Keep your promises.

How upset do you get when someone makes a promise to you and then breaks it?

If you’re anything like me, you can’t stand it.

How could they?

Why would they say it if they didn’t mean It?

What’s so hard about keeping your word?

We can go on and on and on about the things that go on in our head when others don’t follow through.

Can I ask you a question? When’s the last time you let you down? When’s the last time you told yourself you were going to do something, but , you never followed through?

Whether it’s spending more time with God.

Whether it’s drinking more water.

Whether it’s treating your body like a temple.

Whether it’s ending the situation or relationship that you know is not God sent.

Whether it’s waking up early enough to get to work on time.

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL CONVICTIONS THAT YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY FROM?

What’s God calling you to do that you keep putting off?

Do you not know that we are being made into the image of Christ? That’s an on going process until the day we leave these earthly bodies.

Do you also not know that the reason why most of us stay stagnant is because we keep pushing off what we know we need to do?

Why are we so hard on other people , but yet walk around very nonchalant about our own lives?

Why do we go out of our way for others but can’t even do what we need to do to be better for the people we are called to pour into.

It’s so much easier to pour out when you’re obedient. It’s so much easier to give back when you’re fully confident in who God created you to be. What if the confidence you need is tied to your obedience? What if everything you need is tied to keeping your promises to yourself?

Only you know what you and God talk about every single day. When I’m frustrated and I’m focused on myself , most of my prayers sound the same. It’s all about what I want . When I stop thinking about myself and ask God ,

“what do you want me to do?”

I have two options, ignore or obey.

God knows what’s best for us. Jesus was tempted in every way possible , still obeyed . Jesus was not liked , still obeyed. What if the life you keep praying about is tied to you doing those things you keep running from?

I believe somewhere along the way, people forgot to tell us that we need to work hard for what we want. Whether it’s a better relationship with Christ or whether it’s taking care of your body, ITS ALL GOING TO REQUIRE A DYING TO SELF.

As I was driving home today and praying out loud, the Holy Spirit revealed something to me ,

If you’re tired of being where you are , you’re going to have to get used to saying no to what makes the flesh feel good.

In that very moment, every single thing that I was worried about , disappeared. My problems were my problems because I wasn’t following the Shepherd. I wasn’t following Jesus. I was trying to control every single aspect of my life. Jesus said lose your life and you will find it. Oh, how badly do we try to cling to our own destructive ways.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but, I know that a lot of us are fighting battles because we can’t tell ourselves no to what’s killing us. Say no to yourself and yes to God. Whatever he keeps talking to you about , just do it . Stop putting it off. Do it scared. Keep praying. KEEP SEEKING. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Whatever you do, don’t give up.

Be kind to yourself and know this, the same Spirit that resurrected Jesus from the dead lives in you. You are equipped to do what the Lord wants you to do. One day at a time.

Wake up every day and ask the Lord what he wants you to do today? You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Put your faith and trust back into the only one who can keep you, sustain you, and push you forward.

Fear of greatness !

Why do we fear being great?

We don’t really say we don’t want to be great, but, our actions say otherwise. Or maybe the words we speak to ourselves say so. Or maybe even the thoughts no one else knows of say so.

Have you ever caught yourself saying ,

Who am I kidding?

I can’t do that .

Who do I think I am?

That can’t happen for me.

Let me stop dreaming and get back to reality.

Can it be that you really do fear being great? How can we fear being great you might say, easy. We stop ourselves before we even begin.

WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BE GREAT.

WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BE AT PEACE MENTALLY , SPIRITUALLY, and EMOTIONALLy.

WE KNOW! the problem is that most of us procrastinate and make excuses. We make excuses because it’s hard to rewire your brain. You have to make an effort to retrain your mind. For 30 years you thought one way , so now that you want to change you’re faced with A LOT of resistance . Why? Your brain is used to doing things one way.

We don’t think to walk, drive , eat, make excuses , gossip, pick up our phones, type , text, talk, go to work, we just do it.

We don’t think about habits we already put in place to protect us from pain. If I don’t want to have a confrontation, I ignore the person. If I don’t want to feel, I get a drink or go have sex . These are habits we pick up along the way. This is everything we have to unlearn.

We all want to be great. We all want to produce fruit. But do we really want to pay the cost?

That’s the question.

If we truly get real with ourselves , we will find out that most of us are scared of being great. Being great requires a different you! The you now and the GREAT you is not the same person, THAT IS WHAT WE FEAR.

We fear changing . We fear a different language . We fear a different thought process. We fear a workout regimen . We fear getting up early . We fear greatness because we’ve never done it !

I want to encourage you tonight, to do it scared!

You have everything that it takes because Jesus Christ lives on the inside of you! Greater is he that is in you than he that’s in the world!!

Do it until the fear goes away, because IT WILL.

Kobe Bryant .

The whole world is mourning the death of a basketball legend.

You know what I see?

I see a man that gave it his all.

I see a man that conquered a lot in 41 years.

41 years is not old.

You’ve only been an adult for 23 years.

In 23 years this man showed us what it truly means to work hard.

Kobe showed us to show up even when you don’t feel like it .

Kobe showed us what discipline looks like.

One time he said , if you aren’t here to win then what are we playing for ?

Y’all, that’s a whole sermon right there!

Sometimes , I feel like we walk around like zombies. We walk around in our pain. We own our baggage. We keep our emotional baggage because it’s safe. It’s all we know. We hold on to grudges. We hold on to bitterness. We hold on to anger. We hold on to toxic. We hold on because at least we know what we have . Letting go means you’re opening up to the unknown. Faith is literally walking out and saying if God is for me who can be against me. I don’t know where I’m going but God you got me, lead me.

Oh Lord, May you give us the strength to just let it all go and put you first. To give life our best shot . We don’t know when it’s our time. We assume we will live long. We live like we have all the time in the world , but , life is but a vapor. Here today , gone tomorrow .

I celebrate the man that Kobe was. I celebrate his legacy. I celebrate his hard work and dedication. I celebrate his commitment. I celebrate him for being an example. I celebrate him for being more than a basketball player. I celebrate him for retiring and still making an impact on people instead of checking out and chillen on a yacht. I celebrate him for showing us that when you love what you do , you make no excuses. You get it done. You do it with all you have.

Will you keep making excuses?

Or , will you finally stay committed to that thing even when you don’t ” feel ” like it?

Someone somewhere needs your story. Your wisdom. Your boldness. Your strength. Your commitment. Your example.

Let’s take the focus off of us and focus on ,

How can I do my part and make this world better ?

Do the one thing.

Things may not get easier , but , you will get stronger.

Your situation may be the same, but, your perspective may be different.

So many things are tugging at our hearts.

Whether it be family, school, work, social media, tv , gossip blogs, etc ; something is always pulling at our hearts. So many things and people want our attention.

We log on to social media day after day, minute after minute , only to see the same posts over and over.

Can I challenge you tonight?

Can I challenge you to log off?

Can I challenge you to pray instead?

Can I challenge you to go before God in prayer and ask him to reveal what’s been taking his place in your heart?

Can I challenge you to let go of the things that really don’t matter and pursue all the things that do?

Can I challenge you to stop settling for regular , kick fear in the face and flourish?

Can I challenge you to just be vulnerable for a second?

Can I challenge you to just drop the mask and really deal with you?

Y’all.. I know life is calling. I know it’s easier to run away from the reality of your life and into the distractions of this world.

I know how easy it is to run, but you know what happens when I run?

I get irritable. I get anxious. I get annoyed. I get frustrated. I get angry. I’m quick to lash out. Wanna know why?

Because I’m running in the wrong direction. I’m frustrated because I know I need to do something, but, fear has me saying NO! It’s a never ending cycle of frustration. I suffer and the people around me suffer .

You know what kills those feelings? Doing what you know you have to do. You know those things that we feel in our belly. Those things that make you cringe because you just ain’t got time for it right now . Those things that just seem way too difficult, yeah, THAT.

Just start. I’m talking to you and me . I know girl. I know it’s tough. I know you’re confused. I know you don’t know how it’s going to happen. You know what I do know?

That when God created the world he spoke to it. Step by step. He didn’t just say ” EARTH DO YOUR THING ” . He spoke to it and it obeyed. Everything came into alignment after he spoke. What is God saying to you tonight? Are you willing to just do that. Just do the one thing you know you have to do. Start there .

God bless you! You’re not alone 💕

August 1 2019.

New day . New month. New goals. New challenges. Clean slate.

In 5 months it will be 2020!

When did this even happen? Why does it feel like time is FLYING!

Maybe it’s just me but I’m grateful.

Grateful for the lessons that I have learned in the last 20 years .

20 years ago I was 12 .😂 who knew that 4 years later my life would change drastically. And 2 years after that my life turned into a huge party for 5 more years .

Everything was a blur. In and out of drunkenness. In and out of clubs. In and out of relationships.

What a blessing it is to live through what I’ve lived through and still stand here sober today with a whole new outlook on life.

What a blessing it is to know that God is not done with me.

What a blessing it is that what the devil meant for evil , God is using it for his good.

What a blessing it is that little ol’ me gets to inspire the world through my humanity.

What a blessing it is to know that if God is for me who can be against me?

What a blessing it is to be alive with hope.

What a blessing it is to be an overcomer.

What a blessing it is to know the Lords peace.

What a blessing it is to know that when I am weak he is strong.

What a blessing is life .

In our darkest most loneliest moments , life doesn’t seem like a blessing, it can seem like a curse.

We start asking why? Why me? Why this family? Why this job? Why this spouse? Why these kids? Why this church? Why this?

But my question to you is , what is God doing in your mess?

In our pain it’s really REALLY hard to see God. I’m not even going to tell you to toughen up and pray about it because I’m sure you’ve been doing that.

What I do want you to do is not doubt what you are in. Don’t doubt God. Ask God to start revealing himself in your situation. What does he want to do in you through this situation?

I know it’s tough and I know you want it to be easy , BUT , everything that shines is made from PRESSURE. If pressure is being applied , YOU ARE CREATED TO FLY. Wait . Trust . Have faith. obey. It won’t always be like this.

I believe in you .

God loves you.

You will Live and not die.

Who knew.

Who knew that loving yourself would be so hard.

Who knew that loving yourself would come with tears , frustrations and pain.

Who knew that loving yourself wasn’t something you automatically came into the world with.

Who knew that life has a way of punching you in your chest and taking the breath out of you.

Who knew that after you shed a puddle of tears you would have to get up , wipe your eyes and keep fighting.

Who knew life would have so many challenges.

Who knew that it would be this hard.

Who knew that relationships between parents and children wouldn’t be loving , caring , and genuine.

Who knew that addiction would kill some people too early.

Who knew that love isn’t that easy to attain.

Who knew that you would one day have to love yourself back to life.

Who knew that life would get us so low that we have no choice but to depend on God to get us through.

Who knew that after all the tears and pain, you still had purpose.

Who knew all things would work out .

Who knew that regardless of how it may seem , it always gets better.

No one knows. We are all figuring it out. Be patient . Love God. Love you. Grow in the process.

Life is a rollercoaster . A rollercoaster with highs and lows . A rollercoaster that teaches you life lessons. A rollercoaster that never stops. You just keep learning . You keep growinG. You keep forgiving. You keep loving . You just never give up.