Merry Christmas! The reason for the season- Jeaus Christ! From the manger to the cross to the empty tomb! Let us never forget it's not about the presents, the money people spend to impress people, it's all about the birth of our Lord and Savior- Jesus Christ.
It's been a year since I've posted and God has worked in miraculous ways. God has allowed many assignments this year. Many assignments- many posts to come
Some call me "Angel", some call me "The Jesus Lady", some call me "Pastor T" and "Sunshine" and some call me "Jesus Freak", but God calls me "His". I devoted my life to Christ many years ago and asked God to place me where ever He needs me to be and to use me so that others may come to know Him. Follow me through my journey as an Earth Angel as I go through the various assignments God has chosen for me and the wonderful Blessings along the way! It has been quite a adventure!
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Why Does This Keep Happening To Me?
A simple question one may ask, so it there a simple answer? Well, that will depend on you, or the person that keeps asking the question. Let's dig deeper to get to the root of why and what's happening.
First off let me paint you the picture. You may see yourself in this picture or you may see a friend, spouse or relative in this situation- the person goes to church listens to a short 15 minute sermon, prays everyday and believes and loves God. God has blessed the person and they are good-hearted and loyal to people. They believe they are as close to God as they can get. Well, when crisis hits this person, whether physically or financially, they don't understand it, and only when the situations turns dire, only then do they make it a priority to earnestly seek Gods presence, guidance and peace. Once they get rooted in Gods Word and truly begin to obey and listen to God, is when God allows their situation and crisis to flip in their favor. They now are seeing manifestations if their obedience to God and see how God delivered them. They have a praise in their heart, and a peace that only God can give. But wait, do they stay that way? I wish I could say yes, but unfortunately as the days go by they soon have things in their favor and they are back on top again and begin to slide back to their old ways. They begin to not pray as long, not read Gods Word as long and just are so busy now. Their peace and contentment they knew now is filled with stress and negativity. Their attitude changes and they seem to forgot the happiness and peace they had when they were fully obedient to God.
Then it happens....crisis hits again, and again and their negativity is getting the best of them. Then here comes the question- "Why does this keep happening to me?" I can tell you why, and it's only because God had to teach me this lesson so I wouldn't have to keep going around and around the mountain, time and time again. You see God sees our potential for His Kingdom. He wants to bless us and raise us up for Him, but if we are only truly obedient to Him when crisis hits and we are down in the valley, but forget Him when we are on the mountain top, we will continue this lesson until we pass. Until God knows we will obediently follow and seek Him in the good times also and not just the bad times. He wants full obedience to Him, a commitment to Him and to pass this test to be brought up higher by God, we must listen and obey. Continually seeking Him in and out of the valley by devoting time in prayer, and in His Word daily and a true loving obedient heart that seeks to do God's Will will be the answer to "pass our test". You see God wants a deep, soulful relationship with us, He loves us and wants to add to us and give us His strength and power to overcome any situation, but we have to be willing to put in the time to God daily. Only through diligent prayer, reading and meditating on His Word and a righteous heart that is eager to seek God and hear His voice daily, will we have true long lasting peace that surpasses any situation.
So see if you continue having situations or crisis hit you and you don't understand why, evaluate your life and how you are spending each day. Are you only devoted to God when things get bad and hard and that's when you need Him to bail you out? Only to slack off when things are going good and you feel you can handle things yourself? Are you seeing negativity and complaints come into your daily speech patterns? If yes, then that is your answer to why situations and crisis keep happening to you, because you deserted God when things God better. You will continue going through these situations if you haven't learned the lesson. God wants a full time devoted relationship from you, not part time!
First off let me paint you the picture. You may see yourself in this picture or you may see a friend, spouse or relative in this situation- the person goes to church listens to a short 15 minute sermon, prays everyday and believes and loves God. God has blessed the person and they are good-hearted and loyal to people. They believe they are as close to God as they can get. Well, when crisis hits this person, whether physically or financially, they don't understand it, and only when the situations turns dire, only then do they make it a priority to earnestly seek Gods presence, guidance and peace. Once they get rooted in Gods Word and truly begin to obey and listen to God, is when God allows their situation and crisis to flip in their favor. They now are seeing manifestations if their obedience to God and see how God delivered them. They have a praise in their heart, and a peace that only God can give. But wait, do they stay that way? I wish I could say yes, but unfortunately as the days go by they soon have things in their favor and they are back on top again and begin to slide back to their old ways. They begin to not pray as long, not read Gods Word as long and just are so busy now. Their peace and contentment they knew now is filled with stress and negativity. Their attitude changes and they seem to forgot the happiness and peace they had when they were fully obedient to God.
Then it happens....crisis hits again, and again and their negativity is getting the best of them. Then here comes the question- "Why does this keep happening to me?" I can tell you why, and it's only because God had to teach me this lesson so I wouldn't have to keep going around and around the mountain, time and time again. You see God sees our potential for His Kingdom. He wants to bless us and raise us up for Him, but if we are only truly obedient to Him when crisis hits and we are down in the valley, but forget Him when we are on the mountain top, we will continue this lesson until we pass. Until God knows we will obediently follow and seek Him in the good times also and not just the bad times. He wants full obedience to Him, a commitment to Him and to pass this test to be brought up higher by God, we must listen and obey. Continually seeking Him in and out of the valley by devoting time in prayer, and in His Word daily and a true loving obedient heart that seeks to do God's Will will be the answer to "pass our test". You see God wants a deep, soulful relationship with us, He loves us and wants to add to us and give us His strength and power to overcome any situation, but we have to be willing to put in the time to God daily. Only through diligent prayer, reading and meditating on His Word and a righteous heart that is eager to seek God and hear His voice daily, will we have true long lasting peace that surpasses any situation.
So see if you continue having situations or crisis hit you and you don't understand why, evaluate your life and how you are spending each day. Are you only devoted to God when things get bad and hard and that's when you need Him to bail you out? Only to slack off when things are going good and you feel you can handle things yourself? Are you seeing negativity and complaints come into your daily speech patterns? If yes, then that is your answer to why situations and crisis keep happening to you, because you deserted God when things God better. You will continue going through these situations if you haven't learned the lesson. God wants a full time devoted relationship from you, not part time!
Have You Ever Felt Unwanted & Rejected?
There have been many a time that you may have felt not wanted or rejected? I use to feel this way a lot and felt like no one cared. Before I devoted my life, heart and soul to God, I felt alone, sad, rejected and not wanted. Always feeling I was not good enough, was pushed to the side and looked down on.
Recently my son made a trip half way across the U.S. And spent many a night sleeping on a hard area of concrete in a garage with no heat, and was alone many nights. He was shuffled from Louisiana to Texas and back to Louisiana until he could get enough money saved up to buy a bus ticket to get back home. He felt and experienced homelessness, hunger and rejection. He spent many nights in a drunken stupor from hurt, pain and wanting to be loved. He learned how to survive. He learned appreciation of the basic necessities.
He made his way from Ruston, La., to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and more to get home. He has seen and experienced having much and having nothing. The worst feeling was the feeling of rejection that he never thought he would have to experience.
His experience reminds me of
The Prodigal Son in the Bible. Many in our family said don't take him back, but he would be left to die. It was my husband that said, "I know how it feels to be rejected and lonely and no one is willing to help him and he will be dead if left with no one and no where to go". We wanted to help our son not only mentally, physically but spiritually and are currently helping him on all 3 levels. Once my sons relationship with Jesus Christ is restored, he will truly feel the love of Christ and rejection will be no more!
No resources were willing to help us or couldn't help us. Lots offered advice but no one would follow through so my husband and I knew if he was to be helped and survive, it would be through God and us. When it comes down to it, people are scared and fear is from the devil, not God. Experiences like this show us it is ultimately up to us and God to help. God can and will replace rejection with restoration, hurt with hope, pain with peace, and loss with love.
Be Blessed!
Recently my son made a trip half way across the U.S. And spent many a night sleeping on a hard area of concrete in a garage with no heat, and was alone many nights. He was shuffled from Louisiana to Texas and back to Louisiana until he could get enough money saved up to buy a bus ticket to get back home. He felt and experienced homelessness, hunger and rejection. He spent many nights in a drunken stupor from hurt, pain and wanting to be loved. He learned how to survive. He learned appreciation of the basic necessities.
He made his way from Ruston, La., to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and more to get home. He has seen and experienced having much and having nothing. The worst feeling was the feeling of rejection that he never thought he would have to experience.
His experience reminds me of
The Prodigal Son in the Bible. Many in our family said don't take him back, but he would be left to die. It was my husband that said, "I know how it feels to be rejected and lonely and no one is willing to help him and he will be dead if left with no one and no where to go". We wanted to help our son not only mentally, physically but spiritually and are currently helping him on all 3 levels. Once my sons relationship with Jesus Christ is restored, he will truly feel the love of Christ and rejection will be no more!
No resources were willing to help us or couldn't help us. Lots offered advice but no one would follow through so my husband and I knew if he was to be helped and survive, it would be through God and us. When it comes down to it, people are scared and fear is from the devil, not God. Experiences like this show us it is ultimately up to us and God to help. God can and will replace rejection with restoration, hurt with hope, pain with peace, and loss with love.
Be Blessed!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Who Will Be There for You?
In the past 10 years, God has shown me, during the hardest times in my life, "Who" will truly be there for you. Usually trials and tribulation will build character and strength during the process. However, trials and tribulations can also show you a person's true character. It can be hurtful when you truly believe folks are genuine in their care and support, but when the rubber meets the road, they back away, judge you and try to deceive you. There will be also people who will act genuinely concerned about you but their only intention is to gossip about you. God will give you discernment and "show" you a person's true intentions and motives. It may hurt and sting, especially if you are like me and try to see the good and potential in everyone. Just be prepared for if you kindly pull away from folks that are like this, be prepared! They will become mad and upset with you and your name will fill their conversations.
It's ok, for God will handle them and He will comfort you and give you strength you need. No matter who hurts you, bails out on you, or criticizes and judges you, always know the one that you can trust that will be there regardless is Jesus Christ. He will never leave you or bail out on you when times get tough. He will give you strength to go on and when everyone else runs out, He will be the one left standing there holding your hand!
It's ok, for God will handle them and He will comfort you and give you strength you need. No matter who hurts you, bails out on you, or criticizes and judges you, always know the one that you can trust that will be there regardless is Jesus Christ. He will never leave you or bail out on you when times get tough. He will give you strength to go on and when everyone else runs out, He will be the one left standing there holding your hand!
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Don't be Ignorant! A Warning from over 2,000 years ago!
Don't be ignorant! Yes, Paul warned believers in God's Word over 2,000 years ago, not to be ignorant concerning the Word of God. If you don't know your rights as a child of God, how can you defend yourself? Many times after we have been knocked down for the umpteenth time, had to dust ourselves off, and stand back on our feet, we repeat the same question, "How did that happen?"
"Where did that come from?" "Why does the same thing keep happening to me?" So, what is the lesson we are not learning that causes us to keep repeating the same cycle over and over?
Well, first of all we need to open God's Word and read Ephesians 6:10-13
Next, recognize your enemy! Put on the whole armor of God and stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. We see then that it is NOT humans we are fighting- it's the devil himself and all his henchmen! Study James 4:7 and then go read 2Timothy 2:15 you see when we are grounded in God's Word, and when we find ourselves in battle with the enemy, we will not be ignorant of the devices he uses to make us stumble and fall! We will know what we are dealing with and be equipped through God's instructions through God's Word how to gain authority and victory! You must know God's Word, for every answer is given to us in the Holy Bible. The Word of God is the cornerstone of our faith and will educate us so that we are not ignorant to the enemies ways and we will be victorious and not continue to be knocked down over and over!
You can see the power God has given to us when we let our faith rise, through the hearing and studying of God's Word!
"Where did that come from?" "Why does the same thing keep happening to me?" So, what is the lesson we are not learning that causes us to keep repeating the same cycle over and over?
Well, first of all we need to open God's Word and read Ephesians 6:10-13
Next, recognize your enemy! Put on the whole armor of God and stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. We see then that it is NOT humans we are fighting- it's the devil himself and all his henchmen! Study James 4:7 and then go read 2Timothy 2:15 you see when we are grounded in God's Word, and when we find ourselves in battle with the enemy, we will not be ignorant of the devices he uses to make us stumble and fall! We will know what we are dealing with and be equipped through God's instructions through God's Word how to gain authority and victory! You must know God's Word, for every answer is given to us in the Holy Bible. The Word of God is the cornerstone of our faith and will educate us so that we are not ignorant to the enemies ways and we will be victorious and not continue to be knocked down over and over!
You can see the power God has given to us when we let our faith rise, through the hearing and studying of God's Word!
Discernment- Why is it important?
It's been a while since I've been on; God has had me in training, yes training. I wasn't sure for a while what it was I was being prepared for, but each day God is revealing more and more and is preparing many of His children for what is on the horizon!
God is opening eyes, eyes that were blind to what was taking place around them. God is giving discernment to His children that diligently seek Him and walk in obedience to Him. You see discernment may not come as a lightning bolt from the sky, but can be as subtle as having a gut feeling that "something just isn't right". Never dismiss that feeling for God is revealing much for your protection.
Discernment is vital in this day and time for if you don't know what your dealing with and who or what it is, or the motives behind it, you can fall into a negative whirlwind that the enemy has placed in your path to make you stumble and hold you back from where you need to be. Remember God's Word says, "My people perish for their lack of knowledge". God will give you discernment, but you have to ask, God will give you discernment in any situation. You see the enemy works in secret, sneaking around, causing chaos, confusion, planting evil, causing discord, hate, bitterness, and tearing relationships up and even sickness! You see satan and all his henchmen will try to stay hidden and will work through and use any willing person to do their dirty work.
In these days and times satan knows his days are numbered and he is unleashing demons everywhere to take people down and trip up as many of Gods children as he can, but know with the discernment that God gives us and the knowledge that God provides, we can avoid the fiery darts sent our way. Stay in Gods Word and in prayer, ask God to give you discernment and He will help you, have faith my friends and watch how God will work in your life!
God is opening eyes, eyes that were blind to what was taking place around them. God is giving discernment to His children that diligently seek Him and walk in obedience to Him. You see discernment may not come as a lightning bolt from the sky, but can be as subtle as having a gut feeling that "something just isn't right". Never dismiss that feeling for God is revealing much for your protection.
Discernment is vital in this day and time for if you don't know what your dealing with and who or what it is, or the motives behind it, you can fall into a negative whirlwind that the enemy has placed in your path to make you stumble and hold you back from where you need to be. Remember God's Word says, "My people perish for their lack of knowledge". God will give you discernment, but you have to ask, God will give you discernment in any situation. You see the enemy works in secret, sneaking around, causing chaos, confusion, planting evil, causing discord, hate, bitterness, and tearing relationships up and even sickness! You see satan and all his henchmen will try to stay hidden and will work through and use any willing person to do their dirty work.
In these days and times satan knows his days are numbered and he is unleashing demons everywhere to take people down and trip up as many of Gods children as he can, but know with the discernment that God gives us and the knowledge that God provides, we can avoid the fiery darts sent our way. Stay in Gods Word and in prayer, ask God to give you discernment and He will help you, have faith my friends and watch how God will work in your life!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Watch Your Step
I learned a valuable lesson last year and wanted to share it with you. I know women are more liberated and independent, but when you marry and join together with your spouse before God, we have to remember not to "over-step" our boundary that God has placed for us. For God to help your husband be the man he needs to be to lead and direct the family, we have to trust him and have faith in him while God is working with him each day. We all continue to grow in our walk with God each day as we strive to learn and be more like Christ as we study God's Word and meet with Him in prayer.
As God continues to work in us, we, as women, don't want to reverse the roles that God set for us, meaning the husband is to be the leader and take responsibility for protecting his family and stand up for the family. God places alot of responsibility on men as leaders of the house. They are to walk with God in counsel and allow God to lead them. Now I learned a huge lesson about this when I overstepped my boundary and decided my husband wasn't doing enough to protect and lead, so I stepped into his place and took it upon myself to handle- major mistake!! I had been having issues with my car and took it to a local dealership and after 3-4 trips back into the service department for the same thing just to be told I would have to miss more work to be back to pick up the car,etc. I felt inconvenienced for having to take off work early to turn in a rental car and get my car all before they closed just to be stuck with the same problem and couldn't drive the car fr and knowing they closed I was having to bring the car at back the next morning! After the 3rd time this happened, I was losing patience and knew I could not continue to miss work over this same problem that never seemed to get fixed! I told my husband that I was going to speak to the service manager and I was mad! For me, I don't get mad hardly ever and I was furious and felt like my husband wasn't doing enough to get the job done and let them know they need to get it corrected now! I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me not to act, but the more I kept thinking of how they people at the service department just were not listening to my husband, the madder I got! Maybe he was not being stern enough? I felt that nudge again from the Holy Spirit not to act on my thoughts, even though I knew better than to dismiss the Holy Spirit's nudges, I thought well I have to handle this. So, I put on my cowgirl boots (which are my favorite and I guess made me think I was stronger lol), I marched right in that service dept., motioned to my 6ft 4" husband to stand back and sit down for I was "handling" this!! Well I made quite a stir and was highly upset and walked out and the whole way home I blasted my husband for not standing up and letting them run over him! He sat there and didn't say a word, which was uncommon! My teenage sons sat there wondering what just happened to mom, she hardly ever gets mad!
Needless to say, God was NOT happy with my actions and I couldn't sleep that night and noticed my hip was really hurting and I was up and down all night and my hip joint felt like a drill was grinding down into the bone all night and into the next day. I was in tears the next day at work because the pain was excruciating and I have a high pain tolerance so for me to be in tears I was in a lot of pain! What I didn't realize was God was teaching me a valuable lesson. It was later that day that a Pastor that mentors me a lot in the ministry and is also a prophet of God stopped by and noticed I was in pain and asked what was going on and what boundaries I had crossed? Huh? What did he mean? As I told him about my car and how mad I was and I just "had to handle the situation" to get results, he stopped me right there and said, "You are in pain because you stepped out into a place you shouldn't have, you are hurting in the hip because that is the pivot area used when we step out and you have stepped where you shouldn't have, do you realize you have just crushed your husband?" Woah!! I felt Gods conviction and I "saw" what I did! In my actions, I literally told my husband he wasn't good enough to lead the family and I didn't trust him, which can tear a man down hard! When my Pastor friend, who was sent by God to stop by on that exact day, showed me what I had done, I immediately asked God to forgive me and then headed to see my husband and I sincerely apologized and told him how I had wronged him and I owed my teenage children an apology that knew what I did along with apologizing I the service department! I had to make this right, God showed me I have to be watchful and careful never to do this ever again. It crushed me to think I had publicly humiliated my husband and God for that matter! I mean for gosh sakes, I'm an ordained minister of God, I am so ashamed!!
What happened next was quite amazing- I was still in pain with my hip, it had eased up some but not fully. After I apologized to the service department and manager and my husband, I was driving the rental car and by the time I drove home to the country I realized my hip quit hurting! I was pain free!! Yes it's true! God allowed to pain to go away. God taught me a valuable lesson that day that there are certain boundaries I am not to step across!! I learned that for God to lead and guide my husband and teach him to stand up and handle issues like this, I had to not get in Gods way! There may be times when God will nudge you and let you know when you need to stand up for various issues for your family, when per say your spouse or boyfriend is not able to be there or is out of town, etc. Always follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, don't do like I did and step out on your own and fail to listen to God because only pain and hurt will come about when you do not heed Gods warning! Take it from me, when the Holy Spirit nudges you NOT to act, please listen and stand still!
Oh, and with the car, it still was not fixed, so I stayed home and allowed my husband to go and "handle it" for he was the man of the family and I learned my lesson! Let's just say since I learned my lesson and did not step out, my husband handled things perfectly and the owner of the dealership repaired several things with the car free of charge!
Be Blessed!
As God continues to work in us, we, as women, don't want to reverse the roles that God set for us, meaning the husband is to be the leader and take responsibility for protecting his family and stand up for the family. God places alot of responsibility on men as leaders of the house. They are to walk with God in counsel and allow God to lead them. Now I learned a huge lesson about this when I overstepped my boundary and decided my husband wasn't doing enough to protect and lead, so I stepped into his place and took it upon myself to handle- major mistake!! I had been having issues with my car and took it to a local dealership and after 3-4 trips back into the service department for the same thing just to be told I would have to miss more work to be back to pick up the car,etc. I felt inconvenienced for having to take off work early to turn in a rental car and get my car all before they closed just to be stuck with the same problem and couldn't drive the car fr and knowing they closed I was having to bring the car at back the next morning! After the 3rd time this happened, I was losing patience and knew I could not continue to miss work over this same problem that never seemed to get fixed! I told my husband that I was going to speak to the service manager and I was mad! For me, I don't get mad hardly ever and I was furious and felt like my husband wasn't doing enough to get the job done and let them know they need to get it corrected now! I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me not to act, but the more I kept thinking of how they people at the service department just were not listening to my husband, the madder I got! Maybe he was not being stern enough? I felt that nudge again from the Holy Spirit not to act on my thoughts, even though I knew better than to dismiss the Holy Spirit's nudges, I thought well I have to handle this. So, I put on my cowgirl boots (which are my favorite and I guess made me think I was stronger lol), I marched right in that service dept., motioned to my 6ft 4" husband to stand back and sit down for I was "handling" this!! Well I made quite a stir and was highly upset and walked out and the whole way home I blasted my husband for not standing up and letting them run over him! He sat there and didn't say a word, which was uncommon! My teenage sons sat there wondering what just happened to mom, she hardly ever gets mad!
Needless to say, God was NOT happy with my actions and I couldn't sleep that night and noticed my hip was really hurting and I was up and down all night and my hip joint felt like a drill was grinding down into the bone all night and into the next day. I was in tears the next day at work because the pain was excruciating and I have a high pain tolerance so for me to be in tears I was in a lot of pain! What I didn't realize was God was teaching me a valuable lesson. It was later that day that a Pastor that mentors me a lot in the ministry and is also a prophet of God stopped by and noticed I was in pain and asked what was going on and what boundaries I had crossed? Huh? What did he mean? As I told him about my car and how mad I was and I just "had to handle the situation" to get results, he stopped me right there and said, "You are in pain because you stepped out into a place you shouldn't have, you are hurting in the hip because that is the pivot area used when we step out and you have stepped where you shouldn't have, do you realize you have just crushed your husband?" Woah!! I felt Gods conviction and I "saw" what I did! In my actions, I literally told my husband he wasn't good enough to lead the family and I didn't trust him, which can tear a man down hard! When my Pastor friend, who was sent by God to stop by on that exact day, showed me what I had done, I immediately asked God to forgive me and then headed to see my husband and I sincerely apologized and told him how I had wronged him and I owed my teenage children an apology that knew what I did along with apologizing I the service department! I had to make this right, God showed me I have to be watchful and careful never to do this ever again. It crushed me to think I had publicly humiliated my husband and God for that matter! I mean for gosh sakes, I'm an ordained minister of God, I am so ashamed!!
What happened next was quite amazing- I was still in pain with my hip, it had eased up some but not fully. After I apologized to the service department and manager and my husband, I was driving the rental car and by the time I drove home to the country I realized my hip quit hurting! I was pain free!! Yes it's true! God allowed to pain to go away. God taught me a valuable lesson that day that there are certain boundaries I am not to step across!! I learned that for God to lead and guide my husband and teach him to stand up and handle issues like this, I had to not get in Gods way! There may be times when God will nudge you and let you know when you need to stand up for various issues for your family, when per say your spouse or boyfriend is not able to be there or is out of town, etc. Always follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, don't do like I did and step out on your own and fail to listen to God because only pain and hurt will come about when you do not heed Gods warning! Take it from me, when the Holy Spirit nudges you NOT to act, please listen and stand still!
Oh, and with the car, it still was not fixed, so I stayed home and allowed my husband to go and "handle it" for he was the man of the family and I learned my lesson! Let's just say since I learned my lesson and did not step out, my husband handled things perfectly and the owner of the dealership repaired several things with the car free of charge!
Be Blessed!
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