He cares

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." Isaiah 49:15 

Yesterday's message turned out to be so timely for me because I found myself overwhelmed at work as the emails continued to flood my inbox and my to do list grew longer and longer. As I started to stress at my desk, the Holy Spirit reminded me to heed the earlier message. I prayed that God would help me prioritize, be productive, and calm. He delivered. (Duh!) I got more done and was congratulated by my superiors about the great work that I was doing. God is so faithful. He cares about every aspect of your life, just surrender. Happy Thursday! 

Dear Worrier:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

We are called to cast all of our cares on to God (1 Peter 5:7/ Psalm 55:22). We were not built to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders (Matthew 11:28), but to trust in our Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). He's a provider, comforter, peace giver, protector, healer and anything else that we need. When those feelings of anxiety about the future come, cast down those thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5) and meditate on His word, His promises, His truth. We can't add a single moment to our life by stressing or worrying! (Matthew 6:27) Happy Wednesday!

Not Today!

And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:3

Nehemiah had a call from the Lord to accomplish a task. When his enemies, Sanballat and Geshem heard, they set out to distract him by inviting him away from the task at hand. Nehemiah's response is one that we should strive to model. Who are the Sanballats and Geshems in your life? They're the ones that seek to take your focus off of your calling and want you to spend time on frivolous things. Let's adopt the spirit on "No" and vow to nurture our God- given dreams. Happy Tuesday! :) 

Pride before the fall

"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Galatians 6:3

Many times a brave face can turn into a proud spirit. We get so comfortable doing things on our own, that even when there's a need, we can't accept help. For me, yesterday was a perfect storm for disaster. I left my phone in my car, got sick at work, the ambulance came, everyone was worried and I couldn't do a thing about it. As I rested at home, I was completely embarrassed about the entire situation and God checked my pride. What areas of your life are you proud? Repent and give them over to God, he wants your anxieties, your pride, your attitude, everything that's not of him. Happy Friday!

So Close

In honor of MLK weekend, I went to a concert where CeCe Winans and Kevin Levar performed. It was a beautiful time of praise and worship! Kevin sang one of my favorite songs,  Destiny, which says: "Waiting on the other side of this test is everything you've prayed for, everything He's promised you..." You know that test that seems as though it's never ending? Persevere. This season won't last always but don't focus on your lack as the Israelites did in the wilderness (See Exodus). Find joy at all times! Happy Tuesday! 

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

Dream Big, Step Small

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10

Zechariah was referring to building a temple, which I'm sure was a huge task given that motorized forklifts and cranes hadn't been invented yet. This verse is a reminder to not get overwhelmed with all that needs to be done, but to be joyful through it all. Is there a dream that you want to fulfill? Maybe you want the perfect job that makes the perfect salary. Whatever the case, you have to start from somewhere. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day. Happy Wednesday! 

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3

Opposite Day

"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." Proverbs 18:15

Let's pretend that it's "Opposite Day." You know, the childhood game where you replace a word with the antithesis of it. The verse now reads something like this "the ignorant heart refuses to acquire knowledge, and the ear of the foolish hates seeking knowledge". We should continually be growing in our walk with God. That includes finding resources that clarify the scriptures, taking time to read and study, and making an effort to be a student for life. What knowledge are you currently seeking? Happy Monday!

"Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance" Proverbs 1:5

The Truth About Distractions

"I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word." Psalm 119:15-16

Distractions can come in many forms-media, people, hobbies, etc. Distractions can also come from our answered prayers. How? We'll beg God, fast for a change, cry out to him for our wants and needs (a job, a relationship, or financial gain) until he answers. Then, we're too busy or tired to get in our prayer closet. We've lessened our time with the father and have now turned him into a genie and our blessing into and idol. So let's nix the excuses. Nothing should distract us from our God. Happy Thursday!

Commuter Struggles

"Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love." Ephesians 4:2 

This morning, on one of my many modes of transportation to get to work, a woman shuffled onto the bus. Since she was the last one, there were no more seats. She proceeded to ask if one of the men in the handicapped seats would allow her to sit. As the men stared at her, a young lady gave her seat up. Instead of simply saying thank you, she then began to rant about how the men should have stood up instead. We should not place our expectations on others but we should simply extend the same grace that God gives us. Happy Tuesday! 

"...God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

A worthy life

"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." Ephesians 4:1

Honestly, Paul could have dropped his mic after this line. What does a worthy life look like? Some synonyms for worthy are: righteous, exemplary, high-minded and suitable. Meaning, our life is to be lived without limits, since we have royalty in our blood. Everything we do should be honorable to God, since He was gracious enough to gift us with multiple gifts that glorify Him. A worthy life is not one filled with doubts and fear, but of faith and trust in a Faithful God. Is your life worthy? Happy Monday! 

Your words have been heard...

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words." Daniel 10:12 

It's common for people to begin the new year with a fast. Eliminating distractions and focusing solely on Christ allows believers to gain clarity and understanding. Just as God heard Daniel's requests, he'll hear and answer yours. Even if you are not participating in an official fast, you can set aside time dedicated to strengthening your walk with Christ. He withholds no good thing from his children (Psalm 84:11). How can you grow in the year 2015? Happy Friday! :)