When U Pray

“But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” (2 Timothy 4:5)

Seem like the second you decide to get your life together all the people who you thought would be there to support you left. But that’s ok because God had not intention on those people going with you. When I stopped drinking and partying I thought my phone was cut off because the thing did not ring, vibrate or nothing. I felt alone and thought that I was making the wrong decision. Quickly God start sending me people to help on my new journey. Was I nervous? Heck yeah I knew nothing, we talking about a girl who use to Fast for the lord and be getting drunk with my friends at the same time. How crazy was I? Any who im only saying this to say that God has better for you, he want you to want him the way he want you. You may have to let some relationships GO, you may even have to stop going some places. Its time out for the GOD knows my heart saying, because he do and its saying “im gone do what I want to do”

Dear Father,

I come to you this day saying thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for loving me when I didn’t have the strength to love myself. Father on this day I ask that you give the person that is reading this the strength to SHIFT, Father remove the weakness that’s allowing them to stay in their comfort zone. Father send them people to help them during their transition. Father send them people who will love them and pray for them. Father protect them from hate and abuse. Father God I ask that you guide them into the right direction. Father if they are living in darkness I ask that you send them someone to be the light that they need to get through. Father whomever is reading this I ask that you give them the desires of their heart. I ask that you bless them so that they are able to bless someone else. In Jesus mighty name I pray and ask it all. AMEN

16But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city….26But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:16,26)

It’s so funny because we have all heard the story of Lots wife numerous times and im sure MOST have thought she was crazy or how dumb of her to look back after they told her not too. But after hearing Rev. Angela Hood at my church Preach on this it totally changed by crazy thoughts to compassion. To sum it up maybe she looked back to take one last look at the life that she would no longer have anymore and to think over what was to come. Now fast forward to your life… How many of us look back thinking “WHAT IF” or “MAYBE IF I JUST” or “WHAT IF I DID IT LIKE THIS” but now your pillar of salt is depression, emptiness, loneliness etc. The past is the past. GOd has so many wonderful things planned for your present and future just grab his hand TRUST HIM and DONT LOOK BACK!!!!!!

Dear Father on this day I come to you begging that you remove the spirit of fear from whomever may be reading this. Father I ask that you give them the tools needed to keep going in the right direction. I ask that you move all obstacles out their way and make a smooth path for them. Father remove doubt from them, allow them to understand that they are daughters and sons to the King. Allow them to understand they have the access to the kingdom through your son Jesus Christ. Father create in them a clean and pure heart O God. Allow them to love as Jesus love. Remove any Hate from them father. Father God I ask that whomever is reading this is walking in his/her purpose. Father I declare and decree that whomever is reading this will be prosperous, they will not lack and they shall not suffer. Father I ask that whomever is reading this will be courageous and bold about  spreading the word of Jesus. Father God I ask that you be with them each and every step of the way. Father God wrap your arms around them and protect them from harm in jesus might name….AMEN

They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall.(psalms 106:36)

How often do we have problems and the first place we run is to Social Media, call our friends or family members. How often do we look at women/Men figures on TV and wish that the life they are portraying was our own. Or look at our friends and say dang Why she? or Why he? When the MAIN question we should be asking is Lord what plan do you have for MY LIFE? What direction do you want me to go in? Who should I help today? How can I use up every gift that you have given me? We need to start focusing more on our own life and not everbody else. So as of today no more swerving into other people lanes. God will bless you in the lane that he created for YOU!!!

Dear Lord,

I come to you on this day thanking you for your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for your grace and mercy towards a sinful person such as myself. Father I thank you for waking me up and allowing me to see another day. I thank you for family. And above all things I thank you for Love. Father so many people lack real Love and I ask on this day father God that whomever is reading this that you shower down agape love on them. I ask that you remove every heavy burden from their heart. Father I ask that if they worship anything other than you that it be removed from their life. Father help to take their life in the right direction. Show them that you are the answer to every question that they may have. Father you have given us the authority on this earth to speak things into existent. So Father I ask that whomever is reading this is blessed beyond belief. Father I speak life into every dead situation that they may be going through in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Father God I love you and adore you and will continue to lift your name on high in any and every situation. AMEN

I do not ask this lightly or without hope that someone honors my request. I do ask one thing, please don’t pray for my strength. The only way to get strong is lift heavy weight and that could be everything from marriage, kids to your job going bad and you carrying that around to get stronger. Pray for my peace in the word so that I can be still whole God works things out on my behalf. Pray that he reveals my purpose so I can be better.

If anyone honors my requests I know this, Our Father will honor your sacrifice of praise and he will also give you what you did not ask for for yourself. Hallelujah

In all things, praise God!

29 When she saw the angel, she was troubled at his words. She thought about what had been said. 30 The angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God.

But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you! Don’t force me to go back to my own people. Let me go with you. Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you sleep, I will sleep. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. (Ruth 1:16 ERV)

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14, NIV)Esther urged all of the Jews to fast and pray for deliverance. Then risking her own life, brave young Esther approached the king with a plan of her own.

I keep finding example after example of women who had faith strong enough to overcome any obstacle. Mary heard from the angel and believed what he said. Anyone can imagine that being engaged to be married and coming up pregnant had to be shameful for this young girl, imagine having to marry and leave everything you know and love. Having a child without your mama to show you what to do, how to handle colic and thrash. I could never have made it without the matriarchs in our family.

Imagine your Ruth and everything you know has been changed. Your husband died and your support system is falling apart.

Imagine your Esther, your husband has been led to believe it was best to kill everyone in your lineage. Not just kill one person but everyone who believed in your God.

These women had one thing in common, one thing that separated them from the crowd, their faith. Each of these women trusted God beyond their own comprehension. Sarah packed her stuff and followed her husband and trusted that God would do what he said he would. Ruth followed her mother in law and vowed she would accept her God as her own. Esther trusted the process, Esther urged all of the Jews to fast and pray for deliverance.

Let me deviate for one moment..what kind of faith did Naomi exhibit that Ruth was willing to change Gods to be with her? We talk about the faith Ruth showed but in my sanctified mind Naomi trusted God so completely that it activated Ruth’s faith. That is the faith I claim for myself. Soul saving, life changing, steadfast unmovable faith.

The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 ERV)

I think this scripture is soul saving, what say you! I know all my thoughts are not pure and Holy but the word tells me that God has once again made a way for me to be ok.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a place you promised yourself you were not going back too? We all have something that keeps luring us into sin. Is it lying, inappropriate relationships, over eating, abusive behavior, abusive language, unfaithfulness, lack of self respect? I may not have pushed your particular button but I think you get the point. I’m excited about God’s willingness to make sure we are not stuck there.

Grab ahold of your faith and jump and shout because the good news is, you are not alone and God has your escape route mapped out. Trust him, he will lead you beyond the temptation. So much of this whole process is trusting God and I’m not saying it’s easy but I am saying it’s worth the effort.

The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need. Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave, I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me. (Psalms 23:1, 4 ERV)

This is what the Lord says: “Bad things will happen to those who put their trust in people. Bad things will happen to those who depend on human strength. That is because they have stopped trusting the Lord. They are like a bush in a desert where no one lives. It is in a hot and dry land. It is in bad soil. That bush does not know about the good things that God can give.

Have you ever trusted someone so much that when they let you down you did not know if you would survive? I have and it was not pretty. What if that person is your spouse, your parents, your kids or that person who you always gave your all too! Yup them too. People are fragile just like you and hurt people, hurt people. Sometimes we look at people and only see what we want. We see them as we want them to be and we ignore those traits that we don’t want to admit they have. How many of you have that friend you love, but they sleep with many of their friends/acquaintance men/women? You know they lie all the time but Not To You? You slept with that man while he was married then he left his wife but cheats on you? We all know and love people who are damaged so don’t be surprised when their damaged spirit damages something in you.
If you love them, love them! No excuses because that’s how God loves you. We all fall short and we hurt the ones we love because that’s who is closest to us.

“But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed. They know that the Lord will do what he says. They will be strong like trees planted near a stream that send out roots to the water. They have nothing to fear when the days get hot. Their leaves are always green. They never worry, even in a year that has no rain. They always produce fruit. “Nothing can hide its evil as well as the human mind. It can be very sick, and no one really understands it. But I am the Lord, and I can look into a person’s heart. I can test a person’s mind and decide what each one should have. I can give each person the right payment for what they do. (Jeremiah 17:5-10 ERV)

I always thank my God for you because of the grace that he has given you through Christ Jesus. In him you have been blessed in every way. You have been blessed in all your speaking and all your knowledge. This proves that what we told you about Christ is true. Now you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame. God is faithful. He is the one who has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9 ERV)

Many times people start to believe in you when they see you stand firm in times of adversity. I’ve been asked many times how did I become strong? The answer is I DIDN’T, I’m weak in my spirit and my flesh but MY GOD IS STRONG AND MIGHTY. I have learned through trial after trial that my job is to stand firm. My job is to trust God in all things. I fail sometimes, I fall short all the time but hallelujah his word is good even when I’m not. As I’ve read the bible and heard the word preached a few things have been made clear.

1. God loves me, as is, no warranty and without restriction.
2. Jesus is the son of a God, born of a woman, died for me (and you) and was resurrected.
3. Because Jesus died on the cross, I have been forgiven.
4. I have a responsibility to love myself, my neighbor and my enemy because I was born of love, saved by love and I have a responsibility to love.
5. I am unable to earn the love that I take for granted, Jesus gave his life for me.
6. And the one I love the most is this: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? I think not

I say all this to encourage you..as you go through whatever you go through know this: Jesus is with you and the ending was written on Calvary, you already won. Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Trust the process

Hope:
want something to happen or be the case.
synonyms: expect, anticipate, look for, be hopeful of, pin one’s hopes on, want; More

So, Lord, what hope do I have? You are my hope! (Psalms 39:7 ERV)

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? (Romans 8:24 NET)

What are you waiting on God for? What expectations do you have of him? What are you hoping for?

We are to be bold in our expectation of God. Call him on his word, demand the destiny he predestined before the world. He is waiting on you to want it.

Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom. But when you ask God, you must believe. Don’t doubt him. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is blown up and down by the wind. (James 1:5, 6 ERV)

Dear Father, as we hope, we wait patiently for your word to be made manifest in our lives. We offer our sincere praise to your Holy Name. Father you created us in your image and likeness and we ask that you continue the work you have begun in us so we can walk in our destiny.
If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. (James 1:4 ERV)

in Jesus name, Amen.

Joy, joy, God’s great joy. Joy joy, down in my soul, sweet beautiful, soul saving joy….this song this song. Whenever the choir sings this I am on my feet singing all out. Fast forward, now I’m trying to live this same feeling.

Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ERV)

Living this joyful life means looking past my circumstances. When the bills are due, I have joy down in my soul. When my circumstances look insurmountable I have joy that if I go to God, if I trust him he will see me through. Joy, joy God’s great joy..I’m not saying my life is perfect, that I’m without fault or that I don’t mess up but I choose Joy! I keep trusting God because he keeps showing me that he has my back. I’m not saying I always understand or that he solves my issues in the blink of an eye, but when I look back over my life I’m amazed over and over because there was NO WAY it was me. BUT GOD, joy joy sweet beautiful soul saving joy. I’m so glad that as soon as I opened my heart and my soul to him he gave me real life.

I ask you today to choose Joy! When it’s crazy, shout for joy, when your scared shout for joy, when those bills come, have joy..and remember, weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.

As a little girl did you dream of your prince on a white horse who would kiss all your troubles away? Did you dream of having a husband, two kids and a white picket fence? Did you dream of a love that helped complete you? Well don’t give up on your dreams. Don’t give up on love.

Life is not always fair, the good people don’t always win and sometimes good people get hurt. But what are you gonna do, cry? Not us, Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, it does not behave dishonorably, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 LEB)

When you think about Jesus definition of love it endures, it keeps trusting and hoping and believing. So I titled this, don’t let their love change you because after we get hurt by people we love, we stop trusting in love. Hurt after hurt after hurt causes us to build these walls around our heart. When God sends us the man he picked for us he has to bring an army and march around the heart 7 times to try to get in. He has to battle his inner enemies and yours to find the heart God promised him. Women are not the only ones God made promises to, we are not the only ones who dream of a true love. We keep picking the man of our dreams turned nightmare instead of trusting that what God has for you, is for you and it may not look exactly like you think it should because Gods way is not ours. Our father looks beyond our faults and sees our need.

In 2014 I challenge you to let it go. Let that anger, hurt, disappointment and discontent go, It’s not helping you. Always remember the woman you want to be and live up to your own dreams. Be who God made you to be, your right, everybody won’t treat you right but that is truly their problem, don’t make it yours. Love like you’ve never been hurt before. Wait for the Lord’S help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’S help. (Psalms 27:14 ERV) he will send your prince as soon as you start acting like a princess!

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. (Colossians 3:1, 2 MSG)

Don’t look at my faith as a way to define yours. I am walking in the things God told me, I’m sure his message to you is not the same. Sometimes I hear people saying things like “people change when they start going to church”, “don’t judge me because you got all churchified”, “I don’t come around you because I don’t have myself together yet” and stuff like that. Would you stop kicking it with me if I got a stepdad? A new baby? A dog? Those are excuses and I won’t take them from you but don’t try and limit my relationship with God by your ability to understand it. If my walk challenges something in you, rise to the challenge or accept where you are. I won’t try to change you if you don’t try to change me. However, I would love it if you see a God given change in me and want one for yourself.

Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God; that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Then you will be happy (Colossians 1:9-11 ERV)

I want very much to see you and give you some spiritual gift to make your faith stronger. I mean that I want us to help each other with the faith that we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you. (Romans 1:11, 12 ERV)
The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself. God’s way of making people right begins and ends with faith. As the Scriptures say, “The one who is right with God by faith will live forever.” (Romans 1:17 ERV)
We have been made right with God because of our faith. So we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 ERV)

Your probably wondering why I provided those scriptures on Faith? Without it, what’s the point. If you are only willing to listen to the negative things in your life you can believe that’s what you will get.

I know it’s easy for people to tell you to wait on The Lord, Pray and ask God for direction, trust in The Lord, and all that and I realize it’s hard to receive that when you don’t trust the sender. People of God we have to be able to tell our story. I’m not saying tell all your secrets but if you always wear the mask or the mime face, how can people know you have lived what your asking them to live? I can tell you that All is Well and hopefully I have been open enough with my struggles that you realize if he was able to make my life well, he will do the same for you. God did not make me well because I’m good, he made me well because Jesus is good! I’m not saying he made my life perfect or that I don’t have struggles I said he made me, Sheveze, well in my soul. No matter what your situation looks like, the end of the story was written at Calvary. So when it looks crazy, remember All is Well..keep saying it ..All is Well, All is Well, All is Well in my soul.
With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. (Ephesians 3:20 ERV)

“But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. (1 Kings 5:4 NLT)

Dear Father, I am standing here claiming the devil is a liar! He will not rob us in our finances, Lord we know All things work to the good to those that love you and are called according to your purpose! We know that all good and perfect gifts come from you, we know that anything we ask in Jesus name will be given, we know you created the world, it’s financial system, it’s monetary system, you created debt and the money to pay them. You said we lack nothing in you! We are standing on that word Father, we lack nothing! Hallelujah, thank you for being who you said you would be for us. Lord since you have not opened the door to wealth Yet, we are praising you in front of the door, you said knock and it will be opened so we are knocking with praise and worship knowing your deeds will catch up to your word when it’s time. We are standing in agreement on this word Lord, enter in! in Jesus name, Amen.

“Also, God’s kingdom is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. One day he found a very fine pearl. He went and sold everything he had to buy it. (Matthew 13:45, 46 ERV)

The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries, and because of this, the word pearl has become a metaphor for something very rare, fine, admirable, and valuable.

Your heart and spirit reminds me of how pearls are made. People see pearls as beautiful, perfect gems, but never realize that they actually come from pain–from something sharp or dangerous getting trapped inside an oyster where it doesn’t belong, the oyster makes a pearl to protect itself. Pearls are almost indestructible, you never hear these words “my pearl shattered”, “my pearl fell and broke”, nope they are strong, just like you. Pearls are strung on thread, that may break and just think, if your string breaks you reach down, gather them up and restring it. You may not know the actual order they were in before the string broke but you normally would have reinforcements added so it does not break again. Jesus does the same for us, we don’t break but our string might. We get tired from dealing with things at work, having no work, husbands, being single, things at home, bills, kids, more bills than money, drug addiction, alcoholism, fear and rejection. I could go on and on but I think you get it. Jesus reaches down, grabs all our pearls and restrings us, stronger and rearranged in a way to make us better.
These words from Mary J Blige “Stronger with each tear”, speaks to what I’m thinking.

You’re much more than a struggle that you go through
You’re not defined by your pain, so let it go…
You’re not a victim, you’re more like a winner
And you’re not in defeat, you’re more like a queen

In each tear
there’s a lesson,
Makes you wiser than before
Makes you stronger than you know ,
In each tear Brings you closer to your dreams
No mistake, no heartbreak
Can take away what you’re meant to be!