As a minister, I have the privilege of getting to meet & talk to lots & lots & lots of people & the one thing most of them have in common is that they all want to love & be loved.  And that’s okay!  There is nothing wrong with wanting that.  For many reasons people have a hard time admitting that without sounding desperate.  It took me a while to understand why.  It seems that being honest about wanting to be loved makes people feel & appear to be weak or vulnerable.  In addition, it also makes them look at themselves in a negative way if they don’t have the love they want; kinda like they are defective in some way.  So they bottle the need for love up inside themselves until its bursts out in some form of desperation.  And we all know how that looks; on ourselves & on others right?

Let’s kick this around for a little while.  We all may want love in our lives but what about all the crap still going on inside of us?  Will someone still love us once they find out about it?  How many people have you cut out of your life once you found out about their crap?  So what do we do? In the effort to hind our crap, we swing the pendulum way to the other side & we start lying & playing games with people because we don’t want them to ever see who we truly are.  Now everybody including you says they hate people who play games but if that were true why are so many people still doing it?  What’s up with that?

Come on let’s be honest.  Don’t you just wish someone understood, respected, appreciated & loved you just the way you are today; with all your mess & cuckoo crazy?  Of course you do!  That’s what we all want because we all have some cuckoo crazy inside of us.  And there’s a reason that you want to be loved. It’s because God made you that way. God built you for close intimacy – a close satisfying relationship that makes you be better & encourages you to do the impossible!

Well, why don’t you have that?  The answer is simple.  You don’t have the love you want because you’re looking for it in all the wrong places.  I know it sounds corny but its true.  If we all just looked into our relationship history we would probably find out just how true it is.  I know it was that way for me.  Even though I can laugh about it now, I can’t believe so of the jokers I dated!  I have to admit I was looking for someone to fill a hole inside of me that I couldn’t fill myself. What was your reason?

The key to getting the love you want is to start with the only love relationship that matters.  And that’s the love relationship between you & God!  He created you to have an up close & personal relationship with Him first, and then He will bring others into your life who will love you properly.  That’s after He teaches you to love properly.   So, our 1^st problem is we have not made having a love relationship with God a priority.  What do you really know about God?  How much time do you spend learning about God & getting to know Him? Matthew 6:25-34 sums it up nicely for us as Jesus tells us not to worry about anything in this life because God has you covered but I really want to focus on Matthew 6:33 (amp) which says,  But seek ([a]aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([b]His way of doing and being right), and then all these things [c]taken together will be given you besides.  So you can see that everything you want & need comes out of this scripture.  If you seek love, seek God first.

In the presence of God is the only place where you can reveal your deepest, craziest stuff & not be judged.  In the presence of God is the only place where God will take your stinkiest crap & replace it with something golden!  Check out what David says about being in the presence of God in Psalms 16:11 (amp); You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.  You can’t get this from anyone else but God.  David gives us another great example in Psalms 63:1-3 (msg); God—you’re my God!  I can’t get enough of you! I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,  traveling across dry and weary deserts. 2-4 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,  drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last!  My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath;  my arms wave like banners of praise to you.  Even as David sat in the wilderness of Judah with all the pressure & stress that brought, he knew all was well as long as he could be with God.

Sin has caused a wedge between God & us so we started seeking what we need in worldly places & people.  But God created you to hang out with Him so He can reveal Himself to you showing you things that will change you forever!  He will heal your soul by washing away all your past hurts & pains.  He will heal your body from every sickness & disease.  He will free you everything that binds you freeing you to deal with all your “perfect imperfections” as John Legends likes to call it.  None of us are perfect but we are made perfect by hanging out with God.  So as you spend time with God, His love will flow to you and as you learn to love yourself that love will flow out to others.  Then the love you want will find you!  I know, another corny line, but it’s true.  It worked for me & it will work for you.

It’s okay to want to be loved & God wants to love you too! Please let Him!

Did you know that you may be the only Jesus some people ever get to see & meet?

Think about the numerous lives that your life intercepts on a daily basis.  The guy at the gas station; the lady at the bus stop; the neighbors you stop to chat with, the person in the checkout line at various stores, etc.  At all of these encounters you have an opportunity to introduce “Jesus” to all of them.  I’m not talking about being a track & bible thumper (nothing wrong with that) but I’m referring to how you respond & treat people & the things you say to them in the moment.  This is your chance to bring a real life Jesus to their lives in a practical way.

A few days ago, I was sitting in a courtroom providing cover & support for a family member.  The situation was stressful so I had my mind on my mission.  There were four rows of chairs & pew benches & I was the only one seated there.  From the door on the opposite side of the courtroom an older gruff looking man came into the room.  I didn’t pay him too much attention because of all the seating space available to him.  Image my dismay when he chose to sit right next to me like we were together.  My flesh didn’t like it at all & my nose didn’t like it either because this man stunk.  He smelled like he hadn’t take a bath in a very long time and he also smelled like every kind of smoke if you know what I mean.  I can hear you laughing at me because you know how you would react in the same situation.

However, my spirit had a totally different reaction to the man.  So even though my flesh was boiling over, I knew in my soul that I had to make myself available to God so He could use me in any way He needed to.  No one comes to a courtroom because they don’t have anything else to do. No one comes to court unless they have to be there.  And since no one wants to be there it wouldn’t hurt to help this guy out.  So I asked God what He wanted me to do. He told me to say the same prayer & sing the same praise song for this guy that I had prayed & sung for my family member.  So, as we sat together in silence with my nose hairs burning from the man’s stench, I began to pray for this man & sing a song of praise under my breath.

Now this man never said a word to me & I never said of word to him either.  I didn’t know why he was in court that day.  At one point he even turned his back to me but I just kept praying & praising.  I covered his victory just like I did for my family member.  He eventually got up smiling and left without any words being exchanged between us.  And even though my nose was glad to see him go, my spirit was glad that I was able to act as an intercessor for him.

All of us have had those short interactions with people as you go through our day but are you consciously aware of what these divine appointments are for?

As followers of Jesus Christ we have a responsibility of showing the world what Jesus might look like in real life situations & circumstances. Keep in mind that there are so many people in the world today that will never go to a church or read the bible or hear a sermon preached on television, so how do you think God will introduce Himself to those people?  How will those people get to know who Jesus is and how Jesus really acts?  The answer is they will get to see Jesus through you!

Let’s look at what Jesus says in John 17:18, As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  Here you can see Jesus is talking to God about his disciples; what he has done with the people God gave him and His prayer for them.  In that conversation/prayer, it confirms that just like God sent Jesus to earth to tell us about God, Jesus sent us to tell others about Him.

Now you know that here at Workdatword, we are honest & transparent, so I have to say that I have not always risen to this challenge but I have gotten better via practice.  I had to learn to be fluid & flexible so when God needs me, I respond & move easily knowing that this is seed sown for me to harvest in the future.

What about you?  There is no such thing as coincidences in this life.  Everything matters & happens for a reason.  So remember that when you find yourself in a seemingly brief encounter with someone, no matter how awkward & uncomfortable, no matter where it is, know that it is a set-up not only for the other person, but also for you.  Just in case you’re asking what kind of set-up, let me tell you.  It’s answered prayer for both of you. You’re going to give that person what they need and your obedience is seed for you to harvest later. Everybody wins!

Check out what Galatians 6:9-10 (amp) says; 9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.  10 So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[a]morally] to all people [not only [b]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers].

The short version of this scripture is simply this – what you make happen for someone else; God will make happen for you.  You will reap what you sow. If you needed help wouldn’t you want someone to stop & help you?  Of course you would.  These encounters are God’s way of helping you help yourself.

So let’s wrap this up.  Know that you are so valuable to God that He sent you just like He sent Jesus to show the world not only who Jesus is but how Jesus is though you!  So you may be the only Jesus some people ever get to see.

It’s almost over! I know you’re wondering what I’m talking about so I’m going to explain (smile).

The first thing that’s almost over is the month of August.  Just in case you didn’t know, my birthday is in August & I celebrate the entire month!  So I’m a little sad that the party is almost over & I don’t want the party to end.  I love celebrating birthday’s with people & I love celebrating my birthday most of all. Check out some pictures from my 80’s themed birthday party!

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The second thing that’s almost over is the summer!  I love warm weather & not having to wear layers of clothes!  I love being outdoors & doing outdoor stuff, like going to the beach with my boogie board & riding waves, getting a tan – yes black people like tanning too.  I love outdoor concerts, water ice & BBQ’s!  I love just being outside near water just sitting & listening to God talk to me.  In the summer you can simply sit outside & enjoy the people you love & enjoy each other’s company. I hate for the summer to end but it’s almost over!

The third thing that’s almost over is this year.  September marks the end of the third quarter of the year.  Kids are going back to school & the holiday season is fast approaching.  At least in September football starts, Go Eagles!  September should also signal for you that its “year in review” time.  This should be the time that you start to take another look at your goal sheets that you completed at the beginning of the year.  This is the time when you sit down with God with your goal to discuss & measure how things went for you this year.

How many of your goals were completed & manifested?  How many were not? Are you still on track with your goals or have you allowed yourself to be distracted?

September is the month that you take the time to do an honest inventory on your life because you still have plenty of time to make whatever adjustments are needed to get back on track so you finish this year strong!

You’ve learned a lot about how God operates this year & prayerfully you have been working what you’ve learned.  But have you been giving it your best?  Have you been giving God 100%.  If not, if you start now, you still have time to raise your application of the word up a few percentage points.

I’m still a little sad that the summer is almost over, but I also love this time of year because it gives me the chance to refocus & work 1 Corinthians 9:24 (amp);  Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.  I don’t know about you, but in the race of this life,  I’ve decided that I am going to win every race that I ‘m in.  How about you?

Through Christ you are a winner if you want to be, but you can’t be punks in this thing.  You have to have the guts to do the work.  Yes, you will make mistakes, yes you will want to quit & give up, yes there will be times that you want to give into whatever demon you are dancing with, but you don’t have to stay in that place!  Every day God’s mercy & grace is brand new.  Every day you get to make a new choice but you have to press past fear, be focused & determined to not only stay in the game, but win!

Just in case you didn’t know this, I’ll give you this piece of information for free.  God will allow Satan to attack & tempt you; just like He allowed Satan to temp Jesus & Job.  And just like Jesus & Job you have to learn to practice Philippians 3:14-15 (amp); I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. ¹⁵ So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.

So, even though the summer is almost over, & August is almost over,  & 2014 is almost over, today is the first day of the rest of your life & you still have plenty of time to finish everything you started.  You still can finish strong & on top!  You still have time to be proud of the work you’ve done this year while at the same time putting yourself in the best position possible to start the New Year!  It’s almost over, but are you ready!

Authentic Life Church’s (ALC) Life Group #3 continues to do real life together!  I just wanted to give you an update on what’s going on in our life group.  We’re in our 2nd session of meetings and we are moving along strong.

We’ve shared a lot of life in these last couple of months, walking with each other through everything that could happen to a person.  Satan has tried many things to keep us from meeting, but just the opposite has happened.  Even though our group is relatively new, we have really grown a strong bond that continues to be tested.  We’ve gone into hell with some of our members to take back their health.  Other members have had to bury family members while many have had various financial & other family crises.

In spite of all of that, we are holding fast to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (cev); You are better off to have a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. 10 If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble. 11 If you sleep alone, you won’t have anyone to keep you warm on a cold night. 12 Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, “A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break; because we fully understand to power of friendship.  So we just continue to push forward keeping our eyes on our goals and objectives as we live the life God has laid out for us.

Our pastor, Pastor Lester Brown, has strongly encouraged & supports all of us to live our dreams because that’s where we find our purpose.  We’ve started ministries, businesses, published books, welcomed new babies, and couples are getting married.  As our members go through these life experiences and we walk with them, strong powerful friendships are being formed with bonds that cannot be broken.  We are determined to walk together to see for ourselves if God’s word works.  So far, God has not lied.  He is still being faithful to us and His promises are manifesting!

In all that we are doing in our life group, and with all that Satan is doing to try to stop us, it is awesome to celebrate the good things that are happening in our lives.  It is so great to be surrounded by people who genuinely want you to succeed and be victorious.  It is also great to feel the same way about them!  There is a peace that comes from God’s  in knowing that your back is truly covered & no one is trying to put a knife in it.  We are truly stronger together as we make each other better as in Proverbs 27:17 (cev); Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other. I can honestly say that my life has been enriched by Life Group #3.

[metaslider id=526] I want to tell you about a couple in our life group who got married in June,  Anettra & Jerome Bond.  They are my neighbors who supported our church from the 1st time they attended.  They also support our life group as members who give of their time & food!  We love to eat together!  So it was amazing to watch our friends honor God by getting married.  It was a pleasure and a privilege when they asked me to be a part of it.  It was a two day celebration & it blessed my soul to be there for them.  We had a spontaneous party the night before the wedding, and we partied at the wedding all the next day and even had a small after-wedding party that night.   I’m surprised I made it to church Sunday morning. (smile)

I love them because they see the blessing of God in the big things, but more importantly in the smallest things.  They really appreciate loving & being loved.  Many times we get weighed down by the challenges of life so we become blind to the many blessing we still have. Anettra & Jerome never do that.  It’s not because they don’t have challenges, but they have made the decision to enjoy the life & friendships God has given them and not take them for granted.  They don’t even know how much their love & friendship has blessed me.  They are the greatest!

Unfortunately, there are many people who are alone in this world with no one to love & no one to love them.  It is an awesome miracle not to be one of them.  Every chance you get just show love in the smallest ways to brighten someone’s day.  You don’t have to take them home with you, just be open to follow God’s lead to be an angel for someone.

Life Group #3 is truly living the life!  Through our life groups we have people who can get to know us without judgment as we get to know them in the same way.  We can be ourselves in all of our imperfect imperfections.  We socialize outside of the walls of the church building & our houses so the world can see Christians having fun & enjoying life. They can see that we are not boring or stuck up.  Gone are the days where we had to sneak off to go out because of the criticism of religious demons.  We are comfortable with unsaved people & they are comfortable with us.  This enables them to see our light & make a clear choice for themselves and we don’t have to beat them over the head with our bibles. They want the same things for their lives that we want for ours; we just know how to get it.  So we let them look into our lives & see the greatness of God up close and personal.

So if you want to enrich your life and have some fun, come to ALC & join a lifegroup.  We have a seat for you in Life Group #3. We are truly building friendships & family here.  Feel free to come join us.  We are doing real life together!

Why is it that people think that the grass is greener in someone else’s backyard?  Why is it when people peer & peek into someone else’s life, they think that person’s life has something that they don’t have & can’t get?  Why do we even desire to be a voyeur into someone else’s business?  Could it be that green-eyed monster at work?

We see this behavior all the time in our own lives, but we are probably more willing to admit that we see it in the lives of others.  People seem to like comparing themselves to their perception of someone else.  The demon involved does a good job at getting us to view the lives of others as better than we view our own life.  We really do it when it comes to the lives of celebrities or anyone we see that we think is more successful than us.  Crazy right?  We don’t even know those people.  We don’t know how they live or what they are dealing with. But, because they seem to have more “stuff” than us or their “stuff” looks better than our “stuff” they must be better.  It’s like we view these people as “super” humans or something.

Remember the song “I Wish” by Skee-lo?  Click here if you’ve never heard it or just need a gentle reminder.  The song is about a guy who doesn’t seem to be happy with what he has so he sings about all the things he wishes he had.  Then and only then can he be happy.  This song came out in 1995 and I remember it so vividly because I too wished I had some things that I thought would make my life better.  I was short, skinny & I didn’t have any boobs.  I didn’t think I was pretty & I didn’t view myself as attractive.  So this song became the anthem of my life.  Now, by this time I had been married, had my share of the men I wanted, had 3 kids, and was living a good life. But in spite of all of that, I still was holding onto this “I wish” list that I had since I was a child.  And it was keeping me from really enjoying the things I did have. This is the danger of focusing too long & too much on all the things we don’t have.  It was robbing me of the gift God gives us everyday – the present!

I know what you’re thinking, there are some things in your life that you want to change.  You want a better job, maybe a spouse or a better one (smile), a better car, more money, etc.  I get that.  There are things in my life too that I want & I feel that having them would improve the quality of my life.  So let’s talk about it a little more.

Let’s check our motives.  Why do you and I really want these things?  Who told us that having them would make our lives better?  Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  Do you want these things because you see others with them?  Do you want these things so you can brag about having them?  Do you want these things so you can feel better about yourself?  Do you want these things because you need to feel you are better than other people?  Are you being possessed or influenced by jealousy?  Are you a hater?  Is it that you don’t want to see someone with something that you don’t already have?  That’s where I used to be.  I didn’t mind that others had “stuff”, I just wanted to have it first. If you’re in this anywhere, be very careful because following the lead of this demon is very dangerous.  The bible tells us to walk in love in 1 Corinthians 13:4 (amp); Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily .  It’s dangerous for a few reasons, but one reason is because once you open the door to this demon, you don’t get to choose who comes with him.  Demons never travel alone.

Now, if your motives are pure & sincere, there is nothing wrong with wanting a better life.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve the lives of others.  God tells us in His word in Jeremiah 29:11 (cev); I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering, that He wants the best for us and that His plans for us are great.  God just wants you to love Him as much as He loves you. God wants your company.  God wants to protect you.  Check out what God says in Matthew 6:33 (amp); But seek ([a]aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([b]His way of doing and being right), and then all these things [c]taken together will be given you besides..

 So, here’s my suggestion to you.  Go to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to teach you how to believe in yourself, just as you are right now.  Ask Him to show you how to build yourself up, taking what’s good about you & making it better.  Then once that plan is done and you are working it, ask the Holy Spirit to help you tear down the bad things in you; to destroy them.  Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to tap into God’s power so it flows through you like a river.  This way you can finally experience how great you truly are in Christ!

You are so special & unique to God, tap into that.  God put things in you that are in no one else.  Once you begin to discover & uncover those things, do what you need to in order to develop, nurture and grow them.  Also remember, you are not alone in this quest.  God has sent many angels, in spirit & human form, to help you along the way and they are just waiting for you!

So, the next time you find yourself tempted to look over someone else’s fence at their grass, remember to stop and water your own grass!

When you hear the words “outrageous blessings” what comes to your mind?  I know as Christians, when people ask us how we are we frequently respond “I’m Blessed”, but what do you really mean by that?  Most people simply mean that the basic things in their life are covered.  Things like good health, they have a job, they have a home or a place to live, their families are well, etc.  So what does being “outrageously blessed” look like?

The first time I heard that phrase was on Dr.Stacia Pierce’s promo when she was coming to speak at our church.  When I heard her say those words “outrageous blessings” and that we should be living a life full of it, it rocked my soul!  It moved me so much that I rushed to define what that meant to me.  As I do with everything, the first thing I did was talk to God about it.  God is this true?  Should this really be my goal?  Is this really possible?  Come on now, this really seemed to be in the realm of the impossible.  God reminded me of what He says in Ephesians 3:20 (amp); Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super-abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]. Wait a minute, wait a minute!  I’ve heard that scripture before, but I have never spent much time thinking about it as a reality for my life.

This took the idea of my being “outrageously blessed” to a whole new level for me.  You mean to tell me that if I submit to God & let His power flow through me it will produce something that the bible calls “superabundant” & beyond my wildest dreams!  Are you serious?  Come on now, what could that be?  What would something like that actually look like?   I was so excited!

Then I started talking to God about all the possibilities and I made of list of them all.  If there were no restrictions, what would I want to do in my lifetime?  I came up with hundreds of scenarios!  Over the years since I first heard the term “outrageous blessings” I’ve rerun each & every one of those scenarios over & over in the movie theater of my mind.  Through this process I was able to scale it down a bit by searching inside myself for the things I am passionate about; the things I really wanted to do more than anything else.  But even after that, the list is still long & it seems like getting there is still almost impossible from where I sit now.

Good thing I know God like I do!  Because in Philippians 4:13 (amp);  I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who [a]infuses inner strength into me; I am [b]self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency] tells me that through Jesus Christ I have His power & strength to do everything I want to do.  So this supports what God says in Ephesians 3:20.  And in Matthew 19:26 (amp);  But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God Jesus tells us that in God ALL things are possible.  All right now, we are cooking with gas now!

So, if that’s all true, what’s stopping us?  If that’s true there is nothing I can’t do!  There is nothing I can’t have & accomplish!  What about you?  When you hear the phrase “outrageous blessings” what comes to your mind?  If there were no restrictions in your life, what would you be doing?  What does it make you dream of?  I think you should really spend more time tossing this around.

We serve a dream come true God & according to what He says, He wants us to dream big so He can top even our wildest dreams!  I really love God & I really want to see if this can happen in my life, what about you?

Do you like the idea of being “outrageously blessed”?

Everyday won’t be sunny!  We all know that, but if you’ve had a string of days that aren’t sunny & bright  it can be depressing.  So what do you do when you wake up with what I call the “blahs”?  What do you do when you just can’t shake the dark cloud hanging over your head?

I woke up like that a few days ago.  God is taking my life in a whole new direction that I never could have planned.  So this year and a half has been full of various changes and new things.  Some of the changes have been great and some have not been fun at all.  On top of that, days before this I got some news that was very disappointing! This left me pissed off at God because I believed that this matter was going to finally be over, especially after I had done all the stuff we’re taught to do as Christians!  I said the prayer, I extended my faith, I believed God’s word, etc.  Now I’m in the middle of processing these emotions of anger, disappointment, and frustration!  When I woke up the other day, Satan met me trying to convince me that I was just tired of all of this.

You’ve been there too, right? Have you had any days that weren’t sunny?  Of course you have, however, this was not my 1st rodeo.  This was not the 1st time that God didn’t answer my prayer in the manner I requested.  My experience with God has taught me that God’s way of doing things always covers things that I can’t and factors that I didn’t even know about.  But, that doesn’t stop Satan from sending negative emotion meant to get us to give up.  In fact, he takes full advantage of it.

When I woke up that morning, it was not a sunny day.  The “blahs” were laying on me like a blanket, but I knew what to do.  The 1st thing I did was acknowledge it for what it was and who sent it.  I then talked to God about it and asked Him what to do about it.  (I don’t care how mad I get at God; I am never leaving His side!)  The “blahs” were so heavy that it had me not wanting to get out of bed; I didn’t feel like doing anything.  I just wanted to stay in bed.  I then had a choice to make, and I decided to simply push past those demonic feelings and open myself up for what God had for me that day.

God met me on the other side of the push.  I went to my “to do” list (you always have to have a plan for your day) and I started making some phone calls I had planned to make.  One of those calls was to a friend who is in the hospital having surgery.  Her situation wasn’t sunny, but she was so upbeat and grateful that I let it wash over me like a wind and it blew that dark cloud off me.  There was the sun.  I was laughing so hard inside because it confirmed what I already knew.  God can take me being mad at Him, but He never leaves our side.  He promises us that in Deuteronomy 31:6 (nkjv); Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

When your day isn’t sunny, it shouldn’t surprise you.  God told us that this life comes with persecution in John 16:33 (cev); I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world”. We will go through some things, that’s what makes your muscle, but Jesus has already taken care of that so you can win every battle, every time!

 I prefer sunny days. So, since I know the fight has been fixed in my favor, I boldly press forward to take my victory in whatever attack has been sent to defeat me!  I moved on with my day and it was great!

Here are the things I remember (of course with the Holy Spirit’s help) when my day isn’t sunny and things seem dark.

1.      Stick to the original plan.  This is not the time to abandon ship & give up.
2.      Remember this darkness/dark cloud is only temporary.  Every storm passes.  Keep your eye on Jesus.
3.      Remain calm so you can hear God give directions.  Write down what He tells you.
4.      Take your condition (how you feel) to God & leave it there.
5.      Remember this situation is only a test.  Be determined to pass it because if you don’t, you will have to take it again.
6.      Encourage yourself like David did in 2 Samuel 6:14 (cev); He was dancing for the Lord with all his might, but he wore only a linen cloth.  Use the things that make you feel better to lift you up.  I use music, dancing, scripture, friends and just goofing off.  Work all the things that work for you.

We were sent from heaven to earth to help God save his children. And even though it’s not always easy, God told us that we will always win.  Isaiah 54:17 (nkjv); No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord..

I was made for the fight I’m fighting and you were made for the fight you’re fighting.  Just be determined to win no matter what the attack.  Here’s something else that will help you.  Joyce Meyer has a book entitled “Enjoying Where You Are on The Way to Where You’re Going” that is a great weapon against dark situations and circumstances.

God will not do things exactly like I want Him to, but His word has not and will not ever fail me, Isaiah 55:11 (cev); That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.”. I’ve never taken a loss with God, and I do not plan to start now.  Remember the situation I was just telling you about, where I got the disappointing news?  It’s not over, and I will win!

Everyday won’t be sunny, but every day I win. How about you?

God loves you, yes you!  I know we hear that a lot as Christians but do we live our lives like we believe it?

Let’s toss this idea around a bit.  When you meet someone your interested in doesn’t it change your behavior?  You try to run into them more, you dress better when you think you’re going to see them and once you meet them you rearrange your life’s calendar to fit them in, right?  All of this makes you happier as you ponder all the possibilities.  Doesn’t this put pep in your step?  But did you do all of these things when you first meet God?  Remember when you first got saved and you loved the idea and you loved going to church?  But how much of that time was spent really getting to know God for yourself in one on one sessions?  How many “dates” did you actually have with God?  Revelations 3:20 (cev);  Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. tells us that God wants to hang out and spend time with us.

God created you because He loves how He made you and He just wants to spend as much time with you as He can.  I used Joshua 1:8 (amp); This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success to get me started with my “dates” with God.  This scripture tells us to think about the word in all our waking moments of our lives.  I choose to learn about what God has to say regarding the things that were of interest in my life.  I was a mother and a business person so I began to search for scriptures that taught me what God had to say about those subjects.  Then I simply put time on the calendar to ask Him my questions about them. Those conversations were amazing!  They were also the beginning of a wonderful relationship.  Then using Joshua 1:8 as a guide, I simply began to talk and ask God questions throughout the day.  I learned more from God in those moments than in all the time I spent in church.  This was more detailed and more personal.  It has become a great part of my life and even when I disagree and I’m mad at God, I still talk and share those feelings with Him.  He’s a big God, He can take it.

For many, the perception of sin that Satan has put on us keeps us from approaching God on a personal level because Satan has told us that we are not good enough or that God won’t hear us, but Satan is a lie!  All of us have some sin in our past and it has caused us to do things that were not so nice.  So why would God want to spend time with me after all the bad things I’ve done?  How could He love me after that?  The answer is simple – God chooses to love us and He knows we’re not perfect and He loves us anyway!  Isn’t that how you love?  The people in our lives are not perfect but that doesn’t stop us from spending loving them and spending time with them.  OK, I hear you – none of us are perfect so we don’t mind spending time with each other, but God is perfect, why would a perfect being want to be with us?  God wants to spend time with us to give us a chance to get closer to perfection, to be better and to show us His power.  Lets look at Romans 3:23-24: Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; 24 yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins (living). 

That’s God’s objective, He wants to free us from sin.  I’m an ex-drug addict, an ex-drug dealer, an ex-liar, an ex-ho and I lot of other ex’s.  I don’t have to pretend I didn’t do all of those things (and more) because God’s love and my accepting of that love via spending time with Him and obeying Him has freed me from all of that!  We all know John 3:16-18 (msg); This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.  God knew every mistake you would make and He sent you to earth anyway.  So there is nothing you’ve done or might do that’s a surprise to God.  It may have surprised you but not Him.  God know how powerful His love is and how it can transform you, you just have to realize it.

God love you so much that He made big plans for you, Jeremiah 29:11 says;  I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.  Plans for you to live a mighty victorious life.  He wants you to live a “dream come true life”.  Remember all the plans you had for your life that sin has stolen?  It’s time to take them back.  Tapping into God’s love will help you do just that.  God gave you those dreams and His plan is for you to live in them.

So, what’s your next step?  What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?  I suggest that you go back to place where you used to keep your dreams.  I know Satan and sin has stolen them but God’s been keeping them safe for you.  Then set up some “date nites” with God so one by one you can pull them out, dust them off, and discuss them with God.  Let me give you a helpful tool to use on your dates with God.  While talking with God, sit back, close your eyes and begin to use the power of “daydreams” or “vision casting” & see those dreams!  Keep expanding & developing them, God will help you.  If you need some help getting started simply contact me via this website and I’ll help you.

You will then begin to see just how valuable you are to God and how much he loves you and how powerful He made you.  His love will begin to transform you into the person you previously only dreamt about.  God needs you to help Him save other people.  Haven’t you ever noticed that each of our dreams and desires solves a problem on the earth?

I know your dreams are big, too big for you alone, but you are not doing this by yourself.  Matthew 19:26 (msg); Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” so why not find out for yourself just how many of your dreams you and God can make come true.  The bible says in Romans 8:35-39 (msg);  So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Get it now, there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love!  You’ve made mistakes and you will make more, I know I will, so let’s stop tripping about it and get moving!

I don’t know about you but the main goal & theme for my life is “Living In My Dreams” and I am using God’s love for me to propel me into the fulfillment of every dream I have, how about you?

God loves you, yes you!  What are you going to do about it?

This is the Memorial Day holiday weekend, so as I sit back eating BBQ, I started to reflect and it brings be to place or state of being grateful. This is the time set aside to remember and give honor to the soldiers for all they have done to ensure our freedoms and liberties. I am so grateful for them and all they do, and the price they pay to do it. I pray for them daily. Going into the armed services is surely nothing I would do, but I truly appreciate those who have.

Being grateful always brings me back to God and all that He’s done for me and continues to do. However, I find that it’s a state of being I have to fight to remain in.

Satan always comes to bring up and remind me of all the things I’m not happy about in my life. I don’t know about how your life is but I have more than a few things I want changed in mine. But just like 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (cev) says; whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do, – I fight to praise God anyway.

From experience, I have found that when I don’t choose to focus on what is good about my life like Philip 4:8-9 says; Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you;  a portal opens and here comes demons of depression, fear, hopelessness and whoever else has time to come through. Now things are worse! Now I don’t know about you, but I have enough to deal with without inviting more demons to the party!  I also know how challenging & hard this is to do in a lot of cases. Many of us are dealing with some tough and emotionally painful situations. I get that. And just like you I want these things to get better or just go away. We want God to fix them all. And if God was a magician then our wishing for Him to fix them would be okay and they would be fixed by now.  However, God is not a magician but in Genesis 1:26 (amp) – God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth; He gave us complete authority over the earth and the art or process of us putting that (taking dominion) info practice can be longer than any of us may want it to be most of the time.

I’ve been working God’s word for many years now and I have proved that He way works better than my own. I am so grateful that I found a way that is much better than my own! And is spite of the things in my life that have not manifested yet, I force myself (sometimes it’s a battle) to believe God over Satan every day of my life because of   (nkjv) – Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

So, as I continue to use my faith to pull in the change I want, I am so grateful for the people in my life that I love and who love me back. I am grateful for my ride or die friends. I am grateful for my husband, who in spite of having experienced some of my perfect imperfections, chooses to love me anyway. I am grateful for all of my children, biological & spiritual, who continues to believe in me and my passions. I am grateful to finally have a pastor who supports and pushes me into my purpose. I am grateful for a church family that walks in love with each other and pushes every other into greatness. I am grateful for the manna that God sends everyday to cover my needs. I am grateful to God for all of the attacks that He blocks as He protects me daily.

God has started a new chapter in my life and in spite of all the unknown turns ahead, I am so grateful that God trusts me, that He’s forever with me and that I am not doing this without His approval, love, support and most of all His guidance. Whooooo Hoooooo!

Just to sum this all up, there are a lot of things in life to complain about but I am much happier in this process when I work the word and focus on what’s good in life. It brings power to me – frees my mind, builds my self confidence and feeds my faith.

I am grateful for every soldier who was brave enough to put his life on the line for me and my family and I am grateful for you too because you have taken time out of your life to read this.

What are you grateful for?