When U Pray

Down on the mat, the referee is counting down the number of minutes you have to be down there before you are considered knocked out. You hear him calling out the numbers, you’re down there because you have been hit so hard you could no longer stand on your feet. Sweat is beading on your forehead and pooling under your armpits. Your heart is beating fast and you can’t concentrate on any one thing. You keep asking yourself in hyper speed how did this happen? Did I let my gaurd down? Was my chin unprotected? Was this a body shot? How did I get here?

The seconds creep by and the number count is nearing that number that says you have been TKO’d, technically knocked out. Your spirit is shouting to God, HOW DID I GET HERE? And then the spirit of God reminds you who YOU ARE!

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:37‬ ‭NIV‬‬http://bible.com/111/rom.8.37.niv

“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:30-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬http://bible.com/111/rom.8.30-31.niv

Your troubles may have you on the ropes, you may even hit the mat, but count it all joy. You may be down, but you are not out.
“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.”‭‭Psalm‬ ‭37:25‬‭NIVhttp://bible.com/111/psa.37.25.niv

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:22-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/rom.3.22-24.niv

So get up, pick your head up. Shake off the punches being thrown at you. Plant your feet about shoulder width apart, bend your knees, slightly, just enough to settle yourself in your position. Put your dukes back up, but don’t throw a punch, just stand there. Jesus himself said this:

“But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.”‭‭Luke‬ ‭21:14-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/luk.21.14-19.niv

Now that’s good news🙌🏽

“I will continue to trust God even if he kills me. But I will defend myself to his face.”‭‭Job‬ ‭13:15‬ ‭ERV‬‬ http://bible.com/406/job.13.15.erv

I find myself saying this day after day. It’s as if I took Job’s place. When your family is under attack it is very easy to lay back and suffer. It’s easier to complain and ask why me Lord, why me. My family is being attacked on many sides. I’ve been blindsided by the things I am faced with and I find myself lost in my situation. This is one of the most difficult tests of my life. I’ve been lied on, cheated on, beaten, molested and destroyed, I’ve buried a daughter, my mother, and several friends but this right here, I never saw it coming. The devil is tricky and he keeps thinking he has won. There are a few skirmishes that he wins but the battle belongs to God. As soon as I got to my bible, these scriptures flowed out..

“““But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed. They know that the Lord will do what he says.”‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/jer.17.7.erv

Satan answered the Lord, “But Sheveze has a good reason to respect you. You always protect her, her family, and everything she has. You have blessed her and made her successful in everything she does.She is so wealthy that her herds and flocks are all over the country. But if you were to destroy everything she has, I promise you that she would curse you to your face.””‭‭Job‬ ‭1:9-11‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/job.1.9-11.erv changed to prove a point. 
And then I am reminded:

“When I was born into this world, I was naked and had nothing. When I die and leave this world, I will be naked and have nothing. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord!””‭‭Job‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/job.1.21.erv

Like Job I believe:

“Job answered, “You sound like one of those fools on the street corner! How can we accept all the good things that God gives us and not accept the problems?” So even after all that happened to Job, he did not sin. He did not accuse God of doing anything wrong.”‭‭Job‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/job.2.10.erv

“Sheveze, you have taught many people. You encouraged those who were ready to quit. Your words helped those who were ready to fall. You gave strength to those who could not stand by themselves. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged. Trouble hits you, and you are upset. You worship God. You trust him. You are a good woman, so let that be your hope.”‭‭Job‬ ‭4:3-6‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/job.4.3-6.erv changed to prove a point.

I am reminded in my spirit  
“Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again have a chance to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.””‭‭Psalms‬ ‭43:5‬‭ERV‬‬ http://bible.com/406/psa.43.5.erv

“Your help made me so happy. Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:12‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/psa.51.12.erv

““Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.””‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/jer.1.5.erv
“So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love?”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-35‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/rom.8.31-35.erv
““But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed. They know that the Lord will do what he says.”‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7‬‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/jer.17.7.erv

So no matter how you are slayed by your problems; remember that God is with you and you are undefeated in God. 

For your glory… 
We sing this song all the time… ” for your glory I will do ANYTHING..” We be crying and all in!! But what happens when it’s time to do that anything?!? 

Like when your kids start acting crazy. But you gotta do “anything” so that people can have hope for their children.. 
What about when your supervisor is disrespectful and God need you to do “anything” because somebody need to see the correct way to respond when someone is being disrespectful to you. Are you still willing to do anything?

What about when your marriage is failing and you want out. But God need you to do “anything” so that people can see marriages can last. That two people can function and operate together!! 
How about when your health it failing. And you don’t even want to get out the bed. But God need you to do “anything” so that someone, even if it’s one person. Can see that if you made it through, they can make it too!!! Are you still willing to do anything? 
See it’s easy to sing the song. But when it’s time for action it’s totally different. It’s easy to cheer and pray for your friends and family when they are going through. 
Yeah girl, keep the faith…. Praise him, keep your head up… No worries!!! You know the stuff we say. 

I can honestly say when it’s time to do that “anything” it may not always be pretty. You may feel as though you can’t make it through!! But I promise you will. 
I’ve been going through my “anything” since April. Yeah April!!! 

I never understood the scripture “be anxious for nothing”(philippians 4:6) until anxiety and panic attacks took over my life. 

I mean barely able to function!!! Getting up in the morning was the hardest thing in life!! I would be nauseous, dizzy and everything else. But I got up and I went to work, suffered for 8 hours. Came home and still had to function for my children and husband. The best part of my day was sleep!!! I still went to church and still kept a smile on my face. Even though every second I wanted to cry!! 

No pity parties for me though. Im just here to share my testimony with someone that said the same thing I did. God, I will do anything!!! So I’m doing. Keeping my Faith on high and knowing that this too shall pass!!!
Love you!!! 

❤️

You should not be surprised when you walk in a room and people stop and stare…you came dressed to be stared at right? When you walk in a room and people can’t seem to look anywhere else, that’s your presence commanding attention..open your mind and bask in it…expect it. If you enter a room an no one cares, ask yourself what went wrong?  Your personality should be so forceful that people feel the pull of your presence on them, it should ripple along thier skin making it impossible for them to ignore you.  When you enter a room it can’t be just the people who are changed, the atmosphere should literally be forced to stop and acknowledge who you are…you’re a princess baby girl… What can I say? Prince Charles has the same problem, it killed Princess Di…
If you looked at me and judged me to be “something”, I release US from that and I challenge you to speak to me, try and spend 5 minutes talking to me and not about me and find out who I am. My presence can be overwhelming and I won’t apologize for that, it’s who I am, but I love people and I’ll love you too if you give me chance.

Pray for us, TaWanna and I love whenupray, yes we do and we love each of you. 

I know that many of you are often inspired by our testimonies, our prayers and blog posts but I would like to ask a favor…

Can you please reply with a prayer or a word of encouragement for us? I don’t want to go into detail but know that we trust God, know that we are more than conquerors and we will understand it better, by and by. But for know, a kind word will go a long way.

We ❤️ our followers 

Anybody ever get so busy, so tired, so blah that they don’t read the word, don’t study can’t pray. Yup, me too🙏🏽 Not only can’t read, can’t pray either so you begin to beat yourself up because you know that God’s word is the only thing that can save, that can heal, that can restore and that can redeem. You know this but you’ve gotten tired, your spirit is low and you don’t know where to begin. You know you need to pray and no words come. Yeah, me too.🙋🏽

Do you look at yourself and think, I love God so much, I can’t live my life without him? Do you ever look at what you’ve been through and how you know that you know that you know it was God who brought you out, God who opened the door, God who moved that person out of your life, God who made a way when all was lost? Yet here we are, lost in Christ. 😳

I’m just being transparent this morning, how can it be that I trust God, I really really do, yet I seem to have gotten tired, discouraged and lost  ( that’s the only word that kept coming in my mind) in my prayers? In my fasting? In my spirit?

I don’t know how this has happened so I started where I left off, I opened the word and God in his faithfulness showed me this:

“God already knows our deepest thoughts. And he understands what the Spirit is saying, because the Spirit speaks for his people in the way that agrees with what God wants.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:27‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/rom.8.27.erv

“Also, the Spirit helps us. We are very weak, but the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/rom.8.26.erv

Y’all, A shout goes right here! 🙌🏽 God didn’tgive me a pass, he showed me mercy.  The word of God showed me that he got me, he knows me. 

“Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth. You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder. I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand. Your Spirit is everywhere I go. I cannot escape your presence.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:1-7‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/psa.139.1-7.erv
And after reading that, all I can say is Thank you Lord, in Jesus name I Pray, Amen. 

I know the God of our salvation is not ignorant to the troubles of the world so he gave us hope!
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/jhn.16.33.nkjv
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:18-19, 24-25, 28-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/rom.8.18-19,24-25,28-29.nkjv
People of God, we are not to give up hope during this time where they are killing black men. This is the time for us to rise above our daily struggle and strive for something bigger than us. True freedom is when we can all be treated fairly in every situation. As Dr Martin Luther King stated, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.  You can stand by but is that smart? If they get away with all these killings you could be the next target. We have to come together, every person, every race, every nationality and every gender, you could be the next target.  We do not need to wait until the death our Father, Brother, Son or Nephew is at our doorstep. 
There is hope for people who believe, 

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/2ch.7.14.nkjv

We need to pray but we also need to ACT! I don’t have all the answers but I know we have to start holding ourselves accountable.  If we do nothing we are part of the problem , when we could be part of the solution. That includes me!

I’m going to take Liberty with this scripture to make a point. 

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Black male from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?””‭Esther‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/est.4.14.nkjv

I’ve seen this guy from the beginning of being a father of one. To being married as a father of 3. Please read below as my husband Keion Morgan share with you his journey on the fatherhood roller coaster… 

As I sit and think to myself what is the true definition of the word FATHER? I take a look back on my life and realize that I honestly never knew exactly what it took to be a father. Due to the fact I (like a lot of African American males) grew up in a single parent home where my dad was absent well let’s just say he was tardy for most of my childhood lol… And my Mother had to shoulder the load of being both Mom and Dad trying to raise a boy into a man and instill in me things I would need to help me make it in this world. Now don’t get me wrong I have had some positive male role models during my 35 years of life and they have all had a significant impact on the man I am today from my GrandFather, StepFather, Uncle, GodFather, GodBrother, 3 Best Friends and most recently my Father in Law and my Pastor I have taken a lil bit from each of them and tried to apply it to my everyday life. 

Which leads me to my personal definition of what a FATHER and Fatherhood means to me! I became a dad when I was 20 years old and man was I scared I had no clue on what it took to raise a kid I was fresh off being a kid myself in most cases, yeah I was responsible and somewhat wise for my age at least I felt that way and that’s what was told and expressed to me by my family and friends but no way was I prepared to be called someone’s dad. But when my 1st born came into this world and I laid eyes on him and held him in my arms for the 1st time I felt something come over my spirit like yeah you got this! I think it was GOD just letting me know that I would be ok even if I was scared and nervous and didn’t know what or how to do it, it could and would be done. 

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You see even though I didn’t understand what I took to be a father I knew that I wanted to be the father to my son I never had. I held a grudge against my dad for so long because I felt he wasn’t there for me like I felt he should be. He wasn’t that picture perfect father who took me under his wing and taught me how to play sports, how to dress for success, how to speak to individuals in a room full of strangers, how to treat a woman with respect and class, how to be a leader and not a follower and to pick myself up and dust off when I fall in the game of life, in my eyes he just wasn’t helping me or preparing me to be a MAN! But unknowingly to me at the time he did, because everything he wasn’t there to give me made me want it that much more so in that since he did help me more than he would have ever known because it forced me to search for that in which I was missing and in desperate need of and I found it and got it from several individuals, great men whom I am proud to call family and friends to this day.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It took me until I became an Adult a Husband and a Father of now 3 beautiful children to realize that it wasn’t my dad’s fault that he wasn’t able to give me what I needed, you see my dad lost his father to gun violence when he was young boy which left him without the father figure he so desperately needed to help him become the man he needed to be that would be able to pour into the seed he had created. 

He too was raised in a single parent home and had to overcome the same obstacles as I did growing up without his dad around but had failed to do so. Which I feel ultimately led to him not being able to become the father I needed growing up. At this time in my life I have no hard feelings towards my dad I get it I understand it wasn’t completely his fault and I Love him for what he was able to give to me and appreciate him for his part in the creation of my life. And now that I am a Father I can tell you it is no easy task but it is well worth it to be able to watch someone you help create grow and blossom into beautiful soul and do wonderful things that you could only imagine. Trust me you are gonna run into some rough spots I know. 

I encourage you to find and begin to build a relationship with GOD in order to have a successful relationship with your child. I have a 15 year old son who has tested my skills as a father over the last few years. During the test I have learned more about myself and what it takes to not only be called a father but what it takes to be a father. I try to learn from the mistakes I made with him and do a better job at fathering my daughters and boy is there a difference between the two. Girls definitely bring out another part of you lol… 

But that’s the beauty of it all you there is no such thing as being a perfect father you just have to be your child’s father! So I will end this by telling any man young or old that has fathered a child be there for that child no matter what they didn’t ask to come into this crazy world we’re living in but now that they are here they are gonna need us to be the men we were put here to be.

 There are many qualities of a Father. Strong, Selfless, Hard Working, Loving, Understanding, Helpful, Encouraging, Protector, Provider and Disciplinary. So I encourage you as well as myself to have many of these qualities if not all and we my brothers are the definition of a FATHER! May GOD bless you and yours and wish all of you a Happy Father’s Day ✌🏿️&❤️

Please read below as Omar Guy send some encouragement to the real men. The men that no matter the circumstances stayed in their child’s life and did whatever  to make things happen. I’ve witnessed him alongside his wife raising 5 children. Never giving up and always striving to be better for his family. So keep on reading. You won’t be disappointed.. 

Today is a day to appreciate the fathers of the world. To the men whose been there from the beginning till the end..From the delivery to the graduation stage. Real fathers, real men. We should applaud them all. Being a father is a real tribute! To see a younger version of u Grow into a “GREATER”  version of you is such a blessing that any one man can be thankful for. Not everyday is going to easy as a father, but its your duty.  Through it all be the best father figure u can be. Remember being a father doesn’t come natural we gotta make mistakes. So be honest to your children and walk with them through it all. Fatherhood is no race. We are constantly learning all the way through.
As a man u grow and experience life…as a father u watch your seed grow and experience life. One of the greatest achievements in life is to watch your seed grow and bloom into this beautiful image of a human being. Our sons watch and mimic us. Our daughters look for that image in her future spouse. So a father should be way more than a donor. He is the guidance that mold a young man or young womans future. 

Being a father is that stern “NO” sometimes when u have to discipline. Being a father means even being the bad guy cause we know that’s What real father’s are…lol… But all in all we do it to make sure things go as they should. So not to over shine the mother’s but a father is a real essential key in the life of a child growth and development. I learned alot from my first born. He taught me so much more than for me to say I got a kid or I got my JR…. It was my right and wrongs that I knew I had to fix for him and the children I would have in the future. So with that I wanna wish all the real FATHER’S a Happy Father’s day!

Mr.Guy

Everything is usually catered to the women. But this month Whenupray is dedicating June to the men. Please read below as David Goolsby discuss fatherhood… 

Have you ever snuck into an event, like a wedding reception, without an invitation? Or how about sneaking into a movie theater without paying? What about sneaking into an “R” rated movie when you were 15 years old? Many of us can testify of sneaking into events without the proper credentials or having followed the proper protocol.

 It seems like no matter where you go, you will run into a brother who will be looking for a ‘hookup’. The rules could have been posted, the tickets have been on sale for weeks, but somebody will be trying to cut in line without a ticket, looking for a ‘hookup’. Just why not follow the protocol and get your ticket in advance?

 God has a protocol for His Kingdom:

The protocol in this parable was 1) To be invited, and 2) Receive and wear the robe (wedding clothes)

Matthew 22:1-13 (NIV) Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: Matt. 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 How did the man get in there without following the protocol of accepting and putting on the wedding garment? In those days, kings were accustomed to give gifts of changes of clothing to their friends and favorites. At a wedding feast, the guests would normally be given fine linen garments to wear, usually white. To refuse to receive the gift was a major ‘dis’. You must be crazy to dis a king? You would most likely be killed, as in the above scripture.

 So how does this apply to fatherhood? Many males have snuck into fatherhood without following the proper protocol. I’m not ignoring that some of you males buy all your children’s clothes, and provide adequate amounts of care, financial support, love, etc. I commend you for that. But what I’m talking about is entering into fatherhood without following the proper protocol.

 The proper protocol for fatherhood is to be married

Marriage signifies the commitment from which love can grow. It says, “I Love You.” It says, “I’m giving you more than a baby, I’m giving you the most important part about me and that is my name.” Proverbs 22:1 says a good name is more desirable than great riches.  

 Marriage is more than a drive by, “Hey baby, you’re fine!” It’s more than an, “I love you.” Marriage is a covenant. That’s the highest form of commitment.  

 Marriage says to your child, “I love your mother.” Marriage says to a mother-in-law, and father-in-law that I value and appreciate your daughter.

 Marriage says that this relationship is bigger than me. It’s the foundation of building a legacy based on covenant.  

 Marriage is the protocol by which fatherhood is established. Folks used to say that a particular child was illegitimate. But taking the protocol stance, I say that there are no illegitimate children, just illegitimate daddies that haven’t earned the right to be called, “Father”.

 If that’s you then you can pray this prayer with me and ask The Lord’s forgiveness.

Father, in The Name of Jesus, I repent for my sin of trying to do it my way instead of doing it Your Way. Your Way of Fatherhood is the best way. Your Ways are higher than my ways. Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Your provision for me as my Father is better than my provision for my children.

I thank You for providing Your Son, Jesus Christ who died for my sins and washed them away by His Own Blood. I thank You for raising Him from the dead, and I thank You for forgiving me and receiving me back into Your Kingdom.

More than anything I want my child(ren) to know Your Son, Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Help me to lead, in Word, Spirit, and by example in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

It’s funny because the new catch phrase is “All things are working for my good”..when I hear that I wonder if the people who are in the middle of a storm can understand that? 
I did not get it when I did something so out if my character with devastating results. One day in the middle of the night my inner woman said get up, look at the phone bill..I was stunned, that’s not me. I was watching my marriage melt down at the time and I didn’t know why, everything I knew and believed was being shaken. All of a sudden my dude wasn’t interested in me, short conversations, easily irritated, no more silly moments of looking at each other and cracking up, suddenly there was a stranger in my house. So I got up, I looked at the phone bill that had 12,345,678,901 numbers on it and my inner woman said That One! I dialed and had no idea what to say when SHE answered wide awake in the middle of the night. I stumbled over my words with my heart beating in my chest so hard I thought I was having a heart attack. In my heart of hearts I knew I was wrong and I knew I was right, I asked ” Do you know him?” She didn’t hesitate or waver she said YES, and we are in love! I died a little, well a lot actually but the entire world stopped on its axis and the moon ceased it’s movement because I was shook. 

Ok I’m going to pause for dramatic affect and say, thank God for mothers! Yes, thank God. 

I said politely back to the woman, ok, thank you. She said, can you hold? I said sure. She clicked back over and said, he is on the other line, is there anything I should tell him? Well, if you don’t know me, I was polite and I said, can you ask him to bring me my car, I noticed he is driving it. She was stunned, she said is that it. I said yes and thank you so much. I hung up the phone, pulled on my sweats and got the ax out of the closet. I am not lying or making this up. My mother was entering the house as I was putting on my shoes, she took one look at me and said “baby, what’s wrong?” I should tell you my mom was not Betty Crocker or Martha Stewart or none of those kinds of moms, she was a GANGSTER, she said who are we killing? She was down until I told her it was her son in law. My mother looked at me and said, you called some woman’s house, I began to explain that the spirit woke me up, and gave me the right number, I had to call. She said “and you will believe some B$&$$ before you believe your man?” I told you, she was no joke. I’m standing in the hallway cussing and crying and ready to do battle with his car which was his pride and joy then my mom says “sit your A-S-S down, you don’t ever let someone tell you something about your man, what is her motive to tell you the truth! I was not listening to that mess I wanted something or someone to hurt as much as I was. Well, home training showed up, we get used to listening and obeying our moms so I waited impatiently until he got home to ask the question. 

Well, things got real bad in my life after that night, I entered into the darkest period of my life. My marriage spiraled out of control, my child lost her foundation and I was left with nothing. I moved back to Flint and things went from bad to worse to worser still. And I didn’t know God but I am forever thankful that he knew me.

Here is the working it out for my good part, you knew I would tell you. 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬http://bible.com/1/exo.20.3.kjv

During this time in my life I knew God, I loved him and I trusted him a lot, he was there as I suffered through my youth, I know that because when I was hiding in closets listening to my mother being beaten I called to him and he protected me. When I was hungry and scared he sent me to the homes of my friends and thier mothers fed me and loved on me, I could go on and on but you get the picture. I had no relationship with God. I had put all my trust, all my faith into this boy when I was 15. He looked like he had the kind of life I yearned for. A strong grandmother who was loving and kind, a grandfather who looked at me like I was a child and treated me like a princess. He loved me, he got me, I was able to be open, vulnerable and crazy and it was ok. I loved him like no other, we were tight, Bonnie and Clyde tight. We had weathered some storms, we had lived through having a child that lived 8 months in hospitals before she died, we had weathered the storms my mom brought into our home, we had weathered raising children that were not ours,  we were tight. Then we weren’t and I was lost. But God tho! During this difficult time women poured into me about God and the love of Jesus, I heard them but I didn’t get it. We were in this howling storm for years of bad decisions,  creating debt to ease the pain, fighting, making up, moving in and out. It was an awful mess but God. During this time I was invited to Ebenezer Ministries by my brother of the heart Vincent Evans. Jesus found me broken down and beat up on a pew on Center rd. He whispered to me to give in and accept him officially and my life would be changed. Well I gave in and gave up and then Jesus went to work. He had his work cut out too, I was a mess. But he never gave up on me, he is still keeping me. 

One day I looked back on the most painful time of my life and it didn’t hurt anymore. I saw a Phoenix rising out of the ashes of my life. I was reminded that these things happened for me to break away from Michael my savior and to allow us to grow up and put our relationship in the right order. God first, Michael could not save me or heal me or even love me, because I had not learned to love myself. Now Michael gets to be my husband. He no longer has the pressure of trying to live up to a young girls fantasy of him saving me from the world. He had to be so much to me before he ever had a chance to see who he was.   But God, this process was painful, it was horrible but it was necessary. And now years and years later, I understand it. 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭KJV‬‬http://bible.com/1/rom.8.28.kjv

Here is an open letter to God’s daughters. I will take great Liberty with the Word of God but only  so we will understand how the Word applies to us. 
In my head I can hear the Lord calling out to me when I am scared, when I am lonely, when I get tired:

Come to me daughter, I know you are weary and burdened, but I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭)

Daughter I will heal your broken heart and bandages your wounds. I counts the stars and knows each of you by name. I am the  Lord, I am great and powerful. There is no limit to what I know. (Psalms‬ ‭147:3-5‬ ‭ERV‬‬)

“For I created your inmost being; I knit you together in your mother’s womb. I praise you because You are fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”(Psalm‬ ‭139:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

“And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.”(Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭ERV‬‬)

“It is through him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are. As your own poets have said, ‘We all come from him.’”(Acts‬ ‭17:28‬ ‭ERV‬‬)

Daughter, you are blessed when you trust in me, when your confidence is in me.‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

When you trust in me you will be happy forever. I protect and strengthen those who love my name. I am the Lord, I bless good people, I will surround you with love, like a large shield that protects you. (Psalms‬ ‭5:11-12‬ ‭ERV‬‬)
Daughter, Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ That’s what those people who don’t know ME are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.(Matthew‬ ‭6:31-32‬ ‭ERV‬)

“So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.”

‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭ERV‬‬)

I will use my glorious riches to give you everything you need. I will do this through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭ERV‬)

If you are young, or old, I have never left good people with no one to help them; I have never seen their children begging for food.” (Psalms‬ ‭37:25‬ ‭ERV‬‬)

Never forget this:

“Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭
‭‭

A woman made it to heaven, stooped over from age, her skin was wrinkled and full of age spots yet her eyes were full of joy. The woman was met by an Angel, the angel was young and beautiful, full of life, singing songs of praise. She greeted the woman by name and and hugged her close. The old lady looked at the young angel and said “Do I know you? Why am I naked? Where are you taking me? The angel continued on the path, holding tightly to the woman’s hand and singing softly. As they rounded a corner there stood a giant mirror, the Angel looked to the woman and asked her if she wanted to look back over her life so that she would be able to answer any questions that God had for her? The old lady looked at the young Angel and said “No, I remember everything I’ve ever done wrong, and I’ll answer to God.” The young lady tugged on her hand again and asked softly, are you sure, is there not one thing you need to remember? The old lady answered swiftly, “NO, I know who I am and what I’ve done and when I meet my maker I’ll answer to him.” The Angel sat down near the old lady’s feet and hung her head weeping softly. The old lady looked down at her and said”why are you weeping young lady? The Angel looked at her with eyes full of tears, shoulders slumped, and said, “How can you answer to God for your life if you don’t even remember me?” The old lady looked down at the young Angel, she gazed into her eyes and searched for answers. She looked closely at her and asked, “how do I know you?” The Angel stood up and gently turned the old lady to the mirror, she instructed her to look closely and reminded her not to turn away. The mirror began to appear as if it were smoky, with swirling grey circles and light,  and then it stopped. When the swirling stopped the old ladies life began to play. She saw herself enter the world as a baby, she saw her parents laughing and proud, then she saw a young lady who felt very familiar to her begin to walk along side her throughout her life, the young lady would wipe her tears when she cried, hold her hand and jump for joy with her when she was glad, the young lady rocked her children when they cried, she sang songs to her when she was down and she comforted her when she was low. This woman sat with her through every tear  and every prayer. She saw the young lady move obstacles from her path, turn people away from her door.  The old lady looked from the mirror to the Angel and said “Who are you?” “How is it you are present in all of my memories?” The Angel looked at her and said gently, “I am your guardian Angel, I was assigned to you at birth, we have always had a connection, I was always with you, you belong to me”! 

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬http://bible.com/111/heb.1.14.

This is where you count it all joy, that no matter what you are going through, God has made provision for you. Don’t give up, it truly is taken care of. You don’t have to figure it out, you don’t have to compromise your dignity, God has you. You do have a task in this, your task is to keep the faith, don’t give up, don’t stop believing. 

“Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you. No one will be able to stop you all your life. I will not abandon you. I will never leave you.”‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/jos.1.5.erv

You ever see the Word of God and get excited? You see where he reminds you that he is who he said he is? He sent message after message to remind us that he loves us, cares for us and makes plans for our lives. As the song goes, 
Let me encourage you, let me speak to life to you, you can depend on me to pray for you, you can depend on God to see you through. 

5 “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.” (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ERV)

17 Samuel said, “In the past you didn’t think that you were important, but the Lord chose you to be the king. So you became the leader of the tribes of Israel. (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭17‬ ERV)

7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds. (‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ERV)

“But let those who trust in you be happy forever. Protect and strengthen those who love your name.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭ERV‬‬http://bible.com/406/psa.5.11.erv

4 I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me! I praise God for his promise to me. (‭Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭4‬ ERV)

5 Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you. No one will be able to stop you all your life. I will not abandon you. I will never leave you. (‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ERV)

10 Don’t worry—I am with you. Don’t be afraid—I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.

13 I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand. And I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid! I will help you.’ (‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭13‬ ERV)

11 I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the Lord. “And I will bring you back from your captivity. I forced you to leave this place. But I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have sent you,” says the Lord, “and I will bring you back to this place.” (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11-14‬ ERV)

In the words of TaWanna Morgan, God is so DOPE❤️❤️

Shhhhhhhh
“So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/luk.5.16.nkjv
Jesus knew how trying his life was and how heavy was the head that wore the crown.  👑 I don’t know what your crown is, could the heaviness you carry be your past? Could it be fear of your future? Could it be debt, addiction, fornication? Could your heavy load be your children, thier progress, thier other parent? Could it be death, sickness, illness, disease or disabling condition? Could it be aging parents, dysfunctional family or absent parent? Whatever heaviness you carry can be lifted.

Find time to steal away, seek the kingdom of God and all its righteousness. Take 10 minutes to steal away, cast your cares on God and enter into his presence. Let the healing power of the Holy Spirit be released in your life. Welcome the Holy Spirit into your quiet time and let him prove himself strong and mighty. Release your cares unto God and know that he has made provision for you. He had already healed you, forgiven you and released you.

“Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:22-31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬http://bible.com/114/luk.12.22-31.nkjv