Saving and Saturating Souls

So I took one of my students to church with me today. She had been asking me to take her since before our spring break. I figured there was a reason. Anyway, today she had this look about her. Deer in headlight, allergies, mixed emotions; I don't know what it was. However, when pastor asked if anyone wanted to give their life to Christ, I gave her a little nudge to ask if she wanted to. She sad next time. Now I know that with things like this, next time could mean never. So I told her I would go with her if she wanted me to. As soon as I offered,she said yes. We got to the alter and pastor started talking to her and letting her know that she was a child of God and no matter what anyone tells her, that she is loved by him, etc. I think we both knew his words were just what she needed to hear because I know for a fact that she doubts it at times. She broke out into tears and I kept my hands on her just to let her know I was there and I had her back.

After church, we went to the movies. On the way there, we talked about what she thought it meant to be saved. She said she was confused at first because another church she attended said she was too young to be saved. She said she realizes now that she isn't too young. And she appreciated the way my pastor spoke to her because she understood every word. We also talked about what happens now. I told her to think of it as a clean slate. None of the things that happened before today matter. What matters now is that she lives her life according to God and his word.

New Jerusalem House of God. Saving and saturating souls!

Zimmerman Gets Financial Support In Exchange For Murder

"We wanted to help someone who we feel has been wronged and found guilty in the court of public opinion,” Chris Kossmann of Legal Boom, told HLN. “People have been crying for justice but we don’t think people know what real justice is. As of yet nobody’s stood up for him [Zimmerman].”  The National Association for Legal Gun Defense says it will donate $10,000 to help pay for his legal expenses and Legal Boom, a Florida-based gun rights group, pledged to back Zimmerman, whose reputation, they say, has been unfairly "ruined." -quotes taken from AOL news articles.

-Are these people for real?  If this isn't racism in its rarest form, then I don't know what is.  They are backing a man who took the life of an African American teenager for no reason, after being heard on a dispatch radio calling him a "N".  If the tables were turned, that African American teen would have been behind bars from jump.  Now this man is opening paypal accounts to get money for himself.  He quit his job, he didn't get fired.  So why should the public donate money to him?  He hasn't even been charged with anything so what does he need money for?  And these crazy people out here donating to him, yall are just saying that his crime is justifiable.  At this rate our youth have nothing to worry about when it comes to getting old and gray because the system will have them all shot or killed in some other form before they could hit their 30s.

Easter Sunday-Living a "Better Life"

Just attended Easter Service at Vineyard Community Church in Miami. Focus for today: How can I live this "Better Life?" We all want to live a better life in some way. Some want more money, a better job, a bigger house, to find their life partner, start a family, etc. What we have to remember is "You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord." Zechariah 4:6.  Don't go off thinking you have it all under control and you can do it all and make your dreams come true without God. There is safety and security in knowing that He is with you through every life experience (good or bad). And every trial you may face isn't because He doesn't care or He isn't there. They happen for exactly the opposite. If He didn't care or wasn't there he might just let you continue to do some of the crazy things in life that you did before knowing Him and accepting Him into your heart. As you come alive with new life this Easter, let it be one in which Christ gives all meaning.

Waiting

People say life is funny at times.  I say, God is funny.  He does things on a daily basis that I have to laugh at.  I was reminded of something the other day and I had to take a moment and reflect on the comedian that God can sometimes be.

There was a time when I had to put my grieving aside and assist the man I was in a relationship with.  He was in the middle of having a house built and making selections of various household essentials.  Everything from furniture to the kitchen back splash had to be chosen, and there were times when he would have me make the decision for him.  I didn't have any experience with tile, grout, or anything of the sort.  However now I can say that I do.

The other day I was in Home Depot with my sister.  She was picking out a hard wood floor for her room.  While she sat with the salesman setting up her order, I walked around looking at tile and back splash samples.  Standing there overlooking the samples I found myself actually selecting the ones I thought would work best in my kitchen.  Now, I don't own a home as yet, but I have been checking out some places just to get an idea of prices and other formalities.  However, I am no where near needing to pick out anything.  Going down the isle and running my hand across the samples, I recalled the one I had picked out for his kitchen.  That's when I had to laugh.  I didn't laugh out loud because I didn't want anyone in ear shot to question what I was laughing at.  I got chills up my arm, and suddenly it hit me.  Because of all the steps I watched him take, all the decisions I helped him make, all the things that still needed to be completed that weren't, and all the things he did that he shouldn't have done, I learned a lot.  I learned about all the things that I would want to do to my house when I get it.  I learned about all the moves I wouldn't make and all the little things that matter the most.  Everything from the floors to the closets; from the faucet to the crown molding, is etched in my mind.  I couldn't help but think that He could have saved me some time and hurt by just telling me all he wanted me to know, but then my appreciation for everything may be different.  My experience level would definitely be different.

I might have been hurt a year ago, or questioning what the point of our relationship was if it was going to come to such a horrid end.  What I should have been doing though was waiting on God to show it all to me.  Sometimes the pieces of the puzzle don't come together as fast as we would like for them to.  Sometimes you learn something one day, and you learn something else several months later.  Other times the things you think mean one thing, may mean something else.  Rather than constantly bombarding God with angry questions, or confusion, all I needed to do was wait.  So many people ask God for things and don't take the time to listen for his response.  They take it upon themselves to say God said this and God told me that when it really isn't God.  Their selfish wants and desires are placed before their ability to simply wait on God. They convince themselves that these things are happening because God ordered them to happen, when it really is just them being impatient and trying to justify their selfishness.  Questioning why God would do certain things, good or bad, to you rather than realizing why he did something for you will be the downfall that many of us face.

At the end of the day, what I will always remember to do, is wait on God.  I will remember that the pieces may not fit right away, but my puzzle will be completed over time.  Not on my time but on His time.  And I will always know, without a shadow of a doubt, that He is doing what He is doing "for me" and not "to me." And knowing is half the battle.

Who Will Be Victorious? Money or God?

Some people love money so much that they are willing to do anything to keep what they have, or gain more.  They use money as a way to influence people to do what they want or need.  Money can become that paperweight they hold over you to keep you down. They will promise to love you for life, partner up with you in business to become successful, sell you a dream and convince you that you are what that dream needs to come true, provide you with just enough of an “in” to get by but keep you grabbing at their heels to get over, some will jump over hurdles, do a dance, act out an entire play, be your best friend, or whatever else they need to if it means that dollar will be there in the end.  Others may use it to look down on those with less, or simply forget that they didn't come from money.  

 

Some people think that money will buy them cleansing.  If they give just enough to charity, family, church, and whatever good cause, it will provide them safe entry into The Kingdom of Heaven.  However, it can’t buy them healing or deliverance.  You could donate to the most charities, smile for cameras and tell the world that you are humble and God-fearing, do volunteer work, read God’s word every day and try to live accordingly, but none of it matters if your heart isn’t in the right place.  People forget that God knows their hearts and everything they are thinking.  

You could be in the prime of your career, on the come up, in the best relationship with the woman or man that you love, passing that difficult test, landing that dream job, on that amazing vacation that you always wanted to take, finally getting a chance to live the life you put on hold, and God can take it all away.  When you spend more time buying lavish things like expensive jewels, cars, friendships, and multiples of things you already own simply because you can afford to, instead of planning for the possibilities and unexpected happenings of the future, you are truly running off track.  If you aren’t smart enough to see when the devil is baiting you, then you surely will fall into his trap.  How long you stay in that trap will be determined by your heart and willingness to not only listen to God when he says yes, but also when he says no.

At the end of the day, money means nothing.  How much you have means nothing when you end up living a lie or selling your soul to hold on to it.  Though it’s convenient, and could make for a comfortable life, the old saying could still apply; “More money more problems.”  Never knowing if people truly have your back, if you have any real friends, if they will stick around when all the money is gone, or if all the little perks of being you with a boat load of cash will be the same as you with thin pockets, will run you ragged.  You will spend more time interrogating and analyzing rather than simply living.  You will constantly need validation from others to prove that you are what you claim to be.  However, the only one you need validation from is God.  The only person you need to give to is God.  When you bless him, he will bless you in the midst of overwhelming odds.  He doesn’t care about all your money because that won’t go to the gates with you.  If you get real with God, he will get real with you.  Your love of money should never supersede your love for God and his word.

The Devil vs. a Proverbs 31 Woman

So many people have shared their opinions with me on my previous relationship.  They have either been family or friends with first hand knowledge and insight, or outsiders looking in.  However, no one has ever broken it down like a friend did for me last night.  We were both talking about our triumphs in regards to our last relationships and after lending an objective ear, a very important question was asked. 

“What does the devil do with a Proverbs 31 woman?”

I was at a loss for words while thinking about all the details mentioned in Proverbs 31.  Though a bit delayed, my response was “ I guess the devil can’t do anything with a Proverbs 31 woman.  She loves with no restrictions, and she does things that God has placed on her heart.  The devil would only try to break down a woman that displays such strength and love.”

My friend told me that was the point that he was trying to make.  Then he asked me to listen very carefully to the next few things that he was about to say.

“I don’t want you to ever change the type of person that you were before this experience simply because you chose to love the wrong man.  Don’t think that you need to punish any other man because of the wrong this one man did to you.  Realized this, he was intimidated by you.  You were too independent for him.  You weren’t needy enough.  You may have made him feel like he was less of a man and for that he decided to hurt you. 

He made a conscious decision to cheat.  He found someone while he was supposed to be working on his craft.  While you were back at home being supportive and giving positive feedback, he was seeking another woman.  In his mind he decided to “cheat up.”  This woman had to give the allusion that she was somehow better than you.  She needed to have a lot if not more going for herself.  The fact that he chose someone in an industry he was trying to break into is not surprising at all.  He needed her to be someone that you would be offended by because that was all apart of hurting you. 

You were a creature that he had no experience dealing with.  You weren’t after his money.  You worked for a living.  You didn’t want to yell and scream things out because you didn’t come from that type of environment.  You were comfortable not being in the limelight.   Keeping up with the Jones’ wasn’t something you felt strongly about.  All these things threw him for a loop so he kept pressing the issue of why you loved him or wanted to be with him.  There may have even been a part of him that knew once you saw him for what he was, you wouldn’t want to stand by him anymore.  Standard procedure in that case is to get out before you got hurt. 

Not only did he cheat, he made sure to “act” as though he was being straight up with you from the beginning.  You were given just enough information to keep you believing that he was doing right by you.  All those promises of a future together and working to build a solid foundation were just smoke signals to cover up what he was really doing.  He was shopping for something new before it was even obvious that there was a need to.  And let’s not forget his use of the Bible and God to justify his dirty deeds.  He will have to answer for that later on.  He will have to explain why he decided to misuse the word of God.  He failed to understand that while he was praying and fasting, he was still vulnerable to the devil.  As a matter of fact, the devil preys on you most at those times.  While you are praying to God and waiting to hear his promise, you need to be able to decipher between his voice and that of the devil.  And believe me, even though it may seem as though he got over on you and he managed to come out on top, he is still hurting.  He will never truly know anyone who will do all that you did for him unconditionally.  He will never know if those he has decided to surround himself with are there with him for the right reasons as compared to all the people he has shut off and cut out of his life because of his new lifestyle.  He will continue to struggle if he never resolves these issues he has with jumping from one relationship to the next without taking the time needed to reflect and heal.

What I want is for you to make sure you have fully released him out of your heart.  There isn’t any need for you to be bitter, or angry about anything because you were doing what was needed to maintain the relationship you thought you were building on.  We often times ask God to move certain mountains for us, and to make certain things come to fruition, but we aren’t always ready to accept what he has to say when it happens.  You have to be willing to accept God’s yes as well as his no.  The relationship wasn’t right because you put that man before God.  You treated him better than you treated yourself, and as a result, you suffered for it.   God crumbled that relationship.  Now it’s time for you to walk the path that he has in mind for you, put him first, and make sure that when he shows you his promise that you live out your purpose.”

After hearing all of this I was truly emotional.  It was almost as if God had sent this person to prophesize over my life and explain the things that I would never get answers to if I went and asked my X the questions.  Though I feel I have long since moved on and have released this man out of my heart, there will be things that are hard to forget.  In the two years that we were together, we did a lot.  We experienced many life-changing events while in each other’s lives.  Unfortunately, our hearts were in two different places and our lives were moving in different directions.  And although he made it seem as though a future together was a priority and a possibility, he was being deceptive.  The funny thing is that what he did to me doesn’t bother me nearly half as much as the people he involved in our lives.  Our friends and family, pets, even his kids didn’t need to be apart of the lie.  I have never been or will I ever be a selfish person.  I don’t plan on making anyone else suffer simply because I don’t know how to deal with my emotions, past experiences or encounters.   Nor do I plan on involving anyone else in any dramas that might be going on in my life, if it has nothing to do with them.  Those things need to be resolved before I even think of attaching myself to anyone. 

The fact of the matter is that the signs were there all along, however I ignored them.  I wanted to believe in the person I had fallen for.  I wanted to believe in the man of God, the loving and nurturing father, the person who could be humble and down to earth despite the crazy lifestyle he lived, and the man who was professing his love for me.  The man I should have placed my focus on is the creator, because he would have guided and protected me.  Unfortunately, when you stray from your purpose, He places storms in your life to redirect your steps and guide you to your true destiny.  Without a doubt, I know that God has something great in store for me.  Something greater than anything I have experienced to date.  I know that I am a woman of God and I will live out my purpose.   I will continue to be a Proverbs 31 woman and God will make all things possible for me.  I truly hope and pray that my X realizes that God will never direct him to hurt those he claims to love or send him spiraling out of control if he is walking the walk.  We are all a work in progress.  However, if you don’t take steps toward correcting mistakes, they will follow you through out whatever you do.   

Scratching the Surface vs. Digging Deep

Some people will barely scratch the surface, others get to the root and try to solve it. When you never dig deep enough to find your demons they will continue to haunt you no matter how many people you cut outta your life, how much you try to change your lifestyle, no matter how much you claim you're a good Christian, or how many city and state lines you move across. Scratching the surface will never set you free. Putting in the time and effort, waiting on God and his promise for you, and having a solid foundation that will not be moved no matter how much the devil tries to chip away at you, will keep you grounded. Know that God isn't a fan of the quick fix. He wants you grounded in his word and in your faith. Once you are, once you get to the root, and tackle your demons, you will be covered. He has his hands on you!