I deserved to die, but Christ took on my punishment. Hallelujah!

Enjoy your weekend. I'll be back with you all next week.

More Than Just A Story

As this week is winding down and Christmas is pulling up, I’ll share my last reflection on the real Christmas story.

Birthdays are days when we celebrate a person completing another year of life on the earth. Unless the mother is there reminiscing over her time in the delivery room, the actual birth of the person is rarely discussed. We merely celebrate who that person has become and look forward to what they are still striving to be.

When we celebrate birthdays as holidays we celebrate what made that person notable, the accomplishments they achieved and the lasting changes they performed.

So, why do we always stop with Jesus lying in the manger at Christmas? Why do we still refer to ‘baby Jesus’ like He’s still cooing in Mary’s arms?

Jesus grew up! He became a powerful man who changed the entire world! He died on a cross and rose again so that mankind could be free from the snare of death!

Make sure you take note of that part on Christmas! Don’t just say the Savior was born… Tell the world that He was born, lived, died, and rose victorious!

Yes, Christ’s birth is a miraculous, awe-inspiring, beautiful story. But it’s more than just a story! It’s history! And it does not end at the manger. It didn’t end at the cross. It didn’t end at the grave either. It didn’t even end when Jesus ascended back into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

Jesus is coming back for His church! He’s coming back to bring His people to heaven with Him to dwell in the glorious presence of the Father.

Make sure you tell the whole Christmas story this season. The Savior that was born fulfilled His mission. We all now can have eternal life because He came.

Verse of the Day: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:31-33

Treasured Moments

I love how the Bible takes note of how Mary treasured all the extraordinary things that went on during Jesus’ birth and childhood. The Bible says that she kept them in her heart and pondered over them. (Luke 2:19, 51)

I can imagine her sitting off to herself watching Jesus play and remembering how the shepherds came to the stable and told how angels had appeared to them in the night. I’m sure she watched Jesus closely as he grew and listened for the words of wisdom that echoed His time in the Temple when He conversed with the scholars there.

All of those memories must have been turned over and over in Mary’s mind further underscoring her belief that Jesus was the Messiah. For when it came time for the miraculous to be displayed, Mary was the one who prompted God’s Son into action. (John 2:5)

We all have experienced the greatness and extraordinary experience of Jesus in our personal lives. Whether it was the moment when we first got saved, our first feeling of God’s presence, the miraculous healing of a loved one, or simply an answered prayer, we all have had God Moments.

Do you truly treasure those times? How often do you remind yourself of those occurrences? Can you remember the awe you felt hearing a personal word that you know only God could have spoken? Do you recall the exact details of how God answered your prayers?

As Christians, we have been blessed to experience God’s supernatural love in this natural world. So any time God shows up, we should take special note and treasure those moments. Our remembrance of past glories can help us recognize present opportunities for God to move.

Verse of the Day: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. Psalm 143:5

Are You Listening?

When Jesus’ parents brought him to the Temple after His birth, there was a man present named Simeon who was led to the Temple that day by the Holy Ghost. God had promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah.


The Bible doesn’t say whether Simeon was old or young when the Lord told him this. It doesn’t say whether Simeon had to wait months or years until the promise was fulfilled. It does say that he had been waiting, and once he held Jesus in his arms he exclaimed that he could die in peace. (Luke 2:29) From reading this, I believe some significant time had passed since God first gave the word to Simeon.

What leapt out at me in this account, however, is that Simeon was led by the Holy Ghost to the Temple that day. Simeon’s spiritual ears were open to the Lord to hear His instructions even to the very details as to where he should go.

If Simeon had not been in tune with God’s voice, he would have missed out on receiving his promise that day!

Many of us are waiting to receive a promise from the Lord. We know we heard from God, and we are expecting the manifestation at any moment.

As we wait, we should stay in a spirit of prayer – conversations with God – so that we can hear any instructions that He may have for us. And when we hear those instructions, we should obey!

I can honestly say there have been several times where I know I felt a prompting in my spirit to do or say something, but I ignored the call. Who’s to say what opportunities, blessings, or miracles I missed out on just because I chose to disregard the tug of the Holy Spirit!

So as you continue to stand in faith believing that God is going to fulfill His Word, keep your ear cocked for God’s voice. He may send some instructions your way that are key to the fulfillment of the promise. And when you hear Him, make sure you obey!

Verse of the Day: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me… John 10:27

Whatever You Say, God... I'll Do It!

Well, Everyone, we have reached the final countdown to Christmas! This week I’m going to take a look at some of the points that I find interesting within the story of Christ’s birth.

Did you ever feel that God was calling you to do something outrageous, something unique, something no one’s ever done before? What did you do when God’s request came? Were you excited? Afraid? Did you come up with reasons that the request really wasn’t God or really wasn’t for you?

Mary got hit with one of those requests. She was minding her own business getting ready to be married to a wonderful man, when God stepped in asking to use her womb. This girl had lived a holy life and had never known a man. Yet, here was an angel telling her that she had been chosen to carry the Messiah.

Can you imagine the things that could have ran through her head? She could have been killed for being pregnant out of wedlock! Her fiancé could have left her for someone else – who was really going to believe that God’s Spirit caused her to become pregnant?! Mary’s reputation could have been shattered, and shame could have come upon her family.

Yet with all of the issues that could have happened, Mary still chose to go with God’s plan. As a result, she brought the Savior of mankind into the world.

Often when God brings to us His plans and directions for our lives, we like to come up with excuses and reasons why we can’t follow His lead. At times we struggle against the gentle tug of the Holy Spirit and turn a blind eye to God’s will simply because we’ve never heard of what God is saying or we’ve never seen something like that done before.

We should all take on Mary’s attitude and fully embrace God’s direction even if we don’t understand it totally. Who knows? This world’s future could hang on your obedience to God’s will.

Verse of the Day: And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:38a

Keep it Up!

As this year is coming to close, I have been in a mood of reflection and assessment. I give God praise for the writing gift He has given me, and I am happy that I started blogging this year.


I did have my period of silence towards the middle, but I was able to get back on it! I am grateful that I have stayed consistent and kept up with posting these past couple of months.

Consistency is a trait that in the past I have struggled to maintain. (Did you catch those words of faith?) I came up with such great ideas, started out with vigor, and only wound up dropping my plans after a period of time. I was aware of my fickle behavior, and I would sometimes avoid starting projects out of fear that I would never finish them.

Not any more! I have officially taken on the Faithful Spirit!

When I restarted blogging, I went to the Lord and prayed for His help. I let my friends and family know what I was working on to hold myself accountable. I pushed past laziness and adapted to change in order to stay faithful to the cause. And, look, here I am still blogging today! (If you all really knew, you’d be shouting right now with me.)

I am now going to take this approach with all of the plans I feel the Lord is calling me to take on. No more half-done dreams!

We all have areas where God is calling us to be faithful. Whether it’s on the job, in ministry, at home, or just in our relationship to our Father, we each have individual areas where we must keep up consistency.

Faithfulness is a trait that requires constant care and upkeep. It’s easy to throw in the towel and give up when things grow difficult or inconvenient. Yet it’s when we choose to press through and do the hard thing that we reap the better reward.

Think about it. Some of our greatest joys came from places where we dug in our heels and remained faithful and consistent to the goal. So, keep it up! Hang in there! Remain faithful in the face of adversity (or your own frustration). You’ll feel so much better if you finish strong.

Verse of the Day: A faithful man shall abound with blessings… Proverbs 28:20a

Guidance for Life

Joshua had Moses. Elisha walked with Elijah. Esther heeded the voice of Mordecai. The disciples followed Jesus. Timothy trained under Paul. In the Bible we can find countless examples of people who were brought into greatness by following the leadership of a great mentor.

Society is being geared to be more self-sufficient, self-discovering, and self-teaching. We like to be independent and figure things out on our own. If we don’t know something, we google it. If we have issues, we research possible solutions on our own. We want to have the credit for our success alone.

However, I believe that the mentor-mentee relationship is still relevant today. There are countless things that other people can show us that can help us to succeed in our endeavors. Someone has already been down the path that we are trying to embark on. There is something in another person's experience that can't be relayed in Wikipedia. Even if God has blessed us with something entirely new, something no one's ever done, there is still wisdom that one can glean from another human being.

All of us have the call of God on our lives, and we all want to please Him in fulfilling that mandate. Still, we should take some time to pray and ask the Lord to send us mentors who can help us to develop in our gifts and evade some mistakes we might otherwise make.

In the same manner, don’t be so selfish with all the knowledge that you’ve got inside of you! Open up your mouth, give up a little bit of your time, seek out someone who’s in need, and be a mentor yourself. We all have an experience, and from that experience we’ve gained some knowledge.

Give back to someone who’s coming up behind you. Open up to the one in front of you. And we all can help each other to become better people in this world.

Verse of the Day: Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Proverbs 2:2-4

Fruit Trees

Ever been around someone who left a bad taste in your mouth? Have you ever walked away from a person with a sour mood when before you interacted with them you were happy?


That, my friends, was evidence of some bad trees. The Bible says that a tree is known by its fruit. (Luke 6:44) Good trees produce good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit.

When we go about life, we put out our fruit as we intermingle with each other. Whether or not that fruit is helpful or harmful is contingent on our relationship to God.

We all can profess Christ, but it’s what comes out of us that really tells if the love of God is our motivator. When we let God’s spirit get down on the inside of us and change our mindsets, we began to exude the fruit of the spirit.

God’s fruit is love, joy, peace, and patience. His bounty consists of meekness, kindness, and gentleness. God’s harvest includes faith and self control. When those characteristics are evidenced in our lifestyle, the people around us can be well nourished and benefit from what we offer.

In the same manner, when we give out negativity, we are causing the people around us to walk away with that negativity in their spirits. As Christians, we are to build up, not tear down. We are supposed to light up the world, not cause it to be downtrodden.

As you go about your day today, remember that you are a fruit bearing tree for the Kingdom. Make sure you cause someone to have a healthy bite today!

Verse of the Day: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20

Pray for the Jews and for Israel

Hmmm… Normally each morning I pray and ask God what He would want me to share on my blog. This morning when I prayed, I felt God was telling me to remind you to pray for the Jews and the nation of Israel.

Now praying for Israel is not one of my regular practices by any means, so I am paying special attention to the voice of the Lord. I will also be adding them to my regular rotation of prayer subjects. We all have things we have to get right sometimes.

It is important to remember that the Jews are God’s chosen people. They are the ones whose history we read in order to strengthen and fortify our own faith. It is their struggles and victories that we identify with in relation to our everyday walk.

Their Jehovah is our Jehovah. It is sad that a majority of them have not realized that our Messiah is their Messiah too.

We see a lot about Israel in relation to their struggle to maintain the borders and land that they feel is rightfully theirs. We see how they are fighting and dying for what they believe in overseas. God’s chosen people have constantly been in the midst of war.

As believers, we should be interceding for them on a regular basis. We should be covering the country of Israel with prayers of faith and protection. We should be lifting up their leaders to the Lord asking Him to give them wisdom to direct their people.

We should ultimately be praying for the Jews that are around the world to come to the realization that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. We should be crying out to God for their eyes to be opened to the fact that their Savior has already come.

Please take some time to say a prayer for the Jews and the nation of Israel today. Thanks.

Verse of the Day: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

Thanksgiving Friday!

Praise the Lord, Saints! God is so good, and I thank Him for blessing me with another fruitful week. This week I have grown and realized some things about myself. God is consistently working on me, and I will continue to strive to get better.

This week I am thankful for Love. There are always so many ways that people show it, and I have been blessed to both give and receive unexpected love on this week. Can I tell you that I was more excited to give the love than get it? It was like Christmas came early! I was so filled with joy to be able to sow into someone else's life. Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to be a giver!

I am also appreciative of the gifts of support God has placed in my life. I am thankful for all of you - my supportive readers and followers. Thanks so much for logging on and taking part in the word that God gives to me on a daily basis. I may not see the comments, but the stats don't lie. You guys are tuning in!

There are also so many people who give me encouraging words, and inspire me to keep going with what God has given me. Thank you, Lord, for people who build me up in Christ!

Today, make sure you offer up some thanksgiving and praise to your Heavenly Father as well. I trust that He's been blessing you just as much, if not more than myself.

I pray all of you have a blessed day and weekend.

Tick Tock!

Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we all have fallen culprit to The Clock. You know, that little counter in your head that ticks off the months, weeks days, and hours that it’s taking for God to answer your prayers. Most of us also added the accessory of The Deadline to give ourselves parameters for when God has to come through for us.

We go about our lives continuing to pray, and claim that we are trusting God to come through for us. The reality is we only can trust God for so long. We keep meticulous maintenance of how much time is left on The Clock and how much closer we’re getting to The Deadline.

Tick-tock…We’ve been praying for that mate for so many years… If they don't show up by our deadline, we’re going to go ahead and take matters into our own hands. Tick-tock… We’ve been believing God for a financial breakthrough… If we don’t get that increase, next month we are just going to have to cut back on our tithes and offerings. Tick-tock… Feel free to insert your own Deadline here. Tick-Tock!

We all need to take out our mental mallets and Kill The Clock! Pull out your mental erasers and eradicate The Deadline! We claim to trust in Almighty God. How can He be mighty when we’ve installed a backup agenda?

Imagine what might have happened if the Hebrew boys had kept up with The Clock. 'Oh, we’ll trust God as far as the doors of the furnace, but if He doesn’t come through, we’ll just have to bow down.' If the boys had tried to save their three lives, the Lord would not have been able to show out and save a nation!

So no matter what you are facing or how long you’ve been facing it, continue to stand firm in the power and wisdom of God. Trust Him to lead and guide you according to His will and with His timing.

If you can’t really bring yourself to let go of your own agenda, you need to reevaluate why you’re a Christian at all.

Verse of the Day: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him… Job 13:15

The Peace of God

This morning in my meditation time I reflected on the greatness of God’s peace. I remembered the story of Jesus when He calmed the sea during a storm. (Luke 8:22-25)

Jesus was sleeping soundly as the disciples ran about the boat certain that they were about to die. When they woke Jesus up, He didn’t rush into a panic with them. He didn’t even pay attention to the water that had built up in the boat, or the waves that were crashing all around. He simply spoke to the winds and the waves, and everything calmed down.

Often when storms arise in our lives, we tend to react like the disciples. We look at the storms and the winds that are blowing around us, and we allow the chaos to cause us to grow panicked and distressed.

Yet we have the authority to influence the storm. We have the power to speak peace to the disturbances that try to arise in our lives. It’s up to us to utilize our authority.

Allowing God’s peace to reign in our lives will give us the clarity and the wisdom to remain calm in a crisis. It’s hard to fly off the handle when God’s peace rules your countenance.

We can obtain this peace through a lifestyle of prayer. Constant communication with our Heavenly Father will keep our mind constantly focused on the goodness and greatness of Him. Hearing His will and purpose for our lives on a daily basis will allow us to be assured that He has our back and is walking with us in everything.

It’s hard to get flustered when you know that the King of the Universe has a personal vested interest in your well being.

So today, take some time to fellowship with the Father. Allow His spirit to minister to your heart and reveal His plans for you. Take comfort and know that nothing will be able to stop you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. No matter what obstacle arises, grab hold of God’s peace knowing that you will make it through to the other side.

Verse of the Day: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7

The Right Way

You all already know that I’m a political junkie. I love to keep track of what’s going on in our American government. Lately, I have been so disgusted, disappointed, and frustrated with our elected officials.

Right now America is suffering through one of the worst recessions in our history. Our greedy behavior got us into a huge mess, and we are all hurting from the results. Now our elected officials have the task of navigating our country out of this debacle.

They know the solutions needed to help us right ourselves, but our leaders cannot seem to make the hard decisions. They are so afraid of the possibility of hurting their chances of staying in office that they are refusing to implement correct change.

Although we all can point fingers and analyze their behavior, some of us Christians act the same way. We know that some of our own behavior has gotten us into some messes. We see that our lives are not lining up with the plan that God has ordained for us. Yet we continue on in our ways because we see God’s way as too hard or asking too much from us.

So many lives are mired in mediocrity because people don’t want to choose to embark on the difficult journey…even though they know the difficult way is the right way!

Remember the phrase: No pain, no gain? A lot of us have not gained anything in life because we refuse to go through the temporary pain of leaving our comfort zones to enter into unfamiliar territory.

God has so many great things that He wants to impart to us! He’s just waiting on us to take the step in His direction.

Abraham had to leave his family. Moses had to face Pharaoh. David stared down a giant. Esther risked her life to see the king. Peter stepped out of the boat.

All of these people chose to do the hard thing and were blessed because of it. What blessing is waiting on you? Come on, take that step. Make the choice to do the hard thing and watch what God does for you.

Verse of the Day: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29

Everyone Loves Gifts!

Hey, Guys! I’m so glad to be back. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated from my vacation. I praise God that I was able to sit back for a second and take a breath. Now, it’s back to the grindstone.

As the holidays spring upon us, a lot of us will be taking trips to the mall and scouring the internet in order to purchase gifts for our family and friends. We will endure packed stores and long lines just for the joy of showing someone love.

Our Heavenly Father also has given us gifts. We like to talk about the Best Gift He offered in His Son, but God has also blessed everyone with individual gifts as well. We all have talents that are unique to ourselves. Each one of us has something to offer the world that only we can do. It’s so amazing to me that as we continue to grow and mature, we still discover hidden gifts and talents that we didn’t even know we had!

If you’re someone who thinks they have no special gifts – you’re wrong! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what gifts you got. You weren’t left out.

Take a moment to think about those special gifts and talents that God has given you. Give Him praise for making you unique! I would encourage you to figure out a way to offer those gifts back to God.

If you can sing, sing a song of praise and worship to Him. If you write, write a poem or story highlighting His goodness. If you are a giver, find a way to give to His Kingdom. If you are an encourager, find someone to encourage in the Lord. The best way to thank God for His gifts is to use them for His glory.

Verse of the Day: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14

Happy Birthday To ME!

Hey All, I'm just checking in. My birthday is today: I'm 30! (I know, I know... I'm getting up there.)

This week I will be doing a bit of vacationing, so I'm not going to promise that I'll be blogging. If I check in, I check in. More than likely I will towards the end of the week. I just want all of you to be aware!

Feel free to check the archives for a bit of inspiration if you need a boost. Today, I will share with you my favorite scripture as our verse of the day.

Have a great week, everyone!

Verse of the Day: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Thanksgiving Friday

Hey All,

Giving God praise and thanksgiving that I'm off today! Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend, everyone.

See you next week.

Verse of the Day:
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Everyone!

Even though it's a holiday, I still wanted to share some "Morning Ti" with you! Gotta be alert for all the cooking we're doing!

I decided to post a psalm of thanksgiving today. As we gather together and remember what we're thankful for, let's make sure that we put our Heavenly Father first on the list.

Enjoy your day!



Psalm 92
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening,
accompanied by the ten-stringed harp
and the melody of the lyre.

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
O Lord, what great works you do!
And how deep are your thoughts.
Only a simpleton would not know,
and only a fool would not understand this:
Though the wicked sprout like weeds
and evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.

But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
You have anointed me with the finest oil.
My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.
They will declare, “The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is no evil in him!”

Keep the Faith

Right now I am standing on Hebrews 11:6b. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I have truly been seeking Him for some answers and manifestation in my life. I have fasted, prayed, confessed, and stood in faith. Now, I am waiting on His answer. Some days more patiently than others, but I am still waiting.

Despite the attacks of fear, discouragement, despondency, and despair that keep trying to raise their ugly heads, I continue to fight knowing that my Heavenly Father will not leave me hanging. I continually seek His face. I constantly seek His presence. And I will stay diligent in seeking His answer no matter how long it takes.

God is not a man that He should lie. If He said it, it’s getting done. I just have to continue in faith believing His word.

As this year is winding down to a close, continue to steadily seek God for what you are believing for. The receipt of the promise will cause all of the struggle to be well worth it. Imagine how great your testimony is going to be considering the process God is bringing you through to obtain the blessing!

Stay in faith, and trust God. He will do what He said.

Verse of the Day: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25

Wake Up!

It takes a lot for me to awaken fully each day. Despite getting out of bed, showering, and driving an hour to work, I still am not fully alert until I’ve had something to eat and about two cups of hot tea. I can literally feel the grogginess until I’ve had my morning pick-me-up.

Recently I had noticed that my spirit seemed to be nodding off as well. As I went about my days, attended church services, and even spent time in prayer and study of the Word, I could feel that the connection I had with the Kingdom of God was not as strong as it should be.

I had to take measures to “wake myself up” to become fully alert to the things of the spirit. I had to shake myself out of the funk and press in to the Heavenly realm. For me, that meant that I had to spend some time in prayer coming against the enemy and stirring up the gifts that God had placed inside of me.

All too often the cares of life and busyness of everyday occurrences can distract us into a passive attitude when it comes to the things of God. We can drift through life thinking that we’re okay just because we’re saved and living according to the Word of God.

Still, there is a big world out there that needs the God we have! There are people hurting who need our touch of love. Someone needs to hear a word of encouragement that comes straight from God’s throne.

But if His ambassadors are not on the job, the world will never experience His love. Daily we should be influencing the world for Christ. We should always be alert for any opportunity to share the goodness of the Lord. Our ears should be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit in order to follow any directions that He may have.

Don’t let another day pass by where your spirit lies “asleep.” Wake up! Shake yourself and go be a blessing to somebody today!

Verse of the Day: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men… Matthew 5: 14, 16a

Holiday Prep

This week, we are officially entering the holiday season!

For some, this is a joyous time full of family, friends, delicious dinners, special church services, volunteerism, and festivities. For others, this is a time of stress, worry, fighting, resentment, and depression. At times it might even be a mix of both joy and frustration. Funny how people can experience the same exact things but have different and opposite reactions to them.

This year let’s all try to remember what these holidays are about. We all have something to be thankful for. No matter how much so-and-so gets on your nerves every year at the holiday dinner, be grateful that you have family and friends to sit with at your table. Somewhere, someone is mourning the loss of a loved one.

Don’t stress over trying to create a blockbuster year for your family this Christmas. Remember that the day is not about how many gifts we can give. It’s about the one gift that our Heavenly Father gave to us in His son. No wrapped present can top the eternal life that we all have through Jesus.

Let this holiday season be a time to reflect on the goodness of the Lord. Remember all that He has brought you through this year and in times past. Show love to your family and friends while you still have them with you. Take some time out to offer the love of Christ to the one who doesn’t know Him.

Remember to laugh and enjoy yourself. It’s the holidays. Have some fun.

Verse of the Day: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Thanksgiving Friday

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him all ye here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Aaaah-mennn!

Gotta love the fact that it’s Friday again! And I have a song of praise in my heart! God has been so good to me, I just can’t tell it all! But I’ll definitely get started:

Lord, I thank You for giving me the privilege of coming into Your presence and fellowshipping with You personally at Your throne. Thank You for sharing Your hidden secrets and jewels about Your ways and Your love with me. Thank You for calming my fears and comforting my spirit when I was in need.

Thank You, Lord, for Your inspiration and innovation. You have given me creative ideas that I am taking on and will see through to the finish! Thank You for giving me something to be excited about. Thank You for giving my life purpose and meaning.

Finally, Father, thanks for my health and strength. I have been blessed to be healthy and strong. I have not had to take sick days or visit the doctor for any serious (or minor) illness. I give You praise that I am walking in divine health, and I look forward to continuing in Your strength.

God You are so wonderful, so great, so magnificent. Glory to Your Name! I lift You up, and I will sing Your praises forever. Hallelujah!

Verse of the Day: Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 106:1

Self-Check

Yesterday I had a moment. Someone got on my very last nerve, and I felt myself slippin’ over to the dark side. I literally had to walk away and take a stroll to calm myself down before I acted out of character. It’s been a minute since I’ve been that hot, and I knew that what I was feeling was not of God.

As I breathed and cleared my head, I had to check myself. I reminded myself of who I was in Christ. I remembered the stance I have chosen to take to live holy before the Lord. I considered what Jesus would have me to do in that situation. I prayed and asked the Lord for help.

Eventually I was able to calm down and get myself back to normal. Thanks be to God for keeping me from saying some things that I would have really regretted!

We all have moments where we can become irritated, frustrated, and even irate. In all things, however, we are to remain examples of the Children of God. God’s children don’t curse people out. They don’t throw temper tantrums. Christians aren’t supposed to cause disorder, or inflict harm on another person.

So, when we feel the rise of emotion – and you know you can feel yourself getting steamed – it is our responsibility to rein it in and ensure that our character continues to reflect the love of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes you have to check yourself. Don’t hesitate to give yourself the ‘talking to’ you know is in order. Remind yourself of who you are and Who you belong to. You can save yourself from a world of trouble.

Verse of the Day: Be ye angry, and sin not… Ephesians 4:26a

How Long is Patience?

We’ve all seen it before:

A mother tells her child to wait a five minutes until he can have something he really wants. The child quiets down for a moment, and then pats his mother on the knee. “Mommy, is it five minutes yet?”

“No, Honey, not yet.” She tells him gently.

He is silent for a few minute or two and then returns. “Mommy, is it time?”

She shakes her head smiling softly and rebuffs him again. “No, Baby. Be patient. I’ll let you know when it’s time.”

We continue to watch as the child goes through agony trying to wait patiently for the promised goodie. Five minutes to him is forever! Since he has no perception of time, he has no choice but to trust that his mother will let him know exactly when the allotted time has passed. We can’t help but chuckle watching the little one because we know five minutes is no time at all.

I imagine that’s how our Heavenly Father views us sometimes. We are so anxious to obtain His promise to us that we keep going back to Him asking if it’s our turn yet. He always gently nudges us off the subject and tells us to be patient.

We sit back and writhe in discomfort, inwardly churning with anxiousness. We want our promise now! We want to have our blessing now! And like that little child, we continue to go back over and over pressing our Father when He’s already given us our answer: Be Patient.

My Apostle voiced my inward cries best, “But how long is patience?!”

With God, Patience lasts until the promise is given. We just have to trust our Father and allow Him the courtesy of telling us when it’s our time to receive. To us it may be agony, but to Him, it’s no time at all.

Verse of the Day: For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Hebrews 10:36

You Are A Champion!

This morning I woke up to Darwin Hobbs’ song Champion ringing in my spirit. I had a smile on my face and joy in my heart as I got up and prepared for the day.

It’s so good to know that we are winners! No matter how the situation may look, because we have Jesus Christ on the inside of us, we are already assured of victory. All we have to do is stand strong and fight. We are Champions!

The Holy Spirit has been revealing to me some projects and programs that I need to take on. The Old Me would be a bit apprehensive about starting down some of these paths. They are bigger, more involved, and seem more intricate than anything that I have ever organized before.

However, the New Me is Excited! I know that God won’t put anything on me that I can’t bear. And any opposition or need is already taken care of by God’s strength. I’m an Overcomer marching toward my fulfilled destiny in God.

Today, get the outlook of a Champion. Champions don’t hesitate to get back in the ring. They’ve already won! They know they can win again. Champions aren’t afraid of their competitors; they crush them. Losing is never an option.

You too have already won when Jesus died and rose again. He defeated death so that you can reign victorious in life. So, stop talking yourself out of the victory you already have. You’re a Champion! Act like it!

Verse of the Day: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. I John 5:4

Why So Worried?

When you worry, you’re not trusting God.

I can’t remember where I originally heard this line, but last night as I was talking to a friend it came to my remembrance. This quote is so on point.

You cannot trust God and worry. There is no way the two can coexist. Trusting God means that whatever the problem or situation, we place full responsibility on God provide the remedy. We follow His lead; we act according to His game plan. We fully entrust Him to direct our life in that area.

Worry is when we take the problem upon ourselves to solve. Worry is turning over the problem in our minds, looking at all the angles and trying to figure out a solution. We go through every scenario, never fully satisfied with the outcome we envision. We mull over “what-ifs” and “maybes.” Our worrying only brings us stress and fear. Worry can also cause us to make unwise decisions which only lead to disaster and more worry.

As Christians, we are never to worry. We are the children of the Most High God! The Creator of the Universe, the Orchestrator of this World is our Father. He has vested interest in our well being. Whatever we come up against, He is able and willing to help us to overcome. We just have to trust Him enough to let Him handle it.

His remedy may not be what we had envisioned. His timing may not be the timeline we would like. Still, we have to continue to trust that God’s way is better than any solution we could come up with. We have to stay patient and accepting of His leadership. God will never steer us wrong, and He will never leave us hanging. So, stop all that worrying, and trust God!

Verse of the Day: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:6, 7

Thanksgiving Friday!

It’s Friday again! – Plus it’s a payday for me. Hallelujah! I’m so full of joy that God is keeping my heart with His goodness.

Today I am giving God thanks for my church family. They truly are a family, and I am grateful that God ordained for us all to grow spiritually together. My church is filled with laughter, love, wisdom, and friendship. I pray that God continues to bless each and every member. Thank you, Lord, for my church family!

I am also thankful for the contacts, relationships, and associations that I have made. I have been blessed to come across young people (and old) with vision. I have met go-getters, entrepreneurs, game changers, and movers-and-shakers in all genres of life. Watching them press forward with perseverance only pushes me to work harder to achieve my dream. Helping and supporting them when I can gives me satisfaction knowing that some quality work is getting done. I appreciate learning from their journey, and I value their input and support. Thank you, Lord, for good connections!

Finally today, I thank God that I am finally realizing the treasure of my gifts. I know that God has blessed me to write, create, plan, and execute. This week, however, I am seeing that I don’t have to be fearful that my gifts will be misunderstood or rejected. God has placed those gifts on the inside of me, and He will ensure that their mission will be accomplished! Thank you, Lord, for my treasures!

Take some time to give God some thanks today, saints. He is truly worthy to be praised!

Verse of the Day: Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15

It's a Done Deal

This week my Apostle has our congregation meditating on the Amplified Version of Luke 1:37. It’s a part of Gabriel’s conversation with Mary after telling her that she had been chosen to bear the Savior. I’ve been getting so blessed by this that I wanted to share. The verse reads: For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.

Isn’t that mind blowing? No word from God is going to fail! Everything He’s spoken has to come to pass!

I have been using parts of my prayer time to meditate on this fact in conjunction with all of the promises that God has given me personally. Plus, I’ve added in the scriptures I am standing on from His Word concerning my present circumstances. It’s so encouraging to know that not one of them will be denied to me as I continue in faith and live according to His will.

Maybe right now you are looking for God to fulfill His Word to you and your situation. It may seem like things aren’t coming together or that God has forgotten you. You may have fasted and prayed, cried, gave, confessed and things still appear grim. I’m here to let you know that God has not forgotten you!

If He said it, it’s His duty to perform it! Stand strong knowing that all things are working together for your good. Keep trusting in His Word, for He has never forsaken the righteous yet. Watch and see what God does for you!

Verse of the Day: 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? Numbers 23:19

He's All That!

Right now I am only one person. Still my individual self is different things to the various people in my life. To someone I am a daughter, to another person a sister. I am also a friend, leader, and co-worker. I also act as a mentor, confidant, prayer partner, schoolmate, sounding board… I could go on and on. I fulfill different roles for different people, yet I am still my single self.

In the same way, God embodies different roles for each individual within His Kingdom. What I love about it is that He can be several things all at once, and He can adapt to my situation. I may need a Healer one day, a Heavenly Father the next, another day I may need a Comforter, and the following I may need a Strong Tower. God is all of that and more for me!

As we go through life we can sometimes forget that God is there for us in whatever we face. If it’s frustration on the job, He can be your listening ear. Feeling depressed? He can be your joy. When you need direction, He can guide your path.

Make a point to go to God first with anything that you face. Don’t be so quick to run to a friend or call up a family member to vent. Pause for a moment and say a prayer to your Heavenly Father, and wait for His healing touch and words of wisdom.

Take some time today to thank God for all that He is for you. No matter what you face, God is able to step in and speak to any situation. We are truly blessed to be His children!

P. U. S. H.!

Christians love to use the acronym PUSH – Pray Until Something Happens. Today I’d like to redefine it: Pray, Prepare, and Perform Until Something Happens.

Too often, I feel, saints put all of the responsibility on God to make their visions, aspirations, and dreams come to pass. We pray and look to the skies for our blessings to fall in our lap without any hard work on our part. Yes, God is our Ultimate Help, and His whole mission for having us here is to fulfill His purpose for us. However, God wants us to be an active part of the process in realizing our dreams.

We cannot really appreciate obtaining God’s promises for us if we haven’t put any sweat into the process. If everything just appeared out of the sky, we would take our answered prayers for granted. There is growth in stepping out in faith trusting that God will fulfill His Word. Character is honed and defined when we take initiative and work the process to pave the way for the promise to develop.

How can God send your new job when you haven’t sent out your resume? What financial increase can you obtain if you’re always spending all of your extra money? How do you expect for your husband to find you when you’re running up behind every potential man you see without a wedding ring?

Okay, okay. I’ll leave you alone.

What I’m trying to say is we all have a part to play in causing some prayers to be answered. We have to actively position ourselves to receive the answer. Even if all we can do is speak the Word over our situation, then we must speak the Word! Faith without works is dead, so let’s revive our faith by putting our actions behind our prayers.

Verse of the Day: …I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:18b

Remember the Word

This weekend I house sat for my sister while she was out of town. I was amused and then intrigued by notes my sister had left to herself around her apartment. She had handwritten notes at her front and back door, on her fridge, and in her bathroom. The notes were confessions of faith and scriptures to encourage herself in the Lord.

After thinking about it, I will probably be putting up some of my own words of faith in my room and at my desk. Having a word of God around at those times when I’m busily going through the day will help me to pause and reflect about the real reason that I’m here on this earth. They can also help keep my attitude in check when I become frustrated when things don’t go according to plan. (I’m working on that vice. It will not prevail!)

It reminds me of the instructions God gave to the children of Israel. He commanded them to keep His words before them. They had to engrave his words into their door posts, and even bind them on their foreheads and hands! (Deuteronomy 11:18-20) God was showing them how important it was to keep His words on their mind and hearts.

We too should make an effort to keep God’s words ever before us. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us an abundant life. (John 10:10) So, if we plan on obtaining that overflow, we need to be putting an abundance of His Word on the inside of us. His Words bring deliverance, healing, peace, joy, and revelation. Why not leave some of that around to stumble upon?

Verse of the Day: …the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

Thanksgiving Friday

Isn’t amazing how the weeks are flying by? It’s already another Thanksgiving Friday! Saints, we’ve made it through again. Praise God for another week of life and bliss!

I am thankful for so much this week. God has put a song in my heart and joy in my spirit despite some of the negative things still trying to take over. I have been smiling and laughing all week, and I know that the joy of the Lord is truly being my strength because there’s no other way I could do it!

I have also been blessed to walk in my creative gifts on this week. Working with the vision that God has revealed to me, I have been busily working to put things in place and bring Him glory! I’m so excited to see what the manifestation will establish.

Finally, I’m thankful for my family today. They are an amazing group of warriors. My parents – despite the physical difficulties they are fighting in my father’s body – are still standing strong pastoring a vibrant church. My sister is on her way to getting her graduate degree in December, and is currently spreading the love of Jesus in Ghana on a missions trip. I couldn’t ask for a better group of individuals to be connected to.

So, what are you thankful for this week? What great things has God done for you? I know I’m not the only one giving him praise! Feel free to leave your thankful comments below.

Have a great weekend!

Verse of the Day: …the joy of the LORD is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10b

A New Outlook

Recently I began planning the 2011 itinerary and focus for my church’s youth ministry where I serve as the leader. In my times of prayer and meditation, God has been showing me new and innovative ideas to continue reaching out to and involving our teens. I am getting excited that I get to implement such creative initiatives, and I know that my teens will enjoy them.

Sometimes we can get into a bit of a routine in our service to the Lord. Our participation becomes like a habit and we perform our responsibilities like a machine. We can even let the fire that God lit in us die down to glowing embers, and we lose the zeal we originally had.

However, all of that complacency changes when we get before God and allow Him to show us His vision and plans for every area of our lives. God has a way of making everything fresh, and His ultimate creative process can invigorate any situation.

I love how God can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary! Nothing is routine when God is involved. He always brings forth a new way that always delivers sound results. It’s just our responsibility to move with God in the change, so that our lives can continue to thrive with vitality. Variety is the spice of life as they say.

Take some time today to allow God to breathe new life into you where your service to Him is concerned. Allow Him to remind you of the call that you have, and open yourself to hearing His fresh take on your position. Let God quicken your spirit anew with His inspiration.

Verse of the Day: Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? Isaiah 43:19a

Winds of Change

It’s starting to get chilly here in Chicago again. I must admit, I love the fall. I love the changing of the leaves and the feeling of being bundled in a coat. It’s not super hot and it’s not super cold. The crisp air is so pleasant, and I feel that fall is the perfect season.

I’m amazed every year though by the people who just can’t let go of summer. Despite the plunging temperature, men refuse to don jackets and women still parade in open toed shoes. They dress oblivious to the cold and as a result, many of those same people wake up with colds and the flu later on in the season.

Often in life we too can be stubborn to change with the seasons. God may be trying to bring us into a new place, a higher level, or have us face down a new challenge. Yet we are still content with where we currently are, and fight to stay in our comfort zone. As a result, we can send ourselves down roads of unnecessary detours and trials we could have avoided if we would have just gone with the changes God ordered.

God ordained seasons so that the earth could be replenished and refreshed. Too much of any one climate can cause stagnation and decline. Even the desert gets rain and has cool temperatures at times. So, don’t try to fight against God when you feel the winds of change blowing. Get excited and keep moving! Know that whatever season you’re walking into, God is still bringing you to your expected end.

Verse of the Day: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1

The Official's Official

I am a certified political junkie. It started when I lived in DC during the race of Mayor Fenty. It’s only blossomed and flourished with the election of Obama, and now all of the political unrest has me glued to the blogs, NPR and the news channels. I get a kick out of hearing the politicos strategize, theorize, and legitimize only to come back later and retrace their steps. Plus, I believe it is important to keep track of the pulse of those who are controlling our nation.

Today is Election Day for the US, and it stands to be one of the more important elections held in recent memory. America is stumbling, our residents are angry and bewildered, and we are all looking to our elected officials to navigate us through this mess we’ve made.

I have my own personal convictions about who and what party can help remedy the situation. As a believer, however, I know the ultimate decision lies in God’s hands. No matter which party is control, or who takes the reigns as the leader of a state, God allows each and every person to take office as He sees fit.

So, today as I monitor the polls, I’ll be in constant prayer that God will guide the fingers and pens of the voting public to ensure that the right people for each job is selected. No man can save, only God. As long as we continue to keep God as the center of our Union, we cannot go wrong.

Verse of the Day: The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Proverbs 21:1

What's My Motivation?

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending two services that celebrated the lives of two saints. One was a service where a minister preached his last sermon as a pastor, retiring after 45 years of service. The other was a homegoing celebration for a woman who passed away after a battle with cancer.

Although the meetings were held for two drastically different reasons, both of them highlighted a similar theme. Everyone who spoke about the honorees talked about the persons’ ability to serve with love in spite of the situations. They spoke on the person’s leadership through service, and how that service led others to the Lord.

This got me thinking about my own life’s service and what someone might say looking back over the legacy I have left in my wake. I know that I am not one who shies away from work or fulfilling an assignment. But I know that I often serve out of duty or necessity rather than out of a heartfelt love.

This realization led me to say a prayer asking God to help me to always serve with a spirit of love. I have to remember that everything I do is to be out of the love I have for Christ, and no matter what the situation, He is the one I am aiming to please. I can mask my irritations, frustrations, and bad attitude from people, but God always sees my heart. (I Samuel 16:7) If I serve to please the Lord with a heart of love, it will flow out into my actions and cause others to see Jesus all the more clearly.

Verse of the Day: …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31