Affirmations to Start Your Day!

Affirmations to Start Your Day! 

Deuteronomy 14:2 tells me that I am treasured. This scriptures says,  "You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure." 

I am treasured. I am holy. I am chosen. I have been set apart. I am favored! I affirm myself in the Lord because I am Loved by God!

Crosswalk is one of my favorite publications. I find myself reading an article or two almost daily. Sometimes I just browse through the articles until I find something I need for the moment. I usually do this after I have read the Bible, or something I read in Crosswalk will lead me to God's word. Either way, there are many encouraging articles for Christians no matter what you need in your daily walk. 

 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/-biblical-affirmation-to-start-your-day.html 

I am Blessed!

When to Let Go?

 When to Let Go?

Jesus said this, in Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

R.J. Thesman, a Contributing Writer for Crosswalk.com writes, "We can’t know everything that happens after death – and truthfully – we probably don’t want to know everything. Yet I believe God is so loving, he sometimes allows us to “see” or “feel” into another realm to remind us he is omnipresent and always caring.  Years ago, I read an anonymous quote that still encourages me today: “Since God is with us, and our loved ones are with Him – then they’re not very far away.

I embrace this perception that my son is with God and God is with me meaning that Austin is not far away from me and neither is your loved one very far away from you. 

I wrote this poem a few months ago in dedication to my son who passed away 3/11/21. I miss him terribly every single day. I think about him every single day. His birthday is today, February 12th. Happy Heavenly Birthday my Beloved Angel. We'll reunite again in heaven. I have to let go of the grief and loneliness I feel without you, but know that I will always love you! 

When To Let Go?

When to let go, I don't exactly know

All I know- I will have to let go,

Because holding onto this pain won't bring no change.

I keep remembering when things were all right.

I keep remembering the things I did right.

When to let go, I don't exactly know.

My mind holds on; my mind don't wanna accept that you're gone.

My heart gets numb from knowing I have to let go.

So I ask myself, when to let go, so I say to myself- I don't exactly know.

There's so much I cherish and I hold on to, 

There's so much I remember and love about you.

I tell myself it's time to let go, I tell myself this, but I don't really know.

Has the  time come for me  to let go?

As I remember the precious time gone by, 

As I remember the day you left, it makes me wanna  cry.

Some peace in my mind, I need to achieve some peace of mind depends on me.

I ask myself when to let go, I tell myself, but I don't exactly know .

But I know I don't have to fully let go-and I know the presence of your spirit brings me Joy! 

When our loved one knows Jesus and leaves this side to be with Him, their spirit lives on as we carry them in our heart. I am learning to live in my space of peace, as I feel Austin's presence around me. I don't have to let him go because I will forever carry my son inside of me. I will embrace his peaceful spirit, because from my understanding of death, God allows our loved ones to look in on us until we see again. 

I Have Joy

I Have Joy! 

Nehemiah 8:10 says, the joy of the Lord is my strength.” 

Justin Holcomb writes, “‘Grace is the opposite of karma, which is all about getting what you deserve. Grace is about getting what you don’t deserve.”’ August 11, 2022. 

        Because of His Grace, I have joy in my heart that I can not explain. When I sit alone with myself praying and meditating, I feel His presence. Then I understand that I am not alone. His Grace does not cost me a thing; it is a beautiful gift- beautifully packaged in His love. I also understand that I did not do anything to earn His gift of grace. It is free; it is truly the gift that keeps on giving me joy.

        Knowing this, gives me hope and peace of mind. I am blessed with joy in my heart and in my soul. I will always have joy because I will always have the Holy Spirit.  He is the Giver who just keeps on giving, and I can not do anything to stop His giving. 

        When I mess up, I am given forgiveness. When I am in need of something, I am given provision, when I am sick, I am given healing, when I am hopeless, I am given hope, when I am tired, I am given strength, when I am worried, I am given peace, and when I am sad, I am given joy. I understand that I function through His Grace, which is the source of my joy. 

        When I pray, I remind myself that the joy of the Lord is my strength. Even if I do not feel what I am professing, I profess it anyway. Eventually, I get there; this is why I embrace this scripture. I understand that joy transcends my feelings and it embraces peace and contentment. I understand that joy is a practice and a behavior. It is an inner feeling that helps the outer countenance. 

            When the scripture says that the joy of the Lord is my strength. I believe it especially on the days that I really need strengthening.  I am so thankful that through His Grace- I have Joy!

This song by Cece Winans is so inspiring and says it all. Please check it out!

https://youtu.be/_LFpy9tRTw8

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A Place to Rest

 A Place to Rest 

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burden and I will give you rest.”

        Sometimes I spend too much time stressing and worrying about the wrong thing. I know it is the wrong thing because it is meaningless to my purpose in life. It is meaningless because it is a worldly thing. I know I should not be concerned about the cares of this world because the cares I worry about are not of the Lord.  Therefore, they are meaningless to God’s mission and purpose for creating me.  

        We live in this world, but we are not of this world is what the scripture teaches believers. What this is saying is that my position in Christ, while on this earth, makes me different. I love this next scripture too. Psalms 139:13-14 says, "for it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb, I praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made." This says that I am set part from anyone else. There is no one else on the planet just like me. My lifestyle and behavior is to be different for He created my inward and outward parts unique and different. The care and attention God took to make me is simply amazing! I belong to Him- this is why He tells me to come to Him when I feel worried or burden with care. The created needs to go to the Creator!

        My behavior should be different because I know who I am and I know "Whose" I am. My behavior should always be godly and pleasant to my Creator. This world and the way it operates is not for me to embrace. I am literally a stranger here. The scripture teaches me so much about my relationship with the Lord.

        The way the world does things is not God’s way nor should it be my way. Just because my thoughts come from me does not mean they are in line with God’s word; unless, I  embrace and live by His word. I have to check my thoughts and decisions daily. When I pray and receive an answer for clarity, I usually know instantly if I am in the flesh or in the spirit. If I am in the flesh, I have to correct myself and abandoned my wrong behavior. I have to repent and ask for forgiveness.

        Praying with faith gives me a different perspective about life. If that godly perspective is different from mine I know mine did not come from God. What He gives me is always right, even if it is uncomfortable. My thoughts can seem right, but I need to be alert. Honestly, seeking and choosing His way is difficult to the flesh. Yet, I have to be obedient. I have to correct my wrongs because I know the flesh will and does mislead me. 

        His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I become infused with Him. I did not understand what this meant. I had to study and read more to understand it. He says, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your soul.” When my soul is weary and burden, He is the only One who can give me perfect peace. When I let go and let God, there is no more stressing or worrying. My soul is at rest and my soul is at peace. 

        Whatever happens to be my situation at that moment, when I turn it over to Him, it belongs to Him. I release it and He receives it. I do not have to pick it back up. I become stress free and worry free. His yoke is easy like that and His burden is light.

He's Got It!

He's Got It! 

Hebrews 10:30 says, "For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, The Lord will Judge His people."

        I remember the hurt, disappointment, ugly words, negative responses, and the overall negative energy often expelled toward me by others. Here lately, every time my flesh tries to seek revenge or take me there when something mean happens, the Spirit tells me to let go and let God. When I try to treat others like they treat me, I remember that His word says, "Vengeance is Mine," and I can not do it. This is all it takes for me to let it go. When God says, He has got it; He means it. Right then, I have a choice to accept and believe His word or not. I choose to believe it.

        I heard a famous pastor say the most profound thing once. He said, "The way people treat you is between them and God, but the way you respond to how people treat you is between you and God."  I was like, "Oh my God! I get it, now. I understand." I can not act like they act or respond like they respond. He reminds me that I am different, I am a peculiar person, and I am Holy, because He is Holy. I am set aside for His purpose to be effective for His kingdom. 

        It is not easy, because I live in the flesh and my flesh likes what it likes and wants what it wants. If I would let it, my flesh would rule over me and keep me distanced and disobedient to the Spirit. When that happens, there are consequences to pay. Over the years, I have had to pay many consequences, and that was no fun. Now, I am doing better.

        A few years ago, I worked to bring a well known local theater to my high school to perform a live play for the students. I presented the idea to the principal and the faculty at a meeting. The principal was hesitant because of the culture and climate of the school at the time, but a teacher spoke up saying, "I think it will be good for the students to be exposed to something different." The principal finally agreed, as well as several teachers. That teacher speaking in favor of it, is the reason I assumed I had some support. I worked diligently to make it happen. I shared the information in the mail boxes of the the main ones whose support I thought I had, but it just sat there. I soon realized that I would have to make it happen by myself. I decided to invite the middle and elementary school students to participate. Their principal accepted the invitation, and two buses of students from their schools joined us at the live performance. 

        It was a success. The teachers whose support I thought I had did not come to work that day. Neither did the principal, but I had the Holy Spirit's help. I had prayed about it and was pleased with my attitude and determination to make it work. I was grateful to God for blessing my efforts. I got the school a discount on the performance, and the principal paid the fee to the theater for coming out. It all worked out. 

        As it turned out, I had all the support I needed. I do not know what that experience meant, or why I thought about it. I only know not having help did not feel right at the time. Nevertheless, my prayers were answered. What was meant for bad, turned out to be pretty good.

        Oxford dictionary says, vengeance also means a comeback or satisfaction. Again, I was pleased with the outcome. I share this scripture to say, as believers, we must have faith in His word and let go and let God; then everything will work out like it should.

Why Not?

Isaiah 54:14 says, "I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me."

         I am on a journey to see the fruits of my labor over the past several years. I have been laboring and toiling for quite some time now. Like anyone else, I have made my share of mistakes in life, but I have  never given up on trying to get to my dreams. I have always held onto the God given hope inside of me. I am sure over the years, I have messed up some opportunities that were provided for me to step into my dreams. I know now that I gave into the fear of not knowing. If I am to be honest, I did not have the  faith to walk towards my destiny when I had a chance. 

          Oppression is not just physical, it is mental as well. It is a mental state of being or sense of being that I put in my own mind. I thought I had more faith since I had been in church for many years and was taught about the Word at a young age. As a teenager, I was still attending church every Sunday for five or six hours a Sunday. My lack of faith in God's grace, hope, and love meant that I was not where I thought I was. Now, I often reflect to try to figure out why my choices and decisions were grounded in senseless fear. 

       The truth is during that time, I did not have enough faith in God, but now I do. Looking back, I am so glad He never let me go. My upbringing taught me more than I realized. I am grateful to my parents for keeping me grounded. I was raised up in the church, so when I got older, I never gave up on hope. 

        Here I go again. I ask myself why stop trying? My failure or delays are not reasons to give up on my dreams. Here are the questions I ask myself. Why not finally take God at His Word and see where my, "today faith," takes me? Why not get out of my head and get out of my own way and trust the God of grace, hope and love? Why not walk in faith and obedience while God has given me another opportunity? Why not stop wearing the badge of fear on my chest and embrace faith? Why not free my mind and continue to grow? Why not believe the scripture when it says that I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me? 

        God's word tells me that I will not be disgraced or put to shame. I know God is my Redeemer and He is my hope for today and every day. He is my everlasting kindness. He tells me that in righteousness, I will be established and have no fear. I believe Him.

        I have spent too much time trying to do freelance writing for other people. Today, I am stepping out on faith and writing for myself. God said write; start your blog. Today, I am doing it; I am obeying Him and I truly love it. I only hope my story resonates with someone reading this post and it blesses you.