You know that walking with God doesn’t mean that things will always be peaches and cream, right? That’s a common misconception. The Bible forewarns us that we will face sufferings, afflictions, tests, and trials (John 16:33, Psalm 34:19, Isaiah 48:10, 1 Peter 4:12-13, Romans 8:18). Numerous verses throughout the Bible describe people suffering, falling short, feeling defeated, becoming weak, or desiring to give up. There are also verses that reveal that even Jesus suffered (1 Peter 4:1&2, 1 Peter 2:24). Luke 22:42 reveals that Jesus, Himself, desired to give up while completing the fulfillment of His Father’s will. I am grateful that Jesus placed His Father’s will and assignment ahead of His desire to give up. Jesus’ suffering was not in vain and neither will your suffering be. There are promises attached to our suffering (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 1:29, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 1 Peter 5:10). So if Jesus went through suffering for our sins, why can’t we accept that we will go through sufferings as well? Why can’t we endure the sufferings while looking forward to the greater outcome? Why do we give up on God and His will so easily? Let’s Talk!

I never want to paint a picture as if my walk with God is one of a “peaches and cream” nature. I desire to be transparent and engage in Real Talk. I desire to be as vulnerable as God instructs me and posting this post warrants complete vulnerability. So Let’s Talk! In November 2023, I was in an unhealthy situationship. During that time, I was unhealed from a previous relationship, and I was relying heavily on alcohol and fornication as my coping mechanisms as I had done for over a decade. During that month, I began to become dissatisfied with my lifestyle. I desired to be a better person and lead a better lifestyle. Quite frankly, I desired to lead a lifestyle that was pleasing to God. It wasn’t until December 20, 2023, that I actually asked God to save me again. I surrendered myself to Him. That very day, I made a commitment to God that I would consecrate my body as His temple and do all I could to ensure it remained a suitable vessel for His Spirit. To me that commitment meant that I would leave the situationship and fornication behind. I replaced fornication with a workout regimen. Do you know how hard it is to deny your flesh of something that it is accustomed to on a regular basis? Do you know what it feels like to have the devil attempting to convince you to do it “just one more time”? Do you know how hard it can be to silence the sweet nothings being whispered into your ear attempting to draw you backwards? Do you know how much effort it takes to not please yourself when the urges are overwhelming? Do you know that praying in those moments will get you through the moments? I won’t lie by saying I didn’t succumb to pleasing my flesh, but I can tell you that it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to resist those urges and overcome those moments. Walking in the Spirit of God enables you to overcome the lusts of your flesh.

As I continued to surrender to God, I went on multiple fasts from liquor, but I continued to drink wine during those times. I would drink when I wanted to “have a good time” or when I was “stressed out” or “when I achieved an accomplishment” or “when someone else achieved an accomplishment”. I can admit that alcohol was the star of the show for my life. The unfortunate side of that was, I did not know what having a good time meant if it didn’t involve alcohol. I also did not know how to effectively cope during times of high stress or raw emotion because I had made a habit of masking those moments with alcohol. Do you know that God is a deliverer? On June 29, 2024, I poured myself a glass of wine and sat down to read my Bible. In that moment, I heard God ask me one simple question, “Why are you drinking?”. I, in turn, asked myself that question, but I couldn’t find an answer. God began to remind me of how He had brought me out of situations, relationships, hard times, abuse, etc. I had used all of those as reasons to drink. He reminded me that He had changed so much in my life and my mindset. By asking me that question, He revealed to me that I had no reason at all to be drinking in that moment. I got up, and I poured that glass of wine down the drain. Just know that as of June 30, 2024, I have been sober. With my two coping mechanisms gone, I turned more to prayer and being vulnerable with God. Do you know what it feels like to be drinking alcohol one day and have no desire to drink alcohol the next day? Do you know what it’s like for a weekly habit for over a decade of your life to be snatched away from you by God? Do you know what it feels like to be an adult and not be able to give emotions a name or effectively express them? Do you know that coping mechanisms do not provide any type of healing? Do you know that God is able to heal you from the root causes of whatever is causing you to depend on those coping mechanisms?

Months prior to my deliverance from alcohol, I had started to become uncomfortable being in the club-like settings so I began to shy away from the club scene. Instead, I began to go to house parties, invite only events or laid back lounges while I was out of town. Eventually, I felt completely out of place in those settings as well so I began to stay home more often. This was completely new to me because I used to stay “on go”. Do you know how challenging it is to adjust from being “on go’ to being a homebody? Do you know how much resistance arises when God instructs you to stay at home when you desire to hangout? Do you know what loneliness feels like? Do you know what it feels like to go from having friends for every occasion to barely having any friends because you don’t partake in the old activities? Do you know what it’s like to lose people close to you due to you pursuing a different life path? Do you know how it feels to grieve the loss of friendships? Do you know that God will send you a new community of people that will make you realize how important it is to have a community striving for the same greatness you’re striving for?

These are only a few of the things that have occurred since December 2023. Know that when I gave God a real yes and surrendered to Him, the afflictions, tests, trials, and sufferings came; but they were/are for a greater purpose. When starting this journey, I experienced low moments which lead to discouragement and a desire to give up on serving God. If I am not careful to keep my focus on God instead of my circumstances, I will find myself experiencing those moments as well. December 2023, I made a decision to not run away from God or turn back to my comfortable place or give up just because things seemed tough or were not going my way. I am currently in a place where I confidently believe God’s words are true, and I have a Job 13:15 mindset. It is important for us to know and believe that our sufferings, afflictions, tests and trials are not in vain. When you are in God and striving to please Him, He uses those circumstances to transform you, teach you, birth things within you, reveal and uproot things from within you, etc. Because of my sufferings, afflictions, tests and trials, I have become a new person and am still becoming. When I surrendered, God literally began to strip me of the identity that I had formulated and built for myself. Currently, He continues to strip me. But while He strips me, He also continues to solidify my new identity which is rooted in Him. I don’t live like I used to live. I don’t have the same mindset that I used to have. I don’t walk like I used to walk. I don’t talk like I used to talk. I know that this walk is a journey, and as long as I continue to strive, God will continue to transform and uplift me. Remember that you cannot expect for years of things you became accustomed to doing to fall off of you simultaneously. When God delivered me from alcohol at once, I prayed and asked Him to deliver me from cursing just like that as well. Let’s just say I am still striving and allowing Him to change my language. I fail, at times, but I also give myself credit because I know that the cursing is not as bad as it used to be. I said that to say this, it is important to have the Holy Spirit on this journey of faith. The Holy Spirit will teach you, convict you, correct you, and guide you; I am a witness to this.

Can you imagine looking up one day and not recognizing yourself? Can you imagine making progress forward then stopping and contemplating going back because the new place is uncomfortable? Can you imagine God setting you so far from your old life that you are forced to accept your new life?

My desire for this post is to encourage someone who is desiring to live a life that is surrendered to God or striving to live a life that is surrendered to God. Making the decision to do so was not easy and neither is the journey after that. But you can do anything WITH GOD (Philippians 4:13). I encourage you to keep your focus on God. He will guide you through this journey. He will uplift you when you feel broken down. He will encourage you when you are discouraged. He will give you instructions when you are unsure. He will make you feel loved and seen when you are lonely. He will teach you how to lean on Him and Him alone. He will be your all and all. Stay encouraged. God sees you. God hears you. God loves you.

Are you persuaded? Are you sold out? Let’s Talk!

When God gave me this title, I immediately thought of the verses in Romans chapter 8 verses 38 and 39. Those verses read, “For I am persuaded beyond doubt that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Immediately after those verses came to mind, the song “Souled Out” by Hezekiah Walker followed. I’m sure by now you catch my drift. Is there anything or anyone that could cause your surrender to God to become obsolete? Is there anything or anyone that could cause you to walk away from God? Will you be separated or will you be the one? Let’s Talk!

This past week as I headed to my first patient’s home, I turned on my worship playlist and sang to God as I frequently do. Eventually, “Respond” by Travis Greene came on, and instead of singing, I listened intently like I had never heard or sang the song before. As I listened, my heart began to cry out as he sang the lyrics, “You see all; Still You’re searching for someone who will respond… You sit high; Still You’re looking for somewhere You could abide”. I weep and began to reflect on my life for a few moments. I reflected on the many times God has utilized me to give an encouraging word to someone. I reflected on how I had spent so much time out of His will and out of alignment with Him. Surely, He had use of me even during those times, but I did not desire to be used. For a moment, just reflect on how many times you’ve felt as if you needed a word from God. Reflect on how you had prayed and felt like your prayers weren’t being heard or answered. Reflect on the times when someone contacted you “out of the blue” and spoke life into you that solidified that God had actually heard your prayers. Reflect on how you knew it was God because you hadn’t shared what you were going through or praying for with anyone else. Now imagine God desiring to use you in the same way that He used the person that spoke life into you. What or who is in the way of God using you as His vessel and abiding within your temple? For most of us, the answer is ourselves. Oftentimes, we tend to get into our own way. Just imagine proclaiming to be God’s person yet He is searching and looking for a vessel and temple. Just imagine God needing to use you to help someone, but you’re not in the right alignment to be used. Just imagine someone not getting a word from God because you could not hear His voice. Just imagine someone’s life literally being on the line, and you resisted God’s pull to intervene. Just imagine how God feels looking for a vessel and searching for a temple despite having people who proclaim to be His. Let’s get back to the lyrics. “You don’t have to search no more; I’m the one You’re looking for… When you call me, I will respond. When you pull me, I will come running to your arms. I will respond to You.” These lyrics are a standard of living for my lifestyle. I want to be so caught up in God’s presence that I am able to hear Him whisper when He desires to use me. I want to be so available that when He pokes at me I’ll be attentive to see what He desires for me to do. There is nothing that I will not do for God. I don’t care how it feels, what it looks like, where it leads me, what my mind thinks, or what I have to endure; I will forever and always ensure that I stay aligned with God as His vessel and temple.

Can you truly say that being God’s vessel and temple is the desire of your heart? Are you in the right alignment to be immediately used by God? Are you allowing external factors to stop up your ears and cloud your eyesight causing you to be unable to hear and see God? Are you engaging in conversations and a lifestyle that are pleasing to God? Do you possess the Holy Spirit for convenience purposes only? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to be your guidance, conviction, teacher, corrector? I encourage you to make a decision to live your life as God’s vessel and allow Him to inhabit your temple. I encourage you to perform a self-evaluation on your life and lifestyle to identify anything or anyone withholding you from responding to God’s call or pull. I encourage you to be persuaded. I encourage you to be the one.

Read, dissect, and meditate on Romans 8:38 & 39, Isaiah 6:8, and 2 Timothy 1:12.

Whewww chilleee! That title is a little heavy, isn’t it? A lot of us get caught up in the waiting season. We tend to focus moreso on the timing of the waiting season and the desire for the change and improvement to occur. We focus on those things so much that we miss God’s purpose for the waiting season. God simply doesn’t have you waiting for no reason at all. Either you are not properly aligned and God is waiting on you to get into the correct position and/or God is simply going before you making the crooked paths straight. Either way, you should not be anxious. Instead, you should be becoming who God created you to be in preparation for your next season. Let’s Talk! 💗

Let’s Talk about my waiting season prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner (NP). After passing my licensure examination, I spent the next several months submitting applications. Out of all of the applications I submitted, only one company called me back for an interview. I interviewed for the position and declined it as the liability was too great. At the time I was working as a contract Registered Nurse (RN). I eventually ended my contract and accepted a position as a RN Case Manager (RNCM) locally. The salary for the RNCM position was lower than the contract position, but I needed to be closer to home to support my oldest son as it was his senior year of high school. Shortly after the job transition, I began reading Me Ra Koh’s book titled 4 Minutes to Hear God’s Voice. After reading the first chapter, I practiced the act that she had described. To my surprise, God took me into a vision where “someone” was lying on an operating room table while a surgeon placed stitches into the heart. When I looked at the “patient”, I realized that it was me. Instantly, God began to speak to me revealing that He needed to do some work within my heart to make me more suitable for the calling that He had placed on my life. He promised me that after He completed the major work that He would allow me to walk into my career field and enter an era of greater for my entire life. I believed God. I continued to pray regarding my future NP position, but I wasn’t anxious regarding stepping into that career path after that encounter. My primary focus became becoming who God created me to be. While I was focused on that, God was creating space for the position He desired for me to step into. Would you believe me if I told you that I was in the “right place at the right time”? If I had made my decision to accept the RNCM position based off of money, I would not have been here to support my son. I accepted that position not knowing that God had strategically placed me there for a time He knew was coming. Would you believe me if I told you that the NP position for the company became vacant and I transitioned right into the position without any formalities? I literally had a conversation with my future boss who told me there was about to be a vacancy, and if I wanted the position, all I needed to do was make it known!! I made it known right then and God blew my mind shortly thereafter. If God had not began to change my heart prior to me stepping into the NP position, I know that I wouldn’t have done well or been of any benefit to His kingdom. I was not ready spiritually for the tasks that came along with that position. Initially, I was only thinking of the promotion in a financial aspect when God was desiring for me to be an impact for His kingdom through that position. Some of us have to come to grips with the fact that YOU ARE NOT READY YET, but when God sees it fit, He will allow you to advance.

I’m in a place in my relationship with God where I am completely reliant on His words, instructions, and guidance. If He doesn’t tell me to move, I’m staying still and trusting Him. I made a decision that no matter what test or trial comes my way, I will stand with God just as He always stands with me. And I simply will not let go; not even after He blesses me! I am yet in another waiting season for God’s promises to continue to be manifested. Just imagine knowingly being in your waiting season, and God asks you, “How long are you willing to wait?” I will not lie; He liked to have sent me over the top when He asked me this question. Initially, I began to ponder some negative thoughts that raced in my mind. Next, I found myself feeling sad and hopeless. After realizing the devil was attempting to hijack my mind, I brought my thoughts captive and my emotions as well. I began to ponder the question and came up with the answer “However long You would have me to wait”. During the previously mentioned waiting season, I witnessed God’s intentionality regarding preparing me for my next season. God knows everything regarding the next era of my life. He knows how He’ll need for me to show up and what characteristics within me will be a hinderance. He knows that I’ll need more patience, more compassion, more endurance, more community, more accountability, more of HIM! I know that those things can be birthed during the waiting season. I will not miss God’s purpose for my waiting season attempting to focus on the doors that I KNOW He is going to open for me! Instead, I’ll continue to become who He needs me to be in preparation for His promises!

Are you in a waiting season and getting weary? Are you focused on the situation or circumstances more than on God? Are you anxious regarding the length of the waiting season? Are you becoming who God created you to be while you wait? Are you learning in your waiting season? I encourage you to take your focus off of the timing, circumstances, and the next door. I encourage you to set your focus on God and what He is trying to birth within you and through you during this waiting season.

Read, dissect, and meditate on Isaiah 55:11, Numbers 23:19, Genesis 32:26, Galatians 6:9, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 40:1, and Psalm 130:5.

We have become a generation that looks to social media regarding everything from our hairstyles to our clothing to our morals and values. Unfortunately, social media has truly shaped some of our current lives and mindsets. Not only that, I’m sure that you have more than likely been “influenced” to make a purchase of an item, right? Have any of the possessions or things you’ve been influenced to do brought you any joy? Orrr maybe your child(ren) are the source of your joy? Orrrr maybe your man, your man, your man (or woman) is the source of your joy? What happens when you allow earthly possessions and people to become the center of your happiness? What happens when the person you looked to for happiness is no longer there for you? What happens when the things you sought after for temporary happiness are no longer of your interest? What happens when God strips you of everything and everyone you used as a source of happiness? I’ll tell you what happened to me… I lost my smile. And when I say I lost my smile, I mean it literally and figuratively. My internal state was one of dissatisfaction which lets you know that I was literally forcing a smile. When figuratively speaking, I hadn’t truly began to smile until I began to experience God’s joy. Let’s Talk!

Everyone that knows me knew that two things were true: I used to love to party, and no matter what, I was going to go to church. When it came to a party, I was going to be the life of it. I found that a good time for me meant I would be indulging in alcohol and dancing my tail off. Being in that environment made me happy. I eventually came to a place of realization that I was tired of temporary happiness. I was tired of relying on substances to be the source of a good time for me. We all know that happiness is a fleeting emotion, here one second and gone the next. Happiness tends to be based off of conditions rather than an internal state. I began to desire an internal state of joy. I knew that I desired to be a better person. I knew that I desired to lead a life that was better for my physical and mental health. I knew that I wanted to truly please God in all my ways instead of compromising and doing wrong when I knew the right way. I knew that there was only one place that I could find joy and become a better person, and that is in the presence of God. So I surrendered my life to Him. Can you imagine what happened as I surrendered to God? I’ll tell you. He began to deliver me from all of the substances and people that I relied on as my sources of happiness. As He continued to deliver me, I found myself looking back. I found myself missing those “happy times”. But I also found myself deeper and deeper into my relationship with God. I found myself so far away from my previous lifestyle that I knew that I couldn’t and wouldn’t ever turn back. That forced me to began to grieve the lifestyle that I once knew and loved.

Can we pause here for a moment? Let’s Talk about having to grieve previous seasons of life. As you know, we grieve when there is a significant loss. That loss can include the loss of a career, relationship, a physical state due to injury/illness, and of course, death. Anytime there is a loss, you can expect to grieve. So, at times, I was sad, lonely, confused, and longing for a replacement after God had removed my sources of temporary happiness. I got through those low times with God alone. I got through those times IN HIS PRESENCE by praying and reading my Bible. I got through those times by being intentional with building my relationship with God. There were many times where I just laid on my face and cried out to God. HE was there in each moment to pick me up, encourage me, and set me back on my feet and His path. I found that only the presence of God could fill the void that I felt. I wanted to pause to tell you that it is appropriate to grieve previous seasons of life prior to being able to truly began to live in the places God has called you to as a new creature.

It was and still is in those moments of being in God’s presence that I experience joy. I’m talking about a feeling of complete fulfillment, happiness, peace, contentment and comfort. And the thing about joy is it isn’t fleeting or a temporary emotion like happiness. The joy that God gives cannot be influenced by circumstances, and IT CANNOT BE FOUND IN ANYONE OR ANYTHING.

I am here today to tell you that what you are seeking to fill that void is only found in the presence of God. I am here to tell you that those materialistic things, your partner, your children, and your job will not be able to bring you any joy. I am here to encourage you to allow your sources of your temporary happiness to be replaced with the internal state of joy provided by God alone.

Read, dissect, and meditate on James 1:2, Romans 15:13. Romans 12:12, Acts 2:28, Proverbs 17:22 Psalm 126:5-6, and Psalm 16:11.

In my last post, “Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice”, I mentioned situations where I was disobedient to God’s words, voice and messenger. I also mentioned that I regretted being disobedient as my disobedience led me into situations that were not pleasant and required God’s deliverance and power for me to overcome.

Let’s Talk about Saul’s disobedience to God’s commands and what it costed him. I will be referencing 1 Samuel 15:1-35. Feel free to grab your Bible and read along.

Verse one tells us that God sent Samuel to anoint Saul as the king of Israel and deliver a message to Saul. God, via Samuel, instructed Saul to destroy the Amalekites and their possessions. Saul gathered his army and set out to obey God’s commands. When he arrived, he was obedient because he set an ambush on the Amalekites. God had given Saul commands to destroy ALL of the people AND ALL of their possessions (verse 3). Instead, Saul told the Kenites to leave so they wouldn’t be destroyed, captured King Agag alive, gathered the best of the animals and possessions, and set himself a monument up in Carmel. As you can imagine, this was not pleasing to God. So God sent word to Samuel, once again, but this time, He was expressing His regret for making Saul the king of Israel for Saul had not been completely obedient to His commands (verses 10 and 11). In verses 13 and 20, you can read how Saul believed he had been obedient to God’s commands. In verse 22, Samuel asked Saul was it better to be obedient to God’s commands or to offer God a sacrificial offering. This question came about because Saul believed gathering the best of the animals and possessions would be great so he could burn them as sacrificial offerings to God. He believed the sacrificial offerings would be a great addition to obeying God’s commands. In verse 23, Samuel told Saul that due to his disobedience to God’s commands, God rejected him as the king of Israel. {Side note: from this verse, you can infer partial obedience to God’s commands is still viewed as disobedience to God. You can also infer that you need not add anything to God’s commands even if it seems good.} In verse 24, you can read that Saul admits to fearing the people and listened to their voices instead of God’s commands. {Let me drop a pin here. How many times have you listened to your mother, father, friend, pastor, mentor or anyone else instead of listening to God? You knew what you had been instructed to do, but for some reason, you needed the approval of your people or you needed their opinions regarding God’s business. Why is that? When will you stop questioning God’s voice and words that He gives DIRECTLY TO YOU? When will you realize that no one else’s opinion matters and you don’t need anyone’s approval outside of God’s?} Let’s get back to the Word. What was the cost of Saul’s disobedience? In Verse 28, we read that Saul’s disobedience led to God removing him as king of Israel and God placing someone else in the position. God was so disappointed with Saul that He even ensured Saul knew that He wouldn’t change His mind regarding His decision (verse 29).

Need more references for the cost of disobedience? Jonah’s disobedience not only landed him in the belly of a fish until he surrendered, but it also put the mariners in the boat with him at risk (Jonah 1: 1-17). Lot and his family were given specific instructions to escape the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:17). Lot’s wife disobeyed and lost her life (Genesis 19:26). Keve’s disobedience led to unplanned pregnancies, depression, disconnection from God, struggle, pain, trauma, and suicidal ideation to name a few things.

Do you see yourself in this post? Not you wondering why someone else got the job or promotion that you had desired. Not you wondering why you had been sat down and someone else raised up to take your place. Not you wondering what you had done to be in a certain predicament. Could it be due to your disobedience to God’s commands? Could it be that you decided to add your own plans to God’s commands as Saul had done? Could it be that you thought your sacrificial offering was actually obedience to God’s commands? Let’s go a step further. Is God regretting giving you the call, position, title, business, ideas, gifts, attributes? Is God at a point of stripping you of those things and changing His mind about your promotion in Him due to your disobedience? Is God raising up a replacement to carry out the commands He gave to you due to your disobedience? What will it take for you to make the decision to be completely obedient to God’s commands?

I encourage you to take heed to God’s voice, words, and messengers regarding any commands that He has sent you. I encourage you to act on any commands promptly and fulfill them completely as that is considered true obedience.

Read, dissect, and meditate on 1 Samuel 15: 1-35, Jonah 1: 1-17, and Genesis 19: 1-26.

Has God ever given you instructions and you didn’t follow them? Maybe you were having a hard time “making it make sense”. Maybe you felt as if your will and your way would be the best route. Did you regret taking your route? Did you eventually think, “I should’ve just followed God’s instructions”? Or maybe you decided to do a portion of the instructions instead of being fully obedient? Did you not know that completing a portion of God’s instructions is considered disobedience? Let’s Talk about being obedient to God’s Words, voice, and messengers.

At the age of 13 years, my interest in the opposite sex was on the rise, and I had began to give thought to the whispers into my ear regarding becoming sexually active. My mother was (and still is) a God-fearing woman who DOES NOT PLAY so I was afraid to have a direct conversation with her regarding my thoughts and the pressures I felt. I began attempting to find every way possible to throw hints at her regarding my desire to get on birth control, but she was not entertaining any of the hints. Needless to say, I finally acted on my thoughts and the pressure. Shortly afterwards, my mother began to repeat what I thought was a cliche phrase, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. To give you some insight, my mother was (and still is) an intercessor who hears God’s voice. During my childhood, she would pray so loudly that even the passerbys in our neighborhood would hear her. When she began to say that phrase, I would casually brush it off mainly due to a lack of understanding and a disobedient spirit. That phrase eventually was coupled with, “Warning comes before destruction” which I must admit put some fear in my heart but not enough fear for me to become obedient. That disobedience led to my teenage pregnancy.

Let me give you some background on my upbringing. My mother’s main rule of the house was as long as we were under her roof, we would follow her rules. When our church had any type of service, my mother ensured that my sisters and I were in attendance whether we desired to be or not. At a young age, I received the Holy Spirit after tarrying on the altar during one of our church services (iykyk). After that encounter, God began to speak audibly and directly to me. As I grew older and started “smelling myself”, I began to become less interested in my relationship with God and more interested in fitting in with my friends. Fast forward into my adulthood years, as I was “laid up”, God simply said, “Don’t get distracted”. Needless to say, I was DISOBEDIENT to His voice, and shortly thereafter, I found myself in the worst space of my life. It took me years to overcome that space. I still wonder how life would’ve been if I had only been obedient to God’s voice and messengers. But even in that, God has been able to make the “bad” work out for His good (Romans 8:28).

Back to obedience is better than sacrifice. You can reference that in 1 Samuel 15:22&23. My mother was speaking the word of God not some cliche phrase. As mentioned, by this time, I had already received the Holy Spirit, but I was not in relationship with God or in the proper position to hear Him for myself anymore. I am sure that God had given my mother insight on my behaviors and given her the words to say to me. Let’s Talk about obedience! When I made the decision to fully surrender to God, I knew that obedience was essential. After all, I had been disobedient several times and saw where that had gotten me. I was (and still am) determined to live a fully surrendered and obedient life to God. As I’ve remained in the proper position to hear God’s voice, I’ve also remained obedient when He speaks to me. God requires us to be prompt when He speaks, and He also requires complete obedience. Now this isn’t an easy task during times when the natural mind and flesh attempt to override the Spirit. I am naturally a thinker, and things need to “make sense” to me. But as I’ve increased my trust and faith in God, I’ve witnessed that God’s words often do not make sense, and it’s not for me to attempt to make sense of them (Isaiah 55:8-9). Recently, I’ve found myself just focusing on being obedient and not attempting to rationalize what God is attempting to perform.

My only question for you today is: Are you willing to place your will down, pick God’s will up, and be completely obedient to God’s will?

I encourage you today to make your relationship with God your number one priority. I encourage you to position yourself into the proper alignment with and posture before God. I encourage you to receive the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to be obedient; for it is better to be obedient than to give a sacrificial offering (1 Samuel 15:22&23). You can rest assured that God will equip you to carry out HIS will for your life (Hebrews 13:21).

Read, dissect and meditate on the above mentioned scriptures as well as Proverbs 16:18-20 and Ezekiel 3:17-19.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, separate means to keep apart or to disconnect. I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we have been in situations where we became disconnected. You know that I’m here for the Real Talk so I’ll start by speaking from experience. I remember a time in my life that I was so driven that nothing could disconnect me from my focus, aspirations and determination. That connection was the reason why I rose above teenage pregnancy and eventually become a nurse practitioner. When I decided to obtain a master’s degree, my focus was God centered and family centered. I was attending church regularly, serving within the church, and pouring into my relationships with my family and friends. That was until I made a DECISION to lead a life that would please my flesh instead of striving to please God. As you may can guess, that DECISION led to major disconnections within my life. During that time of disconnection, I endured so much pain and trauma that I ended up at the lowest point in my life. But I thank God that my testimony did not end when depression and suicidal ideation overwhelmed me. I thank God that Goddie looked at that text message from me that read, “I wonder what heaven is like”, and came runnng to my rescue. I thank God!! Needless to say, I remained disconnected for some time even after that moment before I DECIDED to reclaim my focus and strive to become reconnected with not only God, but my family, my friends, and most importantly, myself. Reconnecting to God came via repentance, but I had to work hard to reconnect with myself and my focus.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe you became disconnected from your goals, dreams and aspirations. Maybe you became disconnected from your family and friends. Maybe you became disconnected from the person you knew yourself to be. Maybe you became disconnected from your drive and determination. Maybe you became disconnected from the True Vine (John 15:1). I am here to tell you that it does not matter how you became disconnected, where you became disconnected or when you became disconnected. All you have to do is realize that you’ve become disconnected and make a DECISION to reconnect. Let’s Talk about the True Vine!

And if you don’t know who I am referring to when I say the True Vine, I am referring to Jesus. The above mentioned situation was only one of the instances when I became “disconnected” from God and His love. Read this carefully, the Bible tells us that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). So I speak figuratively when I speak of a disconnection from Him. There is NOTHING that can separate you from God’s love. So Let’s Talk about love. According to first Corinthians chapter 13 verses four through eight, love: endures long, is patient and kind; isn’t envious, jealous, boastful, haughty, conceited, rude; does not act unbecoming; is not self-seeking or resentful; doesn’t take account of evil done; doesn’t rejoice at injustice but rejoices when right and truth prevail; bears all things; believes the best of every person; is hopeful; never fails. As a refresher, separate means to disconnect. So Let’s Talk about separation from God’s love. Let’s reference Romans chapter eight verses 35 through 39. Verse 35 leads with, “Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love?” The passage goes on to describe instances that can cause a separation to include: suffering, tribulation, calamity, distress, persecution, hunger, destitution, peril, and sword. In verse 39, Paul reports that he was persuaded without any doubt that neither death, life, angels, principalities, things impending, things threatening, things to come, powers, height, depth, nor anything in all creation will be able to cause separation. I am sure that just as I have, you have been through or are currently going through a few of the above mentioned situations. I am sure that just as some of those things caused me to turn my back on God, they also caused you to turn your back on God. I am sure that just as God did not leave my side as He promised in Deuteronomy 31:6, He has not left your side either.

What will separate you from God? What will keep you separated from God and His love for you? Is that situation that bad to where you can’t see God moving within in? Do you think you are too far gone to be saved? I pray today that you will realize that even the disconnection has purpose and that God will use it for His glory.

I encourage you today to evaluate your life for any disconnections that may have occurred. If you find yourself disconnected from God, I encourage you to repent and turn back to Him.

Read, dissect and meditate on Romans 5:3-5 as well as the above mentioned scriptures (John 15: 1- 7, Romans 8:35-39, Deuteronomy 31:6).

Have you ever felt as if you should be doing more with your life? How many times have you felt unfulfilled? Have you received all of the blessings on your list and still felt as if “something” was missing? Have you ever felt so low that you did not have the desire to live any longer? Have you ever thought that depression had become too much and you gave up on yourself? Have you ever experienced suicidal ideation? Have those ideations ever turned into a plan or an unsuccessful attempt? How many new days, second chances, or failed attempts is it going to require for you to realize that YOU WERE CREATED WITH PURPOSE? Grab your Bible, and Let’s Talk!

In Jeremiah chapter one, verses five and six, you can read a portion of a conversation between God and Moses. In verse five, God lets Moses know that He knew him before He formed him in his mother’s womb; He sanctified him before he was born; and He ordained Him as a prophet of the nations. In verse six, Moses gives God excuses as to why he wasn’t “the man for the job” by saying he was young and had a speech impediment. In verses seven and eight, God reassured Moses that He would be with him, and He would guide him along the way. Let’s go a little deeper, in verses nine and ten, God anoints Moses’ mouth with His words and provides instructions to him. Eventually, God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery (Exodus chapters 3 through 14). This passage of scripture in Jeremiah should reiterate the topic of purpose. Just as God knew Moses before he was formed in his mother’s womb, just as He sanctified and ordained Moses before he was born; He did the same for you.

Let’s Talk about the transition from being known, sanctified and ordained to where you may be today. Let’s reference Ephesians chapter two. In verses one through three, you can read about how the influence of the world may have become a downfall for you. In verses four through nine, you can read that even throughout your desire to please your flesh, God loved you enough to allow you an opportunity to be saved. Verse ten reassures you that God had purpose in mind when He created you. So if this passage of scripture shows you what may have caused your transition from purpose to separation, do you not see what you need to do next if you are desiring to walk in your purpose? Accept salvation. Repent. Turn from any aspect of your lifestyle that you know is not pleasing to God. Build and sustain a relationship with God. You can start that relationship by praying, reading your Bible, and attending church services.

Prayer is a form of communication with God. Simply talk to God just as you talk to your friends and family members. Tell Him your thoughts, feelings, sins, desires, etc. Matthew chapter six verses nine through 13 offer a prayer that you can read if you do not know where to start. There is a preconceived notion that since God sees and knows everything so you do not need to pray to Him about your personal life, struggles, desires, trauma, etc. That is false. God cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). He is with you always, and He desires for you to come to Him in prayer constantly (Deuteronomy 31:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Pray consistently. Make prayer a priority in your daily schedule and at least start and end your day with prayer. As far as reading the Bible, make sure you read a version that you can understand. You can use the Bible app to sample the different versions before purchasing a hard copy of a Bible. Lastly, I encourage you to connect with a church and attend church services regularly. Once you find a church that is suitable for your liking, join the church by becoming a member. You may be thinking, “I do not need to go to church, Keve” or “That church did such and such so I will never go back to church”. I am here to tell you that you do need to go to church. The Bible encourages us to assemble ourselves with other believers often (Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 and 25). You would be amazed at how many people are going through or have overcome the same issues as you. And as far as that statement about “church hurt” goes, the people may have done something in that particular church, BUT GOD DID NOT DO THAT TO YOU. You have to forgive those people (Ephesians chapter 4 verses 31 and 32). It was okay to leave THAT CHURCH not THE CHURCH. What I mean by THE CHURCH is the body of Christ (1st Corinthians chapter 12 verse 27). Find another church home and reconnect yourself to God and a church family.

Let’s Talk about your specific purpose. Just as God purposed Moses to be a prophet, He has a specific purpose for you. He will reveal that purpose to you and provide instructions regarding that purpose as you surrender to Him and grow your personal relationship with Him. For now, you can refer to what is called The Great Commission in Matthew chapter 28, verses 16 through 20 as your generalized purpose for God’s Kingdom. Ensure that, day by day, you are striving to be more like God because you were made in His image (Genesis 1:27).

Read, dissect and meditate on the above mentioned verses as well as 1 John 1:9, Matthew 4:4, Ecclesiastes 12:13&14, Psalm 32:8, Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:29-30, James 1:5, and James 4:3.