The Construction Site.

First Kings 6:7 (NLT) reads, “The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ox, or any other iron tool at the building site.”

When we come to this particular verse in the Scripture, we are in the midst of a description of the Temple which King Solomon built to honor the Lord. Verses one through six and eight through 36 provide a very detailed description of this Temple. So when Holy Spirit guided me to verse seven, I was intrigued. Why was verse seven so essential to be mentioned in the midst of the descriptive verses? Why wasn’t a verse like this placed in chapter five where we read about the preparations which occurred for the building of the Temple? Let’s Talk!

As we know, stones are used as both foundational and supportive materials. In this Scripture, we learn that the stones utilized to build the Temple were prepared at a different site from the actual building site: the quarry. So what was the quarry? In my research, I found that it was a place where stones were not only finished but also extracted and prepped. At this site, you could witness men focused on the work at hand ensuring they were precise during the process of cutting the stones out, shaping them into the correct measurements, washing them, and polishing them. Once the stones were finished, they were transported to the building site of the Temple. The stones did not require any further modifications once they reached the Temple; they were simply placed in their respective places.

After gaining that knowledge, I viewed the quarry as a construction site raving with men working, loud noises, and tools scattered about. I imagined this place as being unkept and dirty… kind of like our hearts. I imagined the Workman (Holy Spirit) carving out the hurt, pain, trauma, arrogance, fleshly desires, haughtiness, entitlement and other stones out of our hearts. I imagined Him taking those things and cutting them, shaping them, washing them, and polishing them into marvelous testimonies of His glory while filling the place they were extracted from with His fruit. I imagined the precision He uses during the process ensuring that the finished stones are as the Cornerstone; the Cornerstone which was rejected and used to be the foundational support for the erecting His Temple. I imagined the crying out of our flesh and soul as well as the potential pain of the suffering we endure during this process of being prepared. I imagined a “Construction Zone” sign plastered for all to see as they encounter us day after day noticing the subtle changes that are occurring from within. Then I imagined Him considering every single detail of the blueprint He had already drawn out which noted the placement of each stone. I imagined how solid the foundation and supporting structure would be because the Master Builder built it Himself. I imagine Him adorning the Temple with beauty as He prepares it for The Ark of the Covenant to comfortably rest in its rightful place. I imagine the people admiring the completed Temple while not knowing or even considering the process it took to built it. I imagine how God must be in the quarry making the necessary preparations for the renovations needed within His Temple. I imagine this Temple being within me.

And as the renovations continue, I imagine this is what being His daughter entails: being less like myself and more like Him. My DNA being remade to match His. My mannerisms shifting from the one’s developed secondary to my environment to mimicking His. My thoughts becoming His thoughts, and my will transforming into His will. My flesh and soul realm being subject to His Spirit. His Spirit leading and guiding me. Friend, you are His Temple. And truth be told, you may be in need of some renovations just like I am. Let’s surrender to the process, patiently endure, and remain hopeful for we know even this is working out for our good! Just imagine the masterpiece that is coming forth! Ttyl!

His Daughter (Part One).

A while ago, I came across a quote by Ruth Schwenk which stated, “God is in control. He has promised to guide and direct your steps.” It was a very on time reminder which I quickly screenshot and saved as my lock screen’s screensaver. Everyday, multiple times a day, I read that quote as well as her name. It wasn’t until the last few days that I began to think, “Who is Ruth Schwenk?” As I finished my dinner tonight, I had that thought again so I Googled her. A blog website, titled thebettermom.com, appeared with a subtitle which reads, “Inspiring Moms to Become Better Moms One Day at a Time”. I quickly read her welcome message before searching her site and clicking on a posting titled, “When Motherhood has you Worn and Weary.” Because if truth be told, that was exactly how I had been feeling earlier today. As I continued to read the posting, I came across an image which read, “Raise your children on your knees.” At first, I was reminded of a time when God had told me to pray for strategies to raise my children. Next, I heard, “You can just be My daughter. I’ll teach you how to do the rest.” I, in the middle of a crowded restaurant, felt overwhelmed with emotion as tears began to run down my face.

I retreated to my car still crying and feeling overwhelmed. After wearing all of these hats and titles, attempting to juggle them, searching for strategies to improve my functioning within them, becoming overwhelmed, feeling weary, and feeling burdened all while crying out to God, I felt a sense of freedom. With those two sentences, the roles and titles I was attempting to uphold were minimized into mere tasks to be performed under the direction of my Heavenly Father. What a relief! The thoughts began to form: “So all I have to do is be Your daughter? Then you will teach me? What do you mean by be Your daughter? What will I have to do? I noticed myself feeling child-like before the next set of thoughts formed: You know how to be a daughter because you are naturally a daughter. You have a natural father whom you love, honor, admire, obey, respect, care for, and look up to. You also have a Heavenly Father whom you feel the same feelings towards. Although your earthly father did not meet all of your expectations and desires, your Heavenly Father continues to exceed them both. Next, I began to think of areas in which I desired my natural father to be more active in; those thoughts quickly faded as I remembered how my Heavenly Father’s hand had moved and continues to move covering those areas of lack. The tears came to a halt. My emotions were overtaken by a sense of peace. And I accepted the invitation to give Him all of these hats and roles in exchange for just being His daughter. To be continued…

Watch your Mouth.

According to my Google research, the average, working person speaks approximately 10, 000 to 16, 000 words per day with a speed of approximately 100 to 120 words per minute. It is reported that of those spoken words, less than 10 percent of those words are meaningful and impart value into the listening ear. Imagine speaking all of those words, and they’re either idle, destructive, or non-constructive. Matthew 12: 36-37 (NLT) reads, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say either acquit you or condemn you.” Imagine standing before God on judgment day with the above listed stats. Imagine not getting into heaven because you were not intentional with the words you spoke. Let’s Talk!

The Bible lists several scriptures regarding our language. Ephesians 5:29 (NLT) reads, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Colossians 4:6 (NLT) reads, “Let your conversation be gracious and seasoned with salt so that you will have the right response from everyone.” Proverbs 18: 20-21 (NLT) reads, “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Let’s take it back to Genesis chapter one when God SPOKE words and CREATED! Everything He spoke came to past. The Bible even informs us in Isaiah 55:11 that when God’s word goes forth, it does not return to Him empty; instead His word goes out and produces what it was sent out to produce. And according to Genesis 1:26, you and I were created in His image and likeness to have dominion. So God spoke words to CREATE the world, His word always comes to pass, and we were created in His image and likeness. So why don’t we consider the fact that our words are just as power as our Heavenly Father’s words? Why aren’t we intentional about the words that we speak? We have quoted Proverbs 18: 21 until we have become blue in the face, yet we still do not truly consider the weight of our words. That scripture in NLT version reads. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” This scripture alone lets us know that what we speak has the ability to produce life or death, but it also lets us know that we will experience the consequences of whichever fruit our words produce whether it be destructive or constructive.

I would like for you to consider a few other Scriptures regarding the use of our words. Psalm 15: 1-3 (NLT) reads, “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.” This verse gives us insight on where our words originate from: our hearts. Our heart condition determines our language! This scripture tells us who will enter into the Lord’s sanctuary and presence: Those that live blameless lives, do right, speak the truth, not engage in gossip or speak evil! YOUR WORDS MATTER!! Colossians 3: 8-10 (NLT) reads, “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.” Filthy language (slander, lies, gossip, profanity, etc.) are all attached to our old, sinful nature and its wickedness. This is why it is essential for us, as followers of Christ, to shed that old nature and take on the nature of our Creator, becoming more and more like Him.

Lastly, I would like to reference Ezekiel chapter 37 where you can read about the Lord taking Ezekiel down to a valley filled with bones. Verses 7, 8, and 10 in the NLT version read, “So I spoke the message, just as He told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscle and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath…So I spoke the message as He commanded me, and breathe came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.” In this passage of Scripture, the Lord had instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones so that they may live again. Ezekiel spoke the words just as He was instructed and witnessed his words bring life to dead, dry bones. Imagine how your life would be if you became more intentional with the use of your words. Imagine how you would speak the word of the Lord to certain situations and witness a response just as Ezekiel did. Imagine heaven moving on your behalf as a response to hearing the word of the Lord. YOUR WORDS MATTER FRIEND!!

I want to encourage you to check your heart’s condition. If you are engaging in slander, lies, gossip, and any other form of foul language, you are living according to your old, sinful nature and producing its wickedness. Make a decision today to commit to shedding that old nature and allowing Holy Spirit to transform you into your new nature. God is able to prune, uproot, and replace our old nature with His nature if we allow His Spirit to lead us. When you are standing before Him on judgement day, you desire for your words to acquit you so begin the work today to change your language while you still have time. Ttyl!

Parenting God’s Way.

Do you have a generalized parenting plan that you tend to alter as result of trial and error? Are you utilizing the same techniques that your parents and grandparents utilized? Are you relying on your cultural and/or religious practices as the foundation for your parenting style? Do you seek God for strategies for parenting each of your children? Let’s Talk!

Real talk, releasing my parenting style, not relying on the influence of the people I cherish, unlearning the cultural and religious practices adopted during my upbringing, and allowing God to take control of the parenting within my household has been difficult. As a mother, I truly love my children and desire nothing shy of God’s best for them. I desire for them to avoid “the struggle” and hard way of learning things. I desire for them to be fed with a silver spoon instead of getting it out of the mud. I desire for them to be able to express their emotions and experiences to me freely. I desire to walk hand in hand with them throughout every situation. I desire to protect them from any manner of harm that threatens their lives, safety, or future success. And due to my desires, I found myself overly possessive of my children and in God’s way.

Parenting God’s way consists of individualized strategies which are derived from a child’s personal qualities, needs, thought processes, methods of learning, past experiences, desires, etc. Parents must come to the realization that as much as we believe that we know our children, God is the One who truly knows them from within (Psalm 139: 1-16). Why not trust Him to reveal to us how we should raise our children? Why not cast down carnal guidelines when raising Godly children? Why don’t we reference the Word of God and pray for Holy Spirit to reveal strategies to us instead?

God is calling parents to follow His blueprint for parenting:

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” –Proverbs 22: 6 (NLT)

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” –Proverbs 20: 7 (NLT)

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger in the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” -Ephesians 6:4 (NLT)

“Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” -Colossians 3:21 (NLT)

“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.” -Psalm 27:10 (NLT)

Ephesians 6:4 is the key verse which supports this entire post. The “that comes from the Lord” portion is the cheat code to parenting God’s way. We all know that the right path is God’s path. We must not only teach our children the right way, but we must lead them in the right way. How so? We must actually walk out the Word of God in front of them instead of just teaching them about it. Our children should see God through us. The “do as I say and not as I do” has never and will never be effective. Next, we must not provoke our children with our language or the way that we treat them. I know that at times our emotions run high, but we must not respond out of our emotions. Instead, we must practice inviting God into those moments and seeking His direction on how we should respond. Finally, we can rest in Psalm 27:10 knowing that our children are covered and cared for by God Himself. When we miss the mark, He’s there to recover and redirect. While these scriptural references are generalized, I want to encourage you to pray for God’s specific strategies for each of your children. Have faith that He will reveal them unto you. As He does, be intentional with replacing your ways with His ways. Ttyl!

Do YOUR Part.

First Corinthians 12: 12-27 (NLT) declares,“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we will share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,’ that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, ‘I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,’ would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

The human body is composed of 11 major organ systems which each contain many parts. Each part within each organ system has its own function, but it cannot function independently from the other parts. If one part malfunctions, the entire organ system is placed at risk. And if that organ system is not restored to its designed functioning capacity within a certain amount of time, the health of the entire body becomes compromised. For example, the cardiovascular system contains the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Although these parts have different functions, they depend upon each other to function properly as a system. If there is a malfunctioning of one of the parts, the entire cardiovascular system becomes compromised which, in turn, results in an increased risk of physical death as the heart is the “powerhouse/engine” of the body. Just as this description brings clarity to the importance of ensuring that we ingest a healthy diet and partake in an exercise regimen to decrease our risk of physical death due to a compromised cardiovascular system, I pray that it also brings clarity to the importance of your function as a part within the body of Christ as well as the result of your malfunctioning… possible spiritual death. Let’s Talk!

As mentioned in the scriptures above, each believer is a part of the body of Christ, and each part is just as essential as the other parts. God placed each of us exactly where He desired for us to be within the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:18), and He imparted certain gifts within each of us (1 Corinthians 12: 28). Just as the eyes were designed to be set within the sockets of the head, you were designed to be an integral part of the body of Christ. Just as there would be a loss of vision and perception as a result of the loss of the eyes, there is a malfunctioning within the body of Christ when you are not fulfilling your part’s function. You must do YOUR part!

I am reminded of verses like Philippians 2:12 and Matthew 7: 3-5 when addressing the importance of ensuring that you do YOUR part. Philippians 2: 12 (NLT) declares, “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” Matthew 7: 3-5 (NLT) declares, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Friend, we must ensure that we are working out our own salvation and free from a log within our own eye prior to even considering looking at the other members within the body of Christ. We must ensure that we are within God’s will and order instead of being interested in His will and order for someone else’s life or someone else’s ministry. Focus on you, and do YOUR part. Strive to become a part of the solution by repairing the malfunction within you which may be inhibiting your part’s full functioning capacity. If you have been placed in a serving capacity as a leader within your local church, serve as if you are serving God Himself! Ensure that you are contributing your very best and have your affairs in order. If you have not been placed in a serving capacity as a leader, that does not negate your integral part within the body of Christ. Speak with your leader and express your willingness to serve. According to the scriptures above, you are tasked with fulfilling your part and working well with the other parts so that the body of Christ will function well. Do YOUR part. Ttyl!

I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T ‼️

In the adjective form, independent describes one who is free from the control of others, not relying on anything, or not looking for another’s opinion for guidance {adapted from the Merriam-Webster dictionary}. When thinking on those definitions, we can admit that we have never been and will never be independent. But there is hope for all of us who were fully convinced of our independent status while rapping Webbie’s lyrics back in the day. Our hope is in our God’s independent nature. As Acts 17: 24 & 25 declares, “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He does not live in man-made temples, and human hands cannot serve Him—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.” Let’s Talk!

I used to be convinced that I had been an independent woman since the age of 19 years. At that time, I had moved out of my mother’s house and into my first apartment with my 5 year old son in tow. The only financial assistance I received was from the government, and it included food stamps, section 8, and TANF. I was on a full tuition scholarship so I budgeted my Pell grant refund to pay my reduced priced bills and meet all of our other needs and desires. I became accustomed to figuring everything out on my own, and in turn, I developed a “I don’t need anyone for anything” type of mindset. Fast forward to a little over two years ago when I rededicated my life to God. I began to hate the thought of being independent, but that hate didn’t push me to shift my reliance onto Him. But as you may know, fully surrendering to God involves releasing control and “taking our hands” out of EVERYTHING. So I began to do just that in certain areas of my life, but in other areas, I met resistance within myself. I had to identify the root cause of that tension. I realized that it wasn’t just my “never needed anyone for anything” mindset; It was also a fear of being disappointed and let down. To be honest, there were times that I had looked to God to show up for me when I was desperate, but He didn’t in that moment. Although I was treating Him as if He was a genie in a bottle, that did not change the way that I felt when He didn’t come through for me.

Recently, while thinking on all of the factors that convinced me of my independent status, Holy Spirit reminded me, “It was never you.” After hearing those words, I felt a sense of freedom and had a “light bulb” moment. I had been so delusional thinking that I was doing all of those things out of my own strength and resources. It was always God showing up for me! When I didn’t know which way to turn, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! When I didn’t know where our next meal would come from, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! When I was short on my bills and had no one to turn to, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! When I began to deal with suicidal ideation, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! When I turned my back on God, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! When I was buried in my sin deserving to die, GOD SHOWED UP FOR ME! God has always shown up for me even when I wasn’t being intentional with my relationship with Him. Thinking on these things showed me His arm has always been present. Thinking on these things showed me just how great of a Father He is! He has been and will always take exceptional care of me! He has never and will never let me down! That sense of freedom I mentioned above occurred after I finally began releasing the burdens that I’ve been carrying due to attempting to remain “independent”. God is teaching me how to rest in His sovereignty and independent nature.

Friend, I am sure that you can relate to this posting in your own personal way. I know that releasing control can be difficult when you’re used to having to take care of yourself and your responsibilities. But God does a much better job than you ever can. Resting in His sovereign and independent nature is greater than anything you could ever orchestrate! Ttyl!

God’s Approval.

We, humans, love people’s approval. We love to seek people’s opinions. We love to gain people’s support. We love to gather people’s feedback. Seeking people’s approval is a human trait as we all desire to be accepted. It is when that desire to be accepted extends beyond us remaining true to ourselves and maintaining healthy boundaries that we fall into people pleasing. This occurs when you, then, began to appease people even if it brings no pleasure or displeasure to yourself. You began to silently suffer and dwell in emotional distress just so people will remain close to you. When people don’t approve of who you are, what you do, or how you perform, you reveal just how important people’s approval is to you by conforming to their standards. When people don’t show their support for you, you began to “feel some type of way” and deem them as “moving funny”. But at what point will you draw the line when it comes to the extent to which you are willing to go to please others and obtain their approval? Let’s Talk!

In order to effectively overcome, you must understand that there is a difference between seeking approval and people pleasing. Although they are closely related, they are not the same. As mentioned above, seeking people’s approval is a human trait which is healthy when it stems from a place of valuing relationship while maintaining boundaries and remaining true to yourself. Seeking people’s approval becomes people pleasing when that desire exceeds and overrides those factors. People pleasing can stem from seeds of rejection, abandonment, lack of nurturing during childhood, childhood traumas, abuse, low self-esteem, fear, a lack of boundaries, cultural experiences, and religious experiences. You cannot overcome what you do not explore. The key to overcoming people pleasing behaviors is to identify the seed(s). This is where a lot of us adults freeze up. Exploring our childhood experiences that we “swept under the rug” sounds so painful. The fear and anxiety that creeps up when we think of “going back” and talking about the things which “happened in that house, stayed in that house”. Knowing that debunking unresolved emotions and restricted thoughts that we used to form today’s identity threatens “who we have become”. We “got over it” only by suppressing it. We “worked through it” by prayer alone. We desired to address it, but we then decided to “let the past be the past”. We thought about therapy but deemed it only for “crazy people”.

And even after all of that, we have to go a little further. What do you do when your natural desire for people’s approval is challenged by God’s desire for you to seek His approval alone? What do you do when He desires for you to obey the sound from Heaven instead of people’s sounds? What do you do when you are facing the challenge of surrendering to God’s call versus staying in the limitations that people have attempted to place you in? What do you do when your desire to obtain your pastor’s approval causes conflict with your desire to ensure that you obtaining God’s approval? We must confess that there is a conflict when we desire to seek people’s approval over God’s approval as we cannot fully do both. What do you do when you are facing God, and He desires for you to “pick a side”?

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” -Galatians 1: 10

“But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” -Acts 5:29

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord.” -Proverbs 29:25&26

“For I have come to you in My Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the One who alone is God.” -John 5:44

“For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” -1 Thessalonians 2:4

Ensure that your desire to gain God’s approval outweighs your desire to gain man’s approval. Ttyl!

Humble Yourself.

Proverbs 3:34 declares, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 29:23 declares, “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”

Romans 12:3 declares, “Because of the privilege and authority that God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

James 4:10 declares, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.”

John 15:5 declares, “Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

2 Timothy 2:21 declares, “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special vessel for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

“Who are YOU? You are who you are because of ME. The people are drawn to you because of MY Spirit within you. You are able to be effective in ministry because of ME. You are MY vessel. You are because I AM.” After hearing these words, I completely sobered up and was immediately humbled as Holy Spirit had checked me in my selfish and prideful state. Let’s Talk!

According to the AI Overview, to humble yourself means “to recognize your dependence on God, shed pride and ego, submit your will to His, and serve others, rather than seeking self-importance”. The phrase is also defined as “a heart posture of lowliness before God”. God has been using me in so many ways to engage with people, to encourage people, to uplift people, and to pray for people. He continues to give me new insight, new strategies, and new ways of delivering what He would have for me to say. He has increased my capacity related to serving people tremendously this year. He continues to impart wisdom as I study the Bible and dedicate myself to a lifestyle of prayer. He has used me to say just what someone needed to hear, at “just the right time”, and many times after they had “been praying about this”. I have listened to so many intimate and vulnerable moments from people that I could have never imagined would be seeking a listening ear or guidance from me. I had began to think, “Why are these people coming to me? Why do they trust me? What is it about me?” And in that sobering, humbling moment, God reminded me exactly why. It was and will never be due to me, but it was and will always be due to HIM!

Friend, somewhere along the line, I allowed pride to creep into my heart. How dare I give myself a measure of God’s credit? I KNOW that none of what I do is due to myself or my abilities (John 15:5). If not for God’s Spirit working through me, none of what I have written would have occurred (2 Timothy 2:21). I am who I am, live the way that I live, do the things that I do because of HIM. Let me go a little further: I am alive, able to read, able to articulate, able to work in my career field, able to be a mother, able to serve, able to speak, etc. because of GOD, His power, and His Sovereignty. So as Paul warned in Romans 12:3, I dare not think too highly of myself again; for God opposes the proud and humiliation is sure to come to the proud (Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 29:23).

Friend, I encourage you to evaluate your heart, mind, and soul for any seeds of pride that may be present. Begin to pray that God expose any seeds of pride, arrogance, haughtiness, boasting, and any other unclean seeds which may be contaminating your heart. Submit yourself to Holy Spirit’s heart purification process as God desires for you to be an honorable vessel for HIS use. Ttyl!

Love is what it does.

What is love? Love is an action verb. We cannot merely verbalize love without showing love. Now, our minds and past experiences may have distorted the true definition of love, but the scriptures provide clarity.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” -1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

How can we walk in love? We can walk in love by knowing God and surrendering to Holy Spirit’s work within us; this is accomplished by maintaining a close relationship with God. God is love; so one cannot love without knowing Him as He is the One who embodies love, the One who loved us first so that we can love others, the One who loves us unconditionally. Secondly, our carnal nature and flesh prohibit us from fully walking in God’s love (Galatians 5: 16&17). Therefore, we must surrender to Holy Spirit’s transformative power within our hearts and minds so that we can witness the manifestation of love from within us. As children of God, we are mandated to love (Galatians 5:14).

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” -Galatians 5:22&23

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” -1 John 4: 7&8

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other, but let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.” -1 John 3:18

How can one “earn” God’s love? As mentioned above, love is a manifestation of knowing God and the working of Holy Spirit within us. So God’s love cannot be earned as He loves us freely and unconditionally.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3: 16

Does God really love me, even after I’ve messed up or committed a terrible sin? Yes He does!

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.” -Ephesians 2: 4&5

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38&39

Does God’s love give me a “pass” to sin and live how I desire to live? No it doesn’t! We must strive to live righteous lifestyles.

“Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you.” -Deuteronomy 6:18

“Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness and honor.” -Proverbs 21:21

God, break my heart.

As I searched YouTube to find a sermon, podcast, or worship playlist to occupy my mind during my work commute, I came across a song titled, “Make Me Whole” by Audience of One, Angel Osei, Simi Olapade, and Abi Oladesu. I began to listen to the song’s lyrics which began with, “You can have my heart. Break it all apart. Search me ‘til You find everything not of You. Come and make me whole.” Those words pierced my soul as they expressed one of my deepest desires; the desire to possess a clean, pure, whole heart. As the song continued, the lyrics rang out, “I trust you with my heart. No you won’t hurt me, Lord.” I could no longer hold back my tears, and to my surprise, I let out a gut-wrenching cry. After finally containing myself, I began to process my thoughts and feelings surrounding those lyrics. Let’s Talk!

I began to reflect! I felt as if I did not trust God with my heart, and it was not due to Him breaking or mishandling it. It was due to experiencing a thought that compared the people from my past to Him. In my “before Christ” days, I experienced my share of heartbreaks and heartaches resulting from staying in relationships which involved physical abuse, verbal abuse, toxic behaviors, lying, and cheating. Each time an insult of this sort occurred, I would attempt to “work at” forgiving the person and “mending” the brokenness within my heart. I was ineffective in doing so and would eventually exit the relationship. After thinking on that, I began to question myself… How could I give my heart to those people repetitively even after they had mishandled it? How could I question the One who had never mishandled it? How could I not trust Him to have it? How could I not give God my heart knowing that He will never hurt me? Knowing that when He does “break it”, He will repair it into a better condition? Knowing that the bad that resides within it will die and His good will live again? Knowing that He knows my heart better than I will ever know it? How could I second guess trusting God with my heart when I had foolishly trusted people with it? How could I? I closed that moment of reflection with a prayer and a made up mind to trust God with my heart.

Friend, over the last two days, I have replayed that almost 20 minute song nonstop. And now when that part comes on, I sing it loudly and truthfully. So, I challenge you to identify any reasons why you are being hesitant to trust God with your heart. If a reason is heartbreak/heartache from the past or the present, allow those feelings to compel you into God’s presence so that you may experience His healing power for God is near to the broken hearted (Psalm 34:18). I challenge you to face the pain of your past and/or present so that you may move forward in the newness of your future. I challenge you to trust God with your heart. I challenge you to allow Holy Spirit to clean and purify your heart. The scriptural references for this posting include: Proverbs 4:23, Psalm 51:10-12, Romans 2:29, Psalm 24:3&4, and Psalm 139: 23&24. Ttyl!