Happy 3rd day of 2018 dear reader!

I want to take a moment to thank God for these people He has placed in my life. He allowed me to meet them (each of them for His glory and for a reason) as He has used His hand to order my footsteps for His will for my life: from 2018 and beyond! 🙂

~”In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”~1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV~

In 2016, God planted a seed within me. It gave birth in Lebanon and took off in the United States and beyond. I went to Lebanon with my home church for a short term missions trip. I served with a team of six and did ministry with refugee children and families there. Each person on my team inspired me (Dave, Kim, Valhalla, Deborah, and Jeri)———-each in many and different ways as this was my first missions trip and being away from the United States. Each of them taught me and showed me who God was in different ways and I am thankful to Him that the hand of God’s Holy Spirit used each of these people to touch my life. 🙂

Dave led devotionals and gave each of us a turn to lead devotionals. I thank God for Dave because his leadership was a skill that I learned and that God allowed his leadership to be passed on from him to me as I became a leader for others around me (even as I started writing this blog in 2016 as a way to encourage others through the good and bad times of my life). I thank God for Dave because if it were not for him leading the team, I would not have been inspired to lead others and inspire them through my writing in these blogs, both as a testimony and a witness of Jesus Christ for everyone to see and know His character. Kim inspired me too. She encouraged me with a Scripture from 2 Timothy 1:7 as me, Valhalla, Dave, and I took a walk, admiring the beauty of Lebanon that God created it to be: from its hills, to its mountaintops, and little houses and flowers along the sides of its roads. The Word of God states in 2 Timothy 1:7: “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” After hearing these words from Kim, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit speaking these words from that Scripture to me thorough her. I felt empowered afterwards and is the reason why I thank God for Kim.———because she taught me to walk in step with the Spirit, even as we were taking that particular walk on that day with other members of the team. 🙂

~”The Lord gives strength to his people, the Lord blesses his people with peace.”~Psalm 29:11, NIV~

Valhalla planted a seed and unlocked within my heart my love for children and children’s ministry (a passion that I did not realize I had further until I went to Japan for a short term missions trip for two months in 2017 and taught/did life with the children there! 🙂 ) I have a deep respect for this woman, mainly because she does children’s ministry so well, as I observed in Lebanon. I remember one time when she gave a very large hug to a refugee child when we had the game day with the refugee children.———this warmed my heart because I saw Jesus through this woman.————-loving on children who needed love and to know and experience God’s love so that they can be the next inspirations and doers of God’s Word as they take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the next level and love on their families and beyond. The Heaven of Jesus Christ shined on them as the love of Jesus beamed from this woman on them. The love of Christ is evident through this woman. Even when I got back from Lebanon, God led me to continue keeping in contact with Valhalla in order to further my prayer life and other issues I was dealing with at the time. She has been a tremendous inspiration on my life and I thank God for her impact she has had on my life. One of the things she taught me is that God is love and that He sees me as valued when others do not see me in the same light as God does for me. She taught me to be a fighter for God’s Word and the truths of what God says about me. I thank God for Valhalla because she allowed me to see that when the enemy blinded me from the truth of God. She taught me that God is truth because His Son, Jesus, is the truth, through His Word, which is always alive and sharpens us to make us stronger in Christ who strengthens us: always. God bless Valhalla. 🙂

~”For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”~Hebrews 4:12, KJV~

I remember when Deborah, who roomed with me for most of the trip, shared bits and pieces of her life with me that gave me the courage to open up more about issues that I was dealing with in that time of my life (most of which were personal), as the Holy Spirit of God showed us ways we can pray for each other.————she taught me how to be prayerful for others around me, all while showing me to be comfortable with myself. She grew me in that God through her showed me how to love me for me and for how God created me to be. Out of many people I have met in my life, Deborah taught me that God is love and that He loves me, regardless of my own issues and what others say or think of me. She told me one time to not pay attention to what others say about me because it is what God thinks of me that counts (she told me this about one year and a half later, after the missions trip). I thank God for Deborah. 🙂

~”I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”~Psalm 139:14, ESV~

I also remember Jeri. She is a lovely person. Even after the missions trip, she makes it a point to keep in contact with me on Facebook and encourage me, even as I write blog posts for this blog and edit for Atlanta Christian Voice. She loves my writing because I make it a full effort to be Jesus through my writings. Jesus speaks to her through my writings. Every time she presses the like button on a blog post I have written or makes a comment, this motivates me more to keep on writing, for Jesus so that His light can shine in the light He put in me to shine for others around me. She is light in my life and my soul ( almost like a 2nd grandmother to me!) I thank God for Jeri because even though I do not know her on a personal level, I do know that she has inspired me to keep on being the love of Jesus to everyone in and through my writing.————-both young and old. Praise God for Jeri! 🙂

I now want to take a moment and lift up names of people I know from my church. I remember and bless them, in the name of Jesus Christ! 🙂

I remember Daniella. She is super in that she ignited my passion for dancing. I never knew I could dance until she showed me and I took a couple of dance lessons for a season. She taught me empowerment through the Holy Spirit of God, which has guided me to dance for Jesus. I remember when we went to a dance social together one night and how she told me that King David (from the Bible) danced for Jesus! I do not know the Scripture that she quoted this from, but that motivated me to keep calm and keep on dancing as a hobby and for the glory of Jesus Christ. Daniella is also a very kind person. I admire her boldness and confidence for the Lord. It is so strong and has inspired me so much to be confident as my light shines for Jesus.————for my twin sister, Rachel, family, and beyond. 🙂 God bless Daniella! 🙂

I also remember Kelly. I have my own issues I deal with. She told me (on Christmas Day 2017), that God is going to use me to bring healing, help, and hope to others who are hurting and struggling with the same issues I have. At first, I did not understand what she meant by this nor did I want to accept this fact due to insecurities that I was dealing with that God FINALLY REMOVED at the end of 2017. Then, I accepted it as God’s will for my life because I know that someday (even now), God is using me to inspire others around me……maybe even as I write this blog post and whoever is reading it. Kelly is so brave and so honest. I thank God for her because she has inspired me to pray, even as she texted me one day that she is always praying for me. She is a bundle of joy in my life and I thank God for her and her courage to be honest with me in that time of my life…….simply because it helped me to GET OVER myself as I am confident that God will use me to help others around me, who are going through similar issues in order to inspire, encourage, and motivate them, to be their best and brightest selves. 🙂

~”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”~Philippians 4:13, KJV~

I remember Ann. She is like a 2nd mother to me because she deeply cares about me and is always praying for me. I remember one time I had a medical crisis occur in my life and I happened to run into her one Wednesday night at church. She thanked God for my life. She also told me that she liked a blog post I wrote one time (even though I do not remember which one), she told me this which I will never forget, “You never know who you are inspiring.” Ann also taught me to pray for others around me and not just myself. As a result, I have a deep compassion for others who go through similar issues like myself and make it a priority to pray for others around me in my notebooks as I write the prayers down and make their visions plain (mainly people at my church…..and I do not have to tell them I am praying for them because that is between myself and God……only as the Spirit leads me. God bless Ann. 🙂

I remember Liz. She taught me love. Tough and unconditional love because the love of Christ does not always have to be tender, but it can be tough too as it disciplines us to be our best selves as we serve the Kingdom of God. She taught me to totally trust God and surrender to His will (not my will, but His will be done) for my life. I had an idea of what she meant, but did not understand what it would cost me for the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s sake as I serve others around me who like me, those who do not like me, and those who do not look or think like myself. I went through some pretty rough trials in 2017 that gave me better understanding of myself, God’s will for me, and a heart for others around me. I thank God for them, even though I did not like what God chose to put me through in that moment of my life, because they made me a wiser woman of greater discernment of the voice and will of God for my life. I thank God that I met her not just because of her experience in ministry, but also because of the wisdom she has gained from serving in ministry for many years. I praise and thank God for her training me to be my best self for ministry. 🙂

~”And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”~2 Corinthians 5:18, KJV~

I remember Tina. She taught me to guard my heart from all evil in the world because the world is vicious and can take advantage of you without a care. She taught me to be strong in the Lord as I guard my heart. I remember when I was dealing with issues at the time when I did not listen to her advice, but I remember what her advice taught me about making wise decisions and for protecting all of me, even as the enemy tried to slander and degrade my integrity and make me feel down and bad about myself. I eventually got over myself and rebuked the enemy (all of the enemy), humbled myself, and decided to give Tina a Christmas card to show my love and appreciation for this great and fantastic woman of God. She is a woman of deep faith and promising in the eyes of God ( I say this about her because she told me one time that she did not give up on me and kept on praying for me, even when others turned their back on me during the bad in 2017).———-she encouraged me to go into 2018, bold, and confident, in the Lord, and NOT LOOK BACK at the horrible past and mistakes of 2017. 🙂

~”Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”~Proverbs 4:23, NIV~

There are many other people from my church, who I could write about, but will write about later as the Holy Spirit leads me (in and outside of my church).

The future is bright and so is 2018. I am thankful that God put it on my heart to write about these people. Each of them are special to me and I love them very much. Even those who I did not write about YET, just know that God put you on my heart and you are near and dear to me. 🙂

I now want to pray for the future of my life concerning 2018. I encourage you also to pray for me too, as God orders my steps into 2018 (even though it is only the 3rd day of the year, I want to take this moment to pray over my life. I invite you join me in prayer too).

~”The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.”~Psalm 37:23, KJV~

Dear God,

I thank You for each of these people from my church who you led me to write about, who have had an impact on my life. Bless them. Bless them and their homes, families, lives, and children. I pray that if they are reading this that you will bless them for leading them to open up this blog post and read it. I pray that even if they do not read this blog post that Your hand will be upon their lives and bless them.—————mightily, as I am with them and praying for them in Spirit. I pray that the memories with each of these people will live forever. I pray that the moments shared with them (past, present, and future), will live on until that day of Jesus Christ, when we all come together to worship God together: for eternity. I pray that Your eternity will live on forever in their hearts and that they will know Jesus through this writing that Your Holy Spirit has led me to write. They do not have to acknowledge that I wrote this, but I pray that they continue to keep on giving you all of the glory through this writing. May it bless them. Both richly and abundantly. May Your Living Word keep them covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord for allowing me to meet them. Bless them.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen! 

God bless you! 🙂 ❤

~”Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”~Romans 8:37, KJV~

In my previous blog post, I elaborated on how I thought that 2017 was a horrible year for me…….

MOVING FORWARD! I have a lot of goals/new year’s resolutions for 2018 (Lord-Willing, I will accomplish them all)! I am even using my Life Bible verse as confirmation and encouragement of what God is pushing me to do:

~”I can do all this things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”~Philippians 4:13, KJV~

Here are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2018 and a Bible verse to accompany each one as a source of motivation 🙂 :

• To get more involved with my Church Family.-~”You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”~Galatians 5:13, NIV~
• To serve the church I attend out of selflessness (Kind of like what I was saying in the last blog post about serving everyone out of love, even those who do not like you).~”For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”~Philippians 1:21, NIV~
• To lose weight for my health’s sake and not out of selfish purposes (I’ve literally been trying to lose weight for a while and nothing I do has worked so far. Please pray for me to be physically fit in 2018!)~”So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”~1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV~
• For God to reveal His purpose for my life to me (I have been praying about this since the end of 2017. Maybe God is using this time to humble me to trust Him the more that He reveals His purpose for me through prayer, even if it is not right away). ~”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.”~Jeremiah 29:11, NIV~
• That God will use me to be a witness to my family. (Since I’ve been praying for my family to be saved for years, maybe God will use 2018 as the year for me to LITERALLY not just be the example, but to be the hands and feet of Jesus to them. 🙂 ~”And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”~”Romans 10:15, ESV~

While all of these New Year’s Resolutions/Goals are good to have, I encourage you to remain prayer about me as I pray for my church, church family, family, and how God is leading me next. I know this blog post is very short, but this is how much that the Lord is leading me to write today. Stay encouraged. Thanks so much everyone and God bless! 🙂

~”Jesus wept.”~John 11:35, KJV~

2017 was painful. Very painful. I suffered loss. Great loss. I felt pain. Deep pain. Pain that cut my heart open to receive pain as I walked through and experienced this pain that was unknown to me that God allowed for me to go through. I now what it means to be in pain. The pain I went through brought me on my knees: to God.

It also brought me to repentance. Repentance as I cried out my heart to the Lord. And cried. And cried. And cried. Until I felt too weak to speak.

~”if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”~2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV~

The pain also gave me a larger heart. For people. Christians and non-Christians. I pray for those who bless me. I pray for those who curse me. I pray for my church. I pray for my friends. I pray for my family, hoping that God will save them and turn their hearts to Jesus.

The pain also gave me a greater heart to serve others, even in the midst of my pain. This can mean praying for others rather than myself, such as giving a phone call to a friend in need, praying for nations around the world that are going through a crisis or war, and praying for the lost to be saved. Not everybody has to know what God allowed me to walk through. That is my story to tell. But it is a command to serve those in need: Christian and non-Christian. Even those who do not like you. 🙂

~”God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”~Hebrews 6:10, NIV~

Yes, it is a command from Jesus. You must serve everyone: the loveable, those who you do not see you as loveable, and those who choose not to love you. Even in the midst of pain. And this is the hope that we, as followers of Christ, have in Jesus in that God is love. ❤

~”Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”~1 John 4:8, NIV~

God commands us to love EVERYONE. It does not matter what others think. It does not matter what others say to you or about you or even did to you that hurt you. Abandonment, pain, rejection, and loss are sad things to go through (speaking for myself), as a child of God. BUT, it is a command to serve everyone in the midst of pain because it reaps coals on the heads of those who hate you as you show them love. Haters can hate you for whatever reason that they choose to hate you. But haters cannot take the love of God that is in Christ Jesus away from you. Or that seed that God planted in your heart to serve others in the midst your pain. 🙂

~”Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a compliant against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”~Colossians 3:12-17, ESV~

The pain that God allowed me to go through also purified me. The tears I shed cleansed my heart. From the inside and out. While I felt bitter, angry, sad, and a lot of mixed feelings as I cried out to God, the tears I cried allowed me to die to myself and let the Holy Spirit of God into my life to change me: for the better, all while renewing me and making me purer, gentler in spirit, and sweeter than ever.

~”Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”~Proverbs 16:24, ESV~

God humbled me as I cried. It was as if He was spoon-feeding me honey, sugar, candy, and all of the sweet things of the world ( I know this sounds lame and stupid, but I think its a good comparison to express what I am feeling! 🙂 ) so that I see myself in a way that is reflective of the image and character of God. Who He is (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and How He made me! As I enter into Him and abide in His love and know that I am not a mistake, and that I am significant because God chose to make me and place me in this world: for a reason and a purpose.

~”For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”~Psalm 139:13-14, KJV~

God made me special and for a purpose. Even though I graduated with an M.A. in Global Studies from Liberty University, I am still trying to figure out the plan and purpose that God has for my life. I am not perfect. And I don’t have it all together. But I am absolutely surrendering to God’s leading in my life as I use 2018 to figure out the purpose and plan that God has for my life. God’s purpose and plan is always the best! And it leaves me smiling, even when I cry in the midst of the unknown and as God humbles me in moments like this to be patient and wait! 🙂

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I finally understand what it means to smile, even in the midst of my pain. I finally understand what it means to smile, even in the midst of the tears that I cry to God. And, I finally understand what it means to love unconditionally, even in the midst of my pain. 🙂

The tears that I cried are not in vain to God. I have to keep on reminding myself of this fact: They are not in vain. They are for a reason and a purpose. I thank God for the tears and for every single drop that was shed. They tell the story that God allowed me to walk through and what Father God allowed me to go through. God saw my tears. My Heavenly Father sees them and acknowledges, even when others do not understand.

~”I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”~Galatians 2:20, ESV~

And now, I end this blog post with a final note. I mentioned earlier how crying out to God refined me, making me sweeter. I have my moments where I reflect on people. Events. Memories. Places. Circumstances. And the good and the bad that God allowed me to walk through. I thank and praise God for all of it, while reflecting on who I am and how He made me. All for the glory of God and His Kingdom He has called and chosen me to serve in the midst of my pain.

I can now say in this praiseworthy prayer to God:

“Thank you Jesus! You are good, even in the good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent that I experience in this walk of my life that is beyond my understanding. You are good: in all moments of my life. You are good, in all circumstances. You are good, even as You give me the strength to smile in my pain. You are good, even as You hold my hand and tell me to trust You, even in the midst of my pain that I go through and things I do not understand, such as loss and change. And that is the hope that I have in You that is in Christ Jesus. I praise You and thank You for it, all while giving You the glory, the honor, and the praise.”

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen!

   God bless you! 🙂

Thank you Jesus!

I say this today for the breakthrough that He allowed to happen in my life: Father God FINALLY gave me the eyes to see into the lies of the enemy.

God delivered me: today. From toxic people. Toxic thoughts. They no longer run my life and no longer does passive bullying.

According to http://www.headsup.org.au, passive bullying:

“Can be harder to spot and can often be overlooked as a result. It can include subtle things such as offhand negative remarks or jokes; undermining colleagues through the quiet spread of misinformation; sabotaging a colleague’s work by withholding information; or deliberately socially excluding people. Bullying via email, text message, social media or instant messaging can also be harder for managers to pick up on.”

I put up with passive bullying: for one year. While I choose to not go into what those who passively bullied me did to hurt me, I can definitely say that God’s hand was upon me and that He delivered me from the toxic people. It was an act of God that allowed me to see into the enemy and his lies.

I was more than gracious, allowing my naive, innocent, and kind personality to be taken advantage of by people who I thought were my friends. I thank God for removing them from my life and for empowering me to move forward so that I can use 2018 to do what is necessary to heal and take charge of my life.

“God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”~Psalm 45:5, ESV~

I have forgiven the friends that passively bullied me. I have also released them to the Lord. I love them, but choose to not have them in my life so that I can use 2018 as a year to heal from the mental and emotional wounds they inflicted on me.

~”I, I am, he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance, let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.”~Isaiah 43:25-26, ESV~

Even though the mental and emotional scars that God allowed me to go through were painful and I did not understand why God allowed me to go through them, I now understand. God had a BETTER plan for my life.

~”For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”~Jeremiah 29:11-14, ESV~

God wanted me to go my own way and follow the destiny He had planned for me: with my church family to support me. While I did not fully know the purpose that God put my church family in my life, I can now safely say that God had better people (my church family) in mind for me who are for me: not against me, and will ultimately stand by me in the rough times. I praise God for them!

With that said, I walk into 2018, strong, bold, confident, and full of light and life for my church family and others around me to witness Jesus in and through me.

I go into 2018….

• radiant.
• bright.
• bubbly
• full of energy.
• loving.
• joyful.
• peaceful.
• destined for greatness (because I am fully confident in the destiny God has planned for me! 🙂 )
• As light, as God ordained me to be.

I thank You Jesus for my life and for those who You can use me to be a witness for in this dark world. Thank You for those who love me. Thank You for my church family. Thank You for the truth that is found in Your Living Word and that it pierces, even the lies of the enemy. May that light You placed in me continue to shine forth as You continue to mold me into the bold and confident woman who you have called me to become, in Your precious name! I release my past and those who passively bullied me into your hands and am ready for the destiny You have for me:

Starting today. I give you all of the glory, the honor, and the praise.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, dear reader! God bless you and keep you! 🙂

~”For with you is the fountain of life, in your light do we see light.”~Psalm 36:9, ESV~

In this moment of my life, I pray…..

• For peace.
• For joy.
• For healing.
• For restoration.
• For agape love.

It is funny how God allows one to walk through trials that God did not handpick anyone else to go through except YOURSELF. Painful. Yes. But true.

When you are in that darkest moment of your life and no one, not even church family or blood relatives, understands, it is in these darkest moments like this that teach you to trust God: WITH EVERYTHING.

You can ask for prayers, but no one is entitled or expected to understand the road that God has called you to walk on for the glory of Jesus Christ.

“But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”~Numbers 14:21, KJV~

I thank God for the tears. I thank God for the pain. I thank God for allowing me to come to a point where I can weep: just me and Jesus. Jesus and I. alone. In brokenness and surrender. In solitude. And prayer……all while eating a box of chocolates from a dear and genuine friend of mine.

Prayer is bittersweet and I thank God for it. I am at a point in my life where I trust God and only God. Just God. Me and Jesus. There is joy that can be found in the Holy Spirit as He guides you in all things.

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”~Psalm 30:5, ESV~

When others do not understand me and why I feel the way that I feel, it gives me more reason to pray for others to meet God and know more of who Jesus is as I meet and serve them where they are at:with a grateful heart, even when others resent me, don’t want to understand my story, or what God is doing in and through me as He refines me to be more like Jesus.

I love people. All people. I may not be perfect and have my flaws. There have even been times where I have been selfish instead of selfless for others. But God is definitely working in and through me, and it breaks my heart to see imperfections and sins when sinners themselves choose to resent me for reasons I do not understand, even as I serve them. So, I pray for them. 🙂

I pray for God to transform lives. I pray for God to turn frowns into smiles and tears of sadness into tears of joy. I pray for God to work, work, work: nonstop, until that one sinner falls onto his or her knees and trusts Jesus to save him or her: from self.

I pray for God to redeem lives. I pray for the world and the people in it to change. I pray for bitterness, resentment, and other feelings that are not Godly to leave the church: as spotless and pure as she is MEANT TO BE.

I pray for God to cure diseases and mental illness. I pray for war and violence to end in all parts of the world. I pray for miracles: healing in families that are broken, whether Christian or non-Christian. I pray for restoration of relationships and friendships that are broken and need mending……now!

God’s timing is everything. Everything. As no sin and selfish act of mankind is new under the sun to God. Even God:

~”There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot, 

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, NIV~

If you keep reading, you will know (if you have ever personally met me) that I try to be genuine, even in prayer, as I intercede for others and myself.

I am now going to end this blog post in prayer: for you, dear reader:

Dear God,

I thank you for the reader who was led by Your Holy Spirit to open this blog post and read it. I pray for your grace and agape love to cover that person all in your love and bless him or her as she reads it. I pray for any sin in that person’s heart and that any refinement of the heart will make that person tested, tried, and true like Job. Even blessed and pure. I pray for stories that the person has that are just as painful as mine that the person will know You through them. And Jesus. As he or she is guided by Your Holy Spirit. Empower him or her to be the change that You, O Father God, wish to see in him or her as he or she does life in this dark world. Use him or her as a guiding light that leads him or her straight to Jesus: today. Bless and keep every reader binded by the power of Your Holy Spirit and encouraged. I don’t have to be the one that leads that reader or person to Jesus, but I pray that someone else who You ordain to be salt and light will today. I pray that this blog post touched a life that needed to be healed and that healing will take place: today.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen! 

Is Jesus Christ politically correct?

This is a question I pondered over as I reflected on a blog post I wrote over one year ago called, “Love Your Neighbour.”

When Donald Trump was elected one year ago, I was shocked that he was elected as the President of the United States. Amidst the shock, I trusted God. I trusted Him with the future of the United States. And what that would mean. NOT from a political standpoint, which is of the world. But of Jesus Christ.

While I choose to not disclose who I voted for in the last election, I will comment on what I believe about Jesus Christ: I believe that He is not politically correct.

You may ask me why I believe this. It is because of what the Word of God states in Hebrews 4:12:

~”For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”~

The presidential leaders of America have a choice. They can either compromise or abide by what God’s Word says in the decisions that they make for the future of our country. I do not believe that Jesus Christ was a democrat. Neither do I believe that He was a republican. I do believe that He unites all Christian democrats and all Christian republicans together under ONE GOD, ONE SAVIOR, AND ONE LORD because of our common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the One who holds us together in unity. Adversity, strife, and division are not of God as that is what the enemy wants for America.

I will say that I believe that it is immature to mock those who chose to vote for Trump. I also believe that it is just as immature to ridicule those who voted for Clinton. Both political leaders are sinners. They are not perfect just like us. While I respect the both of them as political leaders, I will not compromise the Word of God with politics.

Politics is fleeting. It is an ideology that is constantly changing. From the traditional republicans to the progressive democrats. A human made thought that does not last eternally. It eventually dies as a new political thought is made, which will die eventually as another one is made.

My point is clear: I believe that Jesus Christ is not politically correct because He did not compromise what His Heavenly Father showed Him in His Word as He lived it out while doing ministry on earth.

His word stands. Forever. Not temporarily as other human ideologies. But forever.

~”All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of God remains forever.”~1 Peter 1:24-25, ESV

That is not to say that American political leaders do not represent Christianity in the decisions that they make. There are political leaders who I believe represent Christianity and its values. I also believe that there are leaders who have messed up in the decisions that they have made because they chose to compromise (give up) the Word of God in exchange with politics. Yes. Some American political leaders have chosen to give up the Word of God in exchange for politics.

You do not have to agree with me on this. In fact, it is a choice to compromise what the Word of God states and idolize politics. I am not a democrat. I am not a republican. I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

I am not just saved. I am a follower of Christ. forever. And will not compromise the Word of God for something that will not last and has no eternal value.

I know that God sees what is going on in this country of America. I also know that His hand is upon America. Only His Holy Spirit can have the power to win souls to Jesus Christ, including in America.

I also believe that America itself is politically correct in a sense of its people: Americans.

Americans. They are sinners, just like everybody else in the world, except they themselves do not see into the windows of their own souls with Godly discernment.

Sin. Sin is sin. It is what is separating Americans from Almighty God and into a relationship of indulgence with themselves. Self. And just as worse than that is for self to get so deep into self and so far away from the Word of God that that person chooses to compromise the Word of God in exchange for politics. That is the self of the average American today.

Americans have a choice. They can either live as saved Christians, as followers of Christ, or both. Now, I AM NOT saying that it is wrong to be saved. That is the whole point of the Christian faith. What I am saying is that to live as a Christian is to live out the faith itself, knowing that you yourself are saved and a follower of Christ as you live out what the Word of God says. And doing it daily. In a practical sense.

That is why I believe that Jesus is not politically correct. You cannot compromise the Word of God in exchange for politics of any kind. The Word of God stands. It always will. Always and forever.

Thank you for reading my post. God bless you. May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ meet you where you are tonight. 🙂

His Holy Spirit poured out on me: through what, you may ask? Through snow.

This is one of the reasons that I thank God for snow. It symbolizes many things. It represents brokenness of the human heart, repentance of sins, and inner and outer healing of the soul while all pointing to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Word of God states in the English Standard Version of Isaiah 1:18:

~”Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”~

Snow, a form of weather created by Almighty God Himself, can be used for His glory as it depicts who Jesus Christ is. Why is this? I have a story to tell, as it relates to how God grew me this past year from tests and trials.

2017 was a year of many ups and downs. By ups and downs, I mean trials and tribulations. I had to learn what it meant to forgive myself as it relates to my own sin nature (issues and baggage) and let it all go to God.

My two best friends from college chose to leave me. They chose to leave me because of issues with my inner self that I had to confront and deal with. While it is not clear to me as to whether or not they forgave me, I knew that I had a choice to make. That choice re-defined me. Who I am, as it pertains to my identity in Jesus Christ. Me.

Their sins and baggage belong to them just as my sins and baggage are mine. I chose to put all of my sins and baggage at the foot of the cross (NOT their issues, but mine). And leave it all there…..all while asking God to forgive me of my sins.

Now, how does this relate to snow, you may ask? It has everything to do with snow.

I was frozen. Frozen in sin. Frozen in fear and guilt that ultimately led to shame, which led to brokenness. I broke….mentally and spiritually…..then I broke down in tears to the point of crying out to God. It was at that point that I realized that I could not do it myself. I could not carry this heavy load myself.

Back then, I did not know how to handle my own sins. I was so naive that I was clueless. I was frozen.

I did not know how I could heal. I was frozen.

I did not know how to rebuke the lies of the enemy versus knowing the truths of God’s Word and what He thinks of me as His adopted daughter. I WAS FROZEN.

Then I found the Word of God. I found His Words. They healed my battle scars and wounds I dealt with before, during, and after I went on a missions trip to Japan this past year. I found my source of healing. The Truth of the Word of the Living God that is of Jesus Christ. I was finally able to confront my issues and give them to God so that He could deliver me from myself: my own worst enemy.

~”Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.”~Jeremiah 15:16~

The Word of God is sweet. Like honey, to me. I had to remember that as I basked myself in God’s Word this morning all while enjoying the snow. I repented by asking God to forgive me.

It did not matter to me, in that moment, what my two best friends thought of me. It no longer matters to me. I know God has forgiven me. And I am free because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. And that is all that matters to me. That healed me.

~”I am no longer frozen. I melt for Jesus. I melt for what He did for me. I melt for Him because of what He did to heal my frozen heart. He is always for me and not against me. Always. Always. And Forevermore.”~I Quoted This. 🙂 

Bitterness and an angry heart are not of God. They are of the enemy. They are of the world. They are of me because I am not perfect. I am a sinner. God’s Holy Spirit unfroze what I could not unfreeze. By His stripes, I am free, forgiven, and healed, in Jesus’ name. I live and claim that truth today. And all because of snow. 🙂

I am not a good person. Nor am I perfect. Or even the best. But I can say that I am forgiven and I am free, in the name of Jesus Christ. And that gives me a sense of peace because I left ALL of my baggage, sins, and issues with self at the foot of the cross.

Because of Jesus, I don’t have to carry the emotional baggage of others. Because of Jesus, my approval is found in Him and not in others. I am forgiven and free. I matter to him. He is my Heavenly Father.

Thank You Jesus!

God bless you dear reader. Go in peace! 🙂

~”I am who I am because of who God has made me to be.”~Dr. Charles F. Stanley, Living in the Shadows of Loneliness Sermon~

I listened intently to Dr. Stanley’s sermon today at First Baptist Church of Atlanta and have a couple of things I will share with you, dear reader, that I have learned since coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ….

1. No friend can bring the ultimate satisfaction in a relationship that Jesus Christ can. This was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way. After my best friends from college made the personal decision to reject me, I had to reevaluate my circle of friends. I even had to let certain friends go because of reasons that were threatening to my sense of peace, love, and satisfaction with my relationship with God. My relationship with God comes first. Friends second.
2. No family member can bring the ultimate satisfaction in a mother-daughter or father-daughter that Jesus Christ can. I love my family. I love them. Very much. And I honor both of my parents as the 10 commandments teaches. Since my relationship with God has grown over the years, I have learned to forgive both of my parents even through the pains that their divorce caused on me for many years. When you forgive a person, you have two choices:
   1. Let them go from your life.
   2. Set boundaries with them.
   3. Both

I chose to forgive them (not reject them) and set healthy boundaries with them that are good for my health and well being since that is the God-honoring thing to do.

3. No counselor, psychiatrist, or medication can permanently heal wounds. In other words, they just reopen back up. I have taken medication and seen counselors in the past in order to “cure,” my depression, but have come to terms after hearing Dr. Stanley’s sermon today that they do not heal you. They just lead you around and around in circles. I have learned that from experience. Only a true and pure relationship with Jesus Christ can heal you. I realized that Jesus is the Ultimate Healer and now, I am ready to receive all of His healing. May the healing begin. Starting now. Fully. In Jesus’ name.

I thank God for getting me through almost all of 2017. 2017 was a hard year. The hardest year in five years. I thank God for it though because it only made me a stronger woman of the King who delights in me. Who is using me to be salt and light at First Baptist Church of Atlanta. To my real friends. Friends from the past. And with my family. I thank God for it all. Thank you Jesus for the healing that is taking place right now. I receive it now, in Your precious name.

~”Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name.”~Psalm 100:4~

~”One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire upon his temple.”~Psalm 27:4~

~”For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”~Psalm 30:5~

May Christmas 2017 lead into a year full of rich and abundant blessings in 2018. May God bless you and keep you beloved. 🙂

This morning, God told me this:

“Sarah, it is time for you to go, grow, and let go.”

I finally came to this realization as I was journaling this morning. The Holy Spirit of God told me to do the following:

1. Let of the past. Letting go of the past is freeing. For me, I had been holding onto baggage. Baggage that had been hindering my spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional growth. It caused me a great deal of unnecessary worry, stress, and emotional pain for the year of 2017. God told me, “Let it ALL go. Give it ALL to me. Come to me as you are. I can carry this burden that you have been carrying for the past year It is not necessary for you to carry it yourself.” ~”Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for  your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”~Matthew 11:28-30~
2. Grow in the Woman I Have Called and Chosen You To Be. God has called me. Yet, He has chosen me for many things. I am now a news editor of Atlanta Christian Voice, a light to my twin sister (Yes, my twin sister as I have been seeing her a lot lately and talking to her about Jesus. God is good!! Pray for our relationship. 🙂 ), and a witness at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, my home church. I did not understand then why God allowed my friends from college to leave my life nor did I want to accept it then. He had a different and better plan for me. I can’t take everybody into this new phase of life and calling that He has chosen me specifically to fulfill. He set me apart from my college friends. He set me apart from the world. I am His daughter. Called and chosen for ministry, to serve others around me, and Jesus! Glory be to God and hallelujah!~”Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.”~Proverbs 31:30~
3. Just Go, O Daughter of Mine. Go. This was God’s final word to me this morning. He told me to enter into His rest, and go into the future without fear. My Sunday School teacher at FBA has been going through a Bible study on Hebrews. She emphasized for us, as a class, to enter into the rest of Jesus so that we can see His perfect purpose and plan that He has for us. Our futures. Which is far better than what we could have ever thought of, dreamed, or imagined. I FINALLY came to grips with this reality. I let go and let God cut the ropes that held me bondage this past year. I let go and went. I entered into that rest that is of Jesus Christ. I am free. I am a child of God. I don’t need others’ approval or, “say so,” if you will, to tell me when to say, stay, or go. That is God’s job. Because Beloved, at the end of the day, it is what God tells you and not what others have said to you. So, I have chosen to GO and fulfill that commission that God has called me into for His destiny because His destiny is my destiny. This is not just a command for me. It is a command for me to fulfill. His mandate. His mandate is my calling for the rest of my life. I thank Almighty God for this truth. ~”Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”~Matthew 28:19-20.~

Since I have done all of these things out of obedience, I am at peace. The peace of God, which surpasses my understanding. It guards my heart and mind as I guard all of me in Christ Jesus.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.”~Proverbs 4:23~

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”~Philippians 4:6-7~

I thank Jesus for surrounding me with His love. I thank you beloved for reading this blog. May the Holy Spirit of God empower you to let go, grow, and live for His Kingdom as I have done. God bless you!

“Sarah doesn’t have her priorities straight.”

This quote was said to me from a person I know, who knew my two friends from college, who decided to end their friendships with me for the reason stated: They thought I did not have my priorities straight. Here is my response to what this ignorant woman said through this woman I know (Even if they are reading this and don’t want to read this, it is for their own good. Keep reading if you want. Otherwise, stop if what I say or the Word of God says offends you):

“I’m not perfect. I’ve messed up. A lot of times this year, as a matter of fact. It is humbling for me to admit when I am wrong. At the same time, it empowers me to be able to be vulnerable, open, and honest with you about how the Lord is working in my life. He is transforming me and continues to transforms me. Grace by grace and day by day. During the time that I got my M.A. in Global Studies, I got into an argument with the both of you (I’m going to say it again: If you are the friends who are reading this, keep reading. Otherwise just stop if what I am saying and if the Word of God offends you).

One of you sent me an email with the statement, “I hope that we can both move forward forgiven and free.” I have a question for you when you make this statement, “Who are you to judge me for my sins when you have not even come to the Lord with your own sins and baggage?” The Word of God says in the Gospel of Matthew 7:1-5:

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”~Matthew 7:1-5~

You do not have a right to judge me where I am at spiritually when you yourself do not even know how you have sinned against me. Believe me, O daughter of God, it is humbling to admit where you have stumbled and failed God, even in your walk with Him. That is where the forgiveness begins. That is where true healing begins. That is how you can truly move forward forgiven and free. I can say this because this is what I had to do for myself in order for me to realize that I’m not only forgiven and free, but a daughter of the King too. ~”Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.~Hebrews 4:16~

You also do not have a right to tell me where my heart is. One day, I had a true friend tell me, “Thanks for sharing your heart,” after I gave a presentation on a Japan mission trip at my church. She was inspired of how much I love God and have a heart for the Japanese. It may not seem as if I don’t have as much of a heart for the Japanese as you do, but I DO have a heart for the Japanese. My priority is ministry. My priority is to serve. My priority is to love those in the world and not the world itself. Ministry is a job in and of itself because it is what ALL Christians are called to do, regardless of their background, family, friends that they have, etc. I love Jesus and HE is my top priority. ~”Anyone who does not love does not love God, because God is love.”~1 John 4:8~

Finally, I understand that you have moved on with your life. With that being said, I am moving forward too. God has better plans for me. Better plans for my life than I could ever dream or imagine of. He has allowed me and is allowing me to meet better people, who actually take me seriously and my priorities seriously, and have a genuine desire to serve God and others. As I said, serving others and ministry are my priority while Jesus is my top priority. So, your statement, “Sarah doesn’t have her priorities straight,” is a false statement and a lie and I rebuke it, in Jesus’ name. ~”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.”~Jeremiah 29:11~

No. You do not have a right to judge me. No. you do not have a right to tell me where my heart is. I understand that you have moved forward, but so have I. I am forgiven and I am free. Good bye. God bless you.”