Completion!

I heard a powerful message recently entitled "Average is Over" by Maurice Johnson Ministries. This topic is centered around the idea that the word "average" exists solely because of sin. That an average lifestyle is not of God so clearly should not be of HIS people...

One great point of the many great points made in the sermon was, "Average is over when you complete the things you have started". Talk about conviction! I haven't felt convicted like that in a long time.  I have so many projects I've started that I haven't finished including multiple posts for this very blog I'm writing in today.

There is a verse that says a thing's end is better than it's beginning ~Ecclesiastes 7:8~

For some of us there may be the end of a...

• project we have started that will be better than its beginning.
• struggle we are going through that will better than its beginning.
• battle we are fighting that is better than its beginning.
• storm we are weathering that is better than it's beginning.
• word we have given to another that is better than it's beginning.
• etc...

The real question is...

• Are we diligently working on our project?
• Are we seeking true deliverance from our struggle?
• Are we wholeheartedly fighting our battle?
• Are we making valid efforts to weather our storm?
• Are we keeping the word that we give to God and to HIS people?
• etc...

If our trust and our faith is in HIM, we can answer all these questions with an ABOVE AVERAGE lifestyle and we will

• Finish our projects.
• Overcome our struggles.
• Complete our battles.
• Make it through our storms successfully.
• Keep the word we give to others.
• etc...

Remember Paul never talks about winning the race, he only stresses "completing it"... "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" IITimothy 4:7

As we complete the things we start, we will see HIS WORD proves true (Proverbs 30:5) when we experience that our ends are better than our beginnings.

God vs. People

If you want your life to make sense, invest your trust in God
If you want your life to be a confusing, dramatic roller coaster, invest your trust in people 
Even when it comes to the people you value most, your trust should be in HIM, not them
This makes it easier for you to forgive
And you are less susceptible to becoming disappointed and let down by people
Putting people on a pedestal that only God belongs on is not what's up

I never blog about anything I haven't experienced
I still have to remind myself very often that wisdom is trusting in HIM
My prayer & my drive is that I come to a place where I no longer have to remind myself
That my trust in HIM becomes so genuine, it's automatic

The only way to love people wholeheartedly is to TRUST GOD

So when it comes to God vs. People, it's no question that God is the reigning champion!

Psalms 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings who cannot save.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever tursts in the Lord is safe.

Nothing Else Matters

Im guilty of...

taking out my problems on others

living in fear

not consulting God for decisions I make but then blaming HIM when things go wrong

always wanting things my way

outright selfishness

trying to justify my ill actions

doing just enough to get by

saying one thing, then doing another

downright laziness

holding grudges

wanting to give up because things are not coming to me easy enough

habitual sin

giving into my flesh daily

having ulterior motives for serving God


Some may read this and....

 wonder if I just wrote this for writing sake or if I'm really talking about myself

think I'm being too honest

come to the conclusion that this post is unnecessary

change their perspective of me

immediately become offended because they are guilty of one or more things on the above list

BUT

None of this matters

What really maters is the fact that...

Dragging your darkness into the light is a crucial step towards freedom

The truth will set you free (John 8:32)

Once you have true freedom which of course only comes from HIM, what else matters?

NOTHING!!!

IJohn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

A little child will lead them

This summer I have the privilege of taking care of my 2 1/2 month old niece, Julia.  I have been spending every single day with her for the past 3 weeks and I already have learned so much about her.  I didn't realize she would already be such an individual who likes to be held a certain way, sleep a certain way and even eat a certain way!  Having the opportunity to bond with her is so precious to me and it's not something that I am not taking for granted.  I never thought about how much I'd learn from her and how much knowing her would implore me to reflect on my own character/spirituality...

Sometimes

when I watch her laugh so easily,

when I watch her sleep so peacefully,

when I watch her live so innocently...

It makes me want to protect her from all the not so funny, not so peaceful, and not so innocent things of this world.  It leads me reflect on my own life all the decisions I've made and how much I want to prevent her from making decisions that may hurt her.

And on the flip side, I envy how easy it is for her to love like she's never been hurt.  When you think about it, a newborn kinda has a fresh slate in order to do that and it encourages me to go back to that place where I can love others freely, the way God loves me, as though I've never done any wrong. 

I never want Julia to get hurt. I never want her to be harmed or heartbroken mentally or physically. I want to be there to tell her all the right choices to make but I know I can't be her God.  One thing I will encourage her to do is to allow every decision she makes to bring God glory; because the hard truth is that you can still get hurt even when you make valid efforts to guard your heart, but as long as you don't allow the hurt to define you & you hang on to the hope that out of every hurt comes good & most importantly, you continue to fulfill HIS purpose; HE is pleased. Your "hurt" is not worth feeling sorry for yourself but is it worth bringing HIM glory! These are my words of wisdom to my precious lil Julia!

I am confident that as long as she is in HIS hands, she will live life to the fullest and I feel so blessed to be a part of it!!

Julia with her protective big brothers; Jason (left) and Jaden (right)

Isaiah 11:6 ...a little child will lead them.

Not Without my Earrings?!?!

One day a couple weeks ago, I woke up, got ready for work and started out to what seemed to be a "fine day".  Work was going good, or so I thought... When I got my first break for the day, I followed my daily routine and took the opportunity to use the restroom. As I stepped into the restroom, turned on the light, and looked into the mirror; my heart SUNK! I realized I FORGOT TO PUT ON EARRINGS which almost never happens!! If you're like me, forgetting earrings makes you feel naked!! I'm sure some ladies out there can relate. Earrings can help to make or break your hairstyle/wardrobe!!! I looked so weird to myself and in result, I felt incomplete and disappointed that I would have to make it through the rest of the day with NAKED EARS.  Then I quickly checked my wrist and fingers and my day got even WORSE because I saw that I forgot to put on my watch and my rings as well.  So I had to make it through the rest of the day with not only NAKED EARS, but also with a NAKED WRIST and NAKED FINGERS!!!

But then something hit me... Something that made me feel so ashamed!! As I was beating myself up for neglecting my ears, wrist, and fingers; I realized I hadn't prayed, read my word, or even acknowledged the presence of God AT ALL that day.  I neglected HIM!! How HORRIBLE IS THAT?!  That whether I want to face it or be in denial, MY UGLY TRUTH is that if I didn't forget my earrings, I would have went through my day with no worries and the fact that I didn't spend time with the Lord would not have mattered or even been noticed as much as forgetting my earrings. 

As far as I've come in my walk, I am still only "fitting HIM in" when it's convenient.  Yep! Vivianne E. Creary, the woman that blogs about how important it is to put the Lord first... The woman that ministers through Spoken Word about the importance of giving God glory through your life is STILL STRUGGLING!!! STILL STRUGGLING to put Christ before my vanity, before my job, before my social life! I immediately was so disappointed in myself.  But instead of dwelling on my disappointment, I thanked God for the conviction I felt.  This insignificant situation became so significant. It helped me to check my priorities. 

Is there something you are putting before God?   Before you quickly answer "no", take the time to really think about it.  Replay your daily routine in your mind because THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IS DENIAL.  A lot of times we put the most silly things before HIM subconsciously!

I pray you receive this testimony with an open heart and that you allow it to minister to your spirit. 

"Seek ye first the kingdom of  God and HIS righteousness and all these things shall be added to you" Matthew 6:33

My Turning Point

A new friend asked me yesterday how I came to know the Lord on a personal level.  I haven't been asked that question in a while and it was so nice to revisit that awesome life-changing moment so I decided to share it in my blog. Here it is...


I attended FAU and I had this job on campus. I was a work study student & another work study student who worked with me used to always, always, always invite me to this Bible Study she went to on campus. I would do ANYTHING to avoid her asking me about it!  My freshman and beginning of my sophomore year, I was really trying to explore the thrills of college life and that really didn't include anything that had to do with God, sadly. 


Anyway, the more I tried to enjoy the secular world, the more hurt and depressed I became. And one day, when I was really down (by this time my co-worker had gave up on me and stopped inviting me to Bible Study because I would always have an excuse) I actually approached her and told her I was coming. I finally got to a place where I knew no one and nothing could help me but HIM. The speaker that night actually called me out. He asked me to come up to the front for a special prayer because the Lord revealed to him that I was going through something. The first thing he asked me was if I was saved. I told him I really didn't know any more and that I wanted to rededicate my life to be sure. I rededicated my life and the minister said a special prayer over me.  That night was an awesome turning point for me. I thank God for it!


I soon joined the Bible Study by Catch the Fire Ministries.  I will always be thankful to God for using that ministry as a tool that really helped & encouraged me to to stay connected to HIM throughout the rest of my college experience.

Here is Sashanna Davis-Francis, my co-worker who led me to the Bible Study that changed my life! 

Here she is with her handsome son, Joel.

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, she is a new creature. The old has passed away and all things have become new.

Safety Net First

Acrobats set up their safety net FIRST and then they begin their act. That way, if there is an accident, they're covered. They can fall into the net and easily jump out the net and right back into the act.

Acrobats don’t just rush into their performance without taking the necessary safety precautions.  If they don't take these precautions, when they do fall; they will hit the ground and shatter into pieces.  They can’t set up a safety net after the fact trying to scoop their “jacked up selves” into the net that should have been there before hand. However; if this is the case and an awful accident severely injures the performer but doesn’t kill them, there is still hope.  The paramedics come with the stretcher & all the other necessary equipment and hauls them off to the hospital.  With time and care, they can recover and rebuild. BUT IT TAKES TIME.  Can this acrobat jump back into the act like the one who falls into the safety net??? NO!!  It’s impossible!  They need time to heal, time to repair, and time to learn acrobatics all over again.

Notice, when you go to the circus, the whole acrobat set up doesn’t just appear like magic. It takes a little time for them to set up. This part of the program is not so appealing because it takes time away from the show and the audience has to be patient, however; it is necessary.

Here is the point I’m making…

In order to build something that HE will honor, that HE will protect and that HE will allow to last, you have to TAKE TIME to build it on HIS WORD. HE has to be your firm foundation. HE has to be your safety net. And it’s going to take time away from your own show… Your flesh NEVER, NEVER, NEVER wants to take the time to build anything on HIM. Your flesh is impatient, it’s emotional and it just wants to jump right into the act… But this is not the way HE operates.  You have to seek HIM. You don't even have to try to figure out HIS will, you just have to seek HIM, honor HIM and allow HIM to guide you.  This way, when you do fall, you fall on HIM and HE takes care of you.  Or would you rather bypass building on HIM, fall and shatter into pieces and then runt to HIM in desperation having to start all over from scratch?  And remember, that's only if you survive the fall in the first place... Something to think about.

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his” 


****This was inspired by my viewing of  Cirque Du Soleil.  It's amazing how God can use just about anything to speak to you. It is an awesome show. Please go & see if you get the opportunity...  http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/welcome.aspx. 

Purpose vs. Ministry

I believe we all have the same common purpose; 
To bring God glory through our lives
by serving HIM
by leading souls into HIS kingdom 
through 
whatever ministry HE has blessed us with  


I think a lot of us are busy trying to figure out our "purpose"
When really we should be trying to figure out our "ministry"
We should be trying to figure out what avenue 
HE needs us as individuals to take in order fulfill our common purpose;
TO GLORIFY HIM


You're ministry is something God will confirm to you 
I believe it's something that your life experiences will prepare you for 
There has to be REAL/RAW testimony behind your ministry
There has to be an "I" in your ministry, not just a "you" 
How can you lead others to Christ without a testimony?

Exodous 9:16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you MY power and that MY name might be proclaimed in all the earth... what ministry is fitting to help you accomplish this?


Here I am below fulfilling my purpose through my ministry, Spoken Word. 

  

For Each Thorn Comes a Petal

The meaning of the word thorn is "source of continual irration or suffering/sharp spine on a stem".

Thorns come to distract and destroy
To torture
To take focus off the plans of God in your life

I wanted a specific thing so desperately
And when I finally got it,
At first, it looked and appeared so good
But because I accepted it in vain, 
Without seeking if that was exactly what HE wanted for me,
It ended up being a THORN
A sharp spine that caused irratioan and suffering

On the up side,
I thank God  for taking that thorn
And turning it into something good and pleasing to HIM
However; before things got better, they got worse
Out of that one thorn came many
A thorn of humiliation
A thorn of rejection
A thorn of abandonment
A thorn of depression
But as we know, at the top of a stem full of ugly, peircing thorns;
Is a beautiful rose
And for each thorn, a petal of that beautiful rose made up for it
A petal of joy
A petal of deliverance
A petal of restoration
A petal of renewed strength in God
I thank my God for turning my throrns into petals

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is overgrown with thorns [it pricks, lacerates, and entangles him], but the way of the righteous is plain and raised like a highway.

The Purpose of Joy

Of course joy comes from our God.
Nothing and no one else can give it to us.
He is the source.
Why did He give us joy?
SO THAT OUR JOY CAN BRING HIM GLORY...

Joy is a choice
True joy can't easily be removed
It's not contingent upon your circumstances
It is everlasting
It is strong
It is pure
It is confident but humble
It doesn't worry about anything
It doesn't try too hard
It still remains through storms
Through tears
Through "pain"
Use your joy to give your pain purpose
The joy in you can find the good in your storms
In your pain
When you are able to find joy in pain,
It brings God glory
And that's the reason why He created you
So ultimately, the purpose of joy is to aid you in
Fulfilling your life's purpose
To bring Him glory...

Isaiah 51:11 Those who the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Me, my mom and my sis, expressing our "joy"

Regardless...

The other day,
I found myself trying so hard to prove to someone how much I care about them
Now, reflecting on the incident
Makes me feel so silly
Because I realize
That when someone takes the time to recognize and appreciate your character,
You NEVER will have to make even the slightest effort to prove anything about yourself to them

And then, an even more shocking realization hit me...
I was in the wrong for even trying to "prove" myself because that is a form of PRIDE

Once you know who you are in your GOD,
And you have showed people who you are and what you have to offer
If its not good enough for them,
If they can't accept it,
If they can't recognize it
Then...
Move on
And continue to love them
Regardless


SN: Just realized how much this post reminds me of my very first post "Convince". Guess you have to learn certain lessons a couple of times before they really sink in.

Arrival Point

GOD spoke to me this new year

And HE told me 

To stop searching for a “point of arrival” 

That I have already "arrived" 

Because I have made the choice to accept HIM 

To put HIM first

To make my home in HIS eternity

That I am already living out my blessings 

And all I have to do is continue to serve HIM

And walk in my season

That there will always be battles to get through at whatever point 
I am at in my life here on earth

To stop allowing battles and people to distract me from my main focus… HIM  

That HE will easily get me through each battle and each struggle with HIS grace   

Making it through a battle is beautiful but it is NOT a point of arrival 

Because there will always be more battles & struggles waiting for me 

My established relationship with HIM, 

My walk with HIM, 

HIS word hidden in my heart,

My obedience to HIM 

IS MY ARRIVAL

I no longer have to search for something I already have

If you also have already made the choice to make HIM your savior and you are searching and yearning for an "arrival point"; that is proof that you are clearly missing the point... STOP MISSING THE POINT AND LIVE

Clashing Feelings...

I feel relieved but still sad
I feel secure but still unwanted 

I feel like I can make it but still tired

I feel the blessing but also the curse

I feel my spirit man's strength but still my flesh's weakness

I feel the realness of my truth but still the shame of my facade 

It's not about what I feel

It's about what I focus on

And for each pair of my clashing feelings

As difficult as it may be

I choose to focus on the feeling
That directs me towards HIM

That directs me towards...

@ Miami Beach focusing on my joy :)

LIFE

LIFE is a battle

Not easily won

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit" says the Lord Almighty... Zechariah 4:6

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want... Galatians 5:16-17 

Delicate Flower

Like a delicate flower

Finds the strength

To spring back up slowly

After the rain beats it down,

I find the strength

To spring back up slowly

After my God 

Takes all the Weight

And all the burdens  

I've been carrying

Into HIS own hands

And just like the flower,

I am watered,

refreshed,

And all the more beautiful

At the end of the storm

I am a delicate, beautiful flower

with an indescribable strength

that comes from HIM

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore; most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me... II Corinthians 13:9