Kingdom Building : Investing; "Method or Madness"

Kingdom Building : Investing; "Method or Madness": Are you goal-oriented? What are you investing in...mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially? Make sure your investmen...

Investing; "Method or Madness"

Are you goal-oriented? What are you investing in...mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and/or financially? Make sure your investments are in alignment with your goals. 

By this, I mean re-visit your goals often (daily if needed) to ensure that your investments are linear with them.  An example; "Say you have a goal to get fit in 6 months, but you find distractions are hindering your progress." You may need to plan purposeful for the distraction or re-arrange your schedule to accomadate your plan.

By quickly assessing this, you are able to re-frame and refocus which allows you to recover time and resources that you would otherwise lose so when time matures, you will meet or exceed your goal rather than fall short of it. 

God's word admonishes Christians to use resources wisely (Luke 12:42-46). This also includes our time, talents, and treasues. I love you all, but God loves you more!

Giving Birth

Just reminscing a bit..I remember when I said, "I didn't  want to have any children." I thank God for knowing all things! I remember thinking how my life was going to change drastically when I found out that I was going to be a mother! I was petrified when I realized that I would be responsible for another soul. Then, as time went on I bonded with the little life inside of me and I knew that I was going to do everything in my power to make life better for my precious child. 

 I remember having to overcome so many obstacles and setbacks but in light of what I had to look foward to, they seemed miniscule. Then, my well anticipated due date came and went, and then another week went by, and another week came...I knew something wasn't right! Every mom "just knows" when something just "aint right." Well, I was checked in L&D and placed on pitocin to induce my labor. After 2 days of laboring still nothing! Doctors were going to send me home and I was not happy! While waiting to be released I heard...code blue, code blue, and I was oblivious as to why everyone was moving like lightening and I heard the "Chief OB" doctor being paged to L&D. (This was not my original doctor but he was the best one on staff). 

Then, a nurse comes in and tells me that I must turn over! I asked her what was going on and she couldn't answer my questions but her face had a look of fear all over it. I was told "You are having an emergency C-Section now because we have lost your baby's heartbeat." At that moment I know my heart skipped a beat too..I remember having the same petrified feeling months earlier when I learned that I was going to be a mom. All I could think was "Jesus" please don't let this baby die! 

I learned that the baby had aged in my womb. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice and she was controlling her own bowels. It seemed like forever as I waited for her arrival. There was a long pause of silence and then I heard a loud cry!!! A tear fell from my eyes with relief. Then, the doctor went on to tell me of the miracle. "Your daughter is breathing on her own, she is a fighter! We don't know how long she had been under that type of distress but her life sustainment in the womb was no longer an environment in which she could thrive." She had literally outgrown her environment. It was time for her to live outside of the womb and she was trying to come but she had been hindered!

The nurse asked if I had a name for her? I had planned to name her something different, but I heard the Lord say, "her name is Gabrielle." She was named after the archangel Gabriel because it was clear that the "Lord was her strength." At the time, I did not know the meaning  or significance of naming her Gabrielle, but God knew what I did not know. My daughter is indeed a fighter and she thrives when she is helping others! She has blessed me in so many ways.

There are times when I think, "Lord, help me with this child, because she is so strong and independent," but God has a job for her to do, just as HE does for each of us. He knew what was best for me! And everything has worked in His Timing, not mines.

Wherever you are in your birthing process, just remember that God is in control!! In all things "give thanks," and when it is time for you to give birth, you must! Or, you are only hindering you! God has something amazing for you! Just wait on the Lord and don't give place to fear! Just remember, Perfect Love cast out all fear. Faith has no place for fear! Have a blessed day!

I love you all, but God loves you more!

Know Love, No Fear

My class was recently discussing fear and God's love and how marks of others knowing that we are truly becoming (His) disciple indeed is that we share that love (agape) one to another. I emphasized "His" because though I teach them and may influence them, becoming my disciple should not be their goal! It's important to me that they know what His word says because He is the truth, the way, and the light and I am only a vessel or conduit to "His" disciple. 

My role is not to point them to me, but that they may see Jesus! Perhaps, this is why many will cry "Lord, Lord, I did many things in your name only to hear, "Depart from me you worker of iniquity/lawlessness I never knew you (Matt 7:21-23). I want them to know Him and only identify with me. Ok, back on topic. 

A New Command I Give You. 

Love is not an option, but it is a Commandment for a Christian! 

John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."This brings me to my next point....Relationships! 

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I love you, but I just don't trust you!" I know I have. Keeping it real, I have said it myself! The thing is, "We have been reared in a society where we have learned to separate the two in order to survive!" Every last one of my students can tell you that they learned to live with a pattern of behavior that fostered this dysfunctional way of thinking. Many of us even made exceptions and enabled the abuser because it came from someone who "loved us"or whom we thought had our "best interest" in mind. 

Perhaps, we even suffered mind battles of guilt and shame when we thought our pain would make others view our abusers as such, because we loved them and we knew they loved us in a "twisted" way, but God's way is not man's way. While I recall one time in my life, long after salvation; when I was dealing with a great deal of fear. I quoted scripture, (2Tim 1:7) "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind." 

A Christian should never be bound by fear. I recalled praying one day and hearing God say, "If IAM your Lord, what's up with this fear?!" Wow, this got my attention. I read and studied the bible, but I could not shake fear. The word said in (1John 4:18) "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

I had learned to identify with God the way I identified with man. Man's love had not been made perfect in my life, therefore, I had identified with God the way I learned to identify with man. I couldn't trust man, so I had not fully been trusting God. Fear and faith simply cannot operate simultaneously! 

Some of you may never be able to relate to this, and praise God for that! But many of us had to learn to survive at an early age. Little did I know, God would use everything I went through to help others be delivered and overcome. 

Trust God with your whole heart. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In order to fully be free we must trust God. He loves all of us so much! He sees and knows all about your issues and problems and he cares. (Jeremiah1:5) "Before you were formed in the womb He knew you." All things are working for your good (Romans 8:28). What you have gone through may have been to help someone else overcome. (Rev 12:11) "They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony...)Your labors are not in vane (1 Corin 15:58).

Deliverance is just that deliverance...only "The Truth will Set You Free" (John 8:31-32) "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. 

Trust Him on your journey. He knows the mistakes that you will make because He alone is perfect, but His plumb line of truth will always deliver you safely to your destiny!

I love you all, but God loves you more!