In the Heat of the Night

What do you do when you are going through life's trials and it seems as though you can't sleep at night. The Bible tells us:

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


Prayer is essential to help us to make it through life's trials. We don't want to lose sleep over matters that we can't fix. We should be sure to allow God the chance to fix our problems. He wants to fix them, but we must allow Him to fix them. If we are lying awake at night, we are more than likely trying to fix them on our own. Don't allow Satan the opportunity to take more stock in your life than he should have. He is the king of lies and deception and he will work hard to make you believe his lies! Don't allow him to ruin your life and your sleep with his nonsense. Allow God to have full control! He loves you and he wants to do this for you!

In the Heat of the Night, allow God to prove himself faithful! He is so worthy to be praised!

Inauguration of the Spirit

Inauguration

Define:

the act of starting a new operation or practice

It was really nice being able to go to the Inauguration Ceremony on Monday, January 21, 2013, as we welcomed our president, Barak Obama, to office for the second time. I am sure that for him and his family, it was a time of celebration and humble appreciation to the American people who thought enough of him and his family to vote him into office for the second time. As he begins his second term, he undoubtedly might feel a little apprehensive about what the next few years may bring, although his hopes are high for great things and he has faith in his abilities to carry out this four year term.

Just as the president was inaugurated on Monday after a seamless campaign, so does it take planning and preparation to inaugurate a more effective spiritual journey. How about the inauguration of your spiritual life? Have you made a decision to make some changes in your life? To make sure that God is, without a doubt, the absolute king of your heart? It is easy to say what you will do, but it takes much prayer and effort to make sure that everything that you have thought about and said that you would do actually happens. It will take a lot of work to get those things done, just as it will for our president, who made mention of many things that he would like to do for our country when he was on the campaign trail. Those things that he would like to see happen won’t just happen haphazardly. He will have to spend hours mapping out a plan and setting that plan into motion, not to mention getting through the hurdle of the congress. We, too, must make plans to strengthen our spiritual life. We must map out a plan to get to where we want to be in our spiritual walk! Don’t worry if it does not happen automatically. That means that you need to continue to work hard to make sure that it does happen and also look at your plan and seek out any flaws that might hinder you and your spiritual growth. The devil, just like the senate, will make every effort to ensure that your plan doesn’t pass and if it does pass then he will bring up all kinds of negative thoughts to your mind which will weigh you down. Don’t lose heart! Just keep fighting and pushing to make things happen! It will not be easy, but just like the American people who need many of the laws passed, you will be thankful that you endured to the end!

Do It Scared

Flight #2013

Welcome to flight #2013. We are prepared to take off into the New Year! Please make sure your ATTITUDE and BLESSINGS are secure and locked in an upright position. All self destructive devices should be turned off at this time. All negativity, hurt, and discouragement should be put away. Should we lose altitude, reach up and pull down a PRAYER. Prayers will automatically be activated by FAITH. Once YOUR FAITH is activated, you can assist other passengers. There will be NO BAGGAGE allowed on this flight. The captain has cleared us for takeoff. His name is Jesus. DESTINATION... GREATNESS! We are up and off . . .

Much Love and Many Blessings in 2013!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My Father’s Princess

“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4)

My mother passed away when I was 2 years old. I grew up the youngest of 14 children. I seemed to always get lost in the shuffle of everything that was going on in the family from fights to grandkids. I always sought the attention of my father. He was a hardball. He believed that children were to be seen and not heard.

I learned that I should feel the pain and never say anything. I was always afraid to say how I felt for fear of a good beating or, because I felt that way, the people that I was speaking against would hate me for saying what I truly thought or felt. It seemed as if God hated me for some reason to allow me to go through what I was going through as a child. I had lost my mother and I was living in a house with a dysfunctional family. I wondered what I had done to deserve such a life. I wondered why I was not loved and if I would ever be loved. I hated my life and I did not want to live in it another second.

Because I could not get the attention and love that I needed and wanted from my father, I sought out father figures who would provide the love that I was not receiving at home. It was never in a sexual manner that I sought love and attention, but in a true fatherly way. I often found myself attached to ministers in the body of Christ to help to steer me in the right direction. These men of God were always there when I called. They stood for me, they talked with me, and they corrected me when I needed to be corrected and they applauded my accomplishments and helped me make the right decisions when needed. I thank God for these men who were there for me to help me along life’s highway. I thank God that they still continue to be a present part of my life and my family’s life.

You see, I have found that I had a Father beside me the whole time and that these men of God were simply God’s way of providing loving father figures here in the physical realm. God was there providing for me the entire time! God was there giving me exactly what I needed to survive life at home! He walked with me and He carried me often. His love is the love that won’t let me go! My Abba Father, the only Father that I will ever need; He is my true Father. I have fallen so in love with my Father and I fight for Him and I work hard to live up to His expectations, because I want Him to be proud of me. I am His princess!!! His little girl…

I assure you that as you go through life and you hit walls and you fall down and you are hurt by others, God is actually there standing with you, if only you pray and ask Him to stand with you and carry you through life’s countless moments. I’ve tried Him and He has proved Himself faithful time after time! Oh, how precious is the name of Jesus!!! Delight yourself in the Lord!!! Don’t allow life’s circumstances to steal your joy! Allow God to be your FULL pleasure and He will give you the desires of your heart!

For Such a Time as This!!!

The book of Esther is full of God showing his grace and mercy to his people. This book has truly made me think about how God moves in order that He, in the end, may be glorified and I be brought to humble submission to His will. As I think about the things that I have gone through in the past year, I realize that God has some greater purpose for my life that I just can’t understand nor put into context right now; therefore, I must trust Him only.

Esther was brought to the king’s palace to be in a position to help to save the Jews from certain death because of the plot put into action by the mean Haman. Esther 4:14 ¹⁴ 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?” I continue to wonder why I was brought here to the great state of Maryland.

We often look at things through human eyes and identify topical evidence, but I choose to look at things through spiritual eyes. Through my human understanding, I see that I am here to teach school, but through my spiritual understanding I can see that God has greater plans. I can see that God is up to something and the mere thought of Him allowing me to be a part of His plan to save souls and to strengthen His church simply makes me humbled, yet excited. I ask myself, “Have you been brought here for such a time as this?” Yet, I am unsure of what “time” God is preparing me for, but I am sure that God will show me as I only continue in His way and trust Him.

Have you ever been put in a situation by God that you were not quite sure of? You could not quite figure out why you ended up where you were? You knew that you were there for fleshly reasons, but you were sure that God had you there for spiritual reasons? We all know that, “the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments.” (Eccl. 12:13) So, as this being the reason for life, I can only conclude that each move He makes in my life is for this purpose! Oh, what a mighty God we serve!

The Lord's Answer (cont.)

Yes, was my answer! I definitely wanted the position. I had about three weeks to find a place and move to Maryland. Once I was here, I had new teacher training and all kinds of things to do. I was stressed and frustrated with some of the things going on in my world. I missed my family and I just wanted us all back together again!



The first Sunday that I was here, I visited the Capital Church of Christ in Annapolis, MD. I had a wonderful time! I met the minister's wife  and she and other sisters at the congregation welcomed me and they asked why I had moved to the area and I told them because of a job opportunity. They asked which school I would be teaching at and I told them. They asked me why I had chosen Annapolis. I told them that I actually did not remember applying here. Well, at that time the minister's wife told me to hold my thought. I wondered what she was doing. She walked across to the other side of the building and came back hand in hand with another sister. She introduced us. Let's call her Mrs. L. She asked me to tell the sister what I had just told them about not knowing when I had applied. I told her that I did not remember when I had applied here. Mrs. L. said "I remember exactly when you applied! It was three years ago!" So, now, I was perplexed, because I did not know who she was. She said, "Yes, I know you don't know who I am, but I am the principal's secretary and I held on to your application for three years. I don't know why I held on to your application, but something would not let me throw it away. She said, "Usually, I throw away all resumes once hiring is over for the year, but I could not throw yours away. We even moved from our old building and I took your resume and put it in a file and brought it over with me. When the position became available, I immediately slid your resume to the principal and he called you!"

I was floored! I could do nothing but cry! All I could think of was all of the days I cried and prayed for a position that would pay me what I am worth! I thought of all of the hard work and all of the things I went through with Georgia and my certification. I said, "You mean all of this time He has been working it out!?" You know I knew that he had been working it out the entire time, but just to see and hear the way He had worked it out is sometimes unheard of! God had my back then and still has my back now! He knows what I need and He is still working things for my good! On Thursday, December 13, 2012, I was finally certified as an administrator. It has been a long road! I completed my Ed. Specialist and I took the GACE, Georgia teacher's assessment, and passed and was still denied my administrator certification, because my degree was gained from a school outside of the state of Georgia.

I am just thrilled and praising God! I know that He has something for me and I just am so excited to see what's next on this life's journey! I KNOW that He has already worked that out, as well. I feel like I am opening up a present layer by layer! I just have to wait until I get to a certain point to get my blessing!

I love you Lord! You have my heart! You alone are my heart's desire!!!