Celebrate

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

During this time of the year, most reflect upon the year and make new year resolutions that they know eventually they will break.  I figured instead, let us reflect upon all the things God did throughout the year.

For example, this time last year, my mom was experiencing going back and forth between hospital and rehab.  She spent the first six month of the year like this.  All kinds of valleys happened, including an amputation.  BUT GOD…we the enemy came in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord lifted a standard against it.  My mom is yet here, independent, yes she is still not having it, and praising God through it all.

2012 was let’s say an interesting year, however, the saints of God can yet praise HIM for His goodness, for His mercy, and for His grace.  There is a season for everything…now is the season for celebration.  Let’s celebrate our relationship with God and make a joyful noise before HIM!

 

Praise HIM saints!

The All Men Are Dogs Syndrome

How many times have us women said this?  I know at one time I was the president of this statement.  Yet are men REALLY dogs?

Hmmmm…let’s look at this a little further.

Some men have opened their heart to a woman and as a result, that woman took advantage of it. Having a feeling of vulnerability from that, that same men wants to protect his heart.  So his actions makes him looks like a slut, when really he is trying to stay numb for that experience.

Another scenario is some men may just fear the word commitment.  They may even tell you this from the beginning, but we as women think we’re going to change them. Yet what made him like that?  Could it of been his parents’ divorce or being raised by a single mother?  If a man doesn’t want to commit and you do, um, move on.  Save yourself the emotion and time!

 How about that guy that is sweet and single.  He just hasn’t found that person he feels is the one for him.  Yet some women may take it as if he’s so good, why is he still single?  Then they find themselves looking for him to be that “dog”. 

Truth…

When women are saying “all men are dogs”, what they are really saying is I’ve been hurt and I want to be numb from it.  This is away to protect our hearts.  Yet ladies, it goes even further.  Believe it or not, men can hurt too.  They can be doing the same thing we are doing, protecting.  However, they express it different then we do. 

So instead of putting past relationship experiences on the next on, let us as men and women take time out to heal, learn, and then move on.  Ladies, let us pray for our brothers to be the best that God met for them to be!  Let us heal from this syndrome and have better relationships as a result.

Stay encouraged!

PS:  special shout out to @toddalexander for inspiring this post.

Just A Thought....

We've all done it one time or another.  You are upset about something you feel you have no control over.  Instead of just telling it to your spouse,  you take your anger or hurt out on them.  This chain of reaction can only cause another moment that’s really unnecessary.  So it begs the question, why do we do it?

I say it’s one word, vulnerability.  Yes, we as women like being strong.  We don’t want to really admit we are weak to our husbands.  So instead, we take things out on them.  For example, I was concerned with some news I got on my mom in regards to her health. I expressed it but not in depth.  Instead I found myself just leashing out at my husband.  “Why you didn't do this?” “What are you doing?” “You spend so much time on this.”  When I really should have been saying “I could use you to pray with me right now.” “I’m feeling weak in this area.”  “I’m scared.”

The truth is, there are times we just need to be comfortable being vulnerable with our spouses.  Yes, it nice to be independent and have our own, but marriage is a partnership.  It’s no longer I but we.  Sometimes, we just need to let our hair down.  Our spouses would appreciate it more, as they will know what’s really the issue.  Let’s face it ladies, sometimes it’s just not them! 

Stay Encouraged

One Voice Can Make A Difference!

As Sofia of Golden Girls would say, picture it.  You are a African American woman that feels like you already have two strikes against you; being a woman and being black.  Imagine your voice not being heard during election time.  Picture all the marches, all the pain, and even some violence you would have to endure in order to get the right to vote.  The right for your voice to be heard!

August 26, 1920 was a good day for women.   It gave them the right to vote.  Also the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ended discrimination African Americans were experiencing and allowed particularly those of the South to vote.  Someone marched.  Someone sacrifice.  Someone endured even violence so that you and I as women and those of us that are black can have the right for our voice to be heard.  So that we can have the right to vote (http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage1900/a/august_26_wed.htm. / http://www.core-online.org/History/voting_rights.htm. )

I know Christians are torn with Obama because of his decision with the gay marriage issue.  I say this, from his position, I can understand as it goes towards discrimination.  No one should be discriminated against!  Now we all know how God feels about that, if not, read your Bible!  My purpose is this, Christians, get out and vote!  Due to the history of our nation, I feel we disrespect all those ahead of us that fought so hard for us to have the types of right we enjoy today!

Proverbs 29:2

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

1 Timothy 2:1-3

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior…

As Christians, we must pray for our government leaders and our nation.  With that, it is also wise to do our parts and get out there and vote.  Remember the scripture faith without works is dead.  Some things not only requires faith, but also requires us to do some work in order for things to be done.  So I encourage you to vote and continue to pray for our nation and its leaders.  If for nothing else, do it for history sake!

God bless!

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Oh that smell, the cold atmosphere, seeing that white jacket approach the room; yes it's the hospital.  It is a place that no one likes or plans to be at, yet find themselves there from time to time.  Can you picture that love one that has to watch a family member or the love of their life suffer?  How about that family that's been told the news of a person having only six months to live?  Do we just leave them at a time of vulnerability, or do we be right there by their side?  It ponders the question, what is it to really love?

We all know the scripture of 1 Corninthians 13:4-7

Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, doe not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bearsl all things, believes all things, hope all things, endures all things.

Bottom line, love is service!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 1415

If you love me, keep my commandments.

God is love and His ministry while here on earth was service.  How many times did we see Jesus heal, cast out devils, deliver, encourage, and teach?  Did He spend his time trying to get the next big things, no, He was in service.  He was in love.  Now its easy to show this love to a love one or a friend.  Yet what about that person that makes you want to say Lord, if i could have just five minutes to tell this person off.  Lorrdddd!  Well, here's some more word:

Matthew 5:43-48

You hae heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those  who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.  That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain to the just and the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Whew.  Let's just take a moment to let that marinate.

So if they lied on me, I have to pray for them.  Yes.  So if they done me wrong without a cause, I have to pray for them.  Yes.  So if all they want to do is cause an episode, I still got to pray for them.  Yes.

John 13:15

For I have given you and example, that you should do as I have done to you.

If we really honor our relationship with our God, we have to follow His example.  At times, that is going to hurt our flesh!  I be the first to admit my first thought in certain situations is not to pray for the person, but to tell them where they can go and how they can get there.  Yet that contradicts me loving Him.  It contradicts my service in Him.

No one said it would be easy, but that's where Avi (Father) comes in!

Psalm 142:2

I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my trouble.

When I discovered this scripture, I went what.  Then I got to putting my complaints before God.  I'm sure God was like "oh she found my word. Here Yvette go".  Hahaha.  Yet I have found a peace within this scripture.

God your word said to pour my complaint; my co-worker is getting on my nerves God.

God your word said to pour my complaint; this family member of mine is about to make me go in God.

He told us to cast ALL cares upon HIM; that includes the complaints, the troubles, and even the episodes.

It doesn't mean its a sin to be angry.  We can be angry, but sin not!  It doesn't mean we sometimes can't rebuke.  An open rebuke is better than a secret love.  We just can't stay there!  Didn't His word say the weapons of our warfare are not carnal...so staying in the flesh is going to basically equal flesh.  Prolonged anger goes to bitterness.  Bitterness turns into affecting you, not the other person, you!

When you have time, check out this website on bitterness (http://www.demonbuster.com/bitter.html).

Think about it....

Is it really Sister Sue that's causing you to act out , or a demonic influence behind Sister Sue?  Is it really that family member that always causes some drama, or is that person really needing deliverance?

When we are able to take the time out and look at these things in the spirit, it makes it easier to love.  It makes it easier to pray for that person and be sincere.  It makes it easier to serve.  Besides, isn't that just want God did with us?  Saints, we got to love like our Father.  It's within that love we must serve.

Stay encouraged.

 

 

A Woman’s Killer, Low Self-Esteem

If you’re still old school about certain things like me, how many times do you pick up your average magazine and see the beautiful woman on the cover and say to yourself “why can’t I look like her?”  For me, my moment is when I look at Beyonce. Yet it never dawns on us that after the make-up artist, hair dresser, clothes designer, and professional photographer finishes, we can look just like them too. LOL

Yet we need to deal with something that torments even the most beautiful women around the world, low self-esteem.

Low self-esteem can have a woman do things she shouldn’t be doing, dealing with a relationship she should have discontinued, and even sometimes act bitter towards another woman as you may long for the security she possess.  The truth is low self-esteem is a killer that can cause death in your life!

For example, I didn’t always know my worth.  I was in a relationship where the guy basically needed some deliverance from lust.  Yet knowing he was cheating on me, why did I stay.  Why did I feel like at that time if I didn’t have a man in my life, I wasn’t worth anything?  I found myself in a soap opera, The Young and the Restless, all because of low self-esteem. 

Think about it, when a woman knows her worth, she is not putting up with things for the sake of.  She knows she deserves better than that, and in return she receives better.  Yet that woman with low self-esteem can receive total opposite.  It can stem from cultural backgrounds, our parents, school, etc.  Yet if not dealt with, you can be bound to a miserable time within yourself.

The root is the spirit of rejection.  For those that believe in spiritual warfare, we must bind the spirit of rejection and seek God for deliverance from past hurts that maybe affecting us today!  From the website www.demonbuster.com: 

Rejection

Feelings of being Rejected, Refused, Repudiated, Declined, Denied, Rebuffed, Repelled, Renounced, Discarded, Thrown Away, Excluded, Eliminated and Jettisoned.

Yet what is our sword, God’s word!

 

Proverbs 3:26

For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

Proverbs 14:26

In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.

1 John 5:14

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears  us.

Did you catch that?  Our confidence lies in our God.  Think about it, we serve a God that has rose people from the dead. He has healed so many diseases. He has even resurrected Himself from His own death.  So of course he can heal low self-esteem.  He can heal you from that parent that said you won’t be anything.  He can heal you from that boyfriend that tore you down emotionally.  He can even free you from society interpretation of beauty.  He’s Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer.

So I encourage women to go to our God and be free from the bondage of rejection whose symptom is low self-esteem.  There is liberty in Christ.  Get your confidence on in HIM and be blessed!  Stay encouraged.

Stop The Pumping!!

As I entered early morning service, I reflected on the words of enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  So why as the minister was speaking, it sounded like he was trying his hardest to get the saints to worship our God.  Why does it appear now we have to get pump up to praise??

Have the saints as a body taken our salvation for granted?  No one should have to pump a saint up in a service especially for praise!  Who woke you up?  Who brought you through?  Who kept you?  Who has been faithful to you? Who gave you that car?  Who gave you that home?  Who gave you that job? Think about it, if it had not been for the Lord who was on our side…..whew.

Saints, I know life has a way of letting us down.  Yes, it’s only human of us to be discouraged from time to time, but there’s power in our praise.  Healing takes place. Deliverance takes place.  Heaviness leaves.  Peace enters the room.  Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.  You are breathing, right?

So keep this in mind the next time you enter to a service.  Dwell on Psalms 150,  and show up with a spirit of praise and worship. Didn’t His word say where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is in the midst?  I don’t know about you but I need our God to be in our midst.   Nobody should have to pump up a child of God for some praise.  Our God has been TOO good to us!   So let’s step it up saints!  PRAISE HIM!

Time to Let It Go!

My story is different.  I praise the Lord that I was never addicted to drugs or to alcohol, although that doesn’t make me perfect.  Instead I watched both my parents be full blown alcoholics and having to deal the roller coaster ride that comes along with that.  The fighting, having to help my mom into bed while cleaning up vomit, and my dad losing a good job because of it.  Yeah everybody in the club is getting tipsy but no one talks about the next day.  It was those next days that made me not be interested!

Then one day I watched my mom accept Christ right in her living room.  You see at that time, they were faithful partiers, not faithful church visitors.  Praise God for ministry through television.  At first, I thought my mom lost her mind.  I thought the effect of the alcohol has really taken over and now she will need psychological care.  I didn’t understand the transformation that was going on within her.  Then a miracle happened!  I watch my mom take her two best friends, her bottle of alcohol and cigarettes and threw them down the toilet.  There wasn’t an AA meeting (thank God for those) but the power of God that healed her from that addiction.  It was that moment that made me give my life to God.

Although I don’t have an addiction story, I have a hurt story.  See when I first entered church, I thought it would be the one place that would like Heaven on earth.  So when I experienced that some saints acted worse that some sinners I knew, I was devastated.  I will spare the details but the hurt caused me to walk away from God and the next thing I knew, I was involved in things I had no business being involved in, as I knew better.  I went into a state of rebellion due to church hurt.  I ended up cutting myself off from God’s presence, and for two years my prayers just bounced back from the walls.  His grace is sufficient but you don’t want to frustrate His grace! Eventually I received God again but I never forgot that feeling of not feeling his presence.  All of this because of church hurt.

Yet I was never fully healed from that hurt.  I am the type that soon as the benediction is being said, I’m already walking towards the door, as I find myself not wanting to be bothered with church folk.  I praise the Lord and leave.  I want to avoid knowing anyone in fear of that hurt again.  BUT GOD!

It’s funny how God uses things, even twitter to show us things.  I have begun to see that there are truly some sincere saints out there.   There are some that love the Lord and show the love thy neighbor as thyself through their actions.  A simple card when one is down, or letting a person know you are praying for them; it maybe little things but they mean so much.  The act of love is priceless!  I feel led to say let it go.  That person that was your best friend, but ended up betraying you, let it go.  That lie they told out of jealously, let it go.  That man that was saying he was saved and love the Lord but somehow persuaded you to fornicate, let it go. Even that pastor that is supposed to be the Sheppard, but hurt you as well, let it go.

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Hebrews 12:15

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; f he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22.

I’m sure I am not the only one walking around praising the Lord, but have this deep hurt inside their heart. Yet it’s time to let that hurt go!  Be healed from the hurt in Jesus name I pray, amen!

NEVERTHELESS…

As husband and I were watching Ever Increasing Faith with Pastor Frederick Price Jr., he brought up an interesting word-nevertheless.  It is a term we really don’t use today, yet it awakes you when you hear it.  See what I mean with the following scriptures:

Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. Jeremiah 33:6

Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. Acts 5:13-15

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 1 Corinthians 7:16-18

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
 1 Corinthians 11:10-12

Nevertheless…three words combined to make such a powerful statement!

My mom has been through a trying time.  She has recently experienced having her right leg amputated.  I didn’t know what to expect from her when the doctors first told us the dreadful news.  Yet she said something prevailing, she said they can touch her body but they can’t touch her spirit.  She is YET feeling praise within her through it all.  She doesn’t realize it, but during all this she has inspired me in so many ways.  My mother is a nevertheless type of saint.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:32-33 

Yes, I wish we could all live a problem free type of life, but the reality is we don’t.  Some storms can come and knock you right off your feet.  Yet do we give up?  Do you blame God?  Do we turn our back on Him?  Or we will be the nevertheless child of God?  Even when we don’t understand, nevertheless.  Even when we are feeling worry, nevertheless.  Even when we are feeling doubt, nevertheless.

As my mom encouraged me, I encourage you to be the nevertheless in your walk with God!

Tired of Trying....

The past two months, I’ve been trying.  Trying to help the best I can with love ones. I’m trying to play peace maker with family members.  I’m trying to be understanding with situations.  Giving when I really don’t have it like that.  Has anyone been there?

The truth is trying can be draining.  There are moments when I just break down and cry, as I feel so helpless.  I am doing all I know how to do and yet feel like I am hitting a brick wall.  Such things like anger, frustration, guilt, sorrow all comes to my emotions.

Yet should we stay being controlled by our emotions?  The word says to stand.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm (Ephesians 6:13).

 Stand therefore, having your lions with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

So I will yet stand…in the midst of feeling drain, in the midst of feeling angry, in the midst of feeling sorrow, I will yet stand.

So I encourage all that may find themselves in a period of trying to yet stand.  As I encourage you, I encourage myself!  Let’s continue to know our worth; not only as women, but as women of God as well.