How Can You Be Jealous of Something You Can't Handle

Hello fabulous people! I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season! It's so busy (hence why I haven't blogged in a while) but it's so fun!

As I was sitting back thinking, about what to write about, I was reminded of something I heard in church a couple of weeks ago, "How Can You Be Jealous of Something You Can't Handle?" Think about it, how many times have you seen or heard of somebody receiving something and thinking, "Why did he or she receive that" or "I've been reading my scriptures, and going to church, yet God still blessed them with more."  Ok you may not ask this question of a lot, but let's be honest we're all guilty of questioning what others receive. What we have to realize is, God blesses us with certain things, each according to our own ability. If you read Matthew 25:15-18, God illustrates a story of 3 servants whom their master entrusted with various amounts of money.  He gave the first servant five bags of silver, another servant two bags of silver, and another servant one bag of silver, thus dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.¹⁶ “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. ¹⁷ The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. ¹⁸ But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. When their master returned he learned what each servant had done with the money he had given him, and as he expected the servant that he gave the least amount to was the servant who did the least with the money. This parable is exactly how God feels about us. Sometimes you question why he hasn't blessed you with this big mansion that you have dreamed of and worked so hard for, but how can God bless you with this mansion when you don't even kept up the apartment you now have. Or you may wonder why he hasn't allowed you to get into a specific program at school, yet you barely complete assignments for the current program you're in. You see God is in the blessing business, but he isn't just handing out free blessings. He's constantly watching us, and determining what blessing he bestows upon based on what we can handle. So instead of questioning others blessings, take a look at how you're currently using your own blessings. I don't know about yall, but I want to hear what was written in verse 21 of chapter 25, "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

I hope you all have a blessed week!

Eat to Live...Not Live to Eat

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fabulous week! It's been a great one for me, as I'm trying out new foods as I challenge myself to go a month without breads, sweets, or pasta! It may sound like a long time but it really won't be that bad. For the months leading up to my wedding I would do "no carbs" during the week, and have a cheat day or two on the weekends. Now I'm taking it a step further and going a whole month without cheat days for a variety of reasons. The main one stems from one of the verses that I recently read in the book of Matthew. In chapter 4, verse 4 it is written, "Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." I thought about what that verse meant for a little while and took some notes, then the following week, I heard Pastor Van mention something in his bible study sermon to the effect of, "There's nothing in your life that should be greater than your love for God. Whether it's food, money, or relationships, you should be able to abstain from all knowing that God will always fill the void that those things sometimes fill." After hearing that and reading the verse from Matthew 4:4 I was led to really think about my own food choices. If you know me, I will give ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING for a good slice of cake, some strawberry sour belts, or some lemon heads! However I'm challenging myself to really take a step back from those food addictions and to learn that they should instead be things that I can truly live without. So with giving away sweets, I decided to look at other foods that I sometimes feel like I have to have that aren't always that good for me, and with that I've decided to also abstain from breads, and pasta for the month. We owe it to God to look at what we input into our bodies. We are reminded of this, in 1 Corinthians  6: 19-20, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." Pretty clear huh? And something to think about! To tell you the truth, in all actuality abstaining from my "foodies" haven't been that bad! There are so many great vegetables, and meats to try that are very filling, and don't come with all the carbs. So I challenge you think about what food you can abstain from, if even for a week. My former co-worker D'Arcy said it best, "We should Eat to Live, Not Leave to Eat." 

One other thing I'd like to share...I saw the below excerpt on my line sister's Brianna Johnson's FB wall, and thought WOW, what a great way to look at the foods that we eat!

I'm truly amazed how much God's love is overwhelmingly evident in the fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds he has provided for us to eat. Sweet cold watermelon on a sweltering Summer day, the juicy ripe peaches sun ripen to perfection, natures perfect seasoning like: onions, ginger, garlic, basil, rosemary, and thyme. Not only is this food amazingly tasty but, when eaten in its purest natural form it's medicine to our bodies. Often times it's underestimated the true effects highly processed foods has on our bodies. If you truly believe what you sow you will reap, consider the foods you sow into your body. Living foods(fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds) give the body life and dead/processed food( food from a package, jar, can, box, bag) brings the body death. How much MORE could we do for God if we ate the foods that gave us optimum strength, endurance, mental clarity, and nutrients? How happy do we make the devil when we are fat, filled with diseases, tired, and depressed? Our food sometimes make us business partners with the devil in his efforts to kill, steal, and destroy our lives. Let's make the choice to honor and love our bodies as temples by feeding it the right things.

And so the Last will be First, and the First will be Last...

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope your all having a blessed week:)

I've been reading the book of Matthew, and as always I've learned a new thing from this chapter that I never digested before. That is, why Jesus taught in parables and what exactly they are. In Matthew 13, I learned that Jesus used parables because they are stories that compare something familiar to something unfamiliar, thus helping us to comprehend spiritual truth by using everyday objects and relationships. One parable that really stood out to me was that of the Vineyard Workers in the 20th chapter of Matthew. In this parable Jesus uses an owner of an estate, and his workers to describe the kingdom of heaven. He starts out describing the owners quest to hire workers for his vineyard. Early that morning the owner goes out and finds workers whom he agrees to pay the normal daily wage to. Later in the morning, he finds more workers, and agrees to pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. Again at noon, he finds more workers, and agrees to the same compensation. Then twice that afternoon, at 3 o'clock, and 5 o'clock he finds more workers and offers them the same compensation. When the work day had ended he gathered all the workers together and paid everyone the same wage. As expected this angered some of the workers who had been hired at the break of dawn, because they felt like they should be getting paid more because than had done more work, than the workers who were hired in the afternoon. Immediately after reading this parable, it hit me...God's grace...his generosity is given in the same way. As Christians we can sometimes look down on the person who isn't involved as much in the church as you are, or who doesn't live the holiest life as you do, or who even doesn't read the bible as much as you do. However we must learn that God's grace is available to all. Whether you commit your life to Christ at 9 or whether you commit your life to Christ at 76. The bible tells us in Luke 23: 40-43, that the criminal who repented as he was dying will be there along with the people who believed and served God for years.  So instead of getting upset about "how much grace" we think we are owed, we should instead just be grateful for his grace. This goes along with not being jealous of what others have. You may see someone who you think is a sinner, and feel angry because you are doing all that's right and don't have nearly as much as them, but again we must quickly end those thoughts and focus on God's gracious benefits to us. I challenge this week to ponder on where your attitude stands on this subject, and I pray that we all can come together and just be thankful for his grace. For Matthew 20: 16 reminds us that, "And so it is, that many who are first now will be last then, and those who are last now will be first then." There's no ranking in who receives his grace. It's open to all! Now isn't that something special.......

At This Moment In Time..

Hello guys! I hope you're all having a fabulous week! I was walking back to my desk last after filming our weekly webcast, and a thought came over me that led me to sharing with you what's inside this post. As I was walking back to my desk, one of my co-workers stopped me and said, "Hey I've been meaning to ask you who films that webcast that you tape each week?" I responded with, "I do." He then proceeded with, "Oh really, well then that leads to my next question, who edits it?" I answered again with, "I do." I didn't ponder on it immediately, but a couple of moments later, I began thinking wow it is pretty cool that I can do everything on my own without having to reach out to an outside vendor to produce our webcast. It was in that moment that I begin to ponder on how I got to that place, which led me to thinking that we should really step back sometimes and learn to be "Content Within The Space We're In." Just think about it, so many times we get caught up in complaining about our current situations, and saying, "I can't wait till I get another job," or "I can't wait until I get a new car," and so on. Instead we should use each moment in time to look at what can be learned from our current situations. This leads me back to my revelation this past week. I realized that while I had complained about my previous job, and begged, and begged God to elevate in my career, he was using my time in my current situation to drill into me valuable tools that would allow me not to just be elevated in my career but to stand out in my career. For example, I can remember complaining about having to write my own news stories, then tape them, and then edit them. Little did I realize that my time in learning to do those things, would prove to be a highly recognized and valuable tool in my current job. Instead of having to hire an outside contractor to produce our weekly webcast, I can do it, and without any help. That accomplishment is solely accredited to God. So at this moment in time in your own life I encourage you to look at what you're currently doing, and how it will be useful in the future. In particular look at the things that you kinda despise doing, and think about the knowledge and experience you're getting from doing those things, that may come in handy in your future. I challenge you this week to instead of complaining about your current situation, you can learn to be "Content In The Space You're In." As you work towards this outlook on life, ponder on this, for Philippians 4:11-13 says: "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."  In pondering on this, keep praying and believing that when the time is right, God will answer your prayers. For 2 Peter 3:9 remind us that, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  So keep the faith, and think about what you can learn FROM THIS MOMENT IN TIME!

Blessings to you all:)

Obedience vs. Humiliation

Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic day!

As I continue my quest to become a more obedient child of God, I'm sometimes faced with the dilemma of being obedient versus being humiliated. Last night while reading my bible I came across something that I feel will help me in overcoming this battle that we sometimes face, and my hope is that it will help you also. In the book of Matthew, chapter one, we learn about the birth of Jesus. As I'm sure you probably know his birth was quite special, as his mother Mary who was a virgin, became pregnant with him by the Holy Spirit. Now this is where it get's tricky and really makes you see how your "obedience quest" can be tested. Mary was engaged, and once her fiance Joseph found out she was pregnant(remember it was looked down upon to marry someone who wasn't a virgin), he wrestled  with the thought of breaking off the engagement because he didn't want to be humiliated. Then on the night before he was going to call off the engagement, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, " Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 20-21).
I read this verse over and over again, because I kept thinking, "Wow Joseph had to be someone who was serious about being obedient, because that was a strong request for the angel to make, especially considering all the humiliation he would face." But Joseph put those thoughts of humiliation to rest, and instead choose to be obedient to God knowing that his choice would be honored by God. Just like Joseph, I too hope that when faced with situations that can result in an abundance of humiliation, I will instead make my decision based off of my quest to be obedient to our father. I'm going to remember that instead of doing "What Looks Right In Their Eyes," to instead ALWAYS do "What Looks Right In His Eyes."

I leave you with this..."Isaiah 48:17–18: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea."

I don't know about yall, but that's the kind of peace I want in my life forever, and always:)

According To His Timetable

Hello, hello! I'm soooo glad that I've finally gotten the time to blog! I hope to be a lot more consistent with this blogging thing after I head down the aisle!

Anyhow while on my lunch break today, I decided to use that time to read my bible since I wasn't hungry; and besides what better food for the soul than that which comes from the scriptures! During my break I was able to finish the book of Joshua. I have really enjoyed reading this chapter as it teaches so many things about living your life, "According To His Timetable!" The book of Joshua begins with God laying out a plan for the Israelites so that they can cross the Jordan and possess the land that he promised them. The plan included strict instructions, but promises to end with a great reward if they follow all of God's commands that he sends through their leader Joshua. While reading the chapter I kept thinking, "Wow are they ever going to get to the promised land?" From numerous battles and setbacks it seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel was a long way away. I know if it felt that way to me just from reading it, it probably seemed like eternity to the Israelites...but that's where the moral of this story comes in. In chapter 21, verses 43-45 read, "So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. ⁴⁴The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. ⁴⁵ Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." And that's exactly what happened! Joshua ends with the Israelites taking possession of the land God had promised them. So while it seemed like it took forever to receive that promise...they learned that they had to remain  faithful while God worked behind the scenes "According To His Timetable." This hit home for me in SOOOO many ways. It's easy to grow impatient when seeking God's blessing on something we really want. However we must learn that God works, "According To His Timetable," and not ours! So that new job you want, that new house you want, that new relationship you want, those new shoes you want...pray about it and then let God work...rephrase let God do his work, "According To His Timetable!" I pray you all have a blessed week, and like myself I'm praying that we all grow stronger in our faith:)

Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

Recognizing your Gifts

Hello guys! Can you believe it...it's 2013!! A new year to start fresh..a new year to recognize our own individual gifts. What am I talking about? Our gifts from God, that are unique to each and everyone of his children.

The idea for this blog post came as I was reading the 12th chapter of Romans. In verses 6-8 it states that "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." This verse really stood out to me for a number of reasons. 1st what I get from this verse is that you should be thankful and humble for the gifts that God has given you. Therefore if you've been blessed with a specific talent, use that talent and don't let it go to waste. For that's a unique talent that God saw fit for you to have! I can recall being around people who could sing their hearts out, but for some reason hated to sing. I remember thinking wow..they're just letting those gifts go to waste. Don't let your gifts go to waste nurture them and use them daily. For if you use them wisely, God will give you more:)

The other lesson I get from reading these verses...is a lesson that I learned as a child.."Never be jealous of others, instead be happy for what you have." So many times I see people missing out on their own capabilities because they are busy trying to seek what others have. Like the scripture says if your gift is giving, then give...it's it's to lead, then lead. You should be focused on how you can use YOUR gift, not how you can use OTHERS gifts:)

Just imagine...how productive the church could be if all used their specific God-ordained gifts in his service! So as a new year begins..I encourage to use your God-given talents even more this year than you have before. Use them diligently and responsibly and remember the BOSS is always watching!

Be blessed and Happy New Year!