Peace, be still

I sat through the whole morning, a flight, and  a train ride before I heard anything from the Lord. It's understandable because I have been on the move since September and it's been hard to be still long enough to really hear what God has been saying. But He is truly a faithful God because He never leaves me without a Word. He never allows me to feel that I am out there on my own. This is not to say that I don't ever have moments when I wonder where God is in a particular situation, but even then, I KNOW He is there. But today as I finally stopped, I heard the Lord say Peace, Be still. Then, naturally, I heard James Cleveland start singing “Master, the tempest is raging! The billows are tossing high. The sky is o’er shadowed with blackness. No shelter or help is nigh.” With all that is happening, some of you have been stuck right there in that verse. Life is too busy, the grief is overwhelming, the storms are too hard and it seems like there is no help or shelter in sight. But today, God is saying to you, peace be still.

Maybe you don't know the story that this song is based on but it can be found in Mark 4:35 -41. “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”(Mark‬ ‭4:35-38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) God immediately took me to that boat with Jesus and His disciples. I could feel the boat rocking and the feeling of nausea and fear rolling in my stomach. I understood then why they felt so out of sorts and concerned about their fate. You see, they were like you and I when things start coming at us and we don't see a clear situation. Deep down, you know that Jesus is there with you and that He has the answer but you just can't see how He can fix it. So what happens? You start asking questions. ‘God, don't you see what's happening in my life? God, why are you allowing people to treat me this way? God, why am I struggling so much? Don't you want me to have what I need?’ You start looking for help that is already present in your situation.

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”(Mark‬ ‭4:39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) Today, God didn't ask me to break down every part of this scripture. He just wanted me to remind you that no matter what is happening in your life, He is there. He is speaking to the storms and telling them to cease. Kids not acting right? Peace, be still! Finances in disarray? Peace, be still! Sickness raging in your body? Peace, be still! All of the power, strength, and help that you need is in Jesus and He is right there surrounding you. You see, the disciples got caught up in the emotion of their situation instead of recognizing the power that was resting with them. You will overcome the storms in your life because Christ is with you and where He is, peace will reign.

The winds and the waves shall obey my will. Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea or demons or men or whatever it be.
No water can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace, be still. Peace, be still.

Amen

I trust You, God!

I have hit the backspace about 15 times trying to get the right words to show up on this screen with no success. I know what God said but somehow getting it to appear here has been a monumental task today. Just as I started to give up for a little while, I heard 'write your prayer.' Ummmmmmm? What? No way, I thought! No one else needs to know how crazy I am! Y'all might not know this, but I can be a handful! I know God looks at me and shakes His head sometimes, laughing at what I am saying and wondering why we are having the same conversation AGAIN!  I look at MYSELF and laugh all the time so I get it! But I was reminded that God sees what I can't and so I'm learning not to fight against it. So, here is my prayer this morning. It's not deep but it's real and I pray that it encourages you to trust God right where you are.

Alright God, here I am! I don't really understand what's happening but I'm going to go with it. I'm not really feeling the process part of this journey but I'm trusting You. I know I've said that a lot and haven't always fully meant it but today, I'm voicing it from my heart. I trust You. I finally know that I don't have a choice. It's not an option because every time I go on my own, I end up mad, frustrated and behind. But I can't do that anymore! I'm laying it all the line, laying aside my opinions and trusting what You have said. I trust You to handle what I can't. I trust you to be all that You are! I trust you to be Jehovah Jireh, my provider! I trust that even though my circumstances aren't saying overflow, You are. I trust that even though my reality is not looking like I have enough, you are El Shaddai and You are more than enough. I'm trusting the fact that You are the God that sees me and my family. You are the One that promised that You would supply all of my needs according to Your riches in glory. So I trust You!

I trust You today, God with my day. I trust you with my work. I trust that You are guiding me and nothing is happening by accident. I trust that when You said I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me, You meant it. So, I will just obey. I will step out on faith, believing that I am who You say that I am. I am valuable to you. I am equipped. I am anointed. I'm an overcomer. I have purpose and I have power because You said so. Thank You for not counting me out when I didn't feel this way...when I couldn't say any of this out loud. Thank You for continuing to encourage me and confirm in me what I was. Thank You that my next is here and my latter will be greater. Thank You that you trusted me enough to share Your word with Your people. I pray that someone will recognize that You are enough for them too! I pray that someone will declare that they trust You too and will walk forward in faith toward their next, leaving those doubts, fears, and old behaviors behind. I pray that Your word, Your Spirit, your very presence will surround every reader and meet them at the point of their need. Do a new thing in each person, God! Restore! Rebuild! Remind! Have Your way and Your will be done! I love You, I honor You and I trust You like never before...in Your Son's name, I pray...

Amen

Waiting on the whisper...

The other day my youngest daughter and I were sitting in a drive thru line when we saw an older man walk by. He moved very slowly and looked to be having a difficult time walking with his cane and bag. He looked like all that he had in the world was in that bag. I watched him while I waited for my food and said out loud that we should check on him. At the same time, Kennedi said, "Mommy, we should help that man." So we did. I pulled into the parking lot and approached the man. As I got closer to him, I heard him singing. He said, "Hello, sister!" I said hello and asked if he needed a ride somewhere. He said, "Oh no! I'm headed in Bojangles to get some chicken and read the paper!" He then said to me, " God always shines a light on me for people and they want to help me. The funny thing is I don't need any help. I have everything I need." I was intrigued. I took his bag for him and we walked slowly across the gravel lot he was walking through. I'm sure we made quite a scene...old man, me and a 5 year old going about 2 inches a minute through an empty lot. As we walked, scripture just poured out of this man and I felt the presence of God surrounding us. As we got closer to our destination, the man stopped and looked me in the face and said, "God said, don't worry! I've got it under control." He proceeded to speak such encouragement and life into me that was exactly what I had been praying for. I cried in the parking lot of Bojangles like I was at the altar. It was so bad that Kennedi had to be my usher, y'all! I'm sure it was something to see! I walked him to his table and got his information with a promise to follow up with him.

I'm leaving quite a bit out but you're probably wondering why I shared this story. It's pretty simple actually! A lot of times, you look for God in the big things. You expect Him to move in thunder and fireworks and huge displays of power and He does. But most often, He is in the hug from a child when you are feeling down. He is in the extra week you unexpectedly get to pay your light bill when you just don't have it. He is in the Facebook post that speaks directly to your situation and comes at just the right time. He is in the voice of an old man that God had shone a light on so that I would see him. He is everywhere and He sees everything. He is just what you need and more than enough. God is present and that's what He wanted me to share with you today. You don't have to keep looking for God in your situation because He is already there. He is already working on your behalf.

Elijah was in a cave situation and looking to die. Jezebel wanted him dead and he felt that he had no more reason to live. He asked God to kill him because he just couldn't take life anymore. The Lord provided for Elijah as he went through this process of finding his purpose and his bounce back. Have you ever been in a place like that? Where you didn't know how to get back to you? Everything around you looked bleak and you didn't have a clear answer about the next step so you decided to hide or give up? But God! He strengthened Elijah through the process. Fed him for forty days and nights until he reached Mt. Horeb and the cave. God asked Elijah why he was there and Elijah answered with his struggle. “Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(1 Kings‬ ‭19:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Elijah answered the question the same way but this time God gave him instruction for his situation.

God is with you. Even if all you are feeling is earthquakes and fire, He is there with a word for your situation. You just need to step back enough to hear Him. God called Elijah to the edge to hear from Him. Imagine how scary it must have been to see all of those huge natural occurrences happening before your eyes and you have to wait until God speaks. Some of you are in that very position...on the edge...waiting on God. Well, He's there! Here's the challenge...stop trying so hard to figure out how to find God in your situation and just listen. There's a gentle whisper calling your name...

Amen

Good News!

God is good. Actually, He’s better than good. He’s great. He’s faithful and He’s consistent. He is present when all you see is empty space. He is love when all you feel is nothing. He is joy when all you experience is sadness. God is God. He’s all that you need and more than enough. I really expected to write something deep today after having a recent mountaintop experience but instead God told me to just write what was on my heart. So I will and pray that it blesses someone.

As I was in prayer this morning, all I kept hearing was “I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee.” It blessed me because it reminded me that no matter what I face or experience, I am the Lord’s and He is mine. Do you know how amazing and important that it is for you? When you made that decision to give your life to Christ, you became a part of God’s family. You became the apple of His eye and His beloved. He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb and He waited for you. I mean that blessed me to know that even when I was in the world doing the opposite of most scriptures, He still loved me. That’s what Romans 5:8 tells me. The Message version says that “God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatsoever to Him.” That’s love, y’all!

I mean, just to think about the fact that God sees me and knows everything about me takes the pressure off. I don’t have to spend my time anymore trying to figure out IF I can accomplish A, B, or C. I don’t have to stress myself out wondering IF God can really use me to do what He told me because I got it deep in my spirit that I am His and He is mine. I opened up my heart and heard God when He said that I am who He says that I am. I am redeemed. I am powerful. I am capable. I am valuable. I am enough. If you haven’t done that, I encourage you to do it today. You see, when Christ died on the cross and rose again, it was a finished work. You don’t have to keep fighting a battle that is already won. You don’t have to keep searching for an answer that has already been provided. You don’t have to keep cleaning up what has already been washed clean. I love what Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 12:6 &7 when they were concerned about what religious folks were saying about them.  “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.” That’s assurance, y’all!

I know that some of you have been holding on to what used to be for so long that it’s hard to walk into what God is saying now. But I want to leave you with the fact that God loves you so much. He sees you in your final state. He sees the completed work that He did. You are His and so He has big plans for you, plans for you to prosper and have a good future.  I encourage you today to hold on to His promises. Believe what He told you and walk in it. You can trust Him when He says to you, “For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won’t walk away from you, My covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.” The God who has compassion on you says so.” (Is. 54:10, MSG) He’s yours and you are His. That’s peace, y’all!

AMEN

It's time...

To God be the glory for the great things He has done! I honor Him today for the marvelous things He  is doing in your life. I praise Him for allowing you to see another day. I celebrate the new opportunity you have to go forward in all of the things that He has for you. You see, today is about a mind shift. It's about shifting from what has held you bound and walking into freedom. It's about changing your focus from what you don't have, can't afford, haven't been able to do to what you do have, been blessed with and have accomplished. Today is about letting go of what is holding you back so that you can do what God is calling you to do.

How many times have you gotten ready to move forward in your life and been sidelined by other people's expectations, old feelings of inadequacy, and hurtful things from your past? It can turn into quite a nasty cycle that is seemingly impossible to get out of. But I believe today is the beginning of change in your mindset. This morning, God woke me up with Hebrews 12:1-3 and encouraged me to share it with you. He didn't give me a lot of filler but told me that today, the Word is enough. Of course, the Word is always enough but sometimes you can  get caught up in what other people's interpretation is. It's easier when someone tells you what a scripture should mean for your life and how you should apply it, right? But today, He wants you to get this Word in your heart and let Him minister the instruction to you directly. The Message translation made me feel it today and so that's what I will share with you. A different version may speak to you and that's fine…as long as you let it speak to you. Read it, hear it, receive it, and act on it. God is ready to shift you and it starts with a change of mindset.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”‭‭(Heb.‬ ‭12:1-3‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Ready, set, GO!

Amen