No Stuntin' and Frontin' Necessary

Believe it or not, we all are highly skilled actors. From our facial expressions, the way we dress, and our tone of voice, we humans have perfected the art of masking how we really feel.

We act professional at work in order to keep our jobs. We act respectful with our parents because... well, they're our parents. We act like everything's good when we're out with our friends because we don't want to bring the party down. We act like we have money when we're drowning in debt. Some of us act holy in church because... Let me just back away from that one. You see I could go anywhere with this.

It is rare for us these days to show our true selves to people. We set up our facades to make ourselves look better to others and keep our negative, embarrassing, or painful feelings to ourselves. Very few people (if any) get the privilege of seeing how we truly are.

Yet there is someone who knows every moment of our lives, and He knows our real feelings. He knows every single minute thought. He's seen every outburst of anger, heard every cry of fear, witnessed every pang of insecurity, and bottled up every single tear.

And He still loves you so much.

Isn't it amazing to know that there is Someone who truly accepts you for you? Not the "stage" you that is the talented actor, but the real you who He created along with your most inward parts. We have no reason to front with Him, He already knows all of us and keeps on reaching out for us anyway.

Take some time to meditate on the fullness and richness of God's love for you today and let Him know how much you appreciate His love.

Verse of the Day: ...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:7b

Yes You Can!

Doubt is an insidious little character. It capitalizes on every single opportunity it is awarded to eat away at dreams, hopes, and visions. If allowed, it will tear down the most remarkable of promises leaving nothing left to build on.


If you can think of it, Doubt can crush it. It's up to you to keep a steady watch and break the power of Doubt at every turn. Entertaining even the smallest question it offers can send you spiraling down a path that ends in unfulfillment.

Even Jesus had to go and exercise his mental strength against the powers of doubt when he was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus knew that there was no way that he could work miracles, cast out demons, and heal the sick if there was any doubt in his mind. He also knew that he could not preach with strong authority if Doubt felt comfortable enough to whisper lies into his ear.

How much power does Doubt have over you? Does Doubt feel comfortable enough to take up residence in your mind? How do you handle Doubt when it does try to whisper in your ear?

The word of God says that we have to strengthen our minds and seriously set up roadblocks to the onslaught of Doubt. From the way we live our lives, the words that come out of our mouths, to the thoughts that we entertain, we have to stay in faith and vigilantly, actively keep Doubt at bay.

Remember what the Word says: You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! (Philippians 4:13) If you don't see how you can do it, that's okay. It's Christ's strength that's going to make it happen, so stop doubting. Believe that it's going to happen!

Verse of the Day: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ... 1 Peter 1:13

Just Go With God Already!

So yesterday we talked about questions; today let's talk about answers.

We serve an unconventional God. He does not do things according to logic. He makes sure that when He moves, everyone knows that it was His supernatural power that was working.

In God's awesome uniqueness, He often answers prayers in ways that seem to not be answers at all.

For example, when Samuel was sent out to look for Israel's next king after Saul, Samuel could not understand how little old David could ever lead God's nation. Yet God saw David's heart and had the boy anointed to rule.

The widow woman who was prepared to eat her last meal and die with her son found the answer to her prayers by giving that same last meal to the man of God. God stretched her last to feed her through the rest of a famine.

I myself can attest to God's distinctive answers to prayer. I never would have thought that checking a box on a standardized test would allow me to get multiple scholarship offers that enabled me to pick what school I wanted to go to all expenses paid. I honestly thought about not checking that box (didn't want to be a part of the 'statistic-taking') Yet I did, and that's what happened. It's just how my God works.

Don't allow your own 'logic' and 'sense' to keep you from the answer to your prayers. If God shows you something that you can't figure out, don't worry. God has a way of making everything work together for your good.

Just trust Him and go with it! He can use a shout of praise to tear down a city wall. He can allow three men to walk in fire and live. He can bring the life of a child to a virgin woman. He can use mud to open blind eyes. His voice alone can quiet winds...

I'm sure whatever He's showing you is a piece of cake. You already have your answer, go ahead and believe it!

Verse of the Day: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Ask Away!

It's Monday morning, and I'm smiling! God is good.

Yesterday I had a good class with my teen ministry about the questions we have in life. At times it seems like all we have are questions and zero answers.

Why am I here and not where I want to be? Why do all these bad things keep happening? When will I arrive at my place of destiny? How am I supposed to reach that loft goal? Is God really listening to me when I pray?

I could go on, and on... and on.

I believe that when they are utilized appropriately, questions can be a helpful additive to our faith-walk. When we ask our questions of the right party, we have opportunities to gain wisdom, build relationship, and show the reality of our hearts.

The Bible lists several times when the disciples asked Jesus to clarify his parables and statements. Jesus always obliged letting them in on the wisdom behind his words. Had the disciples not asked their questions, they would have stayed in confusion.

When the Queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon (I Kings 10), she came to witness his famed wisdom personally. Yet through the process of posing her hard questions and having them answered by Solomon, she developed a relationship with him to the degree that she blessed him with riches and praised his God.

The entire book of Job is peppered with the questions he had while going through his great trial. He cried out to all who listened about his perplexitiy and confusion. He didn't understand what was going on, and his questions reflected the anguish of his heart.

We will always have questions about our lives. Not all of them will get answered. Don't be afraid to ask your questions. Being courageous enough to ask the questions opens up the door for knowledge and understanding to come in.

Verse of the Day: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Thanksgiving Friday!

Today is Friday, and I'm happy to be alive. These days are whizzing by, folks! Make sure that you make the most of them.

With all that's going on, I'm still thankful to God for His love, His direction, and His peace. They are priceless gifts that I wouldn't trade for anything! It's so good to have a shelter from the storms of life.

Lately, God's been talking to me about some things I can do now for His Kingdom. It's so exciting when God shows you new doors He's opening up for you. I am definitely setting aside some time this weekend to get before His throne and listen to more of His thoughts about what I can do for Him. Love it!

I'm thankful for all of you who are still coming here daily to be fed from the Word of God. I appreciate your support and pray that God blesses you in your endeavors.

Have a great weekend!

Verse of the Day: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3

Remember When You Fell in Love?

Love is a funny thing. It can sneak up on you unawares. Love can drive you to do things you never would have done otherwise. It can bring two people together to share their entire lives with each other. Love can make someone risk everything just to stay in its embrace.

As blissful as love can be, it takes work and dedication to keep its flames burning. Without proper care and maintenance, love can fizzle out and leave a previously burning heart cold.

It's easy to fall into a routine of saying "I love you" and doing things for someone you love out of habit not affection. If you don't stay on top of things, you could easily look up to find resentment, boredom, or distraction taking up residence where love once lived.

One way to help fan the flames of love is to remember how you fell in love in the first place. What was it that made your heart skip a beat? What flipped on the switch of love for that person?

Sometimes the embers of our love for God may grow a bit dim. With the routine of life, other distractions, and missed times of intimacy with Him we may find ourselves interacting with God out of habit not out of genuine affection.

So, today take some time to fan the embers of your love for God. Remember the moment that you fell in love with Him. Reminisce over the time where your heart skipped a beat thinking of Him. What about the Father makes you smile? What did He do for you personally that sealed the deal of your love for Him?

Remembering specifically why you personally love God will help you continue to stay in love with Him. You may have let God into your heart, but once you gave Him ownership of your heart, it turned into a different story. Keep those flames of love alive. Don't let them die out.

Verse of the Day: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us... 1 John 3:1

You Can Stay Full of Joy

I don't know what it is, but I've been feeling a bit blah lately. Maybe it's the gray clouds in the sky. Maybe it's work. Maybe it's the fact that I really don't understand this new class I've started this semester. It could be a host of other things that aren't that great that are going on in my life.

Yesterday, I had enough of feeling blue. I reminded myself of the fact that the joy of the Lord is my strength. I shook myself and chose to change my mood.

It's easy to allow the occurrences of what's going on around us to affect what's going on inside us. I'm amazed sometimes at how quickly my own mood can change. There I was singing a happy song, feeling great, and something (usually it's a someone) just breezes through and ruins my sun shiny moment.

Sometimes we have to choose to rise above the negativity that would love to pull us down. We must remind ourselves that since we have the Lord, we have His joy. One of the definitions of joy is a source of happiness.* God is a constant source of happiness!

No matter what's going on, no matter what we face, we always have a source of happiness on the inside. It's just up to us to go to God and grab hold of His joy.

Just thinking on His attributes and meditating on His goodness is bound to bring a smile to your lips and a twinkle to your eye. Remembering His bountiful blessings and His renewed mercies is always a way to shift our perspectives and focus.

So, don't allow yourself to wallow in despondency. Don't give in to the frown that's trying to invade your face. As you stand in the midst of adversity, fight to maintain your source of strength. Remember that you have the joy of the Lord.

Verse of the Day: ...neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10b

*Dictionary.com

Fast Food Days

In today's time management, multi-tasking world, we all have mastered the art of doing more than one thing at a time. I like to think of our lives now as "fast-food days." Like fast food is chock full of empty calories, we pack in so many activities in our daily routines that really don't bring any quality to our lives.

We go in to work putting on make-up, eating breakfast, and catching up on the news while we drive. We do our work with our online radios playing, toggling between multiple screens, and holding conversations with our nearby co-workers. We get home to browse the internet, eat dinner, and watch our favorite tv show simultaneously. Some of us now can't get to sleep without background noise to engage the part of our brain that needs the extra stimulation even as we drift off to unconsciousness.

Let me ask you a question: Are you enjoying all this extra life you're taking in?

Seriously, when you really think about it, are you really gaining better value from your life simply from piling more of it on your plate?

Can you remember the last good meal you had? How about a really engaging conversation? What's the last movie you watched that made you cry?

Nine times out of ten I bet you that experience had your full attention. If that meal didn't have it in the beginning, once you realized it's flavor, I bet you put the blackberry down! You probably didn't even think about scrolling through your Twitter feed as you talked with your good friend.

The memorable moments in life have a way of grabbing all of your focus. Yet the ones we stumble upon accidentally are few and far between. However, when we take the time to look for those moments, they seem to pop up everywhere.

As you bustle about your day, take some time to pause and take in your surroundings. You might be able to hear the underlying pain in the voice of the co-worker you chat with and have an opportunity to minister to them. You may catch the beauty of the sun on your drive home from work today. Really listening to the world around you may help you to hear something inspiring or helpful that will help you as you journey through life.

How about taking a break from you "fast food days" and take some time to invest in an experience that you fully savor and enjoy? Have a real moment. Make a real memory. Enjoy something with your full attention. Then you can go tweet about it.

Verse of the Day: Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Psalm 145:2

You Do You, and I'mma Do Me!

Good Morning, Everyone! So glad to have another week to give God praise!

You ever watch someone or see something and think, "I could do that!" or even "I can do better than that!"

I tend to get that way often when watching certain television shows. I am amazed sometimes that people are making top dollar or getting famous off of something that I totally could do myself.

And then I get to thinking, "Well, if I had their money, I could do this..." or "Well, if I had their connections I could do that..." or even "If I just had a bit more free time I could sit down and accomplish this..." The dreams and visions just swirl in my brain.

There's one big difference between myself and those folks: I'm watching them, and they're doing them.

God has made all of us beautifully unique. We all have special gifts, talents, and purposes that only we as individuals can fulfill. Yet, often we get so caught up in the shine and the glitter of somebody else's life, that we pay little attention to our own.

We can all day-dream, wish, and hope that one day we'll reach our golden palace. Yet sometimes we have to turn off the dreams and jump into reality. Our dreams will continue to stay dreams if we don't put some action behind them. We can believe all we want that we can be great, but if we don't actually start being great, we just have a really great imagination.

Think about it, how much time do you spend each day working on your own purpose? What gets accomplished on a regular basis that ensures that your purpose in life is going to be achieved? Do you even take time at all to work on yourself?

If someone looks at you, do they feel inspired? Are they driven to be better and do better than you (in a good way)? Or, do they even consider you at all when they think of success?

Just some thoughts as you kick off your brand, spanking new week. Let's fill it with some actual progress, folks! We can do it!

Verse of the Day: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

Thanksgiving Friday!

Is that the sun peeking through the skies? Do I hear birds chirping in the air? What's this lightness that I feel?

Could it be?

It's Friday!!!

I feel like I've been running a marathon, turned a corner, and can see the finish line up ahead. I have a booster shot of adrenaline running through my veins!

God is so good. I'm thankful that even though I may have gone through some hard things this week and may not have responded to them all as I should, I'm still one of His own. Thank you Lord for forgiveness!

It's such a blessing just to be alive! These small things that get in the way are just that: small things. Yet often we can blow them up in our eyesight and make them appear bigger than what they are. In the grand scheme of things, those issues we got so worked up over are nothing.

So, don't sweat the small stuff! (Easier said then done, I know. But let's try, shall we?) You've got a great big God who's taking care of you. He'll help you handle it all. So, let's all put on a smile and make someone's day brighter.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Verse of the Day: Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

Giving Thanks...

I know I usually do my thanksgiving posts on Fridays, but this week has been especially challenging. I have so many things to juggle right now. So, I am going to actively give God praise in the midst of my hard place, and I am going to choose to have the joy of the Lord.

Still trying to grow.

Lord, I thank you that when I am weak, you are my strength! Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Proverbs 37:24

I give you praise for keeping me in safety throughout this week. The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:3

Even though my mind is concerned, my heart is fixed on the promises of Your Word. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Though I am alone, I am never lonely. ...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

Despite those things that I still desire, my cup overflows with your blessings. I have no reason to complain. I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11b

Even though it seems like I will be overwhelmed, You will never allow me to crumble beneath the weight of it all. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed... 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9

Thank You so much for helping me to notice the silver linings of the storm clouds. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Psalm 138:7

I give You praise that the rain is only helping me to grow and develop the character that You want me to have. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10

Most of all, thank You Lord for forgiving me of my many shortcomings and mistakes. I give you praise for Your ever-renewing mercies and grace. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16


Whew! I feel better already. How about you? In spite of it all, we still have a reason to give God thanks!

Waiting and Willing...

You want to know the best thing about being saved? (Outside of salvation and eternal life, that is.) We get a Friend/Father/Comforter who is - literally - always there for us!

Wherever we go, whatever we do, however we feel, we have a God who is always there waiting and willing to help us in our time of need. Isn't it heart warming to know that our God cares enough to take that kind of an interest in each of our individual lives?

Lately, I've been capitalizing on my relationship with the Father. I've been talking with Him more throughout the day, mostly about big things I'm facing right now, but even the little things have slipped in too. Just taking the time to acknowledge Him, lay down my troubles, share my joys, and vent my frustrations has helped me get through a lot lately. Plus, He's showing things to me that I may otherwise have overlooked.

God cares about you so much! Every thing that you're facing, experiencing, confused about, or angry about, is something that He would love to help you with. Often we instead choose to run to our friends, family, diversions, or vices for comfort instead.

Take advantage of the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God. Let Him become your closest confidant and advisor. He already knows everything about you anyway. You should take some time to get to know what He thinks about what's going on.

Verse of the Day:  I am with you always, even unto the end of the world... Matthew 28:20

Be Careful What You Pray For!

Lately, I've been praying for patience. It's a part of my character that needs to be developed and perfected. I just seem to have no patience for sudden twists, turns, and interruptions that pop up. Those things drive me into a whole 'nother lane that I don't need to be in.

So, I've been praying. And every day I have had moments where my patience has been tried. At home, at work, on the road, in stores... You name it. I have been spending the last few days wrestling within myself to just sit still and stay calm.

Be careful what you pray for. Sometimes you have to go through certain experiences that exercise that quality to have it grow in your life.

You ask for love, here comes someone that people find unlovable. Here's your chance to exercise love. You ask for faith, now you're in a situation where only God can deliver the answer. Here's your chance to work your faith.

I asked for patience, and now I find myself having to actively choose to be patient on a daily basis. Just this morning, on my drive in, I spoke over my day. I declared that I would have a great day and not be moved by anything that occurred.

You know several things were waiting to move me as soon as I got in to work, right?

Still, God is faithful. I was reminded of my prayers and chose to work on my patience. It's so easy to slip into the negative. It takes strength of character to stay in the positive. Right now, I'm building up my strength of patience.

What do you need to work on? Are you ready to really change things? Maybe you should dare to pray for God to improve that area of your life. Just be ready to work to get the answer!

Verse of the Day: And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up... Acts 20:32a

Check Your Spiritual Inventory...

It's a new week! We have new mercies, a clean slate, and an opportunity to take on a fresh outlook.

Right now my heart is with the people of Japan. The devastation is so tragic and overwhelming, I cannot fathom how they will even begin to recover. I have certainly been keeping them and their leaders in my prayers. With so many things still ongoing, we should all continue to lift up their country before the Lord.

It's so easy to see these disasters on television, feel a tug of emotion and just keep going. We may stop and say a prayer, we may donate to a relief organization, or we may find some other way to get actively involved. However, it's times like this where I take a look at my personal life.

In addition to looking at practical things (emergency kits,  contingency plans, etc.), I more importantly take inventory of my spiritual state. If an epic tragedy came through my part of the world, how would my spiritual life stack up?

If I were swept away today, would I be satisfied with how I lived my life for the Father? If everything was falling apart around me, do I have enough Word on the inside to sustain me through the heartache? Do I have an overflow of that Word to share with someone else who doesn't know Jesus?

It's so easy to disconnect from things when they are so far away. If you've been paying attention, however, tragedy is knocking on the doors of many nations, states, cities, and communities. There is no guarantee that  your door (or mine) will never be approached.

So take some time today to take stock of your spiritual state. Take on the initiative to get whatever needs to be remedied right before God. Spend some time in His Word and before His throne letting Him pour into your spirit. You never know when you'll need those insights to spring up for you to use.

We have every opportunity to prepare ourselves. Don't just shrug it off for tomorrow. You very well might need it today.

Verse of the Day: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8

It's Really Friday? Giving Thanks...

Hey all. Yes, it's Friday on the calendar, but I'm busy like it's Monday.

BUT: God's still worthy of thanksgiving and praise! So, I'm still giving Him glory.

Right now I'm going to leave you with a Psalm of Thanksgiving. I'll check in later with a regular post.

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

Love, Actually

During the course of my day I visit many news/magazine/blog sites just to keep up with what's going on in the world. I make a point to visit both Christian and non-Christian sites to see where conversations intersect and to see what might be lacking.

Lately I have been saddened by the anger and vitriol that I see displayed on the Christian websites. With so much going on that is contrary to the will of God, I can see the need for increased discussion, petitions, forums, and the like. We are obligated to shine a light in darkness to point people to God.

Yet, I don't see how anyone would want to follow our lead when our words are tinged with what almost feels like hate! Who would be drawn to someone that claims to be coming from a place of love but there is no kind of love anywhere in their approach?

It's no wonder people are taking it upon themselves to justify what a God of love is to them based on their own ideas and desires. The saints of God as a body are certainly not displaying it on the larger scale...

Today, I would like all of us to evaluate what kind of love we are showcasing. We can disagree with someone without getting out of a loving character. We can point someone to the Truth without being disrespectful. Remember how Christ himself displayed a love that caused prostitutes, thieves, and other sinners to change their lives for the better.

Are you so caught up in proving your point that you are missing the point? We're not here to force people to change. We're here to bring others to Christ. Once we get them to the Cross, He'll take care of the rest.

Have a blessed, loving day everyone!

Verse of the Day: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  John 13:35

Attitude Adjustment Needed!

So this morning I was in a funky mood. I woke up because of God's grace since my alarm certainly did not go off like it should have done. Then I forgot that I had to go get some gas before I started my commute to work, so I was about 10 minutes late getting on the expressway.  The drizzling rain did not help lift my spirits at all (or move traffic along, for that matter).

I arrived to work with the work coming to greet me as soon as I walked in the door. I mean, can I get my coat off first, please? Yes, I was starting on work items - that weren't even my normal responsibilities - before I logged onto my computer. My bad attitude was turned all the way up. I was so not feeling today.

While doing the other person's job (they were blessed to be off today), I happened to ask one of my co-workers how they were doing just to make conversation. Listening to her response literally made me  feel like the most ungrateful, selfish person on the planet.

In comparison to her, I was experiencing bliss! She was going through real issues and if anyone was entitled to be a little sour, it was her. Yet she still had a pleasant smile on her face. There was no trace of anger, attitude or crabbiness in her voice.

I immediately repented of my bad attitude and made an internal adjustment. Thinking about things later, I had to admit that I allowed that mood to overwhelm me. I woke up upset, but I didn't choose to put a stop to it and take on the joy of the Lord. Instead I wallowed in it, and probably made some room for it's growth as the morning went on.

So, I am going to work to give thanks in all things. Life is a blessing, and I  should give praise at every opportunity. With all that Christ experienced and does for me, I should always strive to reflect His light no matter what's happening. How can I reach someone if I'm walking around wrapped up in a funky attitude?

Lord, help me to be a better person even when things don't go according to plan. Help me to realize that if it's happening, it's a part of your Master Plan. You still have everything under control, so I can just rest in You. Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace.

Verse of the Day: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 (NLT)

**Did anyone else catch that I said I woke up because of God's grace, but I still had an attitude? Lord, help me!**

Refreshed!

This year I am taking the initiative to invest in myself. I have so many talents, dreams, aspirations and plans for myself that I know I need to invest in some training and education in order to fulfill these things at the best possible level.

One of my training initiatives included attending a youth leader training conference. I just returned from said conference this past weekend. It was amazing!

Surrounded by people who are working in the same field, experiencing the same challenges, feeling the same frustrations... It was so encouraging to know that I am not alone! Plus, to receive practical, credible, real tools to help make me a better youth leader was priceless. I have so much material to chew on, I will be riding this high for a while and reaping the benefits for a lifetime!

A lot of times we can get caught up in the doing of something, that we don't take time to improve on the doing. Usually it takes a crisis or some other negative reaction for us to change course. The if it ain't broke, don't fix it mentality... But imagine finding out that there are a plethora of other shiny, fabulous tools that can do so much more for you that what you're working with!

God has blessed you to be the fabulous you that you are. Yet, He has also blessed other people to help you to be a better, more fabulous you! He's given them wisdom, experience, and insight to help your journey to destiny go a bit more smoothly.

Take advantage of those gifts! Search out the opportunities! Spend the money to get the value added to your life! You are worth the investment. In fact, investing in your success is the best investment you can make. You are so worth it!

Verse of the Day: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:13

Conferencing...

Hello all,

I'm away at a conference and having a wonderful time! God has met me here and I am grateful.

Can I just encourage you to take some time out to get renewed in your walk with God? Whether its for your personal or ministerial walk, it is good to have a time where you are poured into. I certainly can attest to the benefits!

Enjoy your day today! I'll be back blogging tomorrow.

Tiara

Thanksgiving Friday!

Hey All! It's Friday!

I'm so happy that I made it! I (literally) just finished a paper, and now I can relax!

This weekend I'll be attending a leadership conference. I'm trying to invest in myself this year, and I'm so excited at this opportunity. It's looking to be really promising. I have to give God thanks for my church family who sent me off with their prayers and financial support for the weekend. I am truly blessed!

Before I get down to being ministered to, I'll be celebrating one of my girlfriend's upcoming nuptials. It's so nice when you can celebrate a friend. I'm so happy for her. Plus, I'm excited I get to sow some seeds of love that I will definitely be reaping come my turn!

Lord, I give you praise for my family and friends who add so much richness to my life! Thank you for blessing me to be surrounded by so much love and happiness. I am so grateful for how you've blessed me!

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm out!

Verse of the Day: The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. Proverbs 14:20

Did You (Really) Pray For Me?

We've all gotten the request: "Pray for me."

Usually the hearer quickly says, "No problem! You know I will." They muse for a moment over what caused the petitioner to ask for prayer and then go about their day.

Yet, how many actually stop and say a prayer?

Sometimes I myself have asked for prayer at then end telling a story of difficulty. At those times I really did need prayer. Other times I simply made the request to shift the focus off of my questionable behavior: "Girl, you know God's still working on me! Pray for me!"

I've also been guilty of rattling off a quick "I'm praying for you" as a signal of my concern and well-wishes about someone. Yet my omission of follow-through with an actual prayer only made my statement hollow and worthless. It would have been better for me to have said nothing at all.

Prayer is so much more than some words strung together to make us feel like we've done something. Prayer is a moment where we are privileged to go before GOD and have a personal conversation with Him! This is nothing to play with.

When we ask for prayer, it should be with sincerity. Don't take it for granted. When someone asks for prayer, take them seriously! No matter the situation, we all can benefit from lifting up another person before the Lord or being lifted up ourselves.

Who knows what God could be waiting to reveal, block, eradicate, or fulfill if we just took our own selves seriously and really took time to pray for each other when asked?

Verse of the Day: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men... 1 Timothy 2:1

Keep The End Goal in Mind!

Today, folks, I am tired. TIRED! I have been going at full speed for several days, and it's starting to catch up to me.

Yet, I am going to just grit my teeth, have another cup of tea and keep pressing. Why? Because I have a goal in mind. Waiting in front of me, shining like a glistening jewel, is my weekend...

It awaits, sparkling and free of responsibilities, work and deadlines. This weekend I can relax both mentally and physically. I can kick back my heels and partake in some engaging activities that don't require my leadership or assistance.

It can all be mine for the low price of non-stop work until Friday afternoon. Can I do it? Yes, I can!

When you have a goal that is of real value to you, you'll gladly sacrifice your comfort and put in the hard work to obtain that goal. When you truly get your heart fixed on something, you find the drive to get to that place, no matter how high the price may be to arrive there.

Often we say we have goals and aspirations. Are they truly goals? Or are they just wishes? Do we really aspire to possess those places of promise? Or are we just day dreaming again?

Everything that we want will not just run into our paths as we go about life. Sometimes we have to take the journey to arrive at our place of promise. And not every path is well paved and easily travelled.

Consider how Abraham obtained favor with God and as a result was made a wealthy man and the father of the nation of Israel. He had to step away from everything he knew, travel to a place without prior directions, and fully rely on God to show him when he arrived.

Imagine how much faith that took to make the first step! Imagaine how much faith it took to keep walking and not turn back!

God has shown you some places of promise that He wants to take you to. Have you taken up the charge and stepped out on faith despite the difficulty? Have you kept walking even when doubt, fear, and trials came knocking?

Keep your eyes on the ulitmate goal! Grit your teeth and take another step of faith. Obtaining God's promise for you is well worth the temporary struggle of the journey.

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. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him... Genesis 12:1-4a

If It's From God, You Can't Be Stopped!

On one of my calendars, I have a daily scripture. I always keep these for my own personal meditation, but today’s scripture popped out. So, I decided to share and write on it today.


The verse references the instance when the apostles were just beginning to preach the gospel with vigor in public. The Jews were trying to silence them and brought them before their leaders looking to have the apostles killed.

Yet, one wise expert of Jewish law – Gamaliel – stood up and made this profound statement:

So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” Acts 5:38, 39 (NLT)

As time progresses, each generation brings its own vision, flavor, and method to the church. Sometimes the newness is embraced, other times it is ridiculed and blocked. With the secular world changing and evolving so much, the church is scrambling to keep up and keep the lines of communication flowing in order to reach the lost.

We cannot afford to dismiss new innovations as a body of Christians. Just because something may be foreign and unfamiliar to us, does not mean that it can’t be from the Lord. Like Gamaliel said, if it’s not from God, it will be overthrown. But, Lord help us if we find out that we’ve been fighting His inspiration!

Maybe you yourself have been given a vision that you know is from God. Maybe you’re afraid to step out because it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard of before.

Remember Abraham who struck out on his own away from everything he had ever known. Remember Noah who built a boat having never seen rain. Remember Naaman who decided to follow the prophet’s instructions and dipped in dirty waters to obtain his healing.

Go with God! If you’re following Him, you can’t be overthrown!

Verse of the Day: Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19