"You're Not Perfect But You're Mine"

God speaks to us through dreams, visions, and the still small voice. He is longing for our communication daily. I think this is probably one of the hardest things to do as a Christian to speak consistently to the Lord. Why do we struggle with this? Every time we come in His presence He makes us over and we feel so clean and loved. So why don’t we run to this experience repeatedly? The answer is that we are warring against the flesh. The flesh is constantly fighting against the spirit man.

There is a battle going on in the spirit realm that we can not see and rarely do we understand. The answer is not to cut off communication because we have failed Him today. The Lord is not standing with a gavel to punish you because you failed yesterday but He is reaching for you today. When you fail Him in prayer and communication it just means you have to try that much harder to be consistent. The key is discipline! Oh how we love that word… But I have come to find that discipline only has been possible by removing the world from my life.

No longer am a light dimly lit. But now I am a light on a hill shining to become salt and light to the world. You will only be consistent through continuing to pray daily. But you will only remove the constant battle when you remove the world from your life. I will tell you what God has personally been dealing with me about. This is not to point judgment or tell you that you have to do what I am doing but it is just for an example.

I would like to start by saying that God does not require you to change instantly. But He is a patient and loving God who is taking you through a process of change. When He gets you to a certain point, you either listen to His voice and change your actions or you stay in the same place. You will never move forward in the ministry of the Lord if you don’t listen when He tells you to do something. Listen or be prepared to stand still.

Two Personal Struggles 

Vanity

The Lord has spoken to me about vanity. As many of you know I have been blessed to reach out to the local homeless community in my hometown. While working with them the Lord has shown me that a lot of the clothes, headbands, shoes, purses, etc. are excessive. I am not saying the Lord doesn’t want me to look nice but not in excess.

Television and Movies

This is a hard one for me. But the Lord told me just the other night that “He is not a faucet that I can turn on and off at will” meaning that I cannot expect to feel His presence and operate in the Spirit if I am constantly moving between light and darkness. I used to go to the movies all the time and every time a new DVD came out I was first in line. These are weights for the most part but more so they are sin.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Philippians 4:8

So in actuality no matter how we try to justify watching T.V. it really is a sin for the most part. Sure there are cute movies but they lead to more movies and they dull the senses. They cause you to escape the world around you. When your senses are dulled you cannot be tuned into communication with God. By constantly moving between sinful conversations I have been limiting the move of God in my life. Now don’t give up hope! My purpose in telling any of this is to stir revival in your soul. The Bible says:

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

Hebrews 12:1

How can we run if we have been lulled to sleep? How can we be light if we are allowing darkness to take over the light? How can we expect God to reside and move in our lives if we are not willing to set aside the world?

Our communication with God is everything. The two examples I used were just a few things the Lord has worked on my heart about. But the main thing we must understand as Apostolic Pentecostal’s is that we must have communication in order to be saved.

God gave us human relationships so that we could understand how God desires to have communication with us. If you did not talk to your spouse one day because you were busy and since you did not talk to them one day you then decide you had messed up too bad to talk to them the next day. Does this make any sense? No of course not! To have a good relationship with a spouse or loved one you need to talk to them every day sure but it’s the same with the Lord. He is willing and loves you so much He is waiting for you to come to Him again.

The more you come to Him the more He will show you His love. The more you seek Him the more you find Him. It is a simple principle that extends to all areas of your life: The more you give the more you get! In marriage, friendships, relationships and most importantly God.

Do not be fooled by the enemy! You can make it and you can build up to a consistent relationship with the Lord. He will not require everything from you at once. It will be a gradual process because He is a loving God. He wants to show you His tenderness and compassion. But He also wants you to be willing to seek Him in all things big and small.

I challenge you today to stand at the door and knock. I implore you to take up the armor of prayer. When you pray and set aside the world you will be able to overcome any battle and all fears and doubts. It is only when you let Him shed the layers of spiritual apathy that you will see God move in your life.

It is by His grace and mercy that we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb at the cross. We are a people of the name we are sealed in baptism by being baptized in Jesus name. We have the power through the Holy Ghost by speaking in tongues. We have the shield and protection from the world through Holy living and setting our lives away from the things of this world. We are a separate people who can not afford to be lulled to sleep by our own lusts. Take back your communication with the Lord and let Him radically change your life!

Humble Beginnings

Humble beginnings

I have a purpose and yes I have a vision. It began in July of 2012 as I drove from street to street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was looking on every corner and down every single ally way. My eyes were open searching and looking for those forgotten souls who were lost on the streets. I began the dollar store parking lot crying my eyes out hoping and praying that that day I too could touch a person’s life on the streets. I didn’t know what I would encounter but I just knew I had to do something to help someone anything at all!

I suggest starting small like I did because if you try to go too big too fast you may get overwhelmed and fizzle out. It began with six brown papers bags filled with hygiene needs, bottled water and packaged snacks. It wasn’t much but it is where I started. I drove the streets looking for homeless people and for some reason this day I had a hard time finding them. I found one on a park bench, I found two on the side of the highway, I found one walking down the street, and a few more on street corners. I gave the bags out with a smile but I was terrified! I a young lady very much taken up with the vanities of this world was petrified of homeless people. But this is what God told me to do and I obeyed the call.

Later on a few weeks later I met a man who lived in a halfway house. He was walking down the street in the middle of the August sun. I had one bag left over from my street venture from a few weeks previous and I wanted to give him the bag of goods. I drove past him at first. But that still small voice said go back and give that bag to that man. I turned my car around and spoke with the man. He was very kind and simple and a little astonished I was there to give him anything. He had his hands full with bags to return bottles and he couldn’t carry my bag of goods and the bottles too. I asked him where he was going. He said he was going about a mile up the road to the grocery store to return the bottles. I said, “Sir would you like a ride?” He was grateful and obliged but not before I teasingly asked him if he was going to hurt me or not. I honestly don’t suggest picking people up off the road but this was a God thing! I drove him to the store and gave him all the bottles I had in my car maybe a few dollars worth? Then I gave him the bag of goods and was on my way.

Then I realized that I really shouldn’t be doing ministry on my own. I had asked lots of people to help me and sadly I didn’t ask the right people and/or people were just not that interested in getting their hands dirty. I really cannot blame them for I too probably one month before would have been shocked to have been helping people on the streets and picking up homeless and giving them a ride.

So my next step was about September 2012, I went to see what the local homeless shelter in Ann Arbor needed for donations. I went there asking to volunteer and asking for a list of needs. I was given a list and I purchased as many of the needs on the list that I could buy in bulk and that I could afford. These things included: toothbrushes, combs, razors, gloves, paper plates, napkins, hand sanitizer, and soap. I bought as much as I could find in bulk for the best price. I am a bargain shopper and I think it best to find the best deal for the best price. I too tried three times to volunteer and even filled out an application online and it never panned out.

Then it was Christmas 2012 and I wanted to help people the best way I knew. I decided to donate money and items to people who were already doing a mission. I donated to four different organizations. I made a plug for them online because I either knew the people running the organizations or had been a part of their mission at one time or another the summer of 2012. I donated funds to one, socks to another, funds again to two others, and I sent warm items to a community center in Shreveport, LA. It wasn’t much but it was the best I had to give!

I also was given knowledge of a homeless man in Shreveport, LA who needed socks from getting out of the hospital. I sent him socks, a bible, and a card to encourage him. I also sent him scriptures to encourage him. I told him the truth in my Christmas card and laid out the salvation message in Acts 2:38. Again it wasn’t much but it was a gesture of love and compassion. Little did I know that I would never be able to meet this man! He died at the beginning of the year due to some health complications. I went back and forth about telling him the truth but in the end I decided that it was what I needed to do!

In January 2013 I had been very down and depressed about several things in my life. But something just clicked inside of me and I decided that I was going to help people myself, not just by donating. I didn’t know where to begin. I wanted to help at the shelter but I had not been welcomed. I was praying one evening and for some reason I decided to look online to see if there were any opportunities to volunteer somewhere in the community. I found a man who had an ad that said he went to the homeless shelter he prayed for people and handed out food. It sounded right up my ally. We connected and it was again a God thing! He was an Apostolic Jesus name preacher from the city of Detroit. He proclaimed the Acts 2:38 message by handing out tracts and this is where my story began.

I showed up the first week with gently used scarves, gloves, and hats from my house. I also showed up with breakfast sandwiches and this was what the people really needed. To see the look on these poor men and women’s faces you would have thought it was Christmas. We were able to pray with people and hand out about 20 sausage biscuits and about 20 or so warm items for winter. It was life changing! This was the first time I had actually had real contact with people in need. Sure earlier in the summer I had helped people but I didn’t even get out of my car that summer. Here were so many people the room was full of people and we could only help a few. It was then I was hooked! I had to keep coming back!!!

I ran out of items from my home so I began to bargain hunt. I found winter items at a drastically reduced price. Then I also found socks on clearance. Again I want to say my operation has been small and I have done it all myself up to this point. But I saw the need and did it anyways. But this is where my Jesus showed up on the scene. After months of doing what I could on a small scale God began to open up the doors on a larger scale.

A local clothing store donates to me every week there zero mark down clearance items. Then people I know donated clothing and winter items. I have been able to redistribute the clothes to needy families, homeless shelters, and a battered women’s shelter. And I will be able to do this every week! All new clothing! And what I cannot donate to shelters or to those in need I am donating the leftovers to a local shelter.

Next week I am meeting with a woman who is donating new socks and gloves. Then I also have contacts with local food vendors to donate leftover food and hopefully coffee. I have been able to contact local companies in hopes for them to donate funds or items. The ultimate goal is to be able to have companies donate all items and then I would be able to redistribute to those in need. And my friend this is just the beginning!  

I created a website online to create awareness. It is not for my glory it really is for the glory of the Lord. I also know people and I know that they really do want to help. They just have to see that others are helping too. People mean well but it’s hard to start something to help people on your own. But see I am not on my own the Lord is right beside me. It is the principle of the 5000 people in the gospels. Jesus said to break the bread and when the disciples broke bread he multiplied their efforts. The Lord has seen my bread and multiplied my efforts.

We as Apostolics must be willing to step out from behind the glass and help people! All people, not those who might visit our church, I mean yes that is the ultimate goal to see people saved. But Jesus did not tell us to only help those who were on our doorstep so to speak. He said to go to the highways and the byways searching for those who needed our help. And “IF” we make an effort and open that door and help those in need he is faithful to multiply our efforts. I am telling you I wasn’t even looking for the new clothes and I didn’t ask them for them but they came to me! That is what the Lord does!

Short term goals: a blanket, a scarf, coffee and a meal. That’s my desire for the next few weeks.

My long-term goals:

I currently have a car full of donations to distribute. My goals are to take blankets to the homeless who are actually on the streets. I have warm items and have more on the way next week. I have a few more people who are going to volunteer with me and the apostolic minister next Sunday at the shelter. This means that there will be two men of God to pray with those who need hope. And there will be two of us to hand out food and warm items.

I hope to get food donations to distribute to the needy, the poor and the homeless. I want to actually pass it out on the streets where the people are living in ally ways. I have some connections starting to stock a food pantry. It is my hope to have a community meal for those in the community who are hungry. This is not all worked out on location or even city. This may have to be something that I put on hold for awhile until more people catch the vision.

I also decided to fundraise to have a t-shirt made from community sponsors. I have not completed this project but I have knowledge on how it has been done in the past. You get one sponsor to purchase all the shirts and other sponsors to buy ad space. And then you sell the t-shirts for complete profit. The funds raised can be used to purchase food for a community meal, buy basic hygiene items, or even food to hand out on the street.

But again the goal is to not have to purchase any more items out of pocket. If you keep paying for it all yourself then eventually you will run out of funds and you will get burnt out on the operation. It is best to be balanced in all things. I am not saying you won’t ever purchase items on your own because I did that myself but it won’t be something that breaks your finances.

How can you get involved? I implore you to do any of the things I have mentioned. I have done all this on my own. I can’t imagine what it will be like when I have a partner who is as passionate as I am! But I challenge you to make a difference even if it’s by yourself. You can change the world as one person even if it’s just the world of one person! You can spread hope, compassion and love with one smile and kind gesture. You can pay it forward to someone who will be inspired by what you are doing! There is no act too small and there is nothing that God can’t multiply!

I hope this has challenged you and inspired you to know that you can do something no matter how small and still make a difference. I cannot wait to see what God does in another year and when I have a team of people who are willing to fulfill the call. If one person can do so much with so little what can two people do with God on their side? The possibilities are endless! Let’s change one life at a time and build one friendship at a time building together a community of friends!

LOVE

LOVE is often undeserved but true love-loves anyways...

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I often wondered what it truly meant to love. It’s funny how one searches their whole life to find that one person to complete you. We are always looking for it! We love our friends, our family, and eventually our spouse. Why do we love them? We love them because they love us! That is the simple answer. It’s true not everyone has a good relationship with their family, or friends, or maybe even their spouse. Yet, as a general rule we love because we are loved!

I'm sorry to say we have the wrong idea about love. True love is not about loving those who love us. It is about loving someone in spite of whether they will ever love us in return. This is the love of Jesus Christ. He showed this love when he came and died on the cross. He loved us not because we loved him but rather he loves us whether we will ever serve him with our love. Mind blowing isn't it? He loves the sinner, the saint, the murderer, the sweet lady from church all the same. See he came to die for every one and it’s up to us to accept his love. His love is not predicated on whether we ever love him back.

What does the bible say about love? Jesus declares that there is one God. I think he states there is one God so we understand there is only one we are to love with our heart mind and soul. This is the love we are searching for in our lives. Then Jesus says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Wow! I feel the reason for this commandment is so that we learn that love is unselfish and that if we love someone as we love ourselves then we can begin to understand the love of Jesus. When we love our neighbor we are demonstrating to others how Jesus loves us! When we can understand that love is not about ourselves and our feelings it is then and only then that we will ever know what it means to love.

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.  Mark 12:29-33

Love is often not easy to undertake and there are many people who we do not deem worthy of our love. This often translates to people we feel are beneath us in social situations, in church situations or even in family situations. How do we learn to love like Jesus loved?

Three Examples of Love:

    1)  Love is servant hood. Love serves without expectation of anything in return. Love is serving one another in our actions, our thoughts, and mostly our words. I think that truly understanding the love of Jesus is by lending a helping hand to whomever, whenever, and wherever you are needed. This is the true definition of a servant. Do you have the heart of a servant? Here is what Jesus had to say about serving others.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:31-46- Love is serving!

   2)  Love is action. As we learned the definition of serving we can understand there is a principle that Jesus was trying to teach us. When we serve the least of these we are setting aside our own desires and serving those who need us. The principle when grasped let’s us truly understand that this is the love that Jesus shows to us every day. It is the love that he shed for us on Calvary and we then show that same love in our actions. And then our actions produce fruit.

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.1 John 3:16-19

     3)  Love is fruit. When we learn to become a servant and we understand that love is an action our lives produce fruit. Our lives when balanced in God’s love produce the fruits of the spirit but also the fruits of love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1Corinthians 13:4-7

This is where loving someone who doesn't love you back can be hard. It’s not easy to be patient or kind. We love to keep records of wrongdoings. It is ever so hard to trust someone who turns their back on us! But this friend is what we are commanded to do in our lives. This is the love of Jesus. He is teaching us to love like he loves. When we understand this love then we can truly know how to love our Jesus.

Why do we have to love like Jesus? Why does it matter? It matters because unless we love Jesus and understand his love we will always be searching for the wrong kinds of love in our lives. We will settle for less than best and then when the going gets tough then we will be on the look for the next best relationship in our lives. This goes for friendships, family and marriages.

At the beginning of this blog I said we were all looking for that special someone in our life to complete us. Well that was kind of a trick statement. There is no person in this world that can ever fulfill you. They may make you happy and you may live a life with them in whatever kind of relationship but ultimately they will fail you. And if you don’t have the tools for love you will walk away every time! You must grasp a hold of the love of Jesus and follow his examples of how we are to love. It is then and only then that we will understand his love and then we will be able to love those truly in our lives.

In saying all of these things I know people will walk in and out of our lives. And it often hurts it hurts so bad when they turn their backs on us. I have personally lost friends, family, and loved ones who have turned their backs on me. But that doesn't mean I have the right to not love them! I am commanded to love them with the love of Jesus Christ. I am to forgive them 70x7 and to release them back to God. True love is not in and of itself from you. It is principle based it, it is learned, and it only comes from understanding the word of God and his commands.

The best part!!!! When you understand and grasp this love you will have lasting relationships. You will be fulfilling the word of God. Then you will be in right relationship with God and man! How wonderful to know that the love we are all searching for is in Jesus, his ways, and his teachings. I implore you to practice these principles in your life. You will only be able to incorporate it into your life by prayer, reading the word, and fasting. True love is dedication and it is not to be taken lightly.

Start today! Begin reading the gospels this is where you will begin to grasp the love that I have spoken of in this blog. Take the time to pray and ask God to lead you into that love. And the biggest part of love is forgiveness even when the person doesn't deserve it! See Jesus loved us and died for us and us my friend did not deserve it but he did it anyways!

And just for the record- P.S. I love you! *Wink*

Roadblocks, Obstacles and Hindrances

There's a purpose in a holding pattern and it won't make sense in the least....but my friend hold on to the promises from the Lord because he cannot lie and he will not fail you! So while you're waiting praise him and keep on pushing in the spirit - Gods making a way for your breakthrough!

Roadblocks, Obstacles and Hindrances

I was praying the other day and the Lord showed me that there was a reason for roadblocks, obstacles and hindrances in my life and for everyone’s life. There is a reason why people and things go in and out of our lives. The purpose is simple if a person, place or thing is not removed out of our life we will not reach the potential that the Lord has for us.

Imagine your life on a time line:

    /Friends                   /Family

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_/______\_________/________\______>Ultimate Goal Heaven

                \                                   \

                 \Job                              \Ministry Etc.

Every person place or thing that is moved out of your life is for a reason. The pain teaches us to turn to the Lord. It might not seem so at the time but the people who hurt us, reject us and turn their backs on us actually cause us to get better. We have the choice to get bitter or get better! For example the person who turns their back on you may be your best friend, your loved ones, or even ministry. But the good news is that it is all in God’s plan to get you where you need to go in him. The person or job may have had a long term affect that may have inhibited you from stepping outside the norm into the supernatural where God would be able to use your life to its fullest capacity.

Roadblocks: What is a roadblock? Unfortunately I have spent an awful lot of time in the State of Mississippi (Sorry friends from there). It seems that this state thrives on stopping people in the middle of the road for no apparent reason. So you’re driving along minding your own business and then poof there’s the police. They ask you for: Driver’s license, registration, and car insurance. They ask questions: Where are you going? Have you been drinking? Who are the people in your car?

This is the same with a road block in the Lord. Sometimes he stops us in the middle of what we are doing. We are driving along and everything seems fine. And then the Lord checks us in the spirit. He stops us sometimes for a short while and sometimes he searches the trunk of our car/ our heart. He stops us and makes us check our attitude, our spirit, and our state of mind. Why does he stop us? He is making sure we have everything we need for battle. He is not trying to give us a ticket or get us arrested but if we don’t have what we need then he may spiritually give us a ticket or even arrest us. His intentions are not to keep us in the road block but to get us back on the road as soon as possible. He uses prayer, the word, the preached word, and daily circumstances to make us stop and make sure we have what we need in him.

Obstacles: three examples are where we work, where we live, and sometimes where we go to church. These three things are just a few examples of obstacles there can of course be many more.

Sometimes we lose our job and we think it’s the end of the world. God moved me out of my job this year so this analogy makes sense to me. I thought to myself what am I going to do? Then I realized that God had a plan for this past year of my life. He allowed me to follow a dream I had had for many years by traveling the country and it was on this journey that I found my love for the Lord in a way I had never imagined. So you see losing the job was an obstacle that God moved out of my life for a purpose. He wanted me to draw unto him in a mighty way.

 When we have obstacles we can choose to live by faith or we can choose to live by fear and confusion. An example of an obstacle is sometimes where we live. God sometimes moves us across the country or across the city. He is strategically placing us on a path for a specific purpose. We may never know the purpose because God may never reveal why He has made this change in our lives. We can embrace the obstacle and look for the good or we can be set in our ways and be bitter about the change. His purpose may be that we affect one life where He has sent us. God would move a mountain to save one person. So no we don’t know His ways but we say to Him; your will be done Lord not my will. You may not know the reason but if God tells you to go then you go and then if He tells you to wait then you wait. There is always a plan from the Lord! Even if we never know what it is: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1  

Where we go to church I think is the hardest obstacle of all for those walking by faith. This part is by in no means referring to any church or any minister in particular. I am only using this analogy because I know of so many people who don’t understand why God would want to move them out of a church situation. How in the world can church be an obstacle? Are we not all brothers and sisters in the Lord? The answer is yes and yes. This is the part where I really feel the Lord was talking to me about and He showed me why things sometimes happen the way they do.

We are going to church, we are faithful, we are doing the Lords work and we are happy. Then the unthinkable happens, we cry out to God, and we lament the change. We are creatures of habit and we hate change. But God uses circumstances and people to move us out of our current location. Again it makes no sense and it hurts. The reason we must move on may be for a variety of reasons but the main reason is that we can no longer grow where we are located. There is a greater purpose on the time line of your life. So He painfully uproots our lives and makes us move on to the next phase of our life and ministry often kicking and screaming. Here is the part that we need to know; if we know that it is God’s plan even in the pain we can accept the change and let the obstacle mold us. Too often this happens and we think that the person or obstacle is either our fault or the other person’s fault. Ultimately God is in control no matter what! He is the author and finisher of our lives. He is pushing us, moving us, and prodding us to be great! When we realize that even in our pain that God has a plan, then we move forward with God instead of going against the flow and accepting the obstacle as defeat. When we see God’s plan for our lives then we can move forward with the Lord.

Hindrances: I will liken my examples to that of people. Sometimes hindrances in our lives are our very own family. The bible says following Christ is more important than family. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26-27 Jesus is saying that we must do His work above our family. If God calls us to do something oftentimes our family may turn our back on us. Or it may be that God shifts the relationship between members because maybe they are a hindrance to them now or possibly the future.

We cannot see our own future. We don’t know if someone will in fact affect us in such a way that we will be hindered in the work of the Lord. So when people move in and out of our lives. Love them but don’t hold a grudge or allow bitterness to seep into your life. People will hurt you! They will hurt you so bad to the core of your being but we are commanded to forgive them. I will give you an example of someone hurting me in my life. When I was young there were many who hurt me but there was one in particular. I chose to forgive them and move on because I was taught to pray against hatred and bitterness from moving into my heart as a young girl. Years later someone asked the person if they knew how much they hurt me? The person actually had no recollection of hurting me at all. How sad if I had carried that hurt and bitterness all those years.

The key to people as hindrances in our lives is to forgive and release them back to the Lord when they walk out of our lives.This will be very hard to do at first because we as humans tend to rarely forget the wrongs done to us in our lives. We tend to like to hold on to them and let them fester. Jesus said we are to forgive someone 70 X 7. I think this means in our daily lives. We must pray and forgive them daily. I heard a minister this summer preach at Louisiana Camp: Pray to forgive and release them back to God every day until He takes the pain from our lives. Then we are to pray that God doesn't punish them for hurting us. This is true forgiveness! It will take time to get to this place in our lives. It will not happen overnight but it is a process. But the more we learn to forgive then the more readily we will be able to forgive in the future.

The important thing to realize is that God uses all these roadblocks, obstacles, and hindrances for our good. He does not make the choices for people but since He knows our choices He chooses to turn it around for our good. He has the timeline for our lives all mapped out! We can choose to accept the hurts and let them be used for our betterment or we can stop and stand in a holding pattern. We can wander around in the wilderness for forty years getting bitter and never fulfilling our purpose or we can accept that God is the author of our time line!

I am so thankful that God showed me the purpose of these hurts in my own life. They have all happened to me and they will surely happen more in the future. But now that I know there is a purpose and that God is using it to shape my life it helps me be prepared for battle! When God takes away something from our lives and we are faithful to his word and living by faith in Him, He will always return more than what He took! He uses these challenges to gird us up in the faith with the battle armor of faithfulness! He will never leave us or forsake us! He formed us in His own image! He wants to see us succeed! Let Him take your pain by allowing Him to unfold the rose petals in your life! Embrace roadblocks, obstacles, and hindrances because in our adversity we are changed. We live by faith and in our faith our Lord and savior receives all the glory in our lives! Be thankful every time something falls apart because that just means He is getting ready for something better in your life!

Unraveling the Pattern - The Life of a Servant!

Unraveling the Pattern - The Life of a Servant!

There is a plan and a pattern in the Gospels for us to follow in our own lives to becoming a servant of the Gospel for Jesus Christ. It may seem a mystery why God is allowing certain things to happen in your life. But when you understand the pattern you can be better prepared for battle. Serving the Lord no longer remains a mystery. With understanding you will have the armor to withstand the foes of this life. It will still hurt but at least you will be able to unravel your life as a servant for Jesus Christ. 

Adversity’s greatest triumph is the one that succeeds when all odds are against you! Learning what works and doesn't work can be our greatest teacher. The Lord doesn't leave us alone when we accept the calling. If he left us alone then we would stay the same never growing, striving, or reaching beyond our initial dreams and desires. The secret to success is failure. Our failures are the beginnings of our greatness. Greatness is achieved by becoming a servant!

How many times have you failed? The secret to success is not getting it right the first time but getting back up again. Thomas Edison, who’s most memorable invention, was the light bulb, which purportedly took him 1,000 tries before he developed a successful prototype. “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” a reporter asked. “I didn’t fail 1,000 times,” Edison responded. “The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

As Servants of Jesus Christ, every aspect of our lives is in steps. It may be 1,000 steps or a million steps. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Pslam 37:23 His ways are perfect and he knows the beginning from the end. He knew your choices before he formed you and because of your choices he has made a way when there seemeth no way. Every decision you make the Lord has already seen and put in your path a way of escape and help. The joy in knowing the Lord is when you pray and fast: then the way becomes clearer and you too can see the path without blindness.

I have spent the last several months reading the gospels over and over again. It was just the other day that I noticed something I had never seen in the gospels. I began to see this pattern and example that Jesus left for us in the gospels. I truly feel it was from the Lord. I have never heard it preached. I will break it down into 4 steps.

FOUR STEPS: UNRAVELING THE LIFE OF A SERVANT

1)   Jesus was called serve! His ministry had not yet begun but he honored his mother. He did not want to turn the water into wine but he was obedient to his mother. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. John 2:3-4 Just as sometimes we are asked to do something initially from God and it makes no sense. We may argue prayerfully with the Lord and ask him if he’s sure that’s what he means. But then we accept the call to ministry even if we feel it’s before our time or not what we wanted to do with our lives.

2)  Then Jesus prayed and fasted in the wilderness for forty days and was tempted of the devil. “Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” Luke 4:2 When we realize the calling and accept the calling. Before we go into battle we must pray and fast. Yes, we will be tempted in all things and of the devil: the gates of hell will open up on our lives. But this is what Jesus did first before he began his earthly ministry as a servant to the people. We too must follow His example if we are to be successful servant unto the Lord. Fasting and praying is building a relationship with Jesus. When we pray Jesus becomes our mediator, it is in our prayer times that the battle is fought. You cannot fight flesh with flesh but the battle is waged in the spirit! 

3)  This next part in serving is the hardest part. The pain shall fall on the just and the unjust. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 This is where many people fall away and are so discouraged; when it rains on the just. Jesus too faced rain on his ministry. After Jesus fasted and prayed he returned to his home town. It was there that he was rejected by his family and friends. His ministry held little worth in his home town. “For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.” John 4:44

How many have been rejected by friends and family? This is the plan from the Lord. I don’t know why this is his plan but it is what I have seen from every person who becomes great in the Lord. The rejection is such a blow! The hard part is not falling away when we are kicked. The hard part is letting God take control of your life and allowing you to get better and not bitter. Job could have cursed God and died; but he persevered and was rewarded for his faithfulness. We must remember his example and that the key is forgiveness in direct correlation to rejection.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust .For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:44-48 This is the great challenge to love them even when they have become our enemy!

4)  It was after Jesus completed all these steps that his ministry unfolded. He healed the sick; blind eyes opened, lame walked, and lepers were healed. He raised the dead, he fed the masses and he walked on water. Jesus is the son of God, he is fully God and fully man. He chose to come as a man who wrapped himself in flesh for our salvation. But he too followed a process in his life for his walk into ministry. We too must recognize this pattern set before us and realize that when bad things happen to us they are for our betterment. Will they make sense? No. Will you be in pain? Yes. Will it be worth it all in the end? Absolutely!  

RECAP:

1)  We accept the calling to become a servant 

2)  We fast and pray/ relationship with Jesus 

3)  We are rejected/adversity

4)  God unfolds his plan in our life-ministry takes form

I think too many times in church we measure our lives to those around us. We may think that we have not accomplished the goals that we feel that God put in our lives. The secret to success in the Lord is becoming a servant. It doesn’t matter who you’re serving, how many you’re serving, or even where you are serving. The key is wherever you are at and whatever season you are at in your life: you are serving the people. I think we get hung up on a system, a plan, and a schedule. Yet, we are not on our own schedule but the Lord’s timing.

We must be willing to turn our backs on family and friends. We must sell out to Jesus Christ. I coined a phrase: It cost you nothing for salvation but once you’re saved it cost you everything to serve him. You will face adversity! There will be great pain in your life. But the ultimate goal is to be a servant for Jesus Christ! We must seek him first with all of our hearts. He is not blind to our pain; he too felt all of our anguish. He was the great example in every area of our lives.

If you have fallen get back up!

If you have rain on your life give it to God!

If you have a calling do not be dismayed!

His promises to you will not be returned void!

Be thankful for adversity- it shapes you!

If you keep moving forward YOU will see victory! 

MOST IMPORTANT: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER 

GIVE UP!

Today

Today I missed you
Every day I keep hope
That you'll miss me too
I wonder how I cope.

Today I want to hug you
Every day I keep hope
That you want to hug me too
I wonder how I cope.

Today I miss your eyes
Every day I keep hope
That you miss my eyes too
I wonder how I cope

Today I miss your smile
Every day I keep hope
That you miss my smile too
I wonder how I cope

Today I want you to sing
Every day I keep hope
You want me to sing too
I wonder how I cope

Today I want to help
Every day I keep hope
That you want my help
I wonder how I cope

Today I can't see myself
Every day I hope
That myself is with yourself
I wonder how I cope

Today I can't imagine my life
Every day I hope
You're worth every tear and strife
That is how I cope!

Tears, Promises and Miracles...2012 in Review

Tears, Promises and Miracles…

“I am the author so you have to let me write the book.

 I am the author and the pages are being prepared, the outline is being drafted, the chapters are being arranged, and the binding is being sealed.”

The Lord gave me those words here at the close of 2012, which was the greatest year of my life. If you were to look at my life and knew all of the tears I had cried, you would hardly think this was the best year of my life. Why was it the best year of my life? It was because it was the year I fell in love with Jesus. No longer am I unto myself but now I am a servant of the King.

In January of 2012 I radically threw my life on the altar of the Lord. See He had redeemed me from my life of sin, despair, and hopelessness. It was then that I actually felt my life change like it had never done before in the past. I was raised in church, I went to a Christian school and I was a Bible school graduate. I had done all the right things but yet I fell away in disappointment and bitterness. I asked the Lord, “Why Lord did I fall away? I did everything unto you.” He said you did it unto my but you forgot to look at me. I had mistakenly forgotten to look at him and to seek him first in all things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

 

So then my journey began in March when I resigned my job. I traveled the country. This was always a desire to see the country and visit all my dear friends. This traveling began in June 2012. It was at the very first service with Bro. Jerry Jones preached about: two guards, two chains, and a warden. I literally felt the chains of oppression removed from my life. God showed up when I needed him most! He will never leave you or forsake you. These very words “I will never leave you or forsake you” have been my very motto of my life this past year. It was one of the first promises that God gave me. I began the year in tears and I let those tears change me. When I was open to the voice of the Lord then he began to share his promises with me. I am not worthy of his love but he loved me no matter what!

The travels led me from state to state and I was blessed to attend 7 camp meetings. How amazing is that? I was able to spend a whole year listening to the word of God. It was life altering. Would I travel all over again? You betcha! It was on this trail of tears that I found my faith in God. I had always loved the Lord but this was finding me in love with the Lord. There is a huge difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. I had spent my whole life never feeling this kind of love. It was the love of a redeemed soul.

When I came home from my travels is when I truly changed. No longer was I unto myself. It was now not about me or my silly wants or desires. There was a literal shift in the spirit. I can almost tell you the day. It was the day after I came home. I was praying and the desire for souls came on me so strong; stronger then it ever had in my life! I went to the church for weeks praying and the burden would not lift. But then it began to take form. God began to show me his plan for my life.

I met a person who changed me forever. The best person I have ever met: A person that I will never be able to measure up to no matter how much I would have tried. But the Lord showed me that I had my own set of gifts to help the Homeless ministry and that I did not have to do all the same things. I would be an asset to the ministry and I would balance them. My strengths would offset the weaknesses and vice versa. I began reading the gospels every day and reading the blogs of the one who changed my life. It was life changing and inspiring! For now I know what I was finally meant to do with my life. I was to be a servant to the people just as Jesus came to serve so was I to serve. 

Serving in LVOE is the love of Jesus. LVOE is a love that is not like any other love and is spelled this way to distinguish the difference of God’s love. This is the motto of Common Ground a mission in Shreveport, LA that I was blessed to minister in this year.

 

I am to love those in need whether you I am loved in return. They may never come to Jesus and I might not ever know their names. But I accept the call of the great command of the Lord.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:36-40

I accepted the call after the best year of my life. This was year that was met with a trail of tears:  

1) “Lord change me don’t leave me in my sin”

2) “Lord give me a burden for souls”

3) “Lord help me through the fire”

The fire came in like a flood when I accepted the call. Which is what happens to those who are servants of the Lord most high! The floods of fire would have made most people run for the hills. But see I had a whole year of promises along my trail of tears. No longer did I have to do it alone. I heard the phrase this year that caught my attention: “Why are you running from the Lord? He will only love you if he catches you!” I don’t know about you but my friend if you are running this really is the truth. Will there trials? Will you have pain? Yes and yes but there will be such peace and joy as you throw yourself at the master’s feet.

 

If you never have adversity you will never change. If there is no pain you will never have any growth spiritually. Adversity shapes us and makes us over. It humbles us and brings us to our knees. I can honestly say, “Lord thank you for my adversity!” My mother said how could this be your best year? When you have faced so much pain? People have turned their back on you, you have been rejected more times than you can count, and you have lost people you loved.

But you see my sweet friends I have gained everything. I may have lost it all but the Lord will return to me more than what I have lost. I have prayed for a double portion from the Lord and he will never leave me or forsake me. The Lord only wants the best for me!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

As I ended the year the Lord spoke to me and told me that this year was a year of miracles in my life. In 2012 it was a year of promises and now I look forward to miracles in 2013. It will be only the Lord who makes it happen. On December 31^st I was reminded that he is faithful. I should have received a speeding ticket. I was praying on my way to the hospital to visit friends with a sick son. But the Lord intervened and I didn’t even receive a warning. It spoke to me in a mighty way. I deserved the ticket because I was speeding I didn’t deserve mercy but I received it anyways. This is just like the Lord to show me that is who He is: I don’t deserve his mercy and I will fail him often but He will not punish me for my shortcomings. It is his infinite mercy. He loves us no matter what we do and He makes a way of escape when there seems like no way of escape.

This year will be a year of miracles. I sat at church before communion and foot washing and wrote down as many promises from the last year as possible. I am claiming those miracles! I am also making it my life to be a servant to all who need me. I have already begun giving my time, money and energy. Now I hope to give his LVOE to all I meet. My desire is to be a willing servant and vessel unto the mighty master and savior.

Whether I am an encourager, a homeless advocate, feeding the poor, and praying for friends and loved ones. No longer can I be an island unto myself. I am accountable to the LVOE of the Lord and to all that need me.

Will you accept my challenge? Will you spend every day impacting the lives around you? Will you put your hands to working for the Kingdom? This is the great command to love and to serve. It is what Jesus came to do. He served with his life and died for us in LVOE! I am ready for my miracles!

                                                                                   My challenges for 2012 in Recap:

Are you raw oak or a varnished deck?

Are you trapped going up or down?

To be or not to be that is the question?

Are you full time or part time?

Will you accept the great responsibility?

Will you give yourself away?

Who are you influencing?

Will you give your dreams back to the Lord?

Will you move beyond your personal masquerade ball?

Have you misplaced your invitation?

Will you let him prepare your heart?

 Will you step out beyond the glass?

(Photos are from my travels in 2012)