Life.

Life has a way of dimming our light.

Life has a way of killing our joy.

Life can take your hope.

Life can take your happiness.

Life can take your peace.

Life can wear you down to such a point that you stop believing.

Life can keep you in a cycle of addiction and bad relationships.

The pains of life can hurt . Making it almost impossible to get back up.

Heck, sometimes you don’t even want to fight because giving up is easier .

When it seems like you have to fight just to stay alive , it can drain you. You start thinking maybe it’s better this way. The place of lack is my comfort zone. I don’t know any other way to live anyway.

We start believing the enemy’s lies. Our faith becomes distant. We believe but like we believe in Jesus that rose Again, but not the Jesus that can heal and restore like it never happened AND GIVE ME BACK 100x more .

See , the part about faith we often ignore , is the one that matters the most .

Blind faith. when you don’t know any thing. You don’t know how it’s going to happen. You don’t know how it’s all going to work out . You don’t know how you will afford the new apartment. You don’t know if you’ll ever meet your husband. You don’t know if you’ll ever laugh again. You don’t know if you’ll ever be FREE, again. You don’t know how long it’s going to take. You don’t know if living in abundant life is really possible. You start doubting. You want to act in faith but fear paralyzes you.

DID GOD REALLY SAY???

How many times has that one question paralyzed you dead in your tracks feeling like your feet were literally stuck in cement?

The Lord is faithful! And one thing I know him to be is a deliverer. When I wanted to kill myself, he was there. When I wanted to keep sleeping around and drinking myself to sleep , he was my comforter !

When I felt rejected and abandoned , he was there .

When I felt like I was all alone in this huge world, he was there. GOD IS ALWAYS WITH ME JUST AS HE IS WITH YOU.

I always like to say that God never leaves us. We leave him. Any time I go backwards and return with a repentant heart I feel his love and grace all over me.

See, God is not looking at your perfection. He’s waiting on you to stop leaning on your own understanding and REALLY live a life of FAITH.

Not a life where we just go to church for an hour and a half . But, a life full of FAITH AND OBEDIENCE . A life seeking his face . Doing what he’s telling us to do without trying to figure out the how’s to everything.

Just do it . We think ourselves into worry. We think ourselves into fear .

The whole time God is just waiting on me and you to trust him with our whole lives for real. It’s never boring living for the Lord . He will always have us on an adventure , but rest assured , THAT WE ARe NEVER ALONE !!!!

One of my favorite scriptures is when Jesus himself was asking for the cup of suffering to pass him, BUT NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS. Jesus GAVE UP HIS LIFE willingly.

We automatically assume that Jesus was not like me and you. We assume that HE WANTED TO DIE For us because he did . In that prayer , we see that Jesus was looking for a way out !!! But there was no way out ! HE WAS LITERALLY THE ANSWER TO EVERY HUMAN ISSUE ON THIS PLANET.

Be encouraged ! It’s going to be hard , but you’re not alone. Ask God for grace . Ask God to guide you and lead you every step of the way. Do it scared anyway.

Think about it like this, what do you really have to lose by being faithful?

Nothing. Step out on faith .

Broken life.

Everyone tells you sin is bad for you. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Since we were kids, that’s all that has been embedded in our brains. we grow up feeling like there has to be more, because if I’m being honest , sin feels so damn good when you’re broken hearted.

Sin feels good when life is hard.

Sin feels good when you feel alone.

Sin feels good when you no longer find peace in the God you once fell in love with.

The pain is too much. I just want to be numb. I’m tired of feeling.

Lord I love you but I’m tired. As tears roll down my face, all I can think about was the adulterous woman and how Jesus said “ let him without sin cast the first stone” . I caught myself full of shame. Why is it that we are so quick to talk about people that fall? When the Bible calls us to restore people back to The FATHER. Why do we take the easy way out and just leave people alone. The one in shame and condemnation gets consumed with thoughts like …

How can I? Why do I want Whats bad for me instead of what the Holy Spirit has in store for me? Is what I believe in even real? Is this walk even worth it ? It’s too painful. People don’t really care about your pain. Everyone keeps telling me that God loves me , there’s grace for that. But we already know this, what we so badly crave is RESTORATION.

See, sin is just a cover up. Sin is anything that takes you away from God. God never distances himself from us but Jesus said , abide in me and I will abide in you. Jesus already did everything he needed to do. The rest is up to us. Laying our life down and picking up the cross that Christ calls each and every one of us to carry. The only way out of sin is purpose. The only way out of sin is to die to your WHOLE LIFE .

We think we can die in one area but not the other. If you’re trapped in a sin cycle , it’s not that you don’t love God , it might just be that you are holding on to something that the Lord is calling you to give to him.

I trusted God to deliver me from addiction to alcohol, depression and suicide thoughts, but I can’t trust him to make we a wife and a mother?

As a woman I desire to be a wife . As a woman I desire to be a mother. But I’m doing it all in my own strength. I’m choosing the same type of men again. Im leading with my body , instead of letting the spirit lead. He feels good to my body , but he’s not good for my spirit.

This man is killing my spirit but it’s the one I crave. I’m consumed by the desires of the flesh. I don’t trust God enough to take a break from dating so he can do what only he can do in me and through me . It’s only in the mighty power of Jesus Christ that we can be restored back to Gods original design.

Sin is not worth it. I know you feel like this is the only man you can get. I know you feel like what if it doesn’t happen for me? I know you feel like well This is the only love I’ve experienced so maybe this is all I can get.

Listen to me sister in Christ . I am you and you are me . We are in this together. There is no condemnation in those who are in Christ Jesus.

I’m sharing this in hope that you will allow God to breathe life in you again. You are not who you are when you act out because of pain. Because guess what? YOU ARE STILL CHOSEN AND GOD STILL WANTS TO USE YOU FOR HIS GLORY!!!!

It’s time for the women of God to get out of their own way and give up the things that are killing them. IF ITS KILLING YOU, ITS NOT OF GOD!!!

Come out from among them and be ye separate. Somewhere along the way you kept giving in to your flesh and now you feel so far away from God. Just come back home, he’s waiting.

Come back home. ❤️🙏

Grace yourself .

Extend grace.

Hurt people, hurt people.

Forgiveness is for you, not them.

We all fall short of the glory of God.

When we hear messages on forgiveness and grace , we always talk about others.

TODAY, I want to talk about giving yourself grace!

Why is it so much easier to extend grace?

Deep down, I don’t think most of us really extend grace. How can you extend grace when you’re having a difficult time receiving it for yourself?

How do you know you’re having a hard time accepting Gods grace? YOU JUDGE YOURSELF WAY TOO MUCH. YOU ARE WAY TOO HARD ON YOURSELF!!

Do you not know that GRACE IS FREELY GIVEN?

Nothing you do can ever seperate you from the Lord! So instead of repenting and returning back to the Father, we bask in our mess. Do you not know that when God created you he factored in the things you can’t stand about you?

God is so faithful that he knows the exact thing or things that will keep you close to him. That thorn in the flesh is what keeps bringing you to your knees.

I catch myself slipping away , asking God, why this and why that? Why does it have to be like this ? Why can’t you just change it ? Why can’t it look different?

Can you trust me? Can you REALLY TRUST ME?

I know you believe in me , BUT , CAN YOU TRUST ME?

Stop being so hard on yourself . I STILL DIED FOR YOU! I Died for your flawed self , not the perfect you. MY Grace is sufficient , ACCEPT IT!

The thing about grace is that it’s UNBELIEVABLE!

Like, can it really be that easy? You’re telling me that I don’t have to do anything to be loved and reveived by the creator of the WHOLE WORLD??????

See, when you know who created you and why Jesus died on the cross , YOU RECEIVE THE GRACE . In receiving that grace , your life changes. It changes because you know it’s not about you.

In an overly self observed culture , the gospel is the complete opposite. I can’t rely on myself, I NEED A SAVIOR. When you come to the realization of how bad you actually need a savior, receiving grace becomes a lot easier.

Once you receive it , you can be kind to yourself and others . We are all jacked up , it’s how we continue to grow in Christ that matters.

Who cares if you messed up, come back to the Father. Before he formed you he knew you.

We are not called to be regular.

I don’t believe in mediocre living.

Nothing about Jesus was regular.

Nothing about the Holy Bible is regular.

Nothing about the disciples were regular.

Nothing about the woman at the well was regular.

Nothing about the woman with the issue of blood was regular.

When I look at scripture , I see BRAVERY.

I see STRENGTH.

I see FAITH.

I see COURAGE.

I see a whole bunch of people that stepped out on FAITH.

They didn’t know what was going to happen or how it was going to happen, but, they moved in faith anyway. NOTHING STOPPED THEM.

It makes me think of my own life. How many times do we settle for regular?

How many times do we just stay around mediocre friends?

Mediocre relationships?

Mediocre jobs?

Mediocre lives?

We settle for mediocre because it’s what we often see. When all we see is people settling for regular , it becomes our normal. When we see everyone in regular relationships, we stay in regular relationships.

Everything in our lives should thrive.

Why is it that being comfortable is what we choose when the whole Gospel is about being uncomfortable?

You want to live debt free? It’s going to be uncomfortable for a season.

You want to wait for a man or woman of God? It’s going to be uncomfortable for a season.

You want to get in shape? It’s going to be uncomfortable.

You want to start a business and leave your 9-5? It’s going to be uncomfortable.

You want to inspire the world and do big things? It’s going to be uncomfortable.

Everything that requires us to be BRAVE, have COURAGE, FAITH AND STRENGTH is going to be uncomfortable at first.

Ruth had to leave everything she knew for the unknown. What is God calling you to leave? In what area is God calling you to be BRAVE in? In what area is he asking you to have FAITH and leave it all behind? In what area is he asking you to be COURAGEOUS?

We are followers of Christ. We are called to live a life outside of our comfort zone. None of our promises are in our comfortability.

When I look at the scripture , God always chose someone to do it first. He always chose someone to break the cycle. What do you do when God is calling you to do something or wait on something that you’ve never seen or seen someone else have before?

Do you know how hard it is to wait on a Godly man when no one I know is in a healthy thriving relationship?

Do you know how hard it is to start something from the ground up when no one in my family has ever done it?

Do you know how hard it is to break toxic thought patterns?

Do you know how tough it is to be changed by the power of the spirit but your surroundings haven’t changed?

Our walk in Christ is not comfortable. It was never meant to be. It was meant to change us. Transform us. BE THE EXAMPLE. That’s who we are called to be. We are ambassadors of Christ . Let’s not conform to the thinking and patterns of this world, but , let us be the difference that this world needs. Let people see Christ in us. Let us shine our light. Let us be different. Let us be COURAGEOUS AND FULL OF FAITH.

With GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE .

I pray that we are all strengthened in the spirit so we never forget why God called us to this generation.

You are not regular, GO BE GREAT AND STAND OUT! You were never meant to fit in. 💗

God, WHERE ARE YOU.

In the midst of change, where are you?

In the midst of my insecurities , where are you?

In the midst of my purpose, where are you?

In the midst of my unforgiveness, where are you?

In the midst of my anger, where are you?

In the midst of my pain, where are you?

In the midst of all of this , where are you?

I don’t have the strength to seek you.

I have enough strength to say , ” help me God” .

I hear nothing.

I get frustrated and I start yelling.

Lord you said you will never leave me nor forsake me so why do I feel like you have left me?

What are you trying to show me that I can’t see?

Is my perspective off?

Am I missing something?

Am I distracted?

Where did my zeal go?

Where did you go?

How can I seek you constantly in a world full of hate?

How do you expect me to seek you when I’m surrounded by darkness?

How do you expect me to say Yes when everyone around me is saying NO?

It’s like I’m trapped between doing good and doing evil.

You say vengeance is the Lords , but my pain is telling me otherwise . I’m not you , God.

I can’t turn the other cheek.

I can’t look the other way.

I can’t forgive.

My pain is TOO LOUD.

Paul said it best . I know what I ought to do but I don’t do it..

You called me to pick up my cross.

I picked it up.

I put it down.

I pick it back up.

I think about putting it back down.

It’s too heavy.

The weight is too heavy.

You tell me to place my burden on you , but I’m not patient . I can’t trust . I’m running low on faith. Help.

I know what I ought to do, but I don’t do it .

Give me the strength to do what I know I should do. 🙏

Only God.

For some reason, it doesn’t matter how many times we experience God’s perfect peace and love , we go back to believing that something in this world can satisfy.

We somehow believe that if we get more money, get the perfect spouse, have the perfect job, the perfect body, the perfect house , and everything else we assume that will make life better , then life will be amazing.

But, can I just place a suggestion on your table.

What if we started being thankful?

What if we just praised God for what he has already done ?

Even if he does nothing else in our lives, can we praise him for the breath in our lungs? Can we praise him for being able to walk outside and smell fresh air? Can we praise him for the animals that make us smile ? Can we praise him even though our homes may be a little dysfunctional?

What if we choose to love like Christ? What if we pick up our cross and love our family members that get on our last nerve? What if we really take this love walk serious? What if we really accept that this life of ours is not about us?

Is it possible to just be grateful for what we do have? Even though it’s not everything we thought we wanted in life?

It’s really all about perspective.

Do you really think Jesus wanted to take up his cross? Do you really think Jesus didn’t want to walk away at times? Jesus died for the same people that crucified him.

Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.

Can we really be like Jesus? Can we forgive the ones that hurt us only because their hearts are full of darkness. Can we be mature enough to not take it personal and be the bigger person?

As much as we want to control those around us .

As much as we want them to act a certain way

As much as we want them to appreciate us.

We have no control. We can’t control other peoples actions .

BUT. We can control ours.

I challenge you today to be the bigger person.

I challenge you to be the light in the world.

I challenge you to love the ones that are hardest to love.

Love changes. Love transforms .

Love brings forth repentance.

Love brings forth forgiveness. Not hate.

Love a little more today. People are hurting. It’s only in Jesus that we can be like him. We can’t love, forgive and give grace without our Heavenly Father. Only in him can we be the light of the world.

Only in Jesus . ❤️🙏