Thought For The Day...

"Everybody's acceptance is not a blessing..."
- Pastor Steven Furtick

Thought For The Day...

“Remain relevant or face extinction.”

-SoSerene

De-Clutter

When I first read this quote, it resounded with me due to the fact that I’ve always associated clutter with physical things.  However, as I thought about how my life has changed over the past few years, I realized that by me trying to bring my old lifestyle, habits, traditions, and yes things along with me - that I was cluttering up my new landscape.  The more stuff that I was trying to cram in, the more smothered and suffocated I felt. 

(Sigh)... it’s okay to let go and start afresh, to begin anew, to purge, simplify and re-design life.  Yeah, I’ve had that picture hanging on my wall for the past 10 years and yes it signified my strength as a female, but it was as a single female and I’m no longer single, so let’s display something that signifies the strength of a Godly marriage.   This is just one example for my life and you can apply whatever you will to yours.  

I’m about to join the 40 club and like most of my girlfriends, we are rediscovering/redefining  ourselves and embarking on new journeys in life.  As we all go forth in this new season, don’t be afraid to de-clutter so that we can all together breathe a sigh of relief.  

Love Yourself - Respect Yourself

Just a reminder...

A New Me...

First and foremost, Happy New Year!!!!

It has been a long time since I've had the gumption to put my thoughts down in writing, but here we go.  Life has changed...

Yes, it is as simple as that - my life has changed, as I'm sure yours has as well.  Marriage, motherhood, relocation, changing of relationships, and the list goes on and on.  Throughout it all I have evolved and become more wise to the things of life and taken on more accountability for my actions and state of mind.  Becoming responsible for people other than yourself has a way changing you into a person you never knew was there on the inside.  Being a wife and mother has brought such joy and fulfillment to my life.  I've been able to accomplish things that I never, ever believed possible - like having a baby without an epidural.  LOLOLOL!  Being almost 40 and completely rearranging the life that I had spent years building was a challenge, but worth it.  This all as shown me more of God's faithfulness; His grace and mercy and most importantly -His Love!

Change is not always comfortable, but necessary.  Don't be afraid to embrace the new, the foreign, the unknown.   As I welcome the new me, I applaud the new you.

Quote from @luthermckinstry

Happy New Year!!!

2017 was a good year and I'm looking forward to 2018 being even better!!!  

"Thank you God for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough."

-Garrison Keillor

Happy New Year Friends!!!

Thought For The Day...

"What you think and how you feel is irrelevant to how I live my life..."

- SoSerene

Blessing or Bondage?

What are you calling a blessing that is causing you grief?  Don't get it in your mind that you will never experience a day of pain or displeasure. 

"Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world."

I Peter 4:12-13 NLT

However, when reflected upon in totality, there should be joy in living.  It has never been God's intent for us to live a life of consistent misery and grief.  The joy that you experience should be as a result of knowing who you serve and knowing that as a child of God, you have direct access to the blessings that He is willing to freely give. 

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10:22‬ ‭KJV‬

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have."

Philippians 4:11 NLT

Doing things on our own or outside of God's will is when we fall into bondage.  When we are ungrateful about our path of life and we try to expedite processes and make decisions without talking to God, we fall into bondage. As a result of our own efforts, what we call a blessing becomes bondage.  

"Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."

Psalms 27:14 NLT

Self Sabotage...

When we ask God to move in an area of our lives, we don't get to dictate to Him how to move.  We might ask Him to open or close a door, to bring or remove someone from our lives, or better yet to help us be more like Him.  However, once His process begins, per our request, we at times act out.  Don't sabotage what you've prayed for because you can't appreciate the process.  

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace....”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ 14:33 NIV

When the Lord does a thing, we may not understand why He does it the way He does, but I believe that He's always days, months, and even years ahead of us.  

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:9,11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When Abraham questioned God in Genesis 15 about who would be heir to all the blessings that God would bestow on him, there was no need for him nor Sarah his wife to intervene nor act out.  Once the words were spoken from Abraham's mouth, God already set a plan in motion.  But like them, we can sometimes get in the way.  God does not need our help to be God!

Don't sabotage what you've prayed for.  Trust God!  Trust His process. 

To Each His Own...

As my husband and I sat, conversing with another couple this past weekend, this rang out so loud in me - "to each his own."  Not that these good people spoke ill or anything in that regard, but we all are allowed to live our lives as we see fit.  So many times we make comments about what people do, what they drive, where they live and how they decide to make a living.  The truth of the matter is this - no one asked for our opinion nor our commentary.  Your perspective on a situation does not make it gospel, so just allow people to live as they please. If you see someone in a destructive lifestyle and they reject wise counsel, pray for them and keep it moving.

About a year or more ago, I would say, "it is what it is and if they like it, I love it."  I don't want someone scripting my screenplay, so it's not right for me to do it to them.  My mind also went back to a message that my Pastor preached about a week ago called "Stay in Your Lane." God didn't call you to live for or think for someone else. To each his own. Just because they don't do it the way you would does not make their way wrong.  

I Thessalonians 4:11 "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands..."

I Am Filled....

I Am Filled....

I am filled with Joy

I am filled with Peace

I am filled with Courage

I am filled with Hope

I am filled with Truth

I am filled with Patience 

I am filled with Forgiveness 

I am filled with Understanding 

I am filled with Grace 

I am filled with Love

"There but for the grace of God, go I..."

- John Bradford

Good Looking Out...

"Instead of expecting things to go wrong, look for things to go right!"

I've determined in myself to live this quote in 2017. This has been a year of monumental change in my life; from selling a home and moving twice to building a new home; from having a baby to resigning from corporate America! And the list goes on...

Change brings excitement and feelings of uncertainty.  Throughout all the changes, there were times when I honestly didn't look for things to go right and that was wrong of me.  So today, the saying dropped in my spirit   ..."Instead of expecting things to go wrong, look for things to go right!"  This is what I plan to do going forward, in every area of my life.  

God continues to remind me to “Be still, and know that I am God...”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:10‬ ‭KJV‬

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God loves us beyond our wildest dreams, but we have to realize that we play a part in generating our own peace.  His word tells us:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

"Instead of expecting things to go wrong, look for things to go right!"

Thought For The Day...

"Stop altering your dreams and ultimately your destiny due to the opinions of others."

-Soserene

Thought For The Day...

"Living a life of worship reveals a life of order."
- Pastor Kelley Steele

Unsolicited Bad Advice...

Do you know when someone is giving you bad advice?  If so, do you know how to respond to it?

It's bad enough when the advice is unsolicited, but even worse when it's bad advice.  Today I had someone attempt to direct me in a part of my life that is extremely sacred, but what they advised was contradictory to the word of God.   What made matters worse was that it was an older person who was supposed to be mature in the faith.  Thank goodness that I have common sense and know the difference between right and wrong and enough spiritual maturity to not be offended.

There are a few points to remember when someone gives you advice:

• Does the advice given line up with the word of God?
• Does the person giving advice have experience in that subject matter?
• What is their motivation behind their advice?
• Does the person giving the advice have a joyful demeanor?

While the advice given today, the person thought came from a good place in their heart, it fell on deaf ears because it promoted selfishness and pessimism, portrayed a negative outlook on the future and promoted the love of money over harmony.  Because their experience in that area was negative, the advice they gave didn't come from a good place.  Beware of unsolicited bad advice...

Isaiah 5:20... Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

I Timothy 6:10...For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Ephesians 4:29...Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Thought For The Day...

Stop making everything about you, and ask God to show you who He has assigned to you, for you to bless.

-SoSerene

What Have You Learned?

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2016!!!

The past three New Year's blogs have been challenges for us to be better individuals, by making intentional efforts to change our behaviors:

2015...No Excuses, Just Results - Refuse Negativity!

.....I've learned that when you make up your mind to do something good, you tend to meet unprovoked resistance from external forces.   But you have to be persistent and press forward.   In the meantime, go on living...

2014...Pursuit of Excellence! Try & Try Again!

.....Not all change is bad and not everyone will agree with your decisions.  I've lost good friends, changed churches, gotten married and changed positions at work, to name a few.  Some of these changes have been uncomfortable, but there has been remarkable growth as a result.  

"Change is inevitable; Growth is optional..."

- John C. Maxwell

2013...Focus Shift - It's Not All About You!

....I learned that when you make another person or people your focus, you get stretched.   God has to pull you outside of your comfort zone in order to accomplish His will.  But the gain completely outweighs the pain.  

What have you learned over the past few years?  Hopefully you can take the lessons learned and grow from them, so that you don't have to repeat the cycle.  Let 2016 be a year for continued progress and not do-overs.  

May you be God centered this year, forward thinking and forward moving....

In the Meantime, Go on Living…

Have you ever wanted something so bad that it constantly dominated your thoughts and almost stopped you in your tracks? Like it just put your life on hold and you refused to move on until you got it because if you move from this place, you might miss it when it comes?  I know I have and this morning as those thoughts plagued my mind, another thought super ceded and said, “in the meantime, go on living.”  I have my thoughts of how the course of my life should flow from jobs to promotions to friendships, but then the job changes and the friendship grows cold.  Hhmmmm – that wasn’t exactly how I planned it all out.  Then I was reminded that I’ve never really been in control and His word spoke to me:

Jeremiah 29:11-14(MSG)

This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.

Matthew 6:30-33(MSG)

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think He’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way He works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

When you and I recall to mind that our primary objective is to serve God; to seek first His kingdom and to spread His gospel, then the others will fall in line.  I don’t have to put life on hold while I wait for that “thing” to come.  In the meantime, go on living.  Go on living in the things of God.  Stop fretting over what was, what is or what is to come.  Enjoy the days that the good Lord has allowed us all to witness.  

In the meantime, go on living…

The Art of Gratefulness...

I believe that when the same topic of conversation surfaces more than once on the same day that I need to stop and pay strict attention.  As I drove to and from work today, I was engaged in conversations that made me feel the need to repent for being ungrateful.  It would seem that the more we have, the more ungrateful we are.  

A close friend traveled to a place where there lived some very impoverished people and it made me reflect on how much stuff we collect: bigger houses, more expensive cars, good jobs and surrounded by people who love us, but yet we still are not happy!  To top things off, I had a conversation with a co-worker who was in tears because she was allowing stress and unhappiness to cause physical illnesses to manifest in her body.  Instead of being grateful for the life that she has now been afforded, she continues to reflect and dwell on the the prior sad situations of her life.  I told her that someone else was depending on her to get over those situations, so that she could help them get through and to be grateful for where she is now.   The situation was bad, but it didn't take her out and that's enough to thank God for.  

I had to just stop and proclaim to myself how good God truly is.  Based on how I grew up, I never would have imagined that I would have accomplished what I have today nor have the luxury to live as I do.  Yet, God is good and I can stand as a testimony of God's grace.  Today I choose gratefulness!  There is something every single day to be grateful for - if you so choose!

My friends, let us not become distracted by what is going on around us and drawn into the nonsense of this life. Let us remain focused on what is truly important and love the lives we've been afforded to live.  

"Do everything without complaining..."(‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ NLT)

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred." 

(‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1-2‬ NLT)

REMEMBER - Someone else is happy with far less than what you have.

- Unknown

Talk about your blessings more than you talk about your problems.

Is It Me?

"Everywhere I go, there I am..."
- Unknown

I heard this saying once from a co-worker and within the past few weeks, it has been ringing in my ears.   I am pretty sure that I have written on this before, but feel the need to circle back.  I've encountered many people on my life's journey due to the professional position that I hold and I've made many observations.  One of which is that people do exactly what they want to do.  It is as simple as that.  We all have the right to make choices in life and one of those choices is our demeanor; our attitude; our behavior. And in having an intimate relationship with Christ, we as believers are held to a higher standard when it comes to the choices we make.  

As a result of this intimate relationship with Christ, I have an advantage over many others who have no hope.  For I know that I have a Savior who can and will deliver me from anything negative that I might encounter, but it is my choice to accept that deliverance and go happily on my way.  Or I can choose to remain in a state of discontentment as if I have no hope.  

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the LORD pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:5-8‬ ‭NLT

“I think myself happy....”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered...”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:32 ‭KJV‬‬

As indicated in the scriptures, I have a choice in my demeanor; I have to take action and that action is to call upon the name of the Lord, to meditate on His word and His goodness and He will avail Himself to me.  As a result, I do not have to stay the same.  

Everywhere I go, there I am... Change starts with you!  It starts with you wanting to be different, to think differently, to act differently.  You have all the help you need and that help is in Christ Jesus.  So stop dwelling on the past misfortunes of life and willingly receive God's deliverance for your life, because you just might be the only thing holding you hostage.  Therefore, since we know that people do what they want to do - change will come when you change.