Tag Archives: obedience

Jan 29 2012

Her Children Arise Up and Call Her Blessed

A question was asked based on the recent video that Tyler Perry recorded about success, How to Be Successful. 

Question: “Do you all think God predetermines success?”

My response:  We are all given what we need.  In God there is no failure. 

Then another question was asked, “Do some get a headstart?” with Blue Ivy used as an example.

I believe that each generation is based on the decisions and obedience of the previous generation.  For example, King Saul’s children could not proceed him as King because of his disobedience.  His children had not been disciplined or instructed to fear the Lord.  They sought after the desires of the flesh.  King Saul was eventually proceeded by King David due to his own lack of obedience.  “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. ” 1 Samuel 15:22-23

I even went on to take it one step further.  Abraham was a righteous man, strong in faith and obedient to the instructions of the Lord.  He instructed his children in the same manner.  He believed that if he did not obtain the promises of the Lord in his lifetime that God was still able and would fulfill it with his children.  This faith was passed on from generation and generation (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).  They never stopped believing but they STAYED ready to obey the instructions of the Lord and receive all that had been promised. 

 Some of us have a delayed inheritance because of the disobedience of those who came before us.  It doesn’t mean that it is no longer available but it is going to take some work.  Generational curses have existed since the days of Adam and Eve, but can be broken.  I choose to obey the instructions of the Lord and walk upright before him in all that I do, so that I might be blessed and my children blessed.  “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Proverbs 31:28

“Building relationships of accountability  and trust with all roads leading to love.” RATL

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Jan 22 2012

I Won’t Budge

English: Page 2 of the letter sent to me (JW S...

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Have you ever set your mind to something and regardless of what came your way, you knew you were meant to accomplish it?  Your family and friends were slow to support and in some cases spoke against what you were passionate about.  While I was resting, I won’t budge came to my mind.  No matter what I go through or the criticism that comes my way, I know that without a shadow of a doubt, I am doing what I was meant to do.  Fortunately, my family has been right there to support me.  But for it to be confirmed in so many ways, leaves me in awe.

I received a letter from a mother/grandmother on this past week.  She had purchased a copy of Sunday Mourning and a Mother 2 Mother Tee.  The two items had been sent out separately, thus arriving at different times.  She writes, “Thank you for sending me the book and T-shirt.  I finished the book.  I just received the T-shirt as I was walking out the door.   I rushed back in and had to put it on.  After reading the book, I had a lot of emotions and questions i.e. sadness, sorrow, hope and why.  I am glad that you shared, be encouraged.”  After already purchasing both items, she included a check in her letter.  I do not take that blessing lightly.

I will continue to share my testimony and my ministry through whatever platform that God allows.  I won’t budge and neither should you.  I thank God for Sunday Mourning.  Weeping may endure for a night but joy is coming in the morning.

“Building relationships of accountability and trust with all roads leading to love” RATL

Nov 2 2011

Making Progress Through the Process…

So as some of you may know, I am always up for a challenge when it comes to my writing.  I push myself to the limit at times but I can definitely see the results.  It has kept me motivated, focused and disciplined.  So I have decided to take on the WNFIN Challenge (Write Non Fiction in November).    This challenge consist of non fiction authors completing an ebook, book proposal, booklet, etc.  Many of you have asked about my next book.  Well it is coming soon.  Though I may finish the writing, it will not be published until Spring 2012.  Which also gives those who have not yet read Sunday Mourning, a chance to catch up. 

After writing and self-publishing, Sunday Mourning, I knew I had a lot more in me to write, I just didn’t expect it to come so soon.  But I have recognized writing as being my process through which God allows me to reflect, heal, grow and reach others.  I write about the issues that most people allow to eat at them behind closed doors, suicide, emotional abuse, rejection, fear, etc.  Each word that I write, I feel a weight lifted and an area of weakness healed.   

The writing of Slaying My Goliath has begun.  I have actually completed a chapter and started on another.  Though I started this challenge a day late, I think I can still meet the deadline.  I have blogged openly about my journey over the past year.  I’ve had some ups and some downs but I have learned the lesson in some and realized I must dig deeper into others.  Slaying My Goliath deals with those areas in our lives that we struggle with that are bigger and in some cases stronger than us.  They try to take us down in one blow.  They come to distract us and keep us stagnant in growth.  Their goal is to keep us from getting to the next level in our purpose.

I am reminded of the story of David and Goliath.  We all know the story.  Goliath was a Philistine man of great stature and strength.  His size and strength wound up being no match for David.  David could have been easily distracted by Goliath’s size but David knew how great of a God he served.  I am conquering my Goliath because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. 

What are some of your Goliaths?  It’s time to take them down.

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Oct 18 2011

Who Moved?

When I began this journey, I thought that it ended at a specific location; a destination.  Instead, I have realized that the journey does not end, it just brings new experiences, lessons to be learned and battles to be fought and won.  I could stop here, by choice, or I can continue on and see what the end will be.   For a short while, I had gotten comfortable with the place I was at; I was content.  “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

But then I noticed a shift, my usual prayer life was no longer enough, my daily devotions, meditations and fellowship.  I began to feel as if I was alone.  I felt more distant in my prayers, not even knowing what to pray because I felt God knew my heart.  See I was content with the healing that had to been done in my life, but I knew that my healing was not the end of my process but the beginning.  After shouting “YES” in the beginning, my “YES” became a whisper.  I was being pushed or maybe pulled, because God had been leading me the entire time, but I wasn’t moving.  I no longer struggle with the strongholds of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness, rather fear, shyness and lack of confidence.  So now I sit and ask, “who moved?”

I had to reach out to someone, my mentor.  Though I couldn’t clearly describe the space that I am in, she was able to explain to me what was happening.  “ You can feel the pull to come up higher, but the fear of knowing what “higher’ is keeps you stagnant…The enemy has your mind so clouded with fear that you can’t even hear from the Lord…”  She encouraged me to just lay prostate before the Lord.  She was embarking on a fast this week and her words were “ I am taking you with me”. 

My desire is to do what the Lord has called for me to do.  “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13  I began my 40 day journey two weeks ago and I refuse to turn a 40 day journey into a 40 year journey.  Lord I am available to you.  I am drawing you closer and no longer pushing back.  I trust that everything I need on this journey you have already saw fit to equip me with.  I need to walk in it and believe, for we walk by faith and not by sight.  I am releasing the fear and doubt.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

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Oct 1 2011

Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work

I’ve come too far to turn around, but what’s keeping me in the wilderness? We will all experience a wilderness period at one time or another. Some will turn back to old ways but some will embrace the experience and seek to learn what is being taught. “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. Psalm 86:11

Last year God gave me (3) areas to study and understand, while he was freeing me from the bondage of my past: strongholds, surrendering and transparency. I had to realize that there were some things in my life that had a stronger hold on me than I had on them. I had to trust God enough to surrender them to him and believe that he would heal those areas that had been so deeply wounded. Transparency brought me to a place of complete trust and faith. My scars became proof of God’s faithfulness and bare my testimony.

There are (3) more areas I must learn while in the wilderness: faith, obedience and patience. My faith has been developed and has kept me seeking more truth and believing that He will never leave me nor forake me. “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:6 Obedience has caused me to believe the vision that was given and continue working towards bringing it to fruition.

Now patience…

The other day my daughter came to me and said “mom I just want you to be happy, not irritated or frustrated.” Two days later, she came to me and said the same thing. I did not realize it until I began researching the wilderness experience, that she was speaking of having patience. I guess I wasn’t demonstrating patience. According to dictionary.com, patience is defined as the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like; an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. And all this time, I thought God wasn’t speaking to me but he used my daughter to give me a word.

Patience is a lot like a thermostat on an A/C unit; it regulates the temperature. The thermostat makes sure its not too hot or too cold. Patience regulates one’s character, causing one to respond consistently to whatever circumstances presented instead of reacting. Patience says God is preparing something better when we don’t get what we want. Patience says there must be more to learn rather than believing we know it all. Patience says, “though he slay me, yet will I trust him”. Patience assures that a firm foundation has been built and will allow things to be tore down in order to ensure the leaks and cracks have been sealed.

Character is developed as the result of a wilderness experience and patience is the best lesson.

“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:4

Aug 2 2011

It’s a New Season

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  Philippians 4:11-13

For the past 18 months, I have toiled with exactly what the outcome would be once God brought me out of such a desert place.  I learned to be satisfied in the midst of my circumstances knowing and believing that it was all working out for my good.  I have learned that whatever my circumstance that they are working on something in me that I may not see what it is at the present time, but God sees and knows all.  I have learned to go without but also when to reward myself for the labour that I have done.  I have learned to be humble because I am nothing without him, but self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.

So as my season shifts, my focus is remaining the same.  I am just fulfilling the vision that God gave and holding onto his promise.  I can no longer deny the shift, because I am not in control of the doors that GOD is opening.  I am being obedient and walking through each one of them as he continues to lead and guide.  I witnessed God prepare my table in the presence of mine enemies.  I am doing what he called me to do.  He allowed me to carry this purpose and he gave me the strength to birth it.  Lord I love you and I am walking into my new season, with no hesitation only expectation.

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May 19 2011

Do You Really Know Me…

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” Isaiah 46:9

As I am approaching a year now that I have been blogging; a year that I spent writing Sunday Mourning; a year spent developing Mother 2 Mother, I ask myself, do those that are following my blog, leaving comments, tweeting me or liking my facebook statuses, know me.

What you see is what you get, but how I arrived at this point, has definitely been a journey; a journey of pain, at times feelings of defeat and to say the least full of trials. You see that mother that some tweet about or are even bold enough to write about on your facebook statuses, “the welfare mama”, that’s been me. In a blink of an eye, I went from making $50k a year, to one-third of that. With the same bills to pay and children to feed. I was told that its a privilege to have a car, that I should consider moving from my residence to a lower income part of town, the whole nine. At times, I thought I would lose my mind, but I knew it was a greater purpose for all the pain. I had to actually walk through the sufferings of those that my heart yearns to serve. I had to understand the mindset, the power of someone telling you “you can’t” when you know you can. I had to live through it and it was only by the grace of God that my mind has been kept. We can all say what we would do, but I’ve shown you what can be done and what I will continue to do through faith.

Yesterday I was contacted to assist a mother who had just relocated to Las Vegas, NV and had been sleeping in her car at night. With no hesitation, I was on it, making phone calls, brainstorming what needed to be done. Then I thought about the scripture in the Bible of the woman who used her last to prepare a meal. If my last is giving up a bed in my home, then by all means I’m giving it. I have to be the change that I desire to see. My circumstances haven’t changed much from last year, but my faith has definitely increased. I know that there is a blessing with my name on it. Everything that God has placed on my heart, every vision, dream, project, program, etc. will come to pass.

I’m speaking for organizations that I never knew existed until now. I’m more focused on my relationship with God than I have ever been before “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 I’m conducting interviews about “little old me”. The comments and the emails that I receive about this blog are amazing and to God be the Glory.

This journey began with me dealing with 3 areas in my life: (1) Strongholds; (2) Surrendering; (3) Transparency. I knew this day would come but I also knew that someone would need to hear/read this. You can make it, keep your head up, square your shoulders and keep going. God will keep you in perfect peace. He has never left me. My soul is richer than ever and I am making room for my blessings.

It is ironic that on tonight while on Dr Juanita Bynum’s 40 day consecration on the Threshing Floor, she spoke a word, FINAL. She spoke to get ready. I knew that this would be part of my testimony but I wasn’t prepared to share it until things had completely changed. But I know its on the way. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

Apr 28 2011

Sowers and Reapers

“The sower soweth the word.” Mark 4:14

I spoke to a friend of mine today and he mentioned needing some assistance with getting marketing materials for his company. As we began to discuss different things, he stated “alright well help me make it happen”. When we ended the phone call, I immediately thought to myself “Am I a reaper or a sower?” Understanding what season you are in makes things a lot easier, I am in my season of sowing.

So then I ask, what does a sower do? A sower motivates, encourages and supports the efforts of those whom they are surrounded by. I may not have the financial means to sow a financial seed to all but I can sow information that can save money, the key is to add value to the lives of those you are surrounded by. I also pondered the idea that I must have a strong foundation of sowing because even as a reaper one must continue to sow. The sowing never stops.

Recognize which season you are in and govern yourself accordingly, I guarantee it will help to lighten the load and give you the strength to keep going. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

Apr 14 2011

Day 25 – I Give Up

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39

Have you ever just wanted to throw in the towel because you feel like things are taking too long to progress and it seems like your circumstances just won’t change? Does is seem like things are proceeding in a way that you hadn’t plan for or intended? Sometimes we start moving so fast that we think everything else should move with us. I have even said, “I am getting ahead of myself”. When in fact, it was God that I was getting ahead of. Lord I Give Up! Lord take out anything in me that would cause me to continue to pick up my will and substitute it for your will. I don’t want to be partially in your will, but totally submitted to those things that you would have for me to do. I don’t want to get ahead of you and start believing that I can do anything on my own, for it is through you that all things are made possible.

Apr 11 2011

Day 24 – Shifting gears but not shifting focus

April 24th

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It will almost be a year since I began blogging the journey that I was committed to embarking on last year. I actually enjoy re-reading some of my post, especially when I am not in the mood to forgive or when I have lost sight of the vision. I must say when you put things in writing you have no choice but to follow through on them. At times, I thought to myself this is more painful than liberating, but I can honestly say that I feel freer than I ever have in my entire life.

Now I must shift gears. I have always had a hard time talking about myself, which some may call marketing. But I am going to maintain the same focus that I began with, not on me but the transformation, that HE has done in me. I have gone from a victim to a victor, from a writer to an author, from a listener to a speaker and none of which I could have ever done on my own. One things is for certain, I was obedient.

Some may ask the question, “Who is the attended audience for your book, “Sunday Mourning”? My response would be anyone who has ever said the church was full of hypocrits, pointless and had walked away feeling hurt. I went through that same pain and hurt, I was so focused on what the people were doing that I could not maintain my focus on what GOD can and will do for those who truly seek him. So as I step out on faith and allow to you take the journey through some of the most painful, difficult and transformational moments in my life, I pray that it motivates you to press through any obstacle that life brings you and know that HE has not and never will leave you or forsake you. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1