tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80004001067103723472024-02-02T05:40:36.643+00:00UNIQUELY WOMAN Every woman needs to walk in divine wisdom, and in a full understanding of her identity, role and purpose on the earth. I am a firm believer in God and the special role that He has ordained His daughters to fulfill. My heart’s desire is for you to come to this self-same realization as you allow the Holy Spirit order your steps, grant you peace, and clarity of purpose as you navigate through the most important role of all...being the best YOU that God has designed You to be.Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-18416178795397134462019-07-13T18:42:00.000+01:002019-07-13T18:42:09.326+01:00Oh death.... Life in it's truest form!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Hey sis,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I buried a friend a couple of
days ago. I'd known her since we were very young children. Ultimately, we ended
up in the same secondary school and fast forward many years later, we ended up
living right beside each other, literally sharing a fence. She was the first of
my inner circle when I got into secondary school. We shaped and sharpened each
other that early on. Our lives took different paths, but the bond of sisterhood
was always there, and we did well to stay in touch over the years, ever aware
that our stories were forever connected. Then she died… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I have been at my most sober
since I first learnt of her demise. I’ve cried and I’ve questioned. I stood and
watched as they lowered the casket, as they put her body in the ground. It hits
hard to bury a friend sis… it hit’s really hard! Through it all I've done my
best to remind myself that God is supreme, that His will has been done, that His
plans and His purposes are always for good, that His ways are not our ways,
that His thoughts are not our thoughts, that He understands it all, that He sees
the big picture. But it hurts, sis. I promise you it hurts.<br />
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She was a first child. She was an only daughter… both her parents still very
much alive. My heart ached as I watched them try to hold it together in the face
of what is surely a very deep hurt. I watched them trying their best to brave an
incredibly devastating loss. As I listened to the eulogies at her night of memories,
having had the privilege of delivering one myself, I realized she had lived a
fuller life than most of us individually knew about. Time and again I asked the
Lord to help her parents take solace in the wonderful things that were said
about their daughter… it was clear they were also hearing new things about
certain aspects of her life and how she impacted so many people in so many
ways. There was such genuine love for their daughter…I pray they will find
comfort in that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So much played on my mind that day and into today, sis. I had watched her
little daughter throughout the funeral, so clearly oblivious of the gravity of
what had happened in her own life. I thought how true it is that the Lord especially
loves little children, so much so as to keep them from understanding the weight
of some of life’s deepest tragedies. I watched her son too. Young as he is, he
clearly knew something fundamental had shifted in his life… and I could see him
trying to process the reality. My heart ached for him, sis. I remember looking
at the beautiful casket her body was laid in, looking into the clean white
grave as the coffin was lowered…. I knew she wasn’t in it… her spirit had long
since moved on… but I found myself reflecting on how for her, it was all over
on this side of eternity. All we were looking at and experiencing did not
matter to her in any way. She had lived… and she left memories, her own unique
story, her legacy… but she was quite simply, gone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">At her funeral service, the
Pastor had shared about some young man who was speaking to his wife on the
phone and suddenly went silent. He had slumped and died…in the middle of a
call! Yesterday, I found out that two of my friends had lost their mothers the
day before. This morning, I was told about a lady who while dancing away at her
alumni event, suddenly slumped on the dance floor and died. So much death all
over the place, sis. So much! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But ….this is the irony isn’t
it sis? There is always death around us. I heard some statistic recently that
said that about 151,600 people die every day. Maybe the number isn’t exact, but
we know there are people dying literally every minute of every day. When it
hits close to home though? Ah, now that is another thing entirely!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I say all the time that death
is about the living. How so? You see sis…once we die…once there is that
separation of the spirit man from the body…. this world and all that concerns
it ceases to be relevant to the person that is dead. Absolutely so!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the living that cry. It is the living
that discuss the ‘how’ of a person’s death. It is the living that worry about
what happens to those left behind…. in my friend’s case, young children, aged
parents, a husband, a multitude of friends and family members. None of that
matters once we are gone, all that matters is where we are in our relationship with
the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Truth is that while we all
talk about legacy…the legacy a person leaves behind is irrelevant to them. Even
legacy is about the living! No, I am not advocating for living a life that is
not mindful of the impact on the lives of others, on your generation. What I am
saying however, is that in truth….no matter how much effort you put into
creating a legacy for those you will one day leave behind, it is absolutely more
imperative that you ensure you are positioned to walk into an eternal spiritual
living legacy… in heaven with our Father God! That will be the only legacy that
matters to he or she who is dead, sis. The only one! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sis, death is not a bad
thing. Not for a believer! No, it is rather a sure thing! What would make death
good or bad to the one who is dead…the dead being the only one that truly
matters in the equation, is whether they find themselves translated into the
bosom of the Lord, to dwell with Him in joy everlasting unto eternity…. or whether
they translate to the kingdom of darkness where there is only weeping and gnashing
of teeth forever. Death is a bad thing to the living because of the pain of
separation, emotions that need to be processed, inconveniences that may be
faced, adjustments that may need to be made, etc etc…. Again, these are<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>conversations and considerations of the
living! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the dead, death is simply a
translation to life in its truest form…. expressed in an eternity in heaven….
or in hell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sis, we know not the year,
month, day, hour or second! We have buried aged parents. We have buried young
children. We have buried our mates! Some gave us notice…maybe through a terminal
illness. Others? A slump in the middle of a phone call, a going to bed and
never waking up! You and I have no clue how we go, sis…but go we must and
certainly will! If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that the Lord is
asking me to step back today and take fresh stock of my life in Him. He is asking
me to be quiet before Him and allow Him speak to me about areas of my life
where alignment or realignment is required. He is asking me to quietly reflect
and where necessary reorder my priorities. He is asking that I am intentional
and committed to walking out my salvation in fear and trembling, so that
whenever my last second may be, regardless of the discussions that may be taking
place on this side of the divide…. My spirit, my essence, the real me would
have translated to my eternal life in its truest form… in the ever-loving arms
of my Father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sis, the Lord is speaking these
same injunctions to you too. Death should not come with fear, sis. It is a
worthy expectation when we have the assurance of where we are going. God takes
care of the rest for those we leave behind. He is their Father too. His power
is not invalidated by our death. Hard truth, but life goes on for the living. He
is asking you and I today to be sure that the life we go on to is a life where
death has absolutely no sting, a life where hell and the grave cannot hold us down,
a life totally secure in Him for eternity… the truest life ever! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I pray that the Lord will
help us seek and hold unto Him at a much more intimate level, sis. I pray the
Holy Spirit helps you on your journey to life in its truest form….even as
surely as I know He is surely helping me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Be blessed sis….for your surely
are!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-69277989840421306102019-06-23T09:59:00.003+01:002019-06-23T09:59:20.409+01:00Stay rooted<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
Hey Sis,<o:p></o:p></div>
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It's been an intense season of joy
for me over the past 2 weeks. I barely paid mind to the intensity of the
traveling across three different countries in the space of 10 days, because every
moment and purpose for each trip was so beautiful in itself. Thank You Jesus! I
give the glory to God alone, sis…. for the graduation of my first son from
University, for the gift of time out with my sisters to commemorate my sister’s
50th birthday, for being able to spend time with my nephew Eli… my little warrior-man
who has been in hospital for over a year from the day he was born, for the graduation
of my youngest son from secondary school, and for having all my children home
together at the same time and for the first time in over two years. It’s FULL
HOUSE, babes and I am simply loving it! My
joy is full, sis. Oh yes, it sure is! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The events of the past few days have had me on a reflective trajectory
about graduation, about the stages and phases of our lives. While graduation is
a marker for finishing, it is also is statement of the fact that you came in,
that you went through (process)…and that you made it to the end, and in the
end. Process…this is the bedrock of life
isn’t it, sis? That everything is a process. Graduation means that you went made
it through the rigor of process. Process speaks to times of intensity, of up’s
and downs. Process speaks to the forging of new relationships, the
remaking/shifting/reshaping and sometimes breakdown of old ones. Process speaks
to growing, maturing, learning/unlearning/relearning. Process speaks to
breaking or being broken, to mending and being mended. It speaks to right steps
as much as it speaks to mistakes and missteps. It speaks to stretching and
being stretched. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At any point in time sis, we are either
about to enter process, are right in the process, or just coming out of it. But
you know what sis? Process is a continuum! It never ends. You just move from
one phase or thing into the next…and sometimes many at the same time, for good
or otherwise. As much as my sons have made it through university and secondary
school respectively, each of them is now in the immediate process of their ‘next’.
Sure, they will have some time to ‘exhale’ for a bit…but they must move into
their next seasons. Life doesn’t give you those endless breathers sis, it sure doesn’t.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you recall, I’ve shared with
you the fact that the Lord spoke to me early this year about “<i>the process of
the journey</i>” …about the need to maintain the right perspective and embrace my
processes so that I am able to emerge stronger and better at the other end,
regardless of how difficult the journey might have been. Perspective is
everything in the process of the journey, sis. Once you have the right perspective,
it helps you stay rooted, grounded, to stand firm in the process knowing that
ultimately you win. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>And he will
be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by
streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not
wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]</i> - Psalm 1:3 (Amp)<br />
<br />
<i>“For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted
by the waters, That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear
the heat when it comes; But its leaves will be green amidst And it will
not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought nor stop
bearing fruit - Jeremiah 17:8</i> (Amp)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love these scripture verses. They remind me that I must stay rooted to my Source,
my God and Father. They remind me that my roots must go down deep in an
absolute conviction that He is working all things out for my good in accordance
with His infallible Word…. that in this position, I will never lack nourishment,
that every one of my processes will bring me to a place of prosperity and
maturity. These scriptures remind me that regardless of the vagaries of life, the
intensity of my seasons, that I may bend but I will never break… that I will
always win, by the power of God! <br />
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Getting to where every single one
of my children has finished secondary school at one end and are already beginning
to leave university at the other, has not been a walk in the park, sis. There were
oh so many times of prayer and fasting, times when I lived on my knees in
prayer, times when I stared fees in the face and wondered how on earth we’d
pull this one off, heart-rending moments in hospital… so much, sis. But it has
all come to maturity, sis. Fruit has come forth in its season! We have all prospered,
and the Lord Himself takes all the glory. Going through…the process of the
journey wasn’t easy, sis but we’ve made it and so will you! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Today the Lord is asking me to
remind you that He waters us Himself, that He holds our hands through it all. He
asks me to remind you that you need to allow your roots go deep enough to
always drink of Him, no matter how dry the season. He is asking you to look
past your difficulties and stand firm in Him. He is asking me to remind you
that if you stand firm, you will we see the markers His faithfulness through
the journey. He is asking me to remind you that in Him, all things ultimately prosper
and come to maturity. He is asking me to assure you that as you stay rooted,
you graduate sis…in every instance, you win in the end! <br />
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Sis, life can be hard, I know. But
He Who holds all power carries us. He is our Source and our Strength…and He
asks that we lean totally and completely on Him. All He asks in return is
intimacy with us, sis. Our roots going deeper is about increased intimacy. This
has been His clarion call to us for quite a while now. Come to the Water! Get
planted! Stay planted! Dig deeper! Press in! Give Him time! Give Him more of
you! Stand firm in Him! Stay rooted! Once this is our heart stance, our
spiritual commitment, we graduate with honors sis, no matter what! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, I pray that you allow this
world to sink deep in your spirit, that you allow the Holy Spirit clarify it
for you Himself, that you open yourself to Him showing you where you need deeper
roots and how best you can stay grounded through your trials. Yes sis, my daily
prayer is that you allow the Lord to guide you into all things, into all truth,
into every victory….. even as surely as He is daily leading and guiding me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Be blessed sis… for you surely are!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-58484952675468855972019-06-02T10:28:00.000+01:002019-06-02T11:41:56.370+01:00JUST MOVE!<br />
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Hey sis, June already? Not a single post from me in two
months? And only two posts this year? Oh dear! Not good, Audrey! Not good at
all! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here I am again starting off with an
apology about how long I have been away from this platform and how there's been
a lot going on with me work-wise and in so many engagements that I find myself enmeshed
in. But you know what, sis? We are all busy and so that is NOT a tenable excuse
anymore, certainly the last time I will be making it. Truth is that I could
have applied myself more intentionally to this platform, regardless of how
crazy things have been around me. Thinking about it though, part of it has also
been that that it is sometimes overwhelming how many lessons every one of my days
bring. I was sharing with my sista Bidemi recently, that I see a message from
God in almost everything. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised though. He did say
He would be speaking with me on-the-go, didn’t He? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I literally see God in my details, sis. I see Him speak
through the most simple and otherwise insignificant looking things…..and
they're deep messages…so deep that it’s been hard to know which specific one the
word of the moment would be. The problem with not settling on any one message
and running with it however, is that this has over time built itself into some
kind of a ‘writer's block’. My truth therefore is that this is what has largely
kept me this far away from this platform. It hasn't just been that I'm busy…no,
it’s more because I haven't been able to just make myself sit down and write. And
can I confess sis, that it is because I have gotten comfortable with being
stuck?...not in the sense that it never troubles me or makes me feel bad… but
in the sense that I have clearly not wanted the change enough so as to force
the shift! Ouch! Hard truth, but my truth nonetheless! Hmm! Can you relate sis?
Ouch! This really hurts!<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is then exactly what I want to share with you today,
sis. What happens when it looks like you're stuck? What happens when you know
to ‘do’ but can't find the energy or motivation? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
happens when you are faced daily with things that are the burning desires of
your heart to deliver on, yet you just can't seem to make yourself move even
though you know you need to? What happens when ‘stuck’ becomes your default,
sis? When stuck becomes a comfort zone…a painful zone yes, but a comfortable and
familiar one nonetheless?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I just came home from our bi-annual three-day Sista Power
Gathering retreat. Now the details of the retreat are not mine to share, we
keep that as quiet safe space. But I can share this element because it is my
story. During our Vision Board review exercise, I‘d shared how as regards my spiritual
goals, that I hadn’t been able to move forward with my writings which I know
without equivocation, are an integral part of the ministry assignments on my life.
I admitted that I was seriously struggling with being able to move forward, despite
a deep hunger to do so. Thank God for God though. He had a sure word for me in
the course of one of the ministrations. You see sis, I heard clearly that if anything
was going to shift…..it was in my hands and in my power to do! I realized again
that I needed to want something enough to do something about it…. because I am
the only one who can! More than anything else though, I had found myself in the
session I was facilitating, reminding others not to forget that whatever their assignment
might be, it was about more than themselves…it was about the destinies of generations
that are waiting on them to give full expression to their gifts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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As I spoke, the Holy Spirit nudged me not too gently,
reminding me that in choosing to stay stuck, I was forgetting that this
platform is for a purpose that is well beyond me. This platform is not about my
love for writing or gift of writing. No, it is about those whose lives and
generations will be touched because I chose to deploy the gift as the Lord
would have me do! And, in that understanding, I knew I had no choice but to
move, sis. I knew I could not stay in stuck even for one more day! <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, the question the Lord has for us today is how do you
get to from stuck to shifting, to moving? You know what sis? You just do! You just
move! You take your eyes off the imperfections and limitations of your current
situations or potential results, and just take a first step! For instance,
today I decided that even if I didn’t have a specific message, I was just going
to write an article. Literally, I said to myself "<i>Girl, just write something!!!
If you are stuck, then that is exactly what you will write about. Leave it to
God to make sense of it in the end!”</i> I said to myself that even if this
particular post does not make sense, I would do it anyway. I would do the voice
note. I would transcribe it, edit it….and I would to post it regardless. In a
sense therefore sis, this post is less about you and more about me
intentionally choosing to shift from stuck and get moving again. There is a
fire in me that has desperately wanted for so long to come back to where I'm
blogging regularly as I used to, and because I’ve been reminded by the Lord
Himself that it's up to me, I am choosing to shift ground and move on to
delivering on this assignment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, this post is about me coming to the realization that
whether what I write would make sense or not in any instance is no longer the
case. It has never been about ‘my’ message anyway. Me writing this today is
about me going back to the place of trusting God to speak that which He desires.
One of the many deep insights I received over the course of our retreat was
that it is pride and arrogance not to move because you are afraid to find out
that God didn’t send you, because you are afraid to fail or to be wrong. Sis, I
have clearly been more focused on being sure that you are pleased with my output
when you read my post, than I have been with simply showing up in obedience to God
and allowing Him process His message to you for wherever you need it in your
life. I deeply apologize…first to God, and then to you sis. Henceforth, I'm
going to be focused on making sure that I deliver with much more regularity on
this platform. I can do all things through Christ! That is God's Word
concerning me. Christ is in me and He is the hope of glory. He is the One Who
has given me my gifts, my talents, my abilities. I have the mind of Christ,
therefore I cannot be confused. I cannot stagnate. I cannot be frustrated. I cannot
be stuck! It is His glory that is at stake! His glory in me must shine forth,
sis! It must!<o:p></o:p></div>
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God is the One that put the desire to start this blog in
my heart since I started it almost 9 years ago. It was and is for His will and His
good pleasure. This has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with my ability,
nothing to do with a gift that I obviously didn’t give myself. This is strictly
God and for His glory! Therefore, while this might not have been the deepest
most spiritual of my posts, it is me saying <i>“I'm arising, I'm shifting ground,
I'm refusing to stay in stuck!”</i> Sis, I choose to stretch, and I choose to
deliver. And I'm doing this because I am intentional about fulfilling God's
call on my life and living a life that is fulfilling to Him first, and then to
myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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How about you, sis? What are the things or where are the
areas that you haven't been able to move forward in in your life? Where are you
stuck, sis? Where do you need to make a shift? Where do you need to move? Sis, the
only person that can make this happen is you! God has already done His bit in
resourcing you. This is not about perfection, sis. Like I said, this post is
about me choosing to SHOW UP! This is really just me saying no, I don't want to
be comfortable in a broken place….. because sis, as far as you and I are not
delivering on our assignments for God, we are in a broken place. Sis, can I ask
you take a moment look your ‘stuck’ in the face? Look it in the face and take a
determined step forward, sis. As you do, don't worry if the outcome looks as
great as the ones you used to see in the past. Focus only on the shift, sis! Celebrate
the fact that you moved! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sis, take that
one step as I have done now. Just make a move, sis! As you do, I promise you
that the Lord will steadily take you back into the place of a seamless flow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lord had said to me that this is my year to ‘<i>Thrive</i>’
but I was seeing too many dropped balls in the areas that mattered to me the
most and that has saddened me all these months. But it ends today, sis. I have such
joy and fullness in my heart this morning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post is me saying, <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>“Lord, I come back and put my hands in Your hands. I take
this one first step knowing that You can and will amplify the results by Yourself.
Lord, I'm taking this one step as a commitment and a coming back to that which You
would have me do. I'm committing that I will keep coming back with regularity
Lord, and that whatever it is You will show me, I will speak. Lord, I will show
up and write even if in my own eyes it appears that my articles may not be as
concise, may not be as great, may not be as well read as some others have been.
Lord, those will not be my metrics or markers of fulfilling Your call. My
marker will be that I show up, Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Father, I will show up knowing that only I (because of Your power that
is already at work within me) can move me out of the place of stagnation and into
a place of progress and productivity. I choose to show up, Lord! I chose to
shift! I chose to MOVE!” </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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This is what I want to encourage you to do today, sis. Just
rise up! Just shift! Don't stay in stuck in stuck sis, make that one tiny step.
My sista and pastor @BidemiMark-Mordi always reminds us that the Holy Spirit is
more than able to bridge the gap between our ability and what is required in
any situation or season. Sis, let's leave it to God to help us to do greater
things as we come in the fullness of obedience to His instructions. Make a move,
sis! Make a move and allow the Lord unfold the greater that He has already put
in you, even as He's surely unfolding the greater that He put in me. I speak
over you and declare that the Holy Spirit helps you move past your stuck
places, sis…. even as surely and as certainly as He's helping me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…. for you surely are!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-32935729155399151762019-03-30T15:02:00.000+00:002019-03-30T15:02:03.185+00:00HOME<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey sis, it was my birthday yesterday. I had an absolutely fabulous
time, my children made sure of that….gifts, a spa session, dinner, icecream
cake (chocolate flavored with brownie toppings and chocolate crunch inside…
slurp!). Added icing on the cake was having another equally fabulous chocolate
cake delivered to me, with love from my husband who is back home in Nigeria. We
had kinda made peace with the fact that we would celebrate when I got back so I
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> expecting that. I simply
burst into tears! Love that guy, I truly do!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Err… did I hear you say something about chocolate, cake,
chocolate cake, and hip-size? When I am regaling you about my husby’s romantic
gesture? Wwhhaaattt? You didn’t go there did you sis? I know you didn’t, lol. Focus
on the gestures of love and not on the calories, sis. Understood? Good girl! Now,
where was I?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ah! Yes. As I sat down to my morning coffee, I looked over
my apartment and thought, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wow, I’ve
truly become one of those people with two-homes</i>’. Literally! What am I on
about? Well, time was in my life when I couldn’t at all relate with anyone
living in one country and then maintaining a home in another. It didn’t make
sense. That’s what hotels were for, I thought. Over time I came to understand it
from an investment point of view, but I neither knew how to go about making
such investments nor had the money to. Ultimately, this just kind of lost
relevance in the scheme of things, in the day-to-day of doing life and certainly
in the place of my maturing over time to where I had no mental real estate
allocated to the more-than-one-home conversation. It was not part of my reality
and that was that! Where am I going with this? Patience, sis. You’ll see. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The journey to how I have ended up with two homes is a topic
for another day but suffice to say it made and still makes economic sense. Can I
confess that I had to repent for some of the silly things I’d said anywhere
between fifteen to twenty years ago regarding having a second home? Oh, I did,
sis. I sure did! I finally got it, you see. Yeah, I don’t doubt that there are
those who have homes overseas simply because of the impression it makes on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">joneses</i>, but I know now that there are more
who simply put on a practical cap and got on with their new reality. With my
children schooling overseas, the attendant<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i>costs for residency and meal plans, coupled with the foreign exchange
rates, it simply makes economic sense. This morning though, I wasn’t sitting
and marveling at the economics of my second home, but more so at the journey. I
was reflecting on how my husband and I started out practically squatting with a
friend of ours in her one bedroom, and how the Lord has brought us to where
among other, we own the home we live in back in Nigeria, as well as this one. God
has been beyond faithful sis, He certainly has! He is so good like that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was in the place of an intense surge of gratitude that
the Lord dropped it in my spirit, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’ve
always had another home’</i>. It was quiet, it was deep, and as I reflected on
this, I saw that it was and is also quite true. Sis, I have always had another
home, as have you. Even when we had a borrowed roof over our head, we had a
home! We are in this world but not of it. This is God’s word to us, right? Praise
God for Jesus, sis. Praise God for loving us so much as to send Jesus to die
for us. This is our access card! This is the unbreakable heavenly tenancy agreement
sealed in His Blood! This is our stamp of ownership, our title deed….Heaven’s
consent to our piece of eternity! Halleluyah! <o:p></o:p></div>
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What a good time to be reminded about this, sis. I was speaking
with my sister who turns 50 in another couple of days and she’d shared that someone
close to her kept telling her to stop letting people know her true age. She’d
refused and told him to go check how many of their age mates had already died. She
has life, breath and so much to be thankful to God for, so she certainly wasn’t
going to color His goodness over her life by hiding her age. I so got it, sis. I
am as grateful for every single one of my 48years as I am for every single gray
hair on my head. It’s simply a testimonial of God’s abundance in my life and I am
honored to make boast in Him for the life He has given me. Thank You Lord!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My life, sis. My LIFE! My birthday was a celebration of life
here on earth, but the whisper in my spirit about my other home was God saying
to me that He celebrates me also by reminding me who I truly am. It was God
telling me He is pleased with my journey in this realm but asking me not to
forget my true home. Sis, this reflection this morning was the Holy Spirit calling
me back to the place of spiritual focus. It was Him reminding me that whether I
have one home, two or even more in this world, the only home that matters is my
true eternal home….a home I have had since the day I gave my life fully to
Christ. Halleluyah! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve always had two homes, sis. The physical ones I have
lived in here on earth…and my heavenly home, so have you. This is such a
comfort to my soul. I am reminded as I reflect on the love and joy from
yesterday, that there is an immeasurable love and unfathomable joy that awaits
me when I finally transition from this realm back to the arms of the Father. I am
again grateful this morning for my hope and future, for my sure expectation of
an eternity with God. I am reminded of mercy that triumphs over judgement. I am
reminded of love that does not deal with me according to my sin and failings. I
bask afresh in a love, grace and mercy that transcends all my errors. I am
expectant again that one day I will be called back into my eternal home where
the fullness of who my spirit man is will truly find full expression, will find
rest, will find joy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, the Lord would have me ask you today to look past that
which is your physical earthly home…no matter how beautiful or drab, big or
small it might be. He is asking that you take a few minutes today to be grateful
that you have another home… an eternal home, a more excellent home, a more beautiful
home…the only home that truly counts in the scheme of things. He is asking that
you reflect on the completeness that awaits you there. He is asking that
whatever your earthly achievements and struggles, you never lose sight of the
fact that He has a prepared place for you…that you are one of the privileged
few that will make it home in the end… that He has loved you and will always
love you on and through <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>your journey
back home. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Keep your eyes steadfastly on the eternal, sis. That is His message
for us today. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Stay in alignment with God’s word, His
will and His way. Let Him come first in your thoughts, your words, your decisions
and your actions. Let His glory be your highest desire. Let your focus be on
your true home, sis. We are literally just walking through this world, it is not
our home. I pray the Holy Spirit will help you constantly keep this reality in
the forefront of your daily life and walk, even as surely as He is helping me. We
will make it home, sis. By the grace, power, mercy and love of God we will!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis….for you surely are! <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-55310901664492756052019-02-02T12:42:00.004+00:002019-02-02T12:42:48.498+00:00CHOOSE TO SERVE<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It's
February already! I can't believe 2019 is moving so fast. Late last year the
Lord spoke so much to me about wisdom and understanding, that I honestly
started to wonder at some point whether He was trying to tell me that I wasn’t being
particularly wise in my walk and conduct in that season. However, early this
year, the Lord clarified to me that wisdom was one of the things that I would
need to excel in my 2019, which He’d said to me was my THRIVE year – a year in
which proper articulation of my thoughts, words, actions and assignments was critical;
a year in which modulation of my emotions was key; a year in which I needed to
be careful to respond and not to react. I can I tell you sis, that since the
beginning of this year I have seen quite clearly why in a 2019, wisdom and
understanding must be the things that under-gird my every action, my every
thought process, every perspective I allow into my spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I've
been doing a study of the book of 1<sup>st</sup> Kings and one of the things
that saddened my heart afresh was to see how a mighty King Solomon, the one
that we hold up and who the Bible tells us was the bastion of wisdom, got to
the point because of his love for foreign (strange) women, that he allowed his
heart to be turned away from God. 1<sup>st</sup> Kings 11 v 3 tells us he had
700 wives, princesses and 300 concubines, and we see that because they served
other gods and his own heart was not perfect and complete with God, he began to
go after gods of his wives, set up temples for those gods, worship and make
sacrifices at those strange altars. You know the story, sis. God was angry with
him and decided to take the kingdom away from Solomon. Faithful as our God is, He
purposed not to take it away in Solomon's time because of His earlier
commitment to David, Solomon's father - who the Bible also tells us was a man
after God's own heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sis,
as I read this, I was reminded the actions we take have the potential to
entrench or to negate the foundations that have been laid before us. When we
move away from well established, laid down godly principles, while we might not
feel the direct impact…. we're actually setting up our generations to struggle through
challenges that God would not otherwise have them contend with. In 2019, we must
choose right intentionally, sis! Irrespective of the choices we have made in
the past, every day is a new opportunity to choose the path of alignment with
God’s will and way!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ultimately,
Solomon died and his son Rehobaom reigned in his stead. Israel assembled together
to declare him king (1<sup>st</sup> Kings 12). They pleaded with him to be
kinder to them than his father Solomon had been, in return they would be
faithful to him. Rehobaom asked them to give him three days to think it through,
to take counsel, which was a good thing. Truth is that when we transact from
the place of wisdom and understanding, we are required to respond and not to
react; to not be in a hurry to speak; to not allow our flesh and physical senses
lead. Sis, in the place of wisdom and understanding, we must never be in a
hurry to assume that what we see with the outward eyes, or what we hear audibly,
is the true representation of any situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sis,
as you do life this 2019 let me encourage you not to be quick to react. Let this
be the year that you more often than not respond; a year where you always step
back, seek godly counsel, think through, press into the Holy Spirit and let God
enable you discern what really ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is’</i>….
over and above what looks or sounds obvious in the physical. This is that year
to transact from the place of the spirit, sis. I promise you it is!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wisdom!
Understanding! This is the key for us this year, sis. Rehoboam started off
well, seeking counsel from others. The challenge became which counsel he allowed
to drive his decisions. He consulted the older men who had served as advisers
to Solomon, and he consulted the young men who grew up with him. Both came back
to him with diametrically opposed counsel. The old men asked him to serve the
people, that they be faithful to him forever in return. The young men insisted
he impose a harsher call to service on the people, such that they would be unequivocal
about who was the boss of them! The result? Israel was torn apart!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
is the interesting thing about leadership and it’s what the Lord would have me
share with you today. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sis, when the Lord
begins to lift us into places of leadership, influence and authority, we will
always have a choice as to whether we want to serve, or we want to be served. We
will always have to choose whether flesh will rule, or we will allow spirit
hold sway. Why did Rehoboam resist the counsel of the elders? Very simple, in
my view! You see, they were asking him to serve …but he had been the son of a
king, no ordinary young man, a Prince no less; and now he was king, the big
gun, exalted above his people positionally. In his mind, by the pull of his
flesh, leadership was about position; authority; power…expressly so! He didn't
see leadership through the lens of God, the God Who so loved us that He gave
and gave… and gave; serving us in love so ultimately through the gift of His
son Jesus Christ Who came <u>not</u> to be served, but to serve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rehoboam
didn't take the elders counsel because it sounded like he would have to put
himself under and allow his subjects to be above him. He didn't count the cost
and consider that the undiluted lifelong loyalty of his people is the greatest
gift a king could ever have. He went with the counsel of the young men who in
effect said to him<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, ‘You are a king. Kings
don’t serve. You deserve to be served’</i>. They spoke to him words that fed
his flesh, words that puffed him up. What he didn't think through was the fact
that these young men lacked the benefit of experiential wisdom; that these
elders were men who saw Solomon rise and saw him fall. They had counselled from
the viewpoint of helping him avoid the same leadership pitfalls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The younger men? All they had were ulterior
motives. Because they grew up with him, they were themselves now in a position
of privilege as the king's inner circle. They were the most likely candidates
to be appointed into special positions if they moved him in a direction that
pleased his flesh. If he was a harsher, more powerful ruler, then they
themselves would also have higher levels of power and would also be greatly
feared in the land. If he served, then they would – in their minds, be reduced
to servants themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sis,
as the Lord places us in leadership positions at various levels, and if we're
not attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we will very easily be counseled
into the wrong places. The Bible tells us clearly that there is wisdom in the
multitude of counselors, but it is wisdom factor that we must be on the lookout
for. Wisdom is literally the principal thing, sis. As we reach out to others, it
is imperative that we test the spirits behind any counsel we receive. Sis, you
and I have the Holy Spirit in us, we each have the capacity to hear His voice. There
is a depth of knowledge and understanding that comes only from the place of
transacting in a close personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. If we are to
thrive this year, if we are to have a year where our emotions will not hold sway,
if we are to operate this year from a place where we're not fighting the same
sorts of battles that we fought last year; we must allow the counsel of the
Lord and the spirit of service come rule our hearts and minds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Can
I ask you sis, that as you think about the rest of your year, you approach it
with a heart of service? If the Son of God came in service to you and I, then
none of us is greater than the opportunities that the Lord gives us to serve. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In leadership, there is an imperative for us
to stretch in the giving of ourselves, in the building up of and adding of
value to others. The benefits of a life of service transcend our lifetime and flow
over unto our generations to come. I promise you that many of us are today
living in the overflow of the goodness of those who have gone before us. I want
to ask us today to be very mindful and intentional about the true legacies we
leave for our children. My greatest prayer is that my generations find
themselves walking in the abundance of blessings that my life invests ahead for
them. My hearts cry is to live and leave a legacy of true leadership, authenticity
and humility…exemplified by a genuine heart of love, a willingness to serve, and
a commitment to deliver glory to God as I follow through on the example of
Jesus….as the Holy Spirit helps and empowers me to do! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
is my heart's cry, sis. I pray it is yours too. Please choose to serve! Don’t let
the world counsel you to expect or demand service. Of what use is man’s
acknowledgement of your leadership, authority, influence or power, if the Lord
is not pleased with your life? Sis, please allow the Holy Spirit show you how
best to serve, even and especially at those times when it is uncomfortable,
when it looks like you're being put under, when you so desperately want to
speak but you know He would have you be quiet, when everything in you would rather
push back. There is a form of service that is not of or unto men, it is that service
that is of and for God Himself. Choose to serve as the Lord leads, sis. Choose
to serve from a Christ-like example of true leadership and allow God reward you
and your generations to come with the loyalty of heaven itself. The Holy Spirit
will help you sis, even as surely as He's everyday helping me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Be
blessed sis….. for you surely are! </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-90432034349177530332018-12-27T03:30:00.003+00:002018-12-27T13:30:30.654+00:00GENTLE WHISPERS<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Hey sis, I suspect you thought
I was done with blogging, right? Well, can I confess that I had struggled so
much with it that I occasionally wondered if it was a season of my life that was
now over? I did, sis! Oh, but I did! That is until a recent conversation brought
to the fore the fact that I was allowing my commitments to so many external
things take priority over a sense of responsibility to myself. I ended that
engagement with a keen sense of awareness that I needed to re-compartmentalize
things in my life into two boxes, my negotiable's and non-negotiable's. I had to
agree with myself afresh that anything that had to do with building <i>‘ME’</i> for me
so that I can give full expression to God’s call upon my life <i>MUST </i>come first.
Everything else would have to fit around this principle. I had clearly allowed the
flurry of life overtake me somewhere along the line, but as of now I am
determinedly finding my way right back to me. Can you relate, sis?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
One of my fresh realizations was
that the platform of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>UniquelyWoman</b> </i>is
one of my non-negotiable's and a clear assignment from God upon my life which I cannot
walk away from. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said sis, I
honestly struggled with putting action behind this realization. I mean, it's a
busy time of year and there’s so much going on with most of us in this season,
so I will admit I didn’t act immediately on this. But…. when the Lord is on
your case? Boy, is He on your case, sis! It was barely a couple of days later
that I had a meeting with a young lady who has allowed me be a combination of
boss, mentor and a mother-figure in her life. We’d spent most of the afternoon
talking about how she was doing in her life and business. Suddenly, she asked,
<i>‘So how are you ma'am?’</i> I responded
to say that I’ve been busy, dealing with my many responsibilities as best I
know how, yada yada yada. She’d been smiling her sweet smile all through as I spoke,
but once I was done she put on a serious face and asked, <b>‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And what about your blogging ma’am?</i>’</b> Ah ha! I told you God knows
how to get on your case right? I could almost hear the Holy Spirit chuckle,
could almost see Him wag a finger and say to me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Girl, get back to your assignment NOW</i>!’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sis, this has been quite an
intense year for me in so many ways. I almost can't quite wrap my head around
the fact that we are in December already. The rapidity with which things have
been happening has oftentimes left me breathless. I’ve seen new dimensions of
life as I know it unfold. I came to the realization a few months ago that this is
a year of transitions for me, and transitions are not seamless. Transitions come
with their own stretching, difficulties, uncertainties, and their own elements
of fear. Transitions come with their own new learning's, unlearning and
relearning’s. They come with the need for streamlining, for expanded thinking,
for new perspectives. Transitions come with new sets of dependencies and relational
realignments, some of which can be painful. Transitions come with change, and
change comes with trials… not to mention sometimes painful and costly errors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sis, through all the
transitions however, this year more than ever I have seen my relationship with
God take on a different depth, meaning and intensity. All in all, this is what
I am most grateful for in this year. This year I have been more grateful than
ever for the gift of the Holy Spirit, for being able to walk with Him in heightened
intimacy, for an increased sensitivity to His voice and to His leading, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for being increasingly able to trust His
ordering of my steps; and for the conviction from Him that as long as I stay in
alignment with what I believe He would have me do, then all things will continually
work out for my good. Sis, this year more than ever before has made me realize
that if you don't have a personal relationship with God, if you don't have Jesus
Christ, if you don't have that intimacy with the Holy Spirit and if you are not
in intense fellowship with Him, you really just can't have peace or live life
as your best you. <br />
<br />
This post is for me a walk in obedience, coming back fully to what God would
have me do despite the storms, the transitions, the intensity. It is an
expression of capacity, the word which God had given me as my anchor for 2018…and
I have seen and experienced exactly why. Oh boy, what a year 2018 has been! <b>Psalm
107:29</b> is one verse of scripture I came across early this year which has so helped
me stay strong through the vagaries and vicissitudes of my 2018, sis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reads, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>He hushes the storm to a calm and into a gentle whisper, so that the
waves of the sea are still’</b></i>. It is on my heart to speak to you about this. I
believe God wants me to say to you that no matter the turbulence you have
experienced in your life this year, He will hush every storm into a gentle
whisper for you. If your year has been anything as turbulent and intense as
mine has, God says ‘<i>Peace</i>’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Receive His peace in the middle
of everything going on. There is truly nothing as beautiful, calming,
reassuring as knowing that God is in the boat with you. There is nothing greater
than the understanding and conviction that no matter how loud the waters get in
the midst of the storm, the voice of the Lord is louder than the voice of many
waters. Sis, all He needs to do is to speak a word…<i> ‘Peace, be still’</i> and
everything stills into a gentle whisper. Indeed, if like me you take time to do
some reflecting about the year, you will be able to recall the many times He
clearly took charge of the raging storms in your life! <br />
<br />
I love the expression <i>‘Gentle Whisper</i>’… even the sound of this is so reassuring
to me. It is for me a statement that God’s got my back, that He’s mindful of me,
that He upholds me with His everlasting arms of righteousness, that He
maintains my lot. It speaks to me about the fact that He has me covered, that
He causes lines to fall unto me in pleasant places, that He is my God Who is
able to bring water out of a rock, my God Who is able to part the Red sea, my
God Who is able to fill valleys and bring mountains low, my God Who makes a way
when there seems to be no way, my God Who can kill and make alive, my God Who
can build-up and who can tear down, my God Whose arms are not waxed short, my
God for Whom nothing is impossible. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sis, there are so many gentle
whispers in my 2018 which are my markers for the many testimonies that I have
seen God work in and through my life from January to date. Ah yes, this God has
been so faithful sis. He has! Sis, can I remind you today that no matter how
loud the storms have been, you need to be listening out in your spirit for the
gentle whispers of heaven. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sis, as the year begins to wrap
up can I encourage you to use the last few days of the year to do a spiritual
reset? This is that period when everyone is goal setting and planning resolutions
for the New Year. But sis, the Lord impresses it on my heart to say that those
that will thrive in 2019 are those that choose to just transact by the leading
of the Spirit. Can I tell you sis, that what will carry you through in 2019 is
your sensitivity to the gentle whispers of the Lord? 2019 is going to be an
excellent year for those who are walking closely with the Holy Spirit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sis, let me assure you that wherever
you are in your relationship with God, this is as good a time as any to come
back and ask Him to take you deeper. Press in and ask God to bring you to a
renewed place of intimacy and fellowship with Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to
teach you a new dimension of Who He is. Ask Him to help you increase the
sensitivity of your ears to His voice, to help you attune your spirit more
finely with His Spirit. Pray to the Lord to draw you closer still in this last
week of the year such that you don't go into a New Year 2019 the same old you. As
you press in, ask the Holy Spirit to tweak your spiritual reflexes, infuse
strength into your spiritual muscles, and show you how He would want to walk
with you in 2019. Let this spiritual reset be one of your primary non-negotiable's,
sis. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
As you take this step, listen
out for the Holy Spirit as He unfolds to you the things He would have you deliver
on in 2019, and then ask Him to breathe over every storm the enemy plans to
lift against you, hoping to derail your journey to fulfilling those assignments.
Ask the Lord for the boldness to press forward, and for the grace to complete. Pray
and ask God to give you the capacity to remain steadfast, trusting fully that
by His help and your obedience you will deliver new levels of glory to Him. You
and I are going to do great things for the Lord in 2019, sis. I speak over you
and I declare that the Holy Spirit helps you, even as surely as He daily helps
me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Be blessed sis …….for you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-76600865960596678182018-03-25T13:51:00.002+01:002018-03-25T13:51:23.996+01:00EPIC<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It would seem the Holy Spirit is on my case in this season
about pending assignments, about things He had ministered to me over the past
year that I didn’t quite do anything with. This is honestly the only
explanation I have for why He keeps sending me back to certain spaces. Its almost
freaky how He sometimes ministers to me to go to where I have my old study notes
stored, asks me to pick up a specific one, and then to open it to a specific
page or sets of pages where He has me read something He spoke to me a while
back. I almost laughed out loud in church the week before, when my sista and
pastor shared how the Lord had done the same thing with her and instructed her
to preach a specific message she had shared almost ten years ago. And it was
such a word in season sis, it sure was! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyhow, today the Lord also had me flipping through some
very unlikely files and places where I found different notes I had written as
they’d ministered to me at those times. In every case I was reminded about the
when and why I wrote those notes, as well as seeing them from fresher
perspectives based on the going’s on in my life in this season. Can you relate,
sis? It is such a comfort to see God’s mindfulness of me being expressed daily
through both the big, small, as well as ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seemingly’</i>
insignificant things, sis. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I riffled through this one file, I saw somewhat crumpled
scrap of paper which was clearly ripped from off a full-sized sheet. I wondered
why I had that in a file but as I turned it over, I remembered clearly. It was
from last year. I was scheduled to hold a particular program I run every other
month, but in that instance everything in me so didn’t want to. My mind was
such a blank. I couldn’t conceive a theme, couldn’t visualize the flow, had no
inspiration to try to conceptualize it properly, and honestly just wasn’t even
in a place where I wanted to press in and allow myself hear God regarding the event.
I was just tired, sis. Simply put, I was tired! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My personal assistant kept asking me what the theme was, so she
could build the pre-event communication around it, but I had no answer for her
so she went on with other elements of her planning. I found myself an odd
combination of amused and annoyed, somewhat wishing she would also give up on everything
else so I would have more of an excuse to lay back and rest. I should have
known better though as she was relentless in making sure she held up her part. We
were less than two weeks to the event, she had all arrangements in place and
she’d gotten several people signed up to attend…… I just wasn’t clear exactly what
they had signed up for. Each time I asked her what she was up to, she’d just
smile her brilliant smile and move on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess I finally realized that I needed help from above on
this one, and so I prayed a small prayer. Truth be told, my desire was for the
Lord to cause some loud thunder and huge bolt of lightning to come from the
sky, with a deep voice saying, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Rest
child, it is not my will for the event to hold this month’</i>. Oh, how I longed
for that! But, you know how it actually went down don’t you, sis? First there
was an element of chastisement from the Lord for my taking His assignment lightly
because I was ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tired’</i> (like it was
about my ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">strength’</i> in the first
place); then there was a reminder from Him about the purpose behind the assignment
in the first place; and finally, He gave me the theme …..and boy was it heavy! It
was so heavy that I couldn’t think how I would put it together in the little
time I had. He also told me who He would have minister with me, and I honestly
doubted he would be available given the short notice. I knew would have to at
least try anyway, as clearly the Lord was not having any of my attempted
slacking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well guess what, sis? My PA contacted the speaker and he was
so available that he committed right away. She came in to relay the info to me
and that sent me on another tailspin. He was free, he had even expressed clarity
to her regarding why he believed the Lord would have chosen him as the second
speaker and what he felt God would have him say…. whereas yours truly was still
clueless. I said as much to my PA and without missing a beat she smiled again
and said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You’ll do great ma’am. I just
know this month’s session is going to be EPIC!</i>”. Can I tell you that it was
indeed EPIC, sis? It was phenomenally epic, maybe our best session ever as at
that time. This God? Indeed, He is too good! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was on my knees in utmost thanksgiving in the evening
post-event, when the word ‘EPIC’ dropped in my spirit again. It was in that place
of gratitude that the Lord said to me: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘</i><i>Daughter,
you are EPIC. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>You are:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exceptionally
Positioned in Christ<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exceptionally
Purposeful in Christ<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exceptionally
Powerful in Christ’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow, sis! Wow! This made absolute sense then and it still
does now. This was God Himself reminding me that it was and is not about me, but
about Him. This was Him reminding me that because I am in Him, I am seated with
Christ in heavenly places. This was Him reminding me that He is the One Who has
steadily guided my destiny up to where I am today; Who has made sure the enemy
did not devour me in my wilderness days; the One Who has redirected my errors
and turned my life around for His glory; the One Who chose to love me enough to
look past my failings and call me by a new name; the One Who saved me by His
grace, Who is working out His will and good purpose for my life and His glory. This
was God telling me that I am EPIC because I am exceptionally positioned in
Christ Jesus, by His grace, mercy and power. Halleluyah, sis! As epic as I am,
is as epic as you are so please praise this God of ours with me. Halleluyah! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sis, this was the Lord reminding me that because I am in Christ,
He has put me in position as a Son of God, an Ambassador of Heaven, a divine diplomat
useful for Kingdom assignments on the earth. I am exceptionally purposeful for Christ,
sis. For the life I live now is the life in Christ Jesus Who loved me and Who
gave His life for me. This was God reminding me that any assignment He gives me
is not for me to feel good about myself, but to bring glory to Him. This was
Him reminding me that I cannot give Him that which costs me nothing, so if pressing
forward despite my tiredness was the cost, then so be it. This is as much a
reminder for you, sis as it was and is for me. God’s purpose must be fulfilled
through you and I sis, and as long as our focus is to give Him the glory that
is His due, then we have to keep pressing forward in the assignments He has for
us per season and time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lastly sis, this was the Lord reminding me again, as He is
today reminding you, that we are exceptionally powerful in Christ Jesus, for
where we are weak He is strong. He is reminding us that all we can ever do/be/achieve
will be about His power and might that are ever-working in and availing for us.
I got help when I finally looked past my flesh and looked up, sis. I did, and
honestly it was such a huge lesson for me once again. I don’t doubt that every
once in a while, I might find myself in that place of tiredness or lack of
clarity, but I hold the acronym EPIC up as my divine signpost to remind me that
I am able because He Who is in me….my Greater, is more than able. I hold the acronym
EPIC up as a marker that as long as I am looking up to Him and seeking to
deliver more glory to Him, He will infill me with everything I need to carry
through. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sis, can you please allow this same conviction to come into
your heart and spirit? You are EPIC, sis. You are! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exceptionally Positioned in Christ…Exceptionally Purposeful in Christ…..Exceptionally
Powerful in Christ! </i>As you allow this truth indwell you sis, let me assure you
that in every situation and for whenever and wherever you need it, the Lord will
help you…as surely as He has and continues to help me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be blessed sis ….for you surely are! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-8374899626615745232018-03-11T19:02:00.001+00:002018-03-11T19:02:28.764+00:00Grace …the perfect fit<div class="MsoNormal">
I smiled this morning as I saw the edge of the label sticking out
from under a book on my coffee table. I pulled it out, already knowing what it
said:<i> ‘Grace, a perfect fit’</i>. This
was a label on lovely black blouse I’d bought in some store or the other, can’t
recall where cos I’m not into stores, labels or brands. I remember though that
God used this label to minister to me early in the year, and that why I didn’t
throw it in the trash. It was on the 2<sup>nd</sup> of January. I hadn’t come into
the New Year in a ‘<i>good place’</i> as we
say, and I had taken some time out that morning to again press in and allow God
to infill me afresh as my Encourager, Comforter and Helper. The year prior had
ended rather heavily, and this one was again starting out with its own new sets
of weights. Truth be told, my outward appearance of calm belied many an emotion
that I was dealing with based on several business and family-related challenges.
I don’t know about you sis, but I prefer to fight new battles. It can be tough
to see old demons you thought you’d slain resurrect, and to have to again fight
battles you thought you’d had victories in previously. To have to deal with
those in addition to new battles? It was an intense period for me, sis.
Intense!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But what do you do? You put on a bold face, mindful that the
family is counting on you to set the tone for the holidays and festivities,
right? You know that saying, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘ain’t
nobody happy if mama ain’t happy?’</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
thing with having older children though is that they can see through your
charade, lol. They might not know the specifics of whatever is going on with
you, but they see and they know …..and thankfully in my case, they didn’t ask
too many questions but rather chose to seriously love on me in that period, which
made it oh so much easier to deal with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This morning of the 2<sup>nd</sup> though, I was just drained and
as I went into my prayer closet, I had no specific words. I simply bawled
before the Lord. Yes, it was a real <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘groanings
that can’t be uttered’</i> situation, sis. I cried, prayed in tongues, cried
some more, and then managed an odd <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost-comical-if-it-weren’t-so-serious
</i>combination of both. When I was done (and I could literally sense God
asking me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘You done?’</i>), I sat
quietly and waited to hear what the Lord would say. I had no plan to move
unless He spoke. He was silent for a quite a while, or so I thought initially.
I finally realized though that while my mouth had stopped moving, He was
waiting on me to be truly quiet in my spirit. Eventually, I heard Him. The
first thing He said was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“1<sup>st</sup>
Corinthians 16 verse 9”.</i> I looked it up: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“<span style="background: white; color: black;">For a wide door of
opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and
promising one], and [there are] many adversaries”</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black;">. It so made sense, sis! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Honestly, it made so much sense that I literally burst into
laughter. Adversaries? Many adversaries? Oh yes, I had certainly seen that. I
had seen them in the physical and clearly, they were also working in the
spiritual realm. I laughed because I realized that all the noise was because of
the ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wide door of opportunity’</i> …<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the ‘opportunity for effectual service’</i>
that has been opened up to me. The Amplified version of the Bible qualifies
this door of opportunity as being ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">great
and promising’</i> meaning that there is a mountain of glory that God will get
by my walking in through that door and faithfully deploying on the assignments
of service that He would have me do for Him. No wonder the forces of darkness
had been battling against me! I could see it clearly, sis. I could! I mean, to
be fair…it’s not that I didn’t know, but sometimes there is a clarity with
which the Lord uses His word to redefine certain things for you that leads to a
greater ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aha’</i> than your general ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knowing’</i> of a thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I laughed, sis. I laughed from my core, and then I burst into
songs of praise. Nothing had fundamentally changed in the physical, but I knew
without a doubt that many things had shifted in the heavenly realm. My focus
shifted from the attacks and the adversaries, to the victory and the
opportunity ahead. And again the Lord spoke a word to me, another simple word.
He said: ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CAPACITY’</i>…Halleluyah! That
is another message, sis. I will deal with that in my next post, sharing with
you the things He then began to speak to me regarding that word. I sang songs
of praise and prayed prayers of thanksgiving with an assurance that no matter
how the storms may rage, the voice of my God is louder than the noise of many
waters. I felt the release, sis. I did! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I then prayed for grace, sis. I asked for grace not to forget the
reason for the challenges. I prayed for grace to see the door of opportunity,
not to miss it, not to allow anything becloud my vision. I prayed for courage
to walk through it, and I prayed for the strength to obey promptly in the
course of the assignment waiting for me at the other side of the door. As I
stood to leave my prayer closet, the blouse I spoke about earlier caught my eye
for some reason. I really am not one to ‘save’ new things to wear them at some
future time so quite frankly, I took it that it caught my eye because that was
exactly what I should wear that day. I immediately yanked off the label (one of
my ways of ensuring I don’t change my mind) and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as I made to throw it away, the words on it
caught my eye in greater detail. And yes sis, the label was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“GRACE...the perfect fit”.</i> Very odd for
a clothing label don’t you think? Or perhaps not odd at all! As I stood there,
the Holy Spirit began to speak to me about grace and this is what I want to
leave you with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sis, no matter how the storms of life buffet you, and we will all
face storms at various times and seasons….there is grace available for you,
sis. There is grace available for me. The Holy Spirit said to me that as long as
we remain connected to God, as long as we recognize and go to battle in His
strength and not our own, as long as we remember to lift Him above our
struggles, as long as we don’t try to find the solutions for Him, as long as we
look and spend time in His word, as long as we remain committed to give Him
glory for the victory… grace will be and is available sis. And this grace is
available in the EXACT measure which we require in every instance! I don’t know
about you, but that is such a comforting and uplifting reality, sis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Maybe you are in a seamless season at this point in your life. Let
me assure you that this is only because there is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect-fit-grace</i> that is carrying you and constraining every
difficulty that could otherwise arise. Give God the praise, sis. If you have no
significant worries currently, it is not of your own making. It is grace and
mercy saying ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No’</i>. But if like me you
are in a ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">going though’</i> season, let
me assure you again also, the you are still standing because of the same <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect-fit-grace</i>. I pray that you and I
never lose our confidence in this reality, sis. By the power of God, I pray we
will allow His Word, His sufficiency, His <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect-fit-grace</i>
to wash over us now and every day of our lives…that we might truly live and
walk the overcoming life that He desires us to live. The Lord will help you
sis. He will help me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Be blessed…..for you surely are!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-63050887305915611762017-12-26T18:16:00.001+00:002017-12-26T18:16:10.705+00:00Purposed to Profit<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Merry Christmas, sis!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You know, there’s something about
Christmas, beyond the bright lights, presents, parties, food and lots more food!
For one, Christmas brings with it the undeniable reality of the countdown to
the end of the year. Sis, 2017 is as good as gone! As I took some time out this
morning to reflect on this reality, one big question - followed by several
others in rapid succession, came to mind. I’d like to pose those same sets of
questions to you today because I think they are pertinent to entering 2018 with
the right perspectives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, what were your markers for
2017? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Markers? Yes! What were the
things that marked 2017 for you? What were your major gains? What were your
major pains? What were your take-away lessons from both your gains and pains?
What events – global/local/economic/social/emotional/physical etc. impacted
upon or shaped your 2017 one way or the other? What goals did you set for
yourself in 2017 that you achieved or surpassed? Which goals did you not
attempt, or attempted and failed at partially or even completely? What things did
you achieve in 2017 that were nowhere near your goal radar at the start of the
year?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What relationships did you forge
or forgo in 2017? Who added to or took away from you in 2017? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Did you ‘grow’ in
2017? How exactly? Are you the same person you were at 12.01am on the 31<sup>st</sup>
of December 2016; or are you different and if yes, how? What has evolved around
your thinking, perspectives, actions and inactions? Which bad habits and demons
were you able to conquer in 2017, and which did you continue to ‘fellowship’
with? Did you wallow in comfort zones in 2017, or were you able to take baby
steps/quantum leaps away from the things that once kept you in the cycle of
sameness? Who is grateful for having had you in their life/lives in 2017? Who
are you grateful to have had in yours? What was your spiritual life like in
2017? Did you grow, stagnate or regress spiritually?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Many questions sis….so many! That
said, can I ask you to please not just breeze past them? Honestly, nothing
beats a no-holds-barred one-on-one with yourself ever so often, and methinks
today is as good as any to find some quiet space and think through your life in
the past 12months. You can’t just roll on into 2018, sis. Honestly, you just
can’t!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It would take at least three
million words for me to share with you what some of my responses to self were,
but suffice it to say that 2017 has been and still is an INTENSE year for me.
2016 had ended on a highly traumatic note for me, and so also did 2017 open
with trauma. I had to contend with challenges and deep-seated pain that I never
thought I could feel. It almost broke me, sis. No scratch that… I was broken! I
was! But herein lies the gift of a strong relationship with God and an
understanding that He alone is your firm confidence, trust and dependency. I
had to learn new dimensions to the word grace and believe me….it’s one thing to
ask for grace from God, and its another entirely to then extend the same grace
to those who have wronged and hurt you deeply. I had to relearn how to release
my heart to God and allow Him do a healing work. I had to release my mind to
Him afresh to allow Him deal with painful memories each time they resurfaced. I
had to relearn how to allow God carry me daily from a higher dimension, and if
only for that reason then I’m actually grateful for the pain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In business, wow! Talk about
intense! This year stretched my business acumen in a way it hasn’t been
stretched over the past 23 years. I had to run three major projects, major both
in terms of the quantum and the depth of deliverables to get each project to a
successful close-out. In the face of how badly our industry was hit by global
events, I am grateful that the stretching was about growth and not a decline.
In ministry, in other industry and social responsibilities that I carry…. Hmm!
Did I already say ‘intense’? Well, pardon me for saying it once more. It really
was intense for me, sis – emotionally, spiritually, in my family, business-wise,
and in every area. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I saw God do the most amazing
things in my life and through my life. I saw Him heal me and cancel a negative
report. I saw Him deliver me from what would have been a major accident. I saw
Him hug me through my tears. I saw Him provide in my difficulties. I saw Him
speak to me and through me, things which came to pass. I saw Him as light in my
darkest of places. I saw Him raise helpers and the right voices to encourage
and grow me. I saw Him grant me access into places I thought I was unqualified
for in my own eyes. I saw Him create and consolidate opportunities for me to
grow and grow others. I saw Him through so many facets of my life, sis. If
there is one thing that I can take out of 2017, it is that God walked every day
of this year with me! I wish I could boast as unequivocally that I walked with
Him as faithfully…but I can’t, and I won’t. That wouldn’t be true. I had my
struggles in 2017, sis. I did! Without a doubt however, I know He was with me,
ahead of me and all around me every single step of my way! I know this, and boy
am I grateful. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As this realization washed over
me, something dropped in my spirit. It was a statement and then a question:
‘So, you are clear that you profited from God this year…. But, what did you
profit heaven in 2017?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What did you profit heaven in
2017, sis? What did heaven gain from your life and existence? What did you do
with the impartation of God’s divine breath that gave you life? How well did
you walk in your assignment? How did you transact in 2017 such as to enlarge
God’s Kingdom and deliver glory to Him? Did you take territory for yourself, or
did you take territory for Christ? What are your spiritual markers for
2017…particularly the ones that are not about you alone? To whom were you
Christ? To whom did you represent Christ? To whom did you minister Christ? What
did you profit heaven from your marketplace transactions? Did you attend church
efficiently in 2017, or were you actually ‘<i>the
church’</i> on a daily basis to a world very much in need? Whose spiritual life
was impacted and enhanced by your spiritual life in 2017? How did your
obedience walk go in 2017? Did you follow through on God’s instructions and
assignments for you? What would heaven score you on your 2017 spiritual
assessment? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Hmm! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, this post would be too long
if I tried to share my answers with you. I will sum it up to say that I had
quite a few things I could honestly and humbly declare that heaven profited
from me, sis……things for which I was and am grateful to have had the privilege
to be used to deliver on for the Kingdom. But, I also had quite a few things I
knew I didn’t deliver on, instructions which I didn’t follow through on at all,
or which I followed through only partially. I was also brave enough to be
honest to myself about why. Sometimes, it was out of fear and uncertainty, and
sometimes out of sheer laziness to make the effort required to push through. Other
times, it was because I was clueless, and I didn’t take time to go back and ask
for clarity and direction. So yes, heaven profited from me in 2017, but it was
less than could have been. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Why is this important, sis?
Because a New Year is around the corner and I want to be sure that it is a more
profitable year from me to the Lord! I know He will do His bit. I enter 2018
with a confidence and trust around the things that God will do for me and mine
because He loves us like that. But I want to be sure that as He up’s His
spiritual play in my life, I also up my giving back to Him. I know that with
each passing year, I am on a countdown to standing before my Maker, and I know
I am too old to be planning towards the day when I can begin to get it right.
The time is NOW, sis! I was brought forth for this time and this season, not to
occupy space on earth; but rather, to be productive for God and to fulfill the various
assignments which He purposed I should deliver on during my time here on this
earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
I am purposed to profit heaven,
sis. You are purposed to profit heaven! Entering each New Year and season of
our lives with this understanding brings us to the place of intentionality and
determination. It brings us back to the place of asking God to begin again with
us, and walk again with us, so that at the end we may indeed deliver the glory
that is His due, in the quantum that is His due, for that season and beyond. Ah
sis, that we would better understand as time slowly but surely rolls by, that
this life is ultimately only about how we profited He Who sent us. It would
change the way we do life day to day. It would change the decisions and
resolutions we make. It would change the actions we take. It changes the
perspectives we adopt. It changes the impact we make. And I so want my impact
to be about His glory. Don’t you?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
The Lord will help me, sis. He
will help you. Find quiet time to think this through, sis. Speak to God and let
Him speak to you about 2018. Allow Him to show you through His eyes, and then
commit to the instructions and assignments He would have you deliver on. By the
grace and power of God, and by the help of the Holy Spirit, our lives will
profit heaven in greater measure in the year ahead. In Jesus name, amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Be blessed sis…..for you surely
are! <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-32783190426269846732017-08-27T18:16:00.001+01:002017-08-27T18:16:18.940+01:00Make the Time<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, I’m still here. Thought to get that out of the way
first. It has been a while, but such are the seasons of our lives, right? Over
the past three months and counting, my life has involved a crescendo of activities
at work, family, and ministry. I have sometimes thrived in the flurry of
activities and responsibilities, and at other times honestly struggled to get
through the weight of my many tangible deliverable's. Also thought to put that
out there because one too many people have said to me recently that they don’t know
how I ‘<i>do it all so seamlessly’</i>. It isn’t
seamless, sis. It’s a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s a lot of pressure
points and pain points. But, it’s also a lot of reward when the results speak
so evidently on their own, and when God gets the glory. The apparent <i>seamless-ness
</i>also means a lot of things take a bit of a back burner for a season, but
therein lies the beauty of the passion-purpose intersection…..you always come
back to the things you have acknowledged and are passionate about as part of
your life’s assignments. You have to! I have to! I know for certain that the
Lord will hold me accountable to how well I have deployed this platform for His
glory. So yeah, I’m back sis. I’m oh so ‘<i>back’</i>…if
that is grammatically correct, lol.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I write this, I am waiting on a flight from New York back
home. I should have been home today, but a decision to change my route a few
days ago, coupled by weather challenges (I mean, who could have foreseen
tornadoes while planning a trip?) collaborated to ensure all my connecting
flights were delayed for hours on end and I eventually missed my international
connection. Sigh! Sigh! Sigh! If that wasn’t bad enough, while I will spare you
the details, it took me another near two hours to get my luggage and then make
it to the hotel I had to book last minute when it became clear I would not make
the connection. And again Sigh!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But you know sis, as I have travailed (for that is exactly
what these two days have been for me) on this journey that I am literally still
on, I adopted a certain spiritual stance about it and have continued to say, ‘<i>Lord, please show me the lesson(s) You need
for me to learn through this all</i>’. I mean, this all couldn’t be for nothing.
There are no wasted experiences with God. None whatsoever! And certainly, no
wasted seasons either. Sis, can I assure you of a truth that all the challenges
you have been dealing with in this season are not hidden from Him? And while it
may not seem to make sense now, can I promise you that He has treasure He will
bring out of your dark spaces? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realized at some point before I went to bed yesterday that
the Lord needed some major ‘<i>alone time’</i>
with me. And yeah, I will admit my first thought was why He needed to literally
isolate me and through such a harrowing process, but He showed me, sis so
please stay with me. You see, God has some really interesting ways of getting
things done, and unless we keep the right spiritual perspectives and frame of
heart in place, we will miss divine movements in our lives. I spent some time
saturating the atmosphere around me with worship and a session of praying in
the spirit, then sat at my desk preparatory to my study time. But sis, the Lord
simply asked me to lay my Bible aside as He needed to have an intense
one-on-one with me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sis, it was INTENSE! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found myself siting and talking with God in a way that I do
not recall having done in years. It was a no-holds-barred, come up higher,
evolve or die conversation. He spoke, I listened! Many times, I cried, I contemplated,
I deflected and then capitulated. But I listened with my heart, soul and
spirit...and I understood. The Lord was transparently honest with me on another
level, and in return I had to be brutally honest with myself to the fullest
extent. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! But in the end, boy was there a release or what, sis? I had
clarity more than ever before about my current season and my next season as God
would have it unfold. I had clarity about where I was getting it wrong and why;
where I was getting it right and how; where I was not even at the ‘<i>getting’</i> stage yet but needed to be; and
so on and so forth. I <i>came to myself</i>
afresh in God, sis. I did! And can I tell you it was ultimately such a
refreshing experience. I got past the ‘<i>me</i>’
that I was allowing myself to be, and got to the ‘<i>ME</i> that He needed me to be for the next phase of my assignment. I am
sitting here with a clear head and fresh insight for how God will have me
transact in various areas of my life in the season immediately ahead. I am also
sitting here confident that He heard and will answer my petition for help from
Him in the places where I know of a truth that I cannot do what He would have
me do in my own strength.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am lighter for this experience, sis. And yes, I still have
this long flight ahead of me but I am completely at ease concerning that. I am
grateful that the Lord had to take me through such an intense exercise in
separation for my spirit to be open enough to know that I am not at all in
control, and that unless I am doing life on His terms, I can never have peace
and fulfillment. I honestly wish I could share details with you, sis. I really
do. It would make it so much clearer wouldn’t it? But that’s not what this is
about. This is about the fact that the Lord would have me tell you that you
need to create time for a one-on-one with Him. He so desperately wants to speak
with you, sis. He so desperately wants to show you ‘you’ through His eyes as He
needs you to be in this season of your life. He said to tell you that you are
trying to transact as an outdated version of you, but there are elements of
your nature and things that He already has built into you that He needs you to
cooperate with Him to bring into manifestation in this season. He so wants to
walk with you and work in you to thrive in this season in ways that heaven
applauds. He says you cannot continue to live on the echoes of the past
applause sis. There is newness that He would birth in you in this season of
your life if you would come closer and allow Him redefine you for His glory. He
says He is allowing certain things in your life because He wants you to come to
the place of emptying yourself afresh in Him so that He can fill you with ‘You’
afresh. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Will you yield sis? Will you? I know you are busy. I know
there are many demands on your time. I know you might already be fruitful in
His vineyard and think this does not apply to you…but remember the echoes sis. He
does not want you to transact by echoes. Can you force the time? Will His instructions
to you for this season carry enough weight for you to intentionally separate yourself
enough to have the intense one-on-one with He who wants to birth a higher level
of glory in and through your life? I pray you will sis. And I pray that as you
do, you will hear His voice with clarity and that you will also receive divine
instructions for your next seasons, as the Lord molds you into a more excellent
‘<i>You’</i> for the glory of His name. Make
the time, sis! I promise you it will be so well worth it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be blessed sis, for you surely are! <o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-61367658009376767692017-05-14T17:43:00.003+01:002017-05-14T17:43:35.227+01:00Creation..... not reaction!<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My daughter turned 17 today. Well,
if we were to be exact, she will be turning 17 in another thirty minutes. I’m
so grateful to God for the precious gift of this one girl child that I have. She
is such an amazing blessing. She’s not however the subject of my post today,
even though she inspired it. I just couldn’t imagine that my first post in so
long would fall on her birthday and I wouldn’t take a few minutes to hail the
One Who saw fit to bless me with her in the first place. All the glory is your
alone, Lord! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So I had called her this morning,
sang a birthday song and then prayed for her from my heart as the Lord led. She
smiled her usual quiet smile and said her thanks. Then she said, ‘So I am born
on this day 17years ago’. I corrected her and said, not ‘I am born’ but ‘I was
born’, to which she smiled and said something to the effect that she knew exactly
what she was saying. And you know what, it didn’t take but a minute for the
Lord to begin to unpack that simple sentence for me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, do you remember that when
Moses asked the Lord in Exodus 3 v 14 what he should say if Pharaoh asked who
sent him, God said to Moses ‘<i>Tell them
that I AM has sent me to you</i>’. The Lord reminded me that He is the ‘I AM’. He
reminded me that He is the God Who calls forth the end from the beginning; that
He is the God Who knew us every before we were fashioned in our mothers’ wombs;
the God Who has orchestrated the times and seasons of our lives before the
foundations of the earth; the God Who has numbered our days, Who knows us so
intimately as to be familiar with every single hair on our heads. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And as the Lord ministered these
to me, He told me that my daughter was right because her ‘I AM’ was purposed to
be brought forth into manifestation on the 17<sup>th</sup> of May 2000, and
this had been established from the foundations of the earth. He reminded me
that she didn’t come into existence because I labored and pushed her out of my
womb on that day. No sis, she came into being in human form on that day because
it was the set time that God had appointed for her spirit man, her I AM, to
manifest in a mortal body in accordance with His purpose and for His glory. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As the Lord spoke this to me, He
also reminded me about something I had read in Mark Batterson’s book ‘<i>In a pit with a lion on a snowy day’</i>. I honestly
can’t remember the exact context in which he was speaking, and neither do I have
the book close by right now for reference purposes; but I do recall that he was
saying something about creation and people’s reactions, and it suddenly hit me
that ‘<i>Creation’</i> and ‘<i>Reaction’</i> have exactly the same letters
in them, though in different order. What has this got to do with anything? Hear
me out sis, just hear me out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sis, if you and I truly believe in this God that we serve…. If
we truly believe…. Then we need to settle in our spirits that there are certain
things in our lives that carry creation’s mandate, things for which you and I have
no hand in or control over. Do you remember that the Word in Colossians 1 v 17 tells
us that He is before all things, and in Him and through Him do all things
consist? That a<span style="background: white; line-height: 107%;">ll things were made<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">and</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> came into existence through Him; and without Him
was not even one thing made that has come into being</span> (John 1 v 3)? Sis,
if we truly believe the Word, we should settle in our spirits that our lives
and times are in His hands, and as such we should check our reactions to the
situations and circumstances which we find ourselves in the course of our
sojourn on this earth. <span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Lord never promised us an
easy ride, sis. He didn’t! He was very upfront t about the fact that ‘<i>in the world you will have tribulation’</i> wasn’t
He? But do you remember what followed? It was ‘<i>But be at peace, for I have overcome the world’</i>. Sis, the message
to you and I is that in our good times, our quiet times, as well as in the times
of our seasons and storms; we should set our focus on Creation’s mandate and
allow our reactions be those of submission to a God Who has promised to uphold
us with His mighty right hand of righteousness. I was listening to someone
minister yesterday who said that if we would consider carefully, none of us can
remember at all or in sufficient details, the things that were troubling us on
this specific day and time last year and much less the year before. I believe
what God was reminding me this morning was to again cast my cares and fears on
Him, because He has cared enough for me to have sorted it all out from the
foundations of the earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, God is saying to you today
that He does not need you to try to help Him by your worrying. It’s hard, I know.
Oh boy, do I know! But this is why He takes the time to come back to us with
reminders and words of encouragement time and again, sis. He knows we are but
human, and He knows we can’t do this on our own so He is mindful to speak peace
to our spirits over and again. The challenge with God’s peace is that while it
is available, we must take it! I love that scripture that says that God’s voice
is louder than the sound of many waters (Psalm 93 v 4). It just reminds me that
when the many storms of life are raging, I only need to reconnect with the
voice of the I AM that is within me, and His small still voice will speak
louder than the sounds of the waves buffeting the shores of my life. It is that
small still voice that speaks a ‘<i>Peace,
be still</i>’ to my spirit and allows me to stay above even when all seems to
be falling apart at the seams. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, God is saying that the good
things that happen to you are not strange to Him, and the challenges you have and
will face are and will not be strange to Him either. He is asking you to gauge
your reactions to the things that come at you for good or bad and ask if you
are truly walking in faith. I know I have shared with you before something I heard
from Pastor Stephen Furtick who said that ‘<i>Faith
and Fear have their root in the same thing …in Focus!</i>’. Sis, can you and I come
back to focusing on Creation’s word concerning us and take our focus off the
fear that causes us to react as though we are not already helped? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A couple of days ago, I was speaking
on Facetime with my husband who was away in Houston. I couldn’t see Him clearly
and I said as much to him. He had responded to say that the lighting was bad in
his room. I remember I had laughed and I said to him that I was going to blog
about what ministered to me in that instance. You see sis, he could see me with
absolutely clarity because I was enshrouded by light, being in a very bright
well lit room. I on the other hand couldn’t see him clearly because the light
in the room was above his head. I asked him to lie down, looking up to the
light, such that the camera was illuminated by the light flooding from the
ceiling. He changed position, and I could see him as clear as day. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Here is what the Lord said I should
leave you with, sis. His light is available to illuminate the dark places of
your life, to give clarity where you cannot see clearly, to bring you into
prominence where situations are preventing your gifts from manifesting visibly.
But He needs us to look up, sis. He needs us to change position. He needs us to
move into the place of submission to the light of He Who is Creation Himself,
so that He can make our pathways of life shine brighter and brighter. He wants
us to react less and trust more, sis. That is His word today. He asks that I again
leave you with this, ‘<i>My peace is
available to you. Take it’</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, it is in the place of
creation that purpose manifests, that our gifts make room for us to the fullest
extent. And in this season, God is looking for us to manifest our ‘I AM’ to the
max. There are things God spoke from the foundation of the earth sis, but He
needs you and I to be in the position to pull down the spiritual word, the
Creation mandate, into a physical manifestation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t know about you, but I honestly
look forward to a daily spiritual growth and maturation that has me reacting
less to the ebbs and flows of life, and trusting more in my Creator to work all
things out for His glory. The Lord will help you sis, as assuredly as He will
help me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Be blessed sis…. For you surely
are! <o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-21818351642456577952017-03-04T11:35:00.002+00:002017-03-04T11:41:01.884+00:00Needed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘<i>I need you as much as you need Me!</i>’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
These were words the Lord spoke
to me recently as I fellowshipped with Him, but as I sat down this morning to
think through what I wanted to share with you today, it ministered to me that
this is a word for you too, sis. Let me back track a bit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’d said in my first post this
year that I came into 2017 in trauma. Pressing in to hear God’s voice, He had
then said to me that ‘<i>surrendered’</i> is
the state of heart that would keep me in His victory in 2017; that this is not
a year where I should try to do battle by myself and that I would not win if I
do. Somehow, this word seemed to speak to the fact that I needed God more than
anything else in this year, and I was fine with that. God knows (literally),
that I am tired of trying to do life by myself anyway. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A few days later though, I was
meditating… okay, I confess… I was worrying over someone in a particular situation
and praying for the Lord to intervene when He said the next few words to me:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-align: justify;">
<i>“Focus on your own growth, My child! Do not worry
about anyone else. Pray and encourage others, yes; but focus on your own growth.
My word for you today is ‘Higher’. There are too many mountains ahead and you
need spiritual strength to climb them. Be prepared! Plug in and persevere so
you can grow. You need to be fed, and the only way you can do this is to spend
more time in My presence and allow My Spirit minister to your spirit!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-align: justify;">
<i>It is in My presence that is your victory
and growth! Do not neglect dedicated time in My presence, My child! I need you
as much as You need Me! My purposes must be fulfilled though you.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I bolted upright after I wrote
this down, and in the place of a pause I’d asked God. ‘You need me as much, Lord?
I’m not sure I can handle that. And He spoke again clearly saying: <i>‘I need you as much as You need Me! My
purposes must be fulfilled though you. It is weighty, yes. But, you are chosen
and you must walk in the fullness of this privilege’</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, I wish I could somehow make
you feel exactly what I was going through at that time as I sat and mulled over
these words. You and I know that those of us who have a relationship with God
kind of always find ourselves in the place of knowing that we need God to walk
through this life successfully on His terms. And many of us know that God
brought us to the earth to fulfill some purpose, whether or not we are clear
what that purpose or those purposes might be. Indeed, for those of us who are
in one form of active ministry (‘active’ being the qualifier, for I believe all
of us are called to be every day ministers), we understand that we are on God’s
assignment to build His Kingdom. We know God needs us to do the work, given
that He is not coming down from heaven to get things done, but has empowered us
to do. However….. I am not sure that I personally have ever seen the assignment
as being weighty enough for God to declare to me that He ‘<i>needs me as much as I need Him’</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Wow! Me?…..tiny, little, <i>insignificant-in-the-global-scheme-of-things</i>
me? How can this be? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Hmm! I just had Luke 1 v 34 drop
in my spirit. Mary was asking the Angel the same question when he passed the message
from God to her about her bringing forth Jesus. Remember? I believe the Holy
Spirit is reminding me that God
specializes in asking for the seemingly impossible from us because as He also
spoke in Luke 1 v 35: <i><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); line-height: 115%;">"The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”</span></i><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); line-height: 115%;"> It’s ultimately always about
God’s power and purpose, sis. It is!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On the day I had this experience however,
Luke 1 v 34-35 was nowhere on my mind. What immediately came to my mind were all
my past failings, my current struggles. I thought about how readily I could
accept if my fellow man said to me that they needed me as much as I needed
them. That would make sense because I know within my family and my small close
circle of friends, we all play supporting roles in each other’s lives. Because I
am not afraid to be openly weak, afraid, uncertain and vulnerable with them,
they can (mostly) handle this as much as they can handle my many strengths, competencies
and capabilities. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But sis, how do you begin to
conceive that the Lord God strong and mighty, the Creator of the universe, the
Alpha and Omega, the One from Whom all things consist, the Mighty Man in
Battle, the King of Glory, the I Am that I Am, the Double-Breasted One, the
Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the One Who is God all by Himself, the One for Whom
the heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool, the One to Whom all power
belongs, the One who knows the end of a thing before its beginning, the One
that simply speaks a Word and it comes to pass… Pray tell me, how do you begin
to conceive that this mighty GOD could need simple insignificant little me… <i>as much</i> as I need Him? Me who is as
small as a tiny speck of sand (or even smaller still) compared to the grandness
of this God? Hmm!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Only now do I see it, sis. I pray
you see it too. I have been trying to figure what this could mean to me in real
terms. And clearly therein lay the problem….that I was trying to figure it out
in ‘real terms’, this simply meaning that I was trying to reason it out in my mind…with
my fleshly senses. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Only now did Jeremiah 1 v 5–10 drop in my spirit and this is
the answer. Sis, the Lord needs me and the Lord needs you because we were specifically
brought forth as His chosen instruments, set apart as prophets to whatever ‘nations’
He called us to. Before we were born, He gave us oversight of nations and
kingdoms of the earth. And before you decide you have no influence over nation’s
sis, let me remind you as the Lord again ministered to me just now, that each
of us carries within us the seed for nations. We are ourselves seeds from
generations of a single individual from centuries ago. Therefore, even if your
circle of life consists of only one person, you are in relationship with a
nation…. a ‘nation’ that must experience God through you!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And this is the period when God
is reconciling His kingdom back to Himself, sis. We are clearly in the last
days, seeing gross darkness rapidly covering the earth as hell continues to
enlarge its mouth. God has need of me and He has need of you because His desire
is that as many of His children as possible would come back to Him and make it
to heaven at the end of the age. And we are His instruments, sis. We are! You don’t
have to have a pulpit to preach Kingdom sis, and neither do I! The time of the
end is nearer now than ever before so if God says He needs us as much as we
need Him, sis it speaks to the urgency of the assignment. It speaks to the fact
that indeed we need to come up higher; that we need to be fed spiritual meat so
that we can feed those who are running on empty, or who are on spiritual milk
levels, so they can also grow and not miss that glorious eternal reward that
awaits those whose are Christ’s! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Go read 1<sup>st</sup>
Corinthians 1 v 25–28 sis, and realize as I just have, that as long as God is
our Source, the One in Whom we live, move and have our being; then it makes
sense that He would take you and I who might look small and insignificant in
the eyes of the world (and indeed also in our own eyes) and use us to do His
will …which is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and lead people back to
Him. The assignment is clear in Colossians 1 v 28-29 sis… that we labor to
present every person mature, complete and perfect in Christ. And He did call us
co-laborers in His vineyard didn’t He, sis? If you own a vineyard and your laborers
go on strike, can you be productive and profitable? No sis, NO! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
God has need of me sis, and He
has great need of you! And His need of
us is as much as our need of Him. His desire is that our lives be profitable to
Him by His own measures, sis. He needs us to do the work He called us forth to
do, so we can touch the lives, the nations He intends us to touch. I so get it!
And He is right…it is a weighty
realization that I am needed of the Father as much as I have need of Him. I desperately
need Him sis, don’t you? Imagine then walking around with the weight of the
knowledge that He also desperately needs me? Of course He can do without me and
He can do without you, being that He is GOD after all. But He has loved and
considered you and I worthy of such honor and esteem as to grant us the
privilege of being chosen to fulfill purpose for Him! Wow, sis! Wow! I don’t know
about you, but I am grateful to be used by God, and useful to God. I am
grateful that in spite of the many shortcomings of my everything and my all,
God would consider me worthy to be needed by Him. What a privilege indeed sis,
what a privilege! <i> </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Please take time out to seek the
Lord’s face today, sis. Let Him know as I am doing now, that you understand and
that you make an intentional choice to meet His needs for and from your life. Yes
sis, let Him know again today that your life is available for Him to use as He
chooses. Commit again to Him that you submit to the assignments He will send to
you. Let Him know you accept your call to any nation(s) He would have you touch
with His love and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Let your Father know that you
are humbled by the privilege to be needed by Him, sis. And as you do, watch Him
do exponential things in your life and in the lives of those He will have you
touch, all for His glory and the enlargement of His kingdom. The Lord will help you, sis. I can
tell you with every certainty, that daily He is daily helping me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Be blessed sis…. For you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-21151276994915753082017-01-22T21:12:00.000+00:002017-01-22T21:12:01.362+00:00Take it!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I had an amazing time at church today! Truth be
told, it has just been an awesome move of the Spirit of God in the life of my
family as the Lord ordered our steps to a different place of worship, one that
is clearly part of His call on our lives for this season. It has been one Holy
Spirit encounter after the other on another level since then, and the Lord has
been unfolding Himself in new dimensions to each and all of us ever since. Err…no
don’t ask me the name of the church sis. This is not a call for you to move
from where the Lord may have you planted at this time. If He needs you to move,
He will move you Himself and it will not be out of any orchestrated effort on
your part. I’m simply sharing because I consider that I am doing life with you
on some level through this platform, and because of the things God spoke to me
at the turn of this year which I am beginning to see glimpses of; and I am
honestly both excited at the bit He has shown me, as well as <i>excito-scared</i> (my new word combo) of the
magnitude of what He has said is yet to come.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
So in church today, the pastor in the course
of his message made reference to Esther 8 verse 8 and sis, it was such a
powerful alignment to every other thing he preached on prior to and after he
made the reference. Honesty, today was another one of those ‘<i>this-message-is-precisely-for-me’</i> days; but something about this particular verse of
Scripture, among the many he shared, spoke deep to my core. It resonated even more
profoundly with me as my spirit made immediate connections with two other statements
he made in the course of his ministration…. statements that would otherwise
have seemed somewhat unrelated were the Holy Spirit not helping me see them
through a different knowing. He had quoted Matthew 11 verse 12 further
along in his message, and in elaborating on the relevance of that portion of
Scripture to the point he was trying to pass across, he’d said, “<i>Not everything is given. Some things must be
taken!</i>” My spirit immediately jumped
back to Esther 8 verse 8. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
Again at the end of the service, he had mentioned
that there would be a special ministration next week and everyone should come
with their 2017 goals. He however reminded us that our faith is not supposed to
be in the goals, but in He who enables us to do; that the injunction from God
is to seek first after His Kingdom and righteousness and all other things would
follow, including the attainment of our goals. Sis, maybe it’s because I have set my own
goals for the year which I am trusting God to help me deliver on, or maybe it’s
because everywhere around me all I see are conversations about goal-setting;
but suffice it to say that as he made that announcement at the end of the
service, my spirit immediately went again to Esther 8 verse 8 and somehow I knew
that this was the word I needed to share with you today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><sup><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></sup></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><sup><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Esther 8 v 8 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;">You yourselves write<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>a decree<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="text-align: start;"> </span>concerning the Jews, as you please,
in the king’s name, and seal<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>it<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="text-align: start;"> </span>with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is
written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can
revoke.”</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><i>‘You
yourself write a decree’:</i></b>
Sis, have you framed your 2017? The Lord is reminding you again that He has
given you power and authority and that you need to use it to reign and rule in
your corner of the earth, to fulfill godly purpose and deliver glory to Him. The
word of God is that we should write the vision and make it plain (Habakkuk 2
verse 2). You can only run with it when it is written, sis. Anything else is
just glorious imagination. The word of God tells us that the world was framed
by the Word of God (Hebrews 11 verse 3), and we carry the divine nature and
power of God in us. We are Kings and Priests. He has given us rulership and
dominion over the earth and He has asked us to decree a thing and it shall be
established. We need to make tangible decrees, sis! Write down
your decrees for your 2017 and trust that you are framing the world that the
power of God will then unfold for you. Write your vision for this year and run
with it. Write it, speak it, set your
eyes continuously on it and you will surely see it come to pass… indeed, you
will see greater things come to pass in this year in Jesus name. Please don’t be
casual about this, sis. In 2017, the Lord is looking for <i>uncommon believers</i>, for <i>radical</i> faith! He is looking for those who will choose to believe Him over what
man will call foolish; those who will walk in naive faith, trusting the word of
God that NOTHING is impossible to Him. I sense that God wants to show off in
your life and in my life in a radical way in 2017, sis. Don’t let ‘<i>normal</i>’
stand in the way of extraordinary this year. Please sis!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><i>‘…as
you please’..:</i></b> Hey sis, are you as excited as I am at this? As
I please? What does this mean? I tell you what ministered to me, sis. The Lord
is saying to you and I that there are no limitations this year. As long as our
ultimate objective is to deliver a higher level of glory to Him in 2017, we can
ask as we please. We can ask for the big things, we can ask for the small
things. We can ask for the spiritual things, and we can ask for the material
things. We can ask for spiritual enlargement, and we can ask for promotion in
our places of planting and in the works of our hands. We can ask for influence and
we can ask for impact. As we please, sis. It’s all as we please. However…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><i>‘…in
the King’s name…’: </i></b> Here is the catch sis. As we ask, we must ask
in the name of the King. Jesus said to us that whatever we ask in His name, God
is able to grant to us according to His riches in glory. So there is an
alignment called for sis and that is why in my view, while I will ask as I please,
I will color it myself by asking in Jesus name, and asking for Him to show me
any request I make that does not fit into delivering glory to Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><i><b><span style="background: white;">‘…and seal<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>it</b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="text-align: start;"> </span>with the king’s signet ring; for
whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring
no one can revoke’:</b> </span></i><span style="background: white;">Sis, be sure you don’t move with any
project/goal/endeavor that the Lord does not sanction. Not in this year! These are
not the day’s, sis! As we ask as we please, and as we ask in the name of the
Lord, let us also be patient to wait and hear from Him so we have clarity as to
the things He has sanctioned. God clarifies the <i>what</i>, the <i>how</i>, the <i>when</i>, the <i>where</i>, the <i>with whom</i>,
etc. Many times He unfolds these one step at a time, but be sure you have a
specific ‘<i>Yes</i>’ for your ‘<i>what</i>’, sis. It is only then that you can be sure He
seals it with His seal of approval, with that signet ring no one can revoke. Once
the Lord establishes your assignments for 2017, no force from the camp of the
enemy can override you. They may try, but it will be a vain thing and in the
end the enemy will never prevail. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, God has an awesome plan for you and I in
this year. But, we will only walk in it if we take what He has made available
to us. We must pull that which He has spoken into manifestation in this realm,
and that involves a ‘<i>taking by force’</i>.
This is not a time to be casual about your Christianity! This is not a season
to be apathetic about your pursuit of purpose! This is not the time to maintain
status quo in your relationship with the Holy Spirit! I can’t tell you enough
that this year, the Lord is calling us to a new level of intimacy with Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The world is going through fundamental
changes, sis. Those who will live in elevation over all the trials and
tribulations of the day are those who will intentionally live in an elevated
spiritual position. Sis, let’s be intentional and focused about seeking God at
a higher level this year. Let’s cast aside every success or achievement of the
prior year and years, and let’s consign every failure to history. God has
turned a new page for you and I, sis. But there is a demand placed on us if we
are to walk in it, if we are to achieve goals that are fully in alignment with
His will and which will deliver the glory He desires our lives to bring to Him in
2017. Let’s take it, sis! Let’s PRESS IN and TAKE IT! As always the Lord will
help you, sis…as assuredly as He continues to help me! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…..for you surely are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-44756263678662173992017-01-11T21:13:00.004+00:002017-01-11T21:13:59.716+00:00Press in<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Happy New Year, sis! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Please join me to give all glory to God for keeping us
through 2016. Bumps and all, we made it and we’re still standing simply by His
grace, mercies and favor. So many passed on just as the year turned sis, so I
hope your ‘<i>Halleluyah’</i> is as loud as
mine as we bless the Lord for 2017. God is faithful, sis. In His infinite
mercies, He has seen fit to keep you and I in health and strength; and He has
held true to His promise to fulfill the number of our days. Our being here is not
for lack of the devil having tried otherwise sis, I can assure you. It is
simply of the Lord’s mercies that we were not consumed. Thank You Jesus! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I had said to my son earlier today that it’s amazing just
how quickly January is already well on its way. His response was, ‘<i>Actually the entire year is already over,
mum’</i>. I listened with a half-smile on my face as he spoke to the fact that
2016 had quite simply raced by and he could see this year progressing along with
the same velocity. I smiled because I understood that the discussion about 2017
and how fast it is moving along also holds an underlying significance for my
son. He turns 21 in a few months you see, officially then coming into his own
as a full legal adult. What I didn’t say to him, but which I thought to myself
as he spoke, is that of a truth, 2017 is a year when many of us will have to ‘<i>come into our own’</i> - spiritually
speaking, if we are to experience the full measure of the things God has purposed
for us in this season of our lives. Spiritually speaking, the Lord has laid it
on my heart that 2017 will indeed be a significant year for those who will seek
Him in spirit and in truth on a higher level. It is a year when only the
spiritual adults will thrive, while those who still insist on operating on the
level of ‘milk’ will struggle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Speaking of significance, it is on my heart to ask you to do
two things today, sis. First, can you take a look at your 2016 and ask yourself
what the most significant things, situations, relationships, etc that marked
the year for you were? What were your
key learning’s and take-away’s sis? And more than anything else, as you
reflect, can you reflect on how God presented Himself through each of those
significant markers? Even if you didn’t see or feel Him when you were going ‘<i>through’</i> any of the things you count as
your 2016 markers, are you now able to see and acknowledge that He was with you
in every situation? Even if you still can’t figure why you had to go through some
of the challenges you faced in 2016, can you trust that He is still doing something
in you and that He will also help you to discern, at the appropriate times,
what He needed you to learn or birth through every one of those experiences?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second thing I would like you to do is to take some time
to ask yourself how you want to walk with God in 2017. Will it be same old,
same old? Or would you rather come up higher in Him? Methinks the world we are
in is breaking down at an alarming pace, sis. Those who will thrive in the
truest sense of the word as God defines it, will be those who press in…those
who understand that it is only from Him that we can receive the downloads for
how best to transact, thrive and abide in this season. Determine for yourself
what needs to change about your spiritual walk in 2017 sis, and as you do,
determine also the specific things you want the Lord to help you do in order to
see the fullness of the manifestation of the changes you desire. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I ended 2016 on a very devastating note, and came into 2017
numbed by the enormity of challenges I found myself facing. And I can tell you
sis, that for the first few days of this year, it took everything in me to keep
my head up. But this is then also the beauty of having a deep personal relationship
with God, and of knowing who you are in Christ. I did and have been doing the
one thing I know of a certainty to do, sis. I pressed in, and as I did the Lord
spoke to me and calmed my spirit. This is why I am pressing on, and why I know I
will make it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Among other things, He cautioned me not to take my eyes of Him
for a minute this year. The Lord said to me that ‘<i>surrendered’</i> is the state of heart that will keep me in His victory
in 2017; that this is not a year where I should try to do battle by myself and
that I would not win if I do. He admonished me not to forget that He is my
ability always, and especially in this season. He reminded me that His Holy
Spirit is more than available to me, and that I must not do anything without
consulting with Him first. And He said that I must walk in a spiritual high –
in a place of spiritual elevation in 2017. He is still committed to speaking to
me on the go, but it is only if my spirit is attuned to His voice that I will
constantly hear Him with clarity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is on the strength of the understanding that my current struggles
all count for something greater for His glory, that I can stare at my storms
and still declare that 2017 will be a phenomenal year for me, no matter what. His
word is that all things work together for my good, and this I know well. But I also
know I have work to do. I have more spiritual meat to eat. I have more spiritual
<i>‘coming into my own’</i> to do, so that I
will see the manifestation of my confession. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, I don’t know how your year has kicked off, but whether
it started on a high or a low note is irrelevant. Can you please allow your
spirit receive the same counsel the Lord laid on my heart and purpose to do
life with Him at a deeper level in 2017? Sis, your spirit needs to be
surrendered so you can attain the spiritual elevation God desires for us to
ensure we thrive in this year. Can you please take some time to press in? As
you press in, can you take your focus off your wants, and rather ask God to show
you what He wants from you? Can you ask Him to give you spiritual eyes to see His
express purpose for your life in this season, and ask Him to show you how best
you can deliver new levels of glory to Him in 2017? Press in sis! Press in and don’t
stop. The Lord gave a word in December that He is looking for mobile
worshippers – those who will continuously carry His presence and deliver glory
to Him on the go. This is my heart’s cry for this year, and indeed the rest of
my life. Can you make it yours too?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lord will help us sis. He is daily helping me and He
will daily help you. As we seek His face and commit to doing His will, we will
indeed see His Kingdom come in our lives, and we will experience the fullness
of the rich lives He has called us to live on this earth. And so shall it be,
in Jesus name, amen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Be blessed sis….. for you surely are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-52723856502600403402016-12-26T09:59:00.000+00:002016-12-26T09:59:07.439+00:00Come Back to Purpose<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hiatus…. /hʌI’ ertəs/ <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Google definition:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <i>“Noun meaning: a pause or break
in continuity in a sequence or activity.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Synonyms:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <i>pause, break, interval, interruption, suspension, intermission,
interlude, gap, lacuna, lull, rest, respite, breathing space, time out. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Vocabulary.com definition:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “<i>A temporary gap, pause, break, or absence can be called a hiatus. When
your favorite TV show is on hiatus, it means there are no new episodes – not
forever, just for a little while. Even things that go on for a long time take a
break once in a while: one kind of break is a hiatus.” </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Urbandictionary.com definition:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <i>top
definition: A gap or interruption in time or continuity; a break. Eg: ‘my blog
will be on hiatus for a while”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I love this last definition and I’m guessing by now that
it’s clear why I am starting out today with an English lesson right? Ah yes, my
precious sister…. Yours truly has been on hiatus from this platform. I haven’t written
a post since July, though I can admit to you that I started three posts in September
which I never got to finish. Life’s responsibilities have pulled at me from
every side, and it has been the busiest of months for me recently. Over the
summer, I had what I thought to be probably the longest, richest, most restful,
emotionally and spiritually fulfilling holiday in quite a while. And I so
needed it….I really and truly did! Within a couple of weeks after I came home however,
I felt like I never actually went on holiday. It was like a whole pile of
responsibilities had stood back watching me lounge on vacation, and determined
to themselves to move in on me with rapid succession immediately I returned. Such
is life, isn’t it? Reality always awaits you…. you may go on holiday, but life doesn’t
lol. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Add to all this the fact that I also moved into a new season
of life. My daughter joined her older brothers in Canada, and my once ‘<i>little man’</i> and baby of the house (who
by the way, is over six feet tall now) went off to boarding school; and so I officially
became an ‘<i>intermittently transient empty-nester</i>’. It’s a mouthful,
I know…but it’s way better than the alternative and sooner-than-later to be
reality of just simply being a complete empty-nester. Did I hear you ask what
the difference is, sis? Well for a few years yet, I will still have a full (or almost
full) house on vacations. Yyyyaaayyy! In this season for instance, my quiver is
full as all my children are home for Christmas, but in a few years… it just won’t
be that easy to swing this, will it? Hmm! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I know those who are currently in my position or who’ve been
here before and already have an empty nest can relate. If you are laughing at
me however because your children are still quite young; if you are yet to have
children; or if you are still single… <b>SAVE
THIS POST!</b> I can assure you that you will read it with understanding in a
few years’ time, and I can promise you that it will happen much sooner than you
ever thought. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s an interesting phase…coming home to an empty home.
There are no messes, order everywhere, and the silence is palpable. I initially
spent the first couple of days post-vacation doing some spring cleaning that was
honestly way too intense for someone who’d just come back from a long trip a
couple of days earlier. I later realized though that it was therapeutic for me
as it helped me to recreate my spaces for the next season. Let’s not mention
that it also helped me not to focus too much on how lonely I could otherwise
have been if I let my emotions hold sway. I had made up my mind to deal this
new phase of life with an understanding that while it would take its own period
of adjustment, this season also opens me up to do more for God in even more
unique ways. I had primed myself mentally for months about this time, but let
me tell you that it’s hard, sis. I can’t tell you how many times I walked into
the quiet and simply burst into tears. I can’t tell you how many times I went
and opened the doors to my children’s room and just stood and stared, not sure
exactly if I expected them to magically jump out of their closets and yell ‘s<i>urprise</i>’, but nonetheless feeling a
sense of closeness to them just by being in the spaces they would otherwise occupy
if they were physically present. It’s gotten much better with time, but I am
still constantly talking to myself – reassuring myself that this is my best
season yet, that I can handle it, that I will be just fine, that I will not be
overwhelmed by the loneliness; but will rather use this season to pour more of
myself into others that need a touch from God through me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is one of the things that I want to speak into your
spirit today, sis….. the fact that it’s your choice how you embrace the ebbs
and flows, tides and turns of the seasons of your life. If you more readily
embrace the season, determining to make the right choices – mentally, physically,
emotionally and spiritually, regardless of how difficult it can get - you will
ultimately thrive in it. Each new season comes with some adjustments, but
embrace each of them! Sometimes you will be strong and sometimes you will be
weak… either position is okay as long as you keep God in the midst of it, and trust
Him to help you through daily. If you don’t embrace your seasons however, you
will find yourself wallowing in depression sooner than later… the irony being
that depression doesn’t reduce the length of the season (but it sure compounds
the intensity). Life will happen regardless! Better to be in acceptance and
embrace mode, I assure you sis! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This morning I found myself remembering that day when we
dropped my daughter off at school. Hot silent tears were streamed down my face as
we drove away. This was her first time away from home and it was hard knowing I
wouldn’t have my ‘<i>twinnie-me’</i> around for
a while. I tried to remind myself that she was going to be away because she was
moving forward in life, which is a great thing. But honestly, I really needed
encouragement from the Lord so I took a deep breath and looked up towards the
heavens, a silent prayer of help on my lips. As I looked up, I saw the moon. Only
about a third of it was visible. Something about it held my attention however and
as I stared at it, the Holy Spirit ministered to me. He said to me that while
on the face of it, it appeared that darkness covered two-third of the moon,
there was still a brilliant light behind that apparent darkness nonetheless. He
said to me that even darkness has purpose, and it is important in dark times to
remember that the light is always there and that it would unfold and become
visible in its fullness in its due season. Wow! Sis, even as I recall this, I still
feel the same goosebumps I felt that day. It was as much a relevant word in
that season as it is today. Go read Genesis 1 verses 14 to 18, sis. I pray God
will clarify this for you in His own unique way. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And this brings me back to ‘<i>Hiatus’,</i> the word I started with today. Sis, there will be those
seasons in our lives when it looks like the darkness is taking over. The darkness
can manifest through a myriad of problems - illness, frustrations, financial lack,
relationship issues, work issues, confusion, depression, false accusation,
intimidation, and so on. Many times the darkness may involve a combination of
many issues at the same time. Many times, the darkness would seem to have
covered almost two-thirds of your life and it may be taking everything you have
to keep your eyes on the bright spots in your life. The ‘darkness’ is not always
a bad thing though, and I need to clarify that. Sometimes, darkness is just a
lot of busyness and activities that overwhelm you, try to tire you out, and
ultimately steal your joy. Regardless of its source or form, darkness is designed
to create distractions from your core assignments; designed to keep you from
manifesting God’s best as He has purposed for you to walk in during your time
here on earth. Darkness creates frustrations and a lack of fulfillment that
comes from your knowing there is so much more that your life can and should
yield, but which you are unable to think, to see, to touch, or make time for. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sis, darkness can put you in hiatus mode, as it did me. My darkness
has been unprecedented busyness compounded by some other challenges here and
there, situations I have had to manage, assumed-rested battles that resurfaced.
But you know what? When the vicissitudes of life put you in hiatus mode for a
while, you have to remind yourself constantly that <i><u>hiatus is not your default mode</u></i>. You were designed for
impact, for influence, for productivity, for fruitfulness! You were brought
forth to deliver specific assignments to the world, and you should not
ultimately leave this earth with anything you should have delivered to it while
you are here. You have to keep your eyes focused on God from Whom your help
comes, to draw strength from Him and let His light dispel the darkness in the
way He alone knows how. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is what I chose to do, sis. I know without a shadow of
a doubt that this platform is part of my assignment from God for this season of
my life. I knew I couldn’t deal with the growing lack of fulfillment I have felt
for so long in my time of absence. And so I had to choose to focus on the light
which for me has been all the past testimonies from people who have been
blessed by my posts and the books that have come out of this platform. The light
for me was God’s constant reminder of my commitment to be resilient in this
assignment, the promise to myself to always come back no matter how long I have
been away. You know sis, I made the excuse for myself for quite a while that I was
perhaps suffering from writers block. But I realized a couple of days ago that an
excuse was all it was. In reality, I had allowed the darkness to hold sway. I had
started to allow myself think like the darkness wanted me to – that I don’t have
time to write, that I wasn’t even sure anymore what I wanted to blog about, that
I wasn’t certain I had a message that was relevant in this season, that my
audience has probably moved on anyway, etc etc etc. no wonder I found myself
drawing a total blank each time I as much as thought to sit down and make this
happen. Following from this realization though, I made a commitment to myself
yesterday that I would focus on the light – and the light is an understanding that
I this post is not about me writing for writing sake; no, it is about God’s
call on my life. And my heart’s desire sis, is to fulfill that call. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The light is about the number of people who have asked why I
haven’t written anything for a while because they were always blessed by my posts.
The light is about the fact that you are reading this today, and I know God
will use this to also bring a commitment on your part to look past whatever is
stifling or causing His assignments in your life to stagnate, and make you
determine to start again. The light is about me yielding myself afresh to doing
what I know will deliver glory to God, and making a fresh commitment to
intentionally create time going forward to deliver on my Kingdom assignments, regardless
of the things that would otherwise pose as distractions to my ability to do so.
The light I choose to focus on, is the understanding that life will pull at me
from different directions, and it will sometimes try to get me to bow my head,
but I will keep looking up to the hills and know that I am already helped and
that indeed I can do all things through Christ; and that my desire is to do the
will of Him Who sent me to this earth. <b><i><u>The light is about me being intentional
about not wasting heaven’s investment in me!</u></i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, please check your own space and ask yourself where you have
been on a hiatus, and where you need to step back into what you know God would
have you do. Look at the things that are covering your assignment, and then
speak to God about it, sis. Ask Him to help you refocus on the light so that
you can not only do His will, but also live a more fruitful and fulfilling life
in the process. I don’t want to go on. This post is long enough as it is. But please
don’t let today end without coming back as I have to the place of <b><i>intentionality
of purpose</i></b>. You can never be truly happy until you walk your way back
there, sis. I can tell you this for free from experience. God has something great
He has purposed to birth through your life and daily walk with Him…and you already
know this. Come back, sis. Enough with the hiatus! Vacation season is over! Come
back to delivering on destiny! The Lord will help you sis, even as He has
surely helped and will keep helping me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…. For you surely are! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas<o:p></o:p></div>
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Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-67956111298314628912016-07-30T21:03:00.001+01:002016-07-30T21:03:19.168+01:00Positioned to Bring Forth ....1<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">I have known since I had the experience of the 2016 edition of the
Return of The Helper (ROTH) conference that I needed to share some of my key
takeaway’s with you. However, I have had to spend quite some time chewing on
them myself. It’s strong meat… I assure you! I honestly wish I could have had
every woman (and man, quite frankly) that I know in the conference arena that oh-so-significant
16</span><sup style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> day of July 2016. Heaven came down and touched each of us in
that space, it surely did! God had already made clear to ROTH convener – my
sista, friend and accountability partner Bidemi Mark-Mordi (</span><a href="http://www.bidemimarkmordi.com/" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">www.bidemimarkmordi.com</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">) that He was
going to do an awesome work at ROTH this year. My own spirit was agitated for
weeks in an expectancy that belied any form of logic or reasoning. I have been
a part of ROTH for several years now, but somehow I just felt this one would be
explosive, and it sure was. From the depth of my heart, I urge you to reach out
to Bidemi (email </span><a href="mailto:bidemi@bidemimarkmordi.com" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">bidemi@bidemimarkmordi.com</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">)
and get a copy of the CD’s or DVD’s from ROTH. It would be very hard to
describe just how much of a blessing that conference was, but I know that
Heaven pushed back on my account at ROTH. I know that the atmosphere of my life
shifted. I know that something was birthed anew and afresh in me, and I am
walking in excitement at the manifestation that is certainly already unfolding.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">This year’s ROTH was themed, ‘<i>The
Birthing Stool’</i>. The Spirit of God descended so heavily in word and deed
that you could see people in what looked like physical labor. Some of the
testimonies that have since abounded would almost be scary, if I wasn’t in the
room and if I wasn’t witness to what was an epic move of God. We had four
ministers whom only God Himself could have picked, and through whom He released
His word mightily. Ah yes, but my Father did an amazing work through Coach Anna
McCoy, Pst. Mayokun Oreofe, Dr. Linda Wallace and our very own Sister B (Bidemi
Mark-Mordi). I am only able to share a few of the several notes I , otherwise
this post will be over ten thousand words long. Plus, no matter how I tried, I
wouldn’t be able to do justice to the messages the Lord released through these
great ministers anyway. I will be sharing the nuggets as a series, just so you
can meditate on each post and allow the Lord unfold and minister it to you in
His own way. Stay with me okay. Today, I start with the session with my coach,
sister and friend, an amazing daughter of the Most High God, Coach Anna McCoy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Coach asked a question which I believe is or should be on the heart of
every one of us. She asked, ‘<i>What will
make the world a better place because you are in it?</i>’ Have you ever taken
time out to think about this, sis? I have! And it is this question that brought
me in to a space where I purposed to die empty. I’m sure you know by now that
my personal mission <i>is ‘To add value to
the lives of everyone I meet in a tangible and sustainable manner’</i>. Dying
empty is for me an aspiration to deploy every gift/talent/ability the Lord has
put in me towards making the lives of His children richer and more fulfilling.
It’s a mandate for me not to go back to my Maker with anything He has seeded in
me and which He requires me to birth and nurture into maturity on this side of
eternity. I have understood that the entire world may never know me, but there
will and must be generations that will be blessed because I exist, and that
will call themselves blessed because they came across me physically or
otherwise. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">This is a tough call, sis. It’s tough because it makes no room for
complacency. The world the Lord has given you MUST be better because you are in
it. And yo know what the Holy Spirit just ministered to me? He said, ‘</span><i style="line-height: 115%;">Better is not a destination. It is a
continuous journey of growth.</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">’ Wow! That is so incredibly spot on, sis …for
if we ever assume we have arrived at ‘best’, we will settle ….and you can never
die empty if you settle, sis. You simply can’t!</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Coach Anna ministered through three phases of the birthing process –
Labor, Active Labor, and Birthing. She reminded us that we each carry
something, that we are all pregnant with purpose and potential. She reminded us
that as we get closer to labor, the more the pressure increases. And she admonished
us, ‘<i>Don't ignore the pressure’</i>. The
pressure is part of the process, sis. We need to stare it in the face and
embrace it as part of building the muscles we need to bring forth. Jesus told
us that we would go through trials and troubles, but He assured us that He
would be with us in the process. Look at the pressures in your life right now
with a fresh set of spiritual eyes, sis. Embrace them and then ask God to show
you that which He purposes to bring forth through whatever season of difficulty
you are in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Coach Anna said, ‘<i>God wants you to
stop pretending with Him!</i>’ He is not
looking for the super spiritual, I’ve-got-it-all-covered Christian. No! He is
looking for those who will be real about their weaknesses, and in the place of
that weakness, submit to His strength. God cannot work with who you pretend to
be, sis. He can’t! You know, even for someone who does her best to be
authentic, someone who is not afraid to show her weaknesses, this was still a
challenging charge for me and I found myself on my knees asking God to show me
any areas where I have been a pretender with Him or with those whom He has put
around me, and to give me the grace and strength to come back to the place of
authentic me by His design. Can I encourage you to pray this same prayer, sis? You
can only bring forth in authenticity with God!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Coach Anna reminded us that while you are in labor, it is important for
you to hydrate. And from a spiritual perspective, when the word of God speaks
of Water, it is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Sis, you and I need more of the
Holy Spirit! Indeed, we will need more of Him continually and in increasing
measure if we are to bring forth. I don’t know where your relationship with the
Person of the Holy Spirit is right now, but I can assure you that when you ask
for more of Him, He will come and He will fill you. If you would push back on
logic and reasoning, and allow Him full access, your spiritual life will never
again be the same and your physical life will manifest in greater measure,
downloads from Heaven that He will continue to flow in, through and out of you.
Make room for Him, sis! Position yourself to host the Holy Spirit. And don’t
worry, I can assure you from personal experience that even when we sometimes
fail and grieve Him, He is forever and always willing to forgive and continue
to indwell in us as long as we repent and turn back to Him. We are the ones who
push away from Him you know. He never moves! He is forever stoic and stable,
ever-loving, forgiving, freely dispensing of the goodness that is His innate
nature. Hydrate, sis! Hydrate! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">As Coach progressed into the phase of active
labor, she reminded us the invisible is at work at this stage. As you get
closer to birthing, internal changes begin to happen with intensity. There is
stretching, and there are things that need to move out of their original alignment
in order to make room for you to bring forth. She said that the active labor
phase is a time to surrender. It is a time when you come face to face with the
reality that the birthing process is a breaking process; a time when you yield
to every pain and discomfort with an understanding that ‘greater’ is going to
come forth at the end of it all. She reminded us that God – in the grandness of
His design, has made our bodies with the capacity to return YET AGAIN.
Therefore, we must stay calm during active labor and go with the ebbs and flows,
recognizing that many things must necessarily shift if we are to bring forth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Coach Anna reminded us that delivery requires discipline; that even in
your worst pain you cannot afford to lose sight of the essence of the pain, and
of the anticipated end which is to hold your ‘baby, your purpose, the fruits of
your life’s assignments, in your hands. She said to us that on the journey of
purpose, we must remind ourselves through the pain that ‘<i>It can only come through ME! No one else can take my place on the
delivery bed’</i>. I thought that was pretty profound. You see sis, in the
journey of delivering on all God has put in you to bless the world, there are
no surrogates, and there are no adoptions. You must go through because just as He
created you ‘uniquely you’, so also is your purpose and process uniquely yours.
You will have midwives and destiny helper’s yes, but you must go through… so
embrace active labor. I speak over your life and declare that as you do, you
will surely bring forth in Jesus name.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Lastly, Coach spoke about the birthing process.
This she said was a transition phase, a time when things are opening and collapsing
at the same time. And that can be very confusing, sis. It can! It is a time
when the pain is most intense, and yet it is the time that calls for the most
focus in the process of bringing forth. It is the time when that which is
within you begins to propel itself forward, to twist and turn in order to come
fully into alignment with its manifestation to the world. And this is a time
when you must be attentive to instructions more than ever before. This is a
time when you must realize that obedience is key in order not to truncate or
damage your purpose. She said, the
birthing process involves a crowning moment, and you must be attentive and
fully yielded to the instructions of those that God will have positioned to
help you bring forth safely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Remember that when a baby’s head can be seen pushing against the opening
of the birth canal, the baby is said to have ‘crowned’. Well, Coach Anna
reminded us that each of us was crowned when we came into the world. She said
that at the transitional moment of bringing forth on the
gifts/talents/abilities God put in us, what is actually playing out is our crowning
victory – which is to give back to God what He already gave to us… GLORY! I
burst into tears when I heard this, sis. Don’t ask me why, but I just did. You
see, my hearts cry is for my life to bring glory to God always. More than
anything else, the idea that He is pleased with my every day is what keeps me
going from day to day. My last conscious thought at night, and one of my first
thoughts every morning is that I do not know if the day past/yet ahead will be
my last. And so, my constant prayer is that my life might be daily pleasing to
Him. Maybe that’s why I cried, sis… my silent prayer that my life might be a
testimonial of many crowning moments that deliver glory to a God I adore so
much. Can you relate? Hmm!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Coach Anna
then reminded us that a time will come when you are fully dilated, and
that this is a time of complete surrender; a time to drop your head, pull your
chin into your chest, and bear down. She said the dropping of the head, is a
process of allowing your head collapse in all your ‘knowing’, in all your
‘intelligence’. It is a time to surrender and allow God to crown you, a time to
listen to what the Spirit says. It is a time when everything in you will tell
you to push, but sis…. you cannot push unless God tells you to push.<span class="apple-converted-space"> It is a time that you understand that ‘</span>PUSH’
is in your DNA, but your DNA is under the authority of God and He alone knows
your best “when’. And when He gives you the word ‘NOW’, you will know to bear
down with all of your might, sis. You will know to ignore everything else
around you, and push with everything in you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">You are pregnant with purpose, sis. You are pregnant with destiny. You
are pregnant with blessings that are crying to break forth and manifest on the
earth. But you know this right? Yes, of course you do! That is why you are
always looking for that something else to fill that void you can’t pretend
doesn’t exist. That is why despite your busyness, your position, your resources,
your family, etc….your heart pines quietly for fulfillment, for completion. The
‘more’ in you is desperately trying to break forth, sis. So yes, pregnant you
certainly are!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">My questions to you today however are, <i>‘Are you in labor, active labor, or in the birthing transition? Can you
allow the Holy Spirit interpret the things He ministered through Coach Anna
McCoy, which I barely scratched the surface of in this post, directly to you in
a way that is just right for your season?</i>’ I don’t know at what pace you have
read through up to this point, but I implore you to stop, take a deep breath,
exhale slowly and then send up a word to our Father to explain this to you
again Himself and make this word flesh in your unique situation. Can you ask
Him to show you and teach you Himself? And when you are done praying, read
again slowly – pausing as you are led to allow the Holy Spirit speak to you
directly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">I will leave you with this today sis, and I will be back shortly with
other nuggets from ROTH 2016. One thing I know, God is moving in the lives of
His daughters. However, only those who connect and remain attentive to His word
in this season will partake of that move. Please don’t be left out, sis.
Position yourself to bring forth, and trust the Lord with the process. I know
that more than anything else, He longs to be good to you continually and in
greater measure, as surely as He is always good to me. You will deliver glory
to our Father, sis… in Jesus mighty name, amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Be blessed sis…. For you surely are! </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">-<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-76636340396150335432016-07-01T22:07:00.001+01:002016-07-02T06:44:44.597+01:00You will surely get it!<div class="MsoNormal">
Brexit!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s the word on the lips of the world now. And rightly
so! Its ramifications for the global economy are yet to begin to play out
fully, but they are bad enough already. Indeed, I was saying to a friend
yesterday that it’s all a bit much – by which I meant that if you are paying
attention to what is going on in the world, too many things of quantum
significance are happening at the same time. From natural disasters, to terrorism,
to the crash in oil prices, to this… to that, and now to Brexit! The question
on everyone’s minds now ought to be ‘what next?’ …for surely, many ‘what next’
situations are yet up ahead. These are the end time’s people! And it is
irrelevant if the end times last ten years or a hundred. In the scheme of
things and from the eternity perspective, it’s irrelevant. All that matters is
that we are prepared for the end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am not about to launch into an economic expose about the
Brexit debacle, but it provides the Launchpad from which I will be sharing with
you today. Actually, what got me thinking about Brexit was the fact that I find
myself at the airport, all checked in, a whole two hours too early for a local
flight. Thankfully my children whom I am travelling with both came with their
laptops and so beyond the initial ‘<i>So why
did you make us leave so early, mum?</i>’ I have not heard a peep out of them
so far, lol. What has my arriving early
got to do with Brexit? I will explain. Just give me a couple of minutes to
laugh at myself again, lol.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Any way…. I was supposed to have been on the 7am flight this
morning but somehow or the other, by the time I gave my secretary the go-ahead
to confirm the tickets, that flight was fully booked so we had to reschedule. I
was very intent on not finding myself spending three hours in the proverbial
Friday rush hour traffic however, so I made up my mind to leave really early.
What I didn’t think through was what would happen if my traffic projections
didn’t hold. So I harassed my children into packing and left home
this morning with very stern warnings about their making sure they were ready
to leave the minute the driver arrived to pick them up. Darling children that
they are, they complied (like they had a choice, lol). <o:p></o:p></div>
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They were in my office at 1pm prompt, but it turned out that
the lady making the dress my daughter would wear at the wedding we were
travelling for arrived at the house after they had departed. We therefore still
had to wait for her to get to my office. I remember the strange look she gave me when I repeated emphatically that she must arrive before noon. That was probably the Holy Spirit asking me what I was thinking, lol. Well, much as I had told her the children would
leave home at noon, I’m guessing she had it figured that this was too early
for people trying to catch a local 5pm flight and so rather arrived at 1pm. Well, we finally left for the airport at about 1.40pm. And what do you know? The road was so free
that it might as well have been a very early Saturday morning. We arrived at
the airport at 2.40pm and despite my best efforts to drag my feet, the check in
counter was free and we were all done and settled in the waiting room at 3pm.
Sigh! Where am I going with all this? Please be patient with me, my friend. <br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I sat for the first few minutes trying to figure how best
to make use of time which I knew would NOT pass very quickly if all I did was
count the minutes, the British Prime Minister David Cameron came to mind. I
burst out laughing as the popular cliché,<i>
‘Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it’</i> also then
came to my mind. Are you familiar with this expression, sis? <o:p></o:p></div>
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We all know, as he readily admitted, that PM Cameron didn’t
wish for or conceive that Brexit would go through. Indeed he was so sure it
wouldn’t that he clearly didn’t make room for what the implications of an ‘exit’
vote would be. If he did, he might quietly have gone on with the business of
the day for yet a while longer, or perhaps he would have adopted a different
engagement level and strategy that would have shifted the vote in favor of a
‘stay’. But like I said, this is not about global politicking and economics.
It’s just that we have to sometimes question the things we press forward
towards, because when we do get them, there are oftentimes many other unforeseen
implications and/or complications that we then have to deal with or live with.
The British PM finds himself having to resign his position…which was not part
of the plan; and yours truly… for all my unwarranted hustle and bustle, now
find myself with seemingly unending time to kill in an airport waiting lounge.
And you know what? As VIP as the lounge I am currently sitting in is or may
get, an airport lounge is exactly ultimately just a lounge and not the most
comfortable place to be. Thankfully though, the Lord has helped me redeem this
time, and rather used is to give me a message for you and I, sis. Praise the
Lord!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ask yourself a few questions, sis. What are you asking for
that is consuming your time, thoughts, prayer life - without a corresponding
question to God as to whether that is His will for you? What are you
desperately pressing forward with, despite signs and counsels for you to ease
up a bit? What are you seriously trying to orchestrate because it seems to fit
into some picture of an outcome that you desire for yourself? What are you
putting everyone around you under pressure for because you have already framed
what the outcome you think you need or desire is?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you know what happened in my case? Well, apparently there
are some major church conventions happening this weekend all along the same
axes on the major expressway into and out of Lagos. As a result, the Federal
Road Safety Commission (FRSC) had been proactively sending out bulletins,
emails, tweets, jingles, etc advising people to take the alternative routes
which they also very graciously proposed in order to minimize the anticipated
traffic gridlocks. And apparently, everyone - save for myself, had seen those
announcements. So as I was busy moving my earth to make sure I didn’t get stuck
in traffic, they had gone ahead to prime the people who would have constituted
my traffic, to have them take alternative routes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Methinks if I had paid more attention to the prompting’s of
the Holy Spirit, I might not have been in such a hurry. And how like God the
actions of the FRSC were. I mean, think about it sis… isn’t this how God goes
ahead to make a way for us where there seems to be no way? Isn’t this how, when
we are busy doing our best to help Him get the results we desire, He is busy
working behind the scenes and around us, trying to resolve the things we think
are in our way. Isn’t this like Him to have thought out the things that are for
our good well ahead of us?...to have caused people to change their plans to
accommodate what His ultimate purpose for us is? Isn’t it like our amazing
father to go ahead of us and make crooked path straights? But when, as I was,
we are so focused on smoothening those paths ourselves, we miss the signs that
He has already finished what we are trying to start, don’t we sis? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hmm! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I can almost see the wheels turning in your head sis. And I
can so relate. You see, among the best of us, we do this every so often – my
very self included (Just so this doesn’t sound like a first for me. Far from
it, lol). The best part however - and this is what I want to leave you with, is
that the very self-same loving and gracious Father God that we serve does not
condemn us when we run ahead of Him. He just smiles and shakes His head and
immediately instigates a course-redirect. Yes sis, He knows how to extract the
treasure in the muck. Ever before we come to the place of acknowledging that we
miscalculated, He begins to orchestrate things such as to still bring glory to
Him – if we would hear, and if we would yield. And I can say this comfortably and
confidently because even in my over-extended airport wait, He dropped an
expression in my spirit that then had me pull out my laptop and begin this
post, right? <o:p></o:p></div>
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So sis, this is God using what was my miscalculation to
redirect me to one of my assignments that I have otherwise allowed busyness to
make me neglect. And I believe I haven’t just written an article for writing
sake. No! What has happened is that I have yielded myself to allow the Holy
Spirit minister through me to me, and to you. But as you read, there is a next
step sis. What God now needs you and I to do is to introspect, sis. God needs
you and I to reflect on our lives and the things which we currently are
allowing to constitute pressure points in our lives. He is asking that we
reconsider the things we are asking, praying, believing, and over-extending
for; and He is reminding us that He is in control and will work things out in
His own time and way. He is demanding that we reexamine where we are unduly
exerting pressure on ourselves, for we might just get what we are asking
for…but if those things don’t fit into His own picture, we will end up in
regret. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, He is however also asking that we be at peace
concerning any mistakes we may have made as a result of our anxieties, and He
is assuring us that He is more than able to bring beauty out of the ashes of
our mistakes. But He wants us to grow sis, so He is asking for an increased
measure of intentionality about letting Him captain the ship that is our daily
lives, and steer us aright continually. He is reminding us to get up each time
we fall sis, for His everlasting arms are ever around us, ready to catch, to
help, and to uphold us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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More than anything else, He is saying that the only thing we
need to press into is Him. He is saying that as long as we are pressing towards His presence, seeking His face, His will, His way and His glory… then it means
our hearts are asking for the right things. And once we are asking for the
right things, we will get them sis. As long as our every effort is diligently
directed towards entering His rest and giving Him glory, we may just….no,
scratch that… we will surely get these. That is His word isn’t it, ‘<i>Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness and every other things will be added unto you’</i>? It sure is
sis. It sure is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Personally, I am grateful to God for loving me enough to
constantly be my Help and Guide. His same help and loving guidance is always
and ever yours too sis. It is with this confidence that I assure you that God
will never give up on you, even as He never gives up on me. There is no need to
be careful what you pray for when you pray for more of God – more of His
presence, more of His will, more of His way, more of His glory. In the end, we
will get it sis… that heavenly crown of glory for all eternity? We will get it
in Jesus name, amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…. For you surely are!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-80427935127087116432016-06-04T16:02:00.004+01:002016-06-04T16:05:38.135+01:00EVERYDAY THANKFUL<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m
trying not to cry! Really, I am!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But
perhaps I should first confess that I already wept my eyes out this morning.
What I am trying to do now is to stem the tide of tears. I’m not sure it’s
working cos my tears seem to have taken on a life of their own, so let me ask
your pardon in advance for any typos, or if at times I appear to ramble. I’m
trying to focus sis. I really am! It’s just that every new message that comes
in on my phone or via various social media platforms set me off again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m
not sad though sis, no! Not by any means whatsoever! Indeed, I can’t stem the
tears because I can’t stop marveling at God’s faithfulness in my life. I can’t
help but wonder afresh why He loves me this much. I can’t help but look at my
sins, my countless failings and falling's, and wonder why my Father has chosen
to love me this much and to manifest this love in the ways that He does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sis,
today is the 4<sup>th</sup> of June 2016. If you have followed me long
enough on this blog, you will know </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">that
today holds a double-barreled blessing for me. Today, my first son turns 20!
Such an amazing young man! I was thinking earlier today about how beautiful and
peaceful he looked when he was first placed in my arms. I was thinking about
the incredible joy that burst forth when he opened his eyes and looked at me
for the very first time…. How he held my finger and squeezed it ever so softly
as if to say ‘</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m here mama. I love you'</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">. I was thinking about how he
looked almost into my soul it seemed, as I breastfed him in those early months,
like I was his entire world. I was thinking about his younger years… always a
ready smile, so easy going, friendly to everyone, kind and caring even then,
always a joy to my soul.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve
been thinking how his smile has never failed in all these years…. how his ‘<i>I
love you Mamz’ </i>still makes my heart melt. I call him ‘<i>My Bodyguard’</i> because
we are so in tune with each other’s feelings that it is almost scary sometimes;
because He always makes sure to walk behind or beside me to make sure I’m okay.
His traditional name means <i>‘The peace of God’</i> and I can tell
you that he has been such a peaceful young man. He has been such an example to
his younger ones.., so respectful, responsible, and such a blessing to all who
know him. Ah sis, I could go on but I won’t. Suffice it to say that as I’ve
been thinking about the fine young man God has helped him become, and as I’ve
reflected on the first 20 years of his life, I’ve cried deep heartfelt tears of
gratitude to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today
also, my first ever company marks 22 years of operations. This is a company
that God Himself birthed… that God Himself has upheld all these years. In
reflecting on the past 22 years, I couldn’t help but think how lost we would
have been were it not for the grace of God, for His leading, for His direction,
for His creating opportunities for us. I think of all the great people He has
resourced us with as staff or business partners over the years. Simply amazing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sis,
I’ve been thinking of how many times God decided to qualify us even where men
tried to insist we were unqualified. I can’t help but recall how He has
distinguished our businesses in their industry… of awards and recognition's
received, made all the more precious because they were completely
unsolicited. I’ve been thinking about how He positioned us as giants
even at those times when we were literally like grasshoppers in our own eyes.
I’ve been thinking of corporate battles He fought for us Himself. He has kept
us through the strangest of internal and external storms, some of which we
didn’t even recognize had the potential to derail us until they had blown over.
And sis, I can’t help but think about the current storms in our industry and
how in His own way, He is covering us. We are in our very own ‘<i>darkness in
Egypt but light in Goshen’</i> experience and this can only be because of
the mercies of God. How can I not be grateful, sis? And why should I even try
to stem these tears?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please
praise the Lord with me, sis. Please do! Just take a couple of minutes and
bless Him with me. He is no respecter of persons so as my testimonies are, so
(and indeed greater) shall yours be, in Jesus name, amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
have been away for a while so beyond the two big things I am celebrating today
there are the many testimonies in between. But let me assure you too that there
have been the many challenges too, sis. Oh boy! Have I been assailed from
various quarters in recent weeks, or what? I won’t go into details. The world
does not need another epistle to the Corinthians and neither do you I’m sure.
Rather, I want to share a couple of things with you and land my message today
with an invitation to you to join me on the podium on which I have elected to
stand….the podium of ‘<i>EVERYDAY THANKFUL’.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
know I have said before on this blog that we need to come to the point where we
are thankful for the problems we have and the challenges we face, sis. Does
that sound strange? Think about it sis. Embrace your challenges and be thankful
for them. I heard Bishop David Grier say recently that you can’t run away from Goliath
and yet slay him. So apt! And you know, the only way to appreciate principle is
to turn your mind a bit to the problems and challenges you DON”T HAVE! If you
do this often enough, you will understand where I am coming from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Truth
is and will always be that no matter what we contend with in our individual
lives, there are countless others who are contending with so much more. Some
struggle with the same kinds of challenges we have, but they have other
complications in addition. Some other people have challenges which don’t look
like ours in any way, but if we were asked to swap our lives with theirs our
answers would be a resounding No! I was speaking with my younger
sister a few days back and we were reflecting on a development in our extended
family concerning someone I have been of help to time and again over the past
twenty years, but who always came back to hurt me and put to question my good
intentions. We were reviewing the rather expensive interventions I have chosen
to carry time and again on their behalf, and trying to understand then why I
always ended up at the receiving end of their bad behavior. <i>Go figure!</i> Anyway,
I ended the conversation by saying that I have refused to allow the ingratitude
of others steal from the essence of who God has called me to be as a helper and
encourager, but wow is it sometimes so painful, sis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It
didn’t take long for us to find ourselves discussing other challenges that we
all are struggling with in our individual lives, ending with a prayer as always
for God to meet each of us at our points of need. As I signed off, I reminded
my sister of this very same thing… that in so far as we have quite an
interesting array of challenges we all deal with, we had best be grateful for
the problems we don’t have. Her response was, ‘<i>Amen to that, sis’</i>. God
is always in the mix, sis. All He needs is for us to adopt the right
perspectives so that when we open our eyes, we really ‘see’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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There is a reason why we
have Ephesians 5:20, Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6 among other Scriptures
on thankfulness, sis. God foreknew that a part of our earthly life would
involve ‘<i>going through’</i>. And He understood (because He knows all things)
that our ‘<i>going throughs’</i> wouldn’t always be a good experience. For
Him to have then asked us to give thanks always means that there is a
fundamental principle and power behind a heart that is everyday thankful.
Thankfulness is worship, sis! It is! Thankfulness is an open acknowledgement
that the God we serve is bigger than any trial we many face. Thankfulness is an
expression of our confidence in God. It is us saying, ‘<i>I’m dealing with this
but God, I know You are in control and You are more than able to bring me out
victoriously once again’</i>.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Thankfulness is me looking
at all the challenges in my industry now and how it is affecting my business,
yet thanking God for how else it has not affected us. Thankfulness is me
looking at some of the internal issues we are contending with as a business,
yet seeing the hand of God in each situation. I had to let go of a staff
recently for instance. That is never an easy thing to do. Yet, somehow I knew I
needed to take a tough stand and stick with the decision despite appeals from
others to give the staff a couple more months to improve. I had prayed and had
peace about this decision though, and I thanked God in advance for the strength
to carry through. I thanked Him for the gap He would help us fill. I thanked
Him for restoring any losses that may occur out of me taking this action, and
then I did what I needed to do. A few days later, I found out the staff had
been trying to defraud the company, and I thanked God again for His perfect
timing even and for coming through for me even when I didn’t know my business
was under an internal attack.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Thankfulness is me looking
at the ingratitude of the family member I spoke about earlier, yet recognizing
that I’ve been graced to have had enough to give at every point in time. Even
in those seasons where my giving was made very sacrificially, everyday thankfulness
means that I was and always am grateful that I God positioned me as the giver
and not as the one standing at the receiving end. Thankfulness means I also
then see how in those times when I gave my all to bless another, I actually
never lacked. God was repaying me in greater measure through a peaceful loving
home, a successful business, health in my family, etc. Sis, thankfulness is
recognizing that you didn’t have a great day… but you are alive and well enough
to even analyze whether a day went well or not. The dead are dead… there is no
analysis after the fact. At least not on this side of eternity!<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Everyday thankfulness is
you understanding that you can read your bible because you have eyes, or
because you can afford glasses and the services of your optician/optometrist.
Everyday thankfulness is understanding that you can read your Bible because you
can sit down, because you have a roof over your head, because you have hands to
flip the pages, because you can afford the cup of coffee you like to read as
you meditate on the word….. because your mind works! Everyday thankfulness is
you recognizing that you can sing praise and worship songs because your ears
work, your mind works, your mouth works, your voice works, etc. Simply put sis,
everyday thankfulness is you recognizing that you go through… because you ARE!<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Everyday thankfulness is
recognizing that you have failed once again, but you at least have the
opportunity to receive mercy again, and to try once again. Thankfulness is
acknowledging that there is still breath in you, that God is not done with you
yet. I could go on but I know you get my drift, sis. I speak often about our
coming to the place of living a life of fulfillment. Not a life of
perfection no…. a life that is fruitful and day by day fulfilled; a life
that we know matters to God and to those in our corner of the earth. Can I
suggest to you that learning to be everyday thankful in the big things as well
as the little things (or learning to be thankful when it looks as if there is
no ‘<i>thing’</i> be it big or small) is what God considers to be our
greatest act of worship. Worship is not about singing songs. It’s not about
reading your Bible. It’s not about how often you are in church. No! Worship is
everyday thankfulness to your Maker and your Source. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sis, everyday thankfulness
is a lifestyle that you will CHOOSE to adopt and which you will daily CONTEND
to maintain, for certainly other things will contend for your peace on a
regular basis.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As I sit here thinking
about the many blessings in my life all over again, I realize that I am blessed
because I AM! …storms, problems, challenges and all. It is because I AM that I
have the privilege to go through them. And I AM because of the greater One that
has brought me into existence, and Who has assured me that no matter how hard
it seems, He has actually not allowed any trial in my life that He has also not
resourced me to be able to carry and overcome. And the best part sis, is that I
have a hope and assurance that even after I cease to BE on this earth, I will
go home to my Father and enjoy everyday thankfulness in the place of eternal
worship in His glorious presence. That alone is more than enough to cry out for
joy daily, don’t you think sis?<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Think about your life, sis.
What are your current struggles? Please make peace with the reality of the fact
that you will yet have more struggles on this earth, some even more intense
than you face right now. But can you make up your mind to adopt a thankful
heart daily? Can you covenant afresh with your heavenly Father that you will
set your eyes on Him, and on the problems He will not allow come your way? Can
you remind Him that you trust Him? Can you remind yourself that you need to
trust Him always, in all things, and through all things? Do you get my drift,
sis? Did I ramble on too much? I hope not. All said and done, here is where I
want to end this: Sis, can you ask the Holy Spirit to help you be everyday
thankful NO MATTER WHAT? I assure you that He will help you sis. As surely as
He is helping me!<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Be blessed sis… for you
surely are!<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-49126565860474992016-05-05T21:18:00.004+01:002016-05-05T21:18:47.332+01:00This Too Shall Pass<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey sis! Please indulge me as I first of all give a big big
big shout-out to a woman who has been such a blessing to me from the very first
day I met her. No, scratch that…. She was a blessing to me <i>waaayyyyy</i> before that; in so far as she is the mother of my awesome
brother-in-law Marc, and she is mother/sister/friend to my precious baby
sister. I love you Mrs. Diane Johnson aka <b><i>Momma J</i></b>.</div>
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It was my birthday several weeks
back and I had such an outpouring of love from her and countless others. But
just a couple of days ago, I received some ‘<i>express’</i>
mail that in the end turned out to be snail mail, and in the package were two
absolutely delightful birthday cards from Momma J. And she is so special like
that, my second mama! She really is! It wasn’t enough for her to do Facebook
posts, etc… no, she brought a personal and very unique touch of love from the
depths of her heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tears immediately began to stream
down my eyes as I considered how she would have taken her time to drive down to
the gift shop. I could see her browsing through various cards, looking for the
ones whose wordings would best convey the love she feels for her ‘<i>other daughter’</i> as she so lovingly calls
me. I could see her at her dining table, bent over the cards, taking time to
underline and place emphasis on the words and phrases that she needed me to
hear truly and deeply as coming straight from her heart. I felt that true love
as being from the heart of God, and it was my birthday all over again. So this
is me honoring a precious woman who took time to honor me so much. I love you
Momma J, truly I do. And I thank you form the bottom of my heart. God Himself
hugs you for me momma-mine. He sure does!<o:p></o:p></div>
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That said, and necessarily so,
let me get back to the word I have for you today, sis. And that word from God
is that ‘<i>This Too Shall Pass!’</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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I kinda already figured that God
was trying to tell me something. What was happening couldn’t have been a series
of coincidences. No! It became rather clear to me that I was dealing with ‘<i>Godincidences’</i> when for four days in a
row, everyone I listened to was ministering about Esau and Jacob. From Stephen
Furtick, to Joyce Meyer, to Robert Morris, to Leon Fontaine, to At Boshoff, and
finally to Bishop TD Jakes…. the message was so essentially the same that it would
have been scary if my walk with God hadn’t yet gotten to where He has helped me
be today. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Truth be told, I didn’t cotton on
to the relevance of this message in my space until yesterday. Stephen Furtick
had said, <i>‘Don’t sacrifice what you want
now for what you need in the future’ (Let me encourage you to get his ‘God of
Jacob’ also called ‘Death to Selfie’ </i>series<i>. Powerful word!)</i>; and when a few minutes later Bishop Jakes gave
the charge <i>‘Don’t make permanent
decisions based on temporary situations’</i> I suddenly saw it clearly. Over
the past couple of weeks, I have found myself burdened under the weight of a
few situations playing out within my work and extended family. My own inner
sanctum has been well protected, praise God; but all around me were existing
dependencies that were being compounded by challenges that were creating other
dependencies – emotionally, spiritually financially, in and of themselves. It
was all a bit much, sis. It was!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I communed with God during my
quiet time a few mornings’ ago, He had reminded me that I needed to stay in His
rest in order to fulfill His assignments. I didn’t need to wonder why He
reminded me about that, sis. I can tell you that in those few days, my peace
had been completely stolen – to the degree that by the day before yesterday,
I’d found myself moping around quite a bit, and then randomly bursting into
tears every so often (much to consternation of my poor clueless husband). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I stood in his embrace
yesterday morning, I was grateful that my husband knew well enough that it
wasn’t one of those times when he needed to ask me any questions or try to
solve a problem for me. He just stood rock solid with his arms around me and my
head on his chest. His steady breathing belied what I knew would certainly be
his own inner turmoil and feeling of helplessness; and I was grateful because
his outward calm was so soothing. I needed that. It was in that space that I
began to speak to myself and again allow the Holy Spirit minister peace to my
soul. It was in that space that I reminded myself that I am the blessed of the
Lord; that I am favored; that I am a privileged daughter of the Most High God.
I reminded myself of my many blessings; I reminded myself of my countless
testimonies of old, and I assured myself that God would do it again and again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sis, in the space of my husband’s
stoic embrace, I reminded myself that the situations I was (and am) dealing
with been there a while anyway – even if somewhat exacerbated now. I reminded
myself that the same God Who has delivered me time and time again would fight
for me even in these new battles. And why not? He is jealous over me, isn’t He?
He has good plans for me, doesn’t He? He has said He will never leave me nor
forsake me, hasn’t He? Has He not kept me and mine in great health, in material
wealth, in love, joy and togetherness? Has He not given me a great family, successful
business, growing ministries? Has He not shown me the ultimate expression of
love – a love that was deep enough to sacrificially call me out of sin and keep
me growing in Him? Ah yes sis, as I clung to my husband in the physical, my
spirit man clung back tighter to God! I exhaled deeply twice, slowly let go and
smiled broadly. I said to my husband ‘<i>I’m
good. This too shall pass’</i>. It was a word that came easily from my heart,
and I knew as I spoke that God had released those words straight out of His Holy
Spirit that is within me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What has this got to do with Esau
and Jacob? Well quite simply sis, I saw that God was reminding me that in the
heat of our passions, distresses and travails, when we seem to be buffeted around
about by various storms (in Esau’s case, his intense hunger); then we need to
be careful not to let go of our birthrights. We need to be careful not to make
permanent decisions off of temporary situations. As I sat back and reflected on
the things I was (am) struggling with, and the initial sets of thoughts I’d had
regarding how best I could sort the issues out, I realized that minus my coming
back to the place of resting in God, I would have made some suboptimal
decisions, consequences for which I would have had to contend with for ages. I was
reminded afresh that none of the situations was or is in my hands, and that
operating outside of God’s rest would have amounted to me trying to help Him do
what only He actually can in the first place. I realized that minus God, any
choices I made would set me up for complications along the line. Thank God for
divine interruptions, sis. Thank God indeed!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And you know what? Though I’d
retaken my ground at home, as I walked into my office yesterday, I also began
to speak out into the atmosphere of that space which I would occupy for a good
part of my day, and again declare the blessings of God over my life in that space.
I declared the things I needed to be thankful for and I openly rebuked the
enemy for his attempt at distracting me. I could literally sense the shift in
the atmosphere, sis. Literally! Then in my first meeting of the day, what was
supposed to be a thirty minute sit down to talk business turned into a three-hour
apostolic session, with intense prayers and prophetic declarations that
validated on at least seven different levels, things that God had spoken to me
over the past few months. Wow! At the end of the day sis, with a clearer head
and heart, and with a resettled spirit, I can tell you that I have practically
been floating ever since, a silent sing-song putting a skip in my every step. The
irony is that nothing has changed in the physical. The issues are still there,
but I am back at rest. I am back to the place of the fullness of knowing with
certainty that each of these issues shall yet pass, as my God lives true to His
word to contend with everyone or everything that contends against me; as He
indeed fills me with a peace that surpasses all understanding; as I again enter
my hiding place – in His rest!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What then is my message to you,
sis? As the Lord ministered to me, I want you to hear His word for you also,sis.
No matter what you are going through, no matter how difficult the situation is,
the Lord is asking that you trust Him. He is saying to you that this too shall
pass. He is saying that something great is ahead of you, good plans that He
laid in store from you from the foundation of the earth – your birthright, sis.
Your heavenly birthright is in store for you! He says you should not allow the
hunger pangs and pains of the day cause you to sub-optimize your destiny, sis. Don’t
make hard choices because you can’t see your way through, sis. Rather, keep
your focus up – on Him. Remind yourself of your previous testimonies, sis. And then
rest again, trust again, believe again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t worry that it looks hard,
sis. Don’t worry that it looks scary, confusing, frustrating, that it appears
to be stagnating. Don’t let the winds blowing from all sides distract you. All eyes
on Jesus, sis! Your Father is calling you back into His rest, and into the
assurance that He is more than able. Whatever is your current ‘this’, sis…. Please
trust that it too shall pass. Count your blessings, sis. It truly does help you
see life through God’s perspective and power. Yes, like me you may find yourself
weighed down and teary-eyed for a season. But please don’t let that season
escalate, sis. Rather, be intentional about your God-focus. Be intentional
about finding your past testimonies because He will do it again. This too shall
sis! This too shall pass! I trust that the Holy Spirit will help you see this
clearly with every attack of the enemy, even as surely as He has and is daily
helping me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be blessed sis…. For you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-40861109449515278942016-04-16T18:24:00.005+01:002016-04-16T18:24:52.891+01:00Receive Rest<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Welcome to Q2 2016, sis. It is
simply amazing for me how quickly we have gotten here. The reality of this hit
me more when my husby began to ask questions around what our plans were for the
summer. Summer? Already? Hmm! But that is our reality, sis. If we got to April
in the blink of an eye, then I can promise you that summer is truly practically
already upon us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking of summer, my first son
called to say he planned to stay back and work over the holidays. He has set an
audacious financial target for himself and decided to take active steps towards
actualizing this. And God has been faithful to honor his desire, as himself -
and his younger brother, both got jobs last week. So sis, bless the Lord with
me for mature and responsible children. Bless Him with me for His faithfulness
and provision. And then bless God with me for hugging me in this season of
excitement and gratitude on one hand, and a deep sadness on the other hand that
I won’t have my precious seed close to me over those summer weeks as planned. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Growing up is hard to do, sis. It
is! At every stage we have to mature into something new and but for the grace
of God, our reactions and choices could alter the trajectory of our lives in a
significant way. For me, the last few years have been an <i>emptying-of-the nest</i> season. For each child that has ‘<i>left’</i> home, it has been an emotional and
psychological adjustment. Just when it became almost ‘<i>normal’</i> to have just the two of my four children at home, I am also
now faced with the reality of my daughter leaving at the end of this summer. So
sis, my countdown on how far the year has gone is also partly because I am
bracing myself for another emotional adjustment ahead. Hmm! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I typed that last sentence,
God just ministered something to me. He said He was the One orchestrating my
boys’ decisions to stay back and work, because the transition from all children
at home for summer to only my last one home in September would be a heavy one
for me. He says He will ease me into the next season and help me to carry
through. Wow! Thank You Lord. Forever and always You are God! I see it clearly
Father, and I am grateful. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking about seasons, I
actually started to blog about something God had shared with me concerning the
‘<i>many waters’</i> we struggle with in our
lives, but somehow I find myself drawn to a message I shared at our last Sista
Power gathering which was themed ‘<i>Rest
& Renewal’</i>. I sense in my spirit that it is a word that will bless
someone who needs to be reading it exactly here and now, for a particular
season that they currently find themselves in. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I had spoken based on an anchor
Scripture in Matthew 11 v 28-30, ‘<i>Come to
Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. <b><sup>29 </sup></b>Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. <b><sup>30 </sup></b>For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light.”</i>
I had said though that the Message Bible version spoke more to my heart,
and it says, <i>‘Are you tired? Worn out?
Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your
life. I’ll show you how to take a <b>real rest. </b>Walk with Me and work with Me—watch
how I do it. Learn the <b>unforced
rhythms of grace</b>. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and <b>lightly.”</b><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Earlier this month - specifically
on the 9<sup>th</sup> of March, God spoke to me during my quiet time and He
said to me: ‘<i>REST & RESILIENCE ARE TWIN SIDES OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT. Don’t forget
this! There are challenges ahead that will call for you to be resilient, and
yet to constantly and consistently enter into and remain in My REST!’</i> I thought about this deeply and
continue to. God said to me at the beginning of the year that He has ‘<i>graced me to deliver specifics in my latter
years’ </i>so I understand that I am on assignment, and I understand that
God has something new on hand for me in this season of my life.<i> </i>It is clarity that for me is then key as I move
forward in this space, and I needed to understand the <i>‘rest’</i> part. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My meditations were kept largely
to myself until my sister <i>Bidemi
Mark-Mordi</i>
informed me that of the theme for our next <i>Sista Power</i> gathering was ‘<i>Rest
& Renewal’</i>. Clearly God was and is up to something. God is an
intentional God, and He does not waste
words<b>. </b>When He speaks it is powerful and it is purposeful. He
takes His time to confirm His word, and His word is always fresh manna that
feeds us in our different seasons if we choose to avail ourselves of it. I believe
this is a
Word He needs you to hear in this season, sis. I truly do!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So anyway sis, I had started my
session by looking at some definitions of the word ‘Rest’ that made sense to
me. Rest was defined as: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Peace of mind or spirit (made me think of the
peace of God which surpasses all understanding)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Something used for support (made me think of God
saying He is our stay; the solid rock on which we stand)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Free of anxieties (made me think of God’s call
for us to cast all our cares on Him)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><i>relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or
disturbs (made me think of God as our
burden bearer)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><i>Mental or spiritual calm; tranquility
</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>As I looked over these
definitions, I kept r</i>emembering Matthew 11 v 28-30: <i>‘I’ll
show you how to take a <b>real rest. </b>You’ll recover your life. Learn the <b>unforced rhythms of grace</b>.
You’ll learn to live freely and <b>lightly.’</b></i><b> </b>Sis, does the expression ‘<i><u>unforced rhythms of life’</u></i> not
just give you a sense of the peace that can be? Amazing! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Remember I had said in one of my
earlier posts that I had started this year on a hard course as God had me do a
study of Revelation? At the end, He said to me that He didn't ask me to do this
so that I would be scared, but rather for me to understand the weight of what
is coming and the fact that there is much work to be done; and that He has chosen
and equipped me for a portion of the work which I must necessarily deliver
on. You can imagine sis, that I was very happy when He then asked me to
follow this with a study of the Psalms. The Psalms used to be and I guess still
is my favorite book in the Bible. Indeed I’d hung out there for many years
until God told me I had drunk enough spiritual milk and needed to start eating
meat. So, I was glad to go back to the Psalms. I was! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In a very short time however, I
began to see why the Lord would have me in a study of Psalms in this season. It
became very clear to me very quickly that one of the central messages of the
Psalms is for us to learn the secrets and benefits of resting in God. Almost
from the very beginning of the Psalms we see David speaking about enemies,
about persecution, about those plotting against him, about difficult
situations. Somehow though, we also see that he keeps coming back to the place
of making such bold statements as in Psalm
3 where he says in verses 5-6: <i>‘I
will sleep. The Lord sustains me so I will not fear those who have set
themselves round about me.’</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In Psalm 4, he acknowledged that
he was hemmed in, but that God freed him; that he was in distress, but God
enlarged him. He ended by saying that he would not only lie down in peace, but
that he would also sleep in peace because the Lord makes him dwell in safety
and in confident trust. You and I know that lying down is no guarantee of
sleep, and that sleeping is no guarantee of rest, right sis?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In Psalm 5 he started by speaking
about crying, groaning and sighing, talking about wickedness and enemies; but
ended with declaring that those who trust God sing and shout for joy because He
is their covering and defense; because He surrounds them with favor as with a
shield. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In Psalm 6, he started with a cry
for mercy, because he was weak by his own admission. His body and spirit were
exceedingly disturbed and troubled. He was weary with groaning and tears
soaking his pillows at night and soaking his couch by day. But he ended in an
affirmation that the Lord had heard his cries and had received his prayer. We are
not told the problems went away into thin air, no. Rather, what is clear is
that he entered into the rest of God despite the problems. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And this goes on and on. Even
where the word rest is not specifically mentioned, the Psalms show us that
among the best of us there are afflictions we deal with. We have seasons of
praise and then the tide turns. But we have so many assurances from the Lord
Himself that if we would just enter into His presence, we fight the battle from
a different vantage position. Sis, rest is about understanding that God is
truly Lord above all, and that in Him we already have every victory. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In Psalm 16, David acknowledges
that the Lord is his Refuge, the One in whom he put all his trust. He is at
rest in the confidence of a goodly heritage. He speaks with confidence of a God
Who gives him counsel, such that his
heart instructs him in the night seasons. He speaks to there being<b> </b>fullness
of joy in the presence of God…. Not an absence of problems, a fullness of joy
(rest). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I read this, I was struck by
the expression ‘<i>Night seasons’</i>. I thought
about the fact that with the goings on in the global Oil & Gas industry and
the impacts on various economies, many businesses have been in what looks like
a night season for a while. Sis, in some of our homes, personal relationships, health,
finances, etc., many of us are in what look like night seasons. And night seasons
can be confusing can’t they, sis? They can block visibility, clarity,
creativity. In our night seasons, it
can be difficult to focus on God’s face. Usually, we start looking for His hand
– the short terms fixes, instead of His face (His presence). Yet God is constantly saying and trying to show
us that our difficulties do not invalidate His sovereignty! That He is always
God and that He is always with us. He is constantly trying to get us to see
that it is never pitch dark even in those night seasons. There is always a
glimmer of light somewhere, and this glimmer is God saying <i>‘Be at Rest, I am with you even in and through this’. </i><i> <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, so many of us are going
through diverse difficulties. We are just about midway through the month of April,
but many of us already feel like we have lived two lifetimes in 2016. Many of
us have found ourselves contending afresh with things we thought were laid to
rest, travailing in battles we thought we had already won. Many of us are
dealing with hydra-headed demons….a combination of husband, work, business,
children and health issues. We are dealing with multi-faceted challenges that
make us wonder where to start fighting back. Many of us are already bowed down,
cowed, afraid. It’s looking like we can’t handle this – and Q1 just barely ended.
Any excitement we entered the New Year with has fast diminished and is now
being replaced with anxiety as to what the rest of the year might hold. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, many of us are busy, busy,
busy….near overwhelmed actually; and our response has been to pull away from
the one thing that we need to overcome in these situations – THE REST THAT GOD
FREELY OFFERS! But it ends today, sis! God
says, <i>‘Enough! </i><i>My offer still stands. ENTER into and ABIDE in MY REST today!’</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Do you remember Moses encounter
with his father-in-law Jethro in Exodus 18? Well sis, the Lord ministered to me
that what was playing out was a type and shadow of God’s principle of REST in
the first place. Remember that Moses had sent his wife Ziporah back to her
father along with her two sons. Jethro had heard all that God had done for
Moses and his people, and how He had brought them out of Egypt. So Jethro took
Ziporah and their two sons Gershon and Eliezer back to meet with Moses. Time
and length-of-post won’t allow me do justice to this scripture, but please read
it for yourself from verses 14 to 24, sis. Let God minister life to you through
that Scripture. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, even as Jethro asked Moses,
God is asking you, <i>‘What is this that you are doing?’</i> He
is saying, v<sup>18</sup> <i>‘The thing that you are doing is not good.<sup> </sup>You
will surely wear out both yourself and this people with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are
not able to perform it all by yourself’</i>.<sup> </sup>God is saying
to you as in v<sup>19</sup>, <i>‘Listen now
to Me; I will counsel you and be with you’</i><i>. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As Jethro asked Moses to share
the burden of judgements with others, God is asking us to let Him share our
burdens. He is asking that we assign them to Him because He is more than able
to bear our loads. In V<sup>23 </sup>Jethro
said, <i>‘If you will do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to
endure the strain, and all these people also will go to their tents in peace’</i>. Sis, God is calling you to enter into His rest… to do what He is
telling you so that the strain of your life will not be too much for you to
endure; and indeed, so that those around you also dwell in peace. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
God has given us several assurances in His word concerning rest. I love <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+30:15&version=ESV"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Isaiah </span></a><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+30:15&version=ESV"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">30 v<sup>15</sup></span></a> <i>‘For thus said the
Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be
saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”</i> It however ends
with ‘<i>But you were unwilling</i>’. Sis,
don’t be unwilling! God said in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+33:14&version=ESV"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Exodus 33 v<sup>14</sup></span></a>, <i>“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”</i> Can you
come back to that place of absolute trust, sis? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When you are in a rested state,
then no matter what is going on around you, you have inner peace & clarity
of thought; you have the ability to hear the voice of God; a higher level of discernment
– to see what isn't visible & hear what isn't said. When you are rested,
you more easily live a truly spirit-led life. When you are at rest, people are
drawn to you. There is a constant
calmness around you that draws people to you; you become a silent message in
yourself. There are of course physical benefits to being in a state of rest – lower
blood pressure; less headaches, diabetes, cancers, etc - and quite frankly,
even if you are being ravaged by some illness or the other, you are able to
elevate your spiritual health over and above that of your physical health when
you are in the rest of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, rest positions you to
fulfill your assignment! A rested spirit is more useful to God. Simply put
therefore, you have to contend for your rest, sis. Your flesh would rather
wallow because in the midst of storms, rest is not logical! That is why we can
only rest by keeping our eyes on God and His word, in faith and confident trust
that He cannot lie. Rest is not casual, sis. It is hard fought for, but well worth it! It involves a continuous choice to renew your mind and
keep it renewed – constantly casting down every thought and imagination
that tries to exalt itself against the word of God that you are holding on
to. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, God says you must enter rest
because He wants to use you to do great things, but He can’t use you maximally
where you are now. He had given me a few
questions to ask and a few things to say at Sista Power, and I will again share
them on this platform because I believe they could also be for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->God said to ask<i>, ‘Where are your previous testimonies? Have I not done this for you
time and again? Why are you fretting?’</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->God said I should tell you <i>'I have given you the gift of tears'. Cry it out! Stop bottling things
up. Stop trying to be strong in your own strength! You can’t do this thing by
yourself. I am the power that is at
work in you. I am the power that avails for you. Cry it out on My Alter.
I collect your tears. Cry it out, but
when you are done, don't collect your tears back! Leave your burdens at My
mercy seat and enter into My rest. If you let me, I will fight your
battles for you and you will hold your peace’.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->God says to tell you,<i> ‘Rest is of the Spirit, and it
is in the heart. You can rest if
you stop trying to help Me think things through. Stop trying to figure it out
for Me. The time you spend fretting is the time you should spend
worshiping, and in My presence so that I can speak to you and give you
direction’. </i>He says there is nothing new under the sun. He has fought your battles before and He will
yet fight them again. That thing
that you think is peculiar to you, is not new to Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, rest is about our faith. You
either believe God knows the end from the beginning or you don't. And do you recall that He said that in this life
we will have trouble?<b> </b>Don't you know that His word is true? We
will have trouble! But we are to rest in the assurance that He will be with us
through the fire and through the flood. He said His thoughts towards us are of
good and not of evil remember? He said that ALL things (the troubles and all)
work together for our good, didn’t He? Come back to the place of the fullness
of your faith in Him, sis. Once you and I purpose to maintain that position and
conviction, we will find it in ourselves – by the power of the Holy Spirit, to declare
to the enemy that no matter how many times he has or will come against us with
his darts of doubt; our confession is that IT IS FINISHED! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And as we confess this sis, we
will not only lie down in peace, but like David…we will sleep in peace. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Receive rest today, sis! The Holy
Spirit will help you, as surely as He has been helping me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Be blessed sis… for you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-8153243768374454812016-03-28T15:40:00.001+01:002016-03-28T15:40:14.448+01:00See it Rising<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>‘Up from the grave, He arose! With a mighty da da da da da….</i>’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, obviously I don’t know the
words to this song off the top of my head, but it’s the song that was playing
on and on in my spirit as I slept, and which I woke up to this morning. It’s
also a lazy morning for me, so pardon my not taking time to research the words.
What I do know with certainty is that the chorus goes <i>‘He arose! He arose! Halleluyah, Christ arose!’</i> and sis, that’s all
that counts – not just in this Easter season, but every day of our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
That said, allow me wish you a
Happy Easter or closer still, a Happy Resurrection. There’s been more of a hue
and cry this year about the Word ‘Easter’ originating from some pagan
traditions, and I will be one of the first to admit that I found it more
spiritually uplifting to say <i>‘Happy
Resurrection</i> Sunday’ to people all of yesterday. I don’t know what position
you adopted, but as my older son said last <i>night
‘Mamz, as long as people know this has nothing to do with cute bunny rabbits
and egg-shaped chocolates, then it’s all good, no matter what they choose to
call it’</i>. I had a good laugh, but that was some serious Word. As long as
you and I understand that our faith is hinged on the reality of Jesus going to
die for us on the Cross, and coming back 3 days later having conquered sin and
death for your sake and mine…. As long as we know that, then it’s all good sis.
It really is, call it what you may!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Seriously speaking though, there
is something about Easter that gives serious food for thought. Irrespective of denomination,
or of how mature our level of faith and relationship with God is or isn’t, a
good number of Christians go through the motions of the Easter festivities in
our various churches with either with a fervor that is over and beyond our
normal day to day engagement with God; or with nothing more than a sense of
religious responsibility to the expectations of the church ….and perhaps an
ingrained expectation of self, a knowing that in specific seasons there is a
need to ‘step it up somewhat’. Of course there are many who have a deep and
mature relationship with God and a daily walk with Him that is strong and
secure by the power of the Holy Spirit, and methinks that for those who have
attained this level, Easter and Resurrection are a daily reality for which they
continually top up their gratitude tanks. Which category do you see yourself
in, sis? It’s important to face that reality so you can continue to go and grow
in Christ. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
More than anything else, I
believe that if we had a clearer sense of the reality of what our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ did for us, we would actually see that the Resurrection Principle
is continually at work in our lives, and this would give us peace in the midst of
many of the difficulties that we face in different seasons of our lives. This
is the Word the Lord would have me share with you today, and I pray by the
power of the Holy Spirit that I will be able to put it across to you with
clarity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not Catholic, but my mum was.
On the back of that therefore I had attended the Catholic Church off and on for
a few years during my secondary school years. I recall being quite intrigued by
the ceremonial marking of the ‘<i>Stations
of the Cross’</i> every Easter period. Even without having a deep understanding
at that time of just what Jesus did for me on the Cross of Calvary, I knew
nonetheless that the <i>Stations</i> were a
critical part of the faith of the body. Fast forward several years later, I
gave my life to Christ and as I grew spiritually, the things that looked like ‘<i>ceremonies’</i> took on a deeper meaning for
me. And don’t get me wrong… I actually feel that many a time, we still go
through mere ‘<i>ceremonies’</i> in our
various churches wittingly or otherwise. But when you really and truly begin to
grow in Christ, a different set of dynamics begin to play out in your heart and
spirit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, do you know that in life you
go through the ‘<i>Stations’</i> in seasons,
sometimes daily? You do sis, as do I. Jesus however has given us a template for
this, and in the end an assurance that helps us to go through. Please walk with
me as I try to minister this to you as the Lord ministered the Resurrection
Principle to me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Think about it… Jesus was in the
garden of Gethsemane. It was a beautiful place, cool and breezy. It was calm
and quiet, save for the birds chirping wonderful songs of nature. Think about
it sis… many times it seems like all is going oh-so-smoothly in our lives, when
before you can blink, it looks like someone pulled the rug out from under our
feet. Unlike Jesus however, we don’t have the gift of foresight. Many of us are
not clear what our purpose is life is. We are God’s but we are not <i>God</i>, so we don’t know the end from the
beginning...if we did, it would be easier to deal with the storms of life
wouldn’t it? But can we remember that Jesus was flesh and blood in His time
here on earth? So yeah, He had the edge of knowing there was a specific grand
purpose, but He still went through didn’t He? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The one person that approached
Him in the garden was a trusted friend, one of His inner circle. Sis, how many
times have the hurts in your life come from your inner circle? A husband deals
you an emotional blow; a close friend speaks out against you; a sister takes
from you; a co-worker stabs you in the back; a business partner steals from
you; a child breaks your trust… how many times? Jesus didn’t allow the peace
and beauty of the garden to camouflage the storms He knew were ahead. He understood
clearly His assignment and knew that betrayal was part of the process. He kept
His eyes on the big picture – the salvation of the world, and He chose to love
Judas through the deception. He understood that Judas was actually condemning
himself, and Jesus was pained enough to love him through this. Sis, do you
remember the prayer on the cross? It was<i>,
‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do’</i>. Methinks Jesus
probably prayed that prayer in His heart at the garden. <i>‘Lord, forgive Judas for he knows not what he is doing’</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, can you be bold enough in
the midst of some betrayal to love that person enough with an agape love, so
much so as to ask God to forgive them? Can you understand that when people do
wrong and hurtful things to you, they are priming themselves for the wrong side
of eternity? Can you love them enough to pray God’s mercies over them that they
may not be lost? Can you see also that in praying for those who hurt you, you
are actually praying God’s mercies on yourself …because surely, you are
sometimes the one hurting others? Can you see the template sis? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Fast forward a bit and Jesus is
condemned by the Sanhendrin. Condemnation is such a weighty thing isn’t it?
Many times we have people set up as judge and juror in our lives, based on the
strength of accusations that many times they don’t take the time to substantiate.
Many times, it is those we think would have stood up for us that betray us with
their silence or denial. Remember Peter denying Jesus? Many times, it is those
we though should know better that judge us the most harshly. But again, think
about Jesus and Peter….Jesus knew Peter would deny him, but He loved him in
advance of and through the betrayal. It was a heart of compassion that He held
towards Peter. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, how can you know someone
would deny you and you keep walking with that person? That is not the way of
men is it? That would be foolishness wouldn’t it? Well, the principle is this.
If you walk in the Spirit, your spirit must hold sway. You will have to
actively choose love and forgiveness, mercy and the extension of grace… for
your own sakes, and then for the sake of those who wrong you. Our God says we
should not come before Him is we have any unforgiveness or grudge in our
hearts. So when you struggle in these situations sis, please remember your
choices are more about your soul first, than about who is right and wrong in
the flesh. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Think about the scourging of
Jesus and the crown of thorns placed on His head. Synonyms for scourging
include afflicting, tormenting, devastating, terrorizing. Sound familiar? I
know there have been times past when I curled up in a ball of fear and
uncertainty because of the challenges that presented themselves. Times when it
looked like I would be swallowed up, and when I could see no way through. There
were times when it felt like the issues were compounded by a heavy crown of
thorns – by that one new thing that was weighty enough as to cause my head to literally
hurt, to cause me to struggle to <i>think</i>
through the pain, or to see through the tears that beclouded my vision. I have
never cried blood, but I have known what it means to literally see ‘red’ – not
in anger however, but in imaginable emotional pain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Jesus response in this situation is
classic. Through the hurt and the pain, He carries His cross. It’s heavy, it’s
unmerited, it’s bigger than him, it’s symbolic of things for which He had no
hand, and it’s unfair. But, He carries it nonetheless. It was in His power as
the Son of God to kill all those who were scourging Him simply by a spoken
word. But it is also in the same power of His understanding – as God, the end
from the beginning; that He rather chose to go through the process. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
We have to go through, sis. This
is life! Whether we like it or not, our reality is that there is good and evil
in this world, and many times we will be affected by it. Indeed, a harsher
reality is that many times we ourselves are players in either the good or the
evil that others will go through, but we may not readily see this. But that’s
not the topic today. Let’s focus today on where we are the hurt, the betrayed,
the judged, the condemned, the abandoned, the rejected, and the dejected! We
have to go through sis! This is why Jesus assured us that in life we will have
troubles, but that He would be with us. He said we would go through fire and
flood, but He would see us through. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If we accept in advance that we
will ‘<i>go though’</i>; if we accept in
advance that sometimes what we will go through will be unbelievably weighty…. and
if we will accept and trust that as Jesus made it, we will make it; then we
come to the battlefield primed for a different kind of victory, sis. We do! It
is just that much easier to bear because our eyes are set on things above. We
come to where we have an inner peace in the midst of our storms that make no
sense in the flesh’s scheme of things. We are at rest in war because we are
sure that in the end, we win! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A couple of things strike me
deeply as I meditate on the ‘<i>Stations’</i>,
or let’s just call it Jesus journey to the cross, shall we? First is the fact
that Jesus fell. The Son of God made manifest in the flesh, fell. The weight of
that physical cross was too much for His physical body to bear alone. What is
the principle behind this, sis? Quite simply, Jesus is telling us that the fact
that we fall doesn’t mean it’s over, it doesn’t mean we’ve failed. He is saying
that it is okay to be weak. Sometimes, it’s all just too much and there is
nothing wrong with being in that position. However, He does want us to know
that there is always help available at our times of weakness. It wasn’t a
coincidence that Simon of Cyrene was there and came to help Jesus carry the
cross. No sis! Hundreds of others were there, thousands maybe. They watched and
did nothing. Many empathized with Jesus, their hearts broke on His behalf, but
they did nothing. Many jeered at Him. Many sneered at Him … how dare He call
Himself the Son of God? Save yourself then, let us see! Many were unmoved –
just one more crucifixion of another ‘nobody’, another ‘thief’, another
‘wannabe’. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But, there is always help
available in our crises, sis! Simon of Cyrene was strategically placed,
positioned and primed to be a source of strength and support when Jesus needed
it. Have you noticed how when you are going through, support comes from the
strangest and most unexpected of places? A stranger speaks a word that is such
an encouragement to you. Something someone is preaching about is a direct word
from God to you for your current situation. Out of the blues, someone draws
close to you with a support that you cannot fathom the source, and sometimes as
soon as the challenge is over the relationship reverts to status quo. Someone
you thought couldn’t care less speaks out in defense of you, gives you inside
information and advice to help you overcome a hurdle. And can I assure you that
even if you never know, someone somewhere will actually lift you up in prayer? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Can I assure you even more so that
even if none of those happen, Jesus Christ Himself is your Help and Advocate,
and daily makes intercession for you before the throne of God? Sis, falling is
part of the resurrection process, okay. It is only when something dies that we
can speak of it resurrecting. Don’t be afraid of the things that God will cause
to die as you go through your storms and seasons. Trust Him even in that
process and know He will lift you from your prostrate state, and as He lifts
you, He will bring to life those things that you need for the next phase, and
He will also birth new things that you need for seasons ahead. Amen! Don’t be
afraid of the fall sis. Trust God that help is and always will be available.
Just know though that the help won’t always look like what you expect it to,
and so pray in advance that you will always recognize those who are on a
God-assignment to you in every season, particularly in your night seasons. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The other thing is that you must
recognize that you can’t afford to be proud in your night seasons especially. God
resists the proud remember? If Jesus the Son of God accepted help from a mere
man, then who are you and I to hold ourselves above? Sis, receiving help is not
a sign of weakness. It is rather a sign of emotional maturity. Many times we
don’t realize that when we allow ourselves be helped it is a growth process
also for he or she who has reached out to help us. Sometimes we fail to see
that by our example, they are also being built up. Stop making like you have it
all going on, sis. Be bold enough to be openly weak, afraid, uncertain! That in
itself is a living epistle to someone else who has wondered all along how they
can make it through when they are not as strong, as together, as competent and
as capable as you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Another thing that struck me about
the <i>Stations </i>was how in the process
of going through, Jesus chose to give hope to another. Here was a thief, the
one who actually did deserve to be crucified, and he asked for mercy. Jesus said
to him, ‘I assure you today, y<i>ou will be
with Me in Heaven’</i>. Truthfully sis, when we are unjustly persecuted, how
often are we readily able to extend grace and mercy? Easier said than done isn’t
it? But this is the template Jesus gave us, sis. Indeed, the Holy Spirit
ministered to me that many of the things we will go through are not for our
sake. but that Jesus may be lifted high in the lives of others. Sis, the Lord
is asking that no matter what you are going through, in that season, be sure to
be a source of encouragement to someone else. Use your travails as an
instrument of worship. How? Sis, use your going through to encourage someone
else. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Think about how desperate and
dire your situation would be if you didn’t have Christ as an anchor and a hope,
sis. Do you know that one too many are without hope? Do you know that one too many
are only clinging on for dear life? Do you know that in making a bold and open
declaration <i>that ‘I am going through, but
I know Jesus has got my back and I will come out of this too’</i> you are more
of a living Gospel to someone somewhere than you realize? Don’t waste your pain,
sis. Find it in yourself to use the lessons learnt to bless someone else. This is
a Resurrection principle. God is asking you today to purpose your pain for a
greater weight of glory. Nothing helps us deal with the things we struggle with
as much as helping someone else through their own struggles. Help someone resurrect their trust, hope and
faith in God and His ability to bring them through their condemnation and
crucifixion experiences, sis….and then see how God moves mightily for you time
and time again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Can you try to imagine what Jesus
was going through on the cross, sis? There was unbelievable pain from open
gaping wounds. There was incredible shame from being ridiculed, mocked, exposed
- hung near naked for all to see. He was openly laughed at, spoken to
disrespectfully by those who were otherwise so much less than He; He was
disdained, spat on. It was a combination of physical torture, psychological
distress and emotional anguish on that cross. But ….Jesus was on a spiritually
higher battlefield. He understood that
in the end, God purpose would stand. He understood that the trials of the
present day were working a far greater weight of glory. He understood that end
which had been declared from the beginning was at hand. And so He was fully
yielded spiritually, even though everything else about Him was under immense
pressure and pain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, when we trust God with our
all… we have a spiritual rest that defies logic. I have said this before and I can’t
emphasize it enough. You have to ask the Holy Spirit help you enter this secret
place for yourself, sis. That is the only way we can successfully navigate this
life. Do you see? There is always a bigger picture and you have to come to
where you always have the assurance that the Greater One is on your side and He
is working it all out for your good, no matter how heavy it seems in this
season. There is purpose behind the cross you carry, sis. It’s hard when you
are hung out and on display. It’s hard when men choose to make an open show of
you, of your failings, of your shame, of your disgrace. It’s hard when it is
merited and a thousand times more so when it is not. But sis, lift it up to
Jesus and let His resurrection power flow. Don’t deviate from the principle of
the Cross, and I assure you that in the end you will be victorious. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Jesus elected to die, that God
may be glorified. He elected to endure all that you and I might have eternal
life. He is asking that in your life as well as in mine, we follow His example
- that we might not make His sacrifice to be of no effect, that we might not be
lost, and that we also draw others to Him. Sis, when He died, it looked like it
was all over. Some cried, yes. But the majority laughed and used Him as the
butt of their jokes at dinner that night. He died, sis! He died! I know that
many a time, the results of our going through is that things will die. Marriages
die! Treasured relationships die! Businesses die! Financial stability dies,
etc. Can we be real about the fact that some things will necessarily need to
die for some other things to have new life by God’s design? <o:p></o:p></div>
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And death is painful sis. Any separation
process is painful, even if we ourselves adjudge it necessary. Just as Jesus was
placed in the tomb and it was sealed with a heavy rock, we will have those
times when it looks like not only did something die, but a major obstacle has
been placed before us such that it is even hard to get to the ‘’corpse’ and
begin to examine what we might have done wrong and how to address it better
next time. Sometimes, there is no room for ‘lessons learnt’, it’s just <i>‘finished, final, over and done, dead and
buried!</i>’<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But He arose, sis! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>‘Halleluyah! Jesus is alive! Death has lost its victory and the grave
has been denied. Jesus is forever! He’s alive! He’s alive! Halleluyah! Jesus is
alive!’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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That is the new song, sis. The one that I know
all the words to! And it’s an awesome complement to the one I started out this
piece with. Sis, Jesus resurrection on
the third day is still part of the principle that the Holy Spirit would have us
walk in today and always. Indeed, it’s the greatest part. It’s the assurance
from God that when He is in a matter, it only dies permanently if He has judged
it as not good for you. Otherwise, He it is Who has the power of life and
death. He is the One Who can kill and make alive. He is resurrection power Himself!
By a single breath He gives life. Today, God is asking us to remember that the
only permanence is in Him. He has assured us that He works all things out
together for our good. He is asking us to come back to the place of seeing
everything we are struggling with, everything that has tried to hold us down,
everything we are going through… to see it rising. He is challenging us to go
through knowing that Jesus arises for us always, no matter what we contend with.
He is asking us to see what looks like dead dreams, dead hopes and aspirations,
dead relationships… to see them rising. He is asking us to place our processes and
our pains on His alter today, and time and again so that He can continually
breathe life and health into them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sis, in His rising, Jesus is
asking that we see ourselves rising. He is as much in us as we are in Him and
His life is a template for ours. And we are victorious in Him always, sis. In Christ,
even when it looks like you have lost an earthly battle… if you played it by
this principle, you would have won a great heavenly war. Think through the
Cross sis, and then think through your life. Think through whatever you are
going through now, and then let the Holy Spirit minister grace and peace to you.
As He does, allow Him infill you with the confidence and assurance that all is
well and all will end well, the way that God has purposed it. Ask Him to help
you understand where you don’t; ask Him to help you accept; ask Him to order
your thinking; ask Him to help you gather your emotions; ask Him to shape your
countenance; ask Him to grant you wise counsel; ask Him for discernment. Sis,
ask Him to help you stay above and walk/decide/act/speak only in accordance to
His will and express purpose in every situation. Ask Him to help you stay in
alignment sis, that truly you may experience the flow of resurrection through
every ‘<i>station’</i> you might have to go
through in any day and in every season. Ask Him sis, and watch Him roll away
every stone and restore life in all its fullness. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Lord will help you sis. I know
this without a shadow of a doubt, because daily I see Him help me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Be blessed sis… for you surely
are! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-84608459832480707972016-03-02T18:49:00.003+00:002016-03-02T22:46:59.478+00:00Take those shoes off<br />
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It’s March already?
Yyyyaaayyyy!!! Why the celebration? It’s my birth month, that why. March comes
as a reminder to me of God’s faithfulness and love for me. It’s a month of
reflection, a month of reconciliation, of re-determination, of re-dedication.
Simply put, March is a month of deliberate <i>‘Going
back to Zero’ </i>for me. It’s a time to more intentionally than ever before,
revisit my original design and see how much further I have progressed in
alignment with God’s mandate and purpose for my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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True, many years ago I couldn’t
have said this… but I have grown and I am growing. And as I mature as a person
and as a son of God, intentionality of purpose is my passionate pursuit. That
simply means I can’t sit back and let life happen. No sis, I have to happen to
life the way God would have it be. No better time than the period counting down
to the completion of one more earthly year to do this, as I see it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope I didn’t lose you at the ‘<i>Going back to Zero’</i> phrase. Those who
have followed me over the years will be familiar with this, but if you are a
new enough reader, let me explain. The Zero principle was taught me by my
Coach, sister and friend Anna McCoy – entrepreneur extraordinaire, author of
the amazing book <i><span style="font-family: "ar cena";">Woman Act Now</span></i>, minister of the gospel, life coach and
all-round wonderful sista-pillar! Clearly I love this woman, lol. You would too
sis, I assure you. If she’s got your back, she’s GOT your back. An amazing
template for womanhood, Anna McCoy is for sure! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Coach taught us that anything
that has a zero added to it increases. When you add a zero to 1, you get 10 and
when you add another zero to that, you get 100…etc, <i>ad infinitum</i>. The Scripture in John 3 v 30 - 31 says <i>‘He must increase, but I must decrease. He
(the Holy Spirit) that comes from above is above all’. </i>The Holy Spirit is
infinite and boundless in His wisdom, power, and might...you know this right
sis? Going back to Zero is therefore you and I saying <i>‘Lord, I choose to decrease, that Your Holy Spirit might increase in
me’</i>. Going back to Zero is recognizing that our power comes from the God in
us, and that each time we allow more of Him to hold sway in us, we are more
powerful, more knowledgeable, more ‘<i>more’</i>
of any and everything than we can be and do in Christ! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So yes, March is that month for
me when I re-calibrate and allow myself zero-out again fully. Nothing like a
birthday to remind you how blessed you are to be alive, how graced you are to
still have the opportunity to be used of God and for His glory. But…. this actually
isn’t my subject today. As the Lord has led though, I trust that what I have
said so far has been a word for someone, but let me get to what I originally
planned to share shall I? Lol<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I was listening to a sermon by
Steven Furtick and he said <i>‘The shoe
should never tell the foot how big it can become’</i>. I thought this was
pretty profound and I wrote it on a Post-it slip on my son’s reading desk where
I’d been working on something while listening in. I didn’t give it much more
thought until a couple of days later when my son came to me and said <i>‘Mum, what does that quote you penned down
mean really? </i>And we then had a conversation about it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I started by reminding him how
when he was much younger he had loved to put his feet into his father’s shoes,
and oversized as they were, he devised a technology with which he could not
only walk, but also run around in them – albeit providing us with quite an
amusing spectacle in the process. His same father’s shoes stuffed with tissues
up-front would be his saving grace at a school event years later where he
needed to wear a suit, but didn’t have formal shoes to go with them. As long as
there was room enough, the size 44 shoes worked well for him. I reminded him
that he was exactly 11 years old when his own feet became size 44, the shoes
fit just right and he entered direct competition with his father for who could
get to which shoes faster. By the time
he was 13 though, he was a size 45 and today he is a size 46…. two clear sizes larger than the very shoes that once <i>were ‘room
enough’ </i>and<i> ‘just right’</i>. And
this dear sis is what I believe the Lord wants me to speak to you today – the
twin challenges of <i>‘room enough’ </i>and <i>‘just right’</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The challenge with <i>‘room enough’</i>:<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I explained to my son, once we
are in shoes that seem to have room enough, if we are not careful, those very
shoes tell us just how far we can grow and we might not stop to think that
there are sizes beyond that. I mean, when you are a size 20, then size 44 shoes
seem to you like a great leap right? More than double where you are right? If
you could grow into them, that would be remarkable right? The world would and
should clap for you if you were able to double your business, the reach of your
ministry, your wealth, etc right? And hey, let’s face it…. Given the odds you
would definitely have to overcome to get to double, you should also applaud
yourself right? And you should bless God for establishing you right? Yes sis,
you well should. Certainly, you should and the world should! But…. there is so
much ‘<i>more’</i> out there, sis. There is!
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The problem with ‘<i>room enough’</i> is that it can limit your
ability to see your truest potential in its grandest form according to God’s purpose
and design. Room enough is comfortable; it has ample space; it allows you revel
in movement no matter how small, to celebrate victories that are actually below
your best. Room enough limits your vision. It frames acceptable borders for you
…acceptable particularly because you haven’t yet begun to realize that those
borders exist to confine and constrain you. The biggest problem with room
enough is that you have an end-point in view at which you can define that you
have ‘<i>arrived’</i> at your maximum best,
and that is one of the most dangerous places to be as far as God’s purpose is
concerned. Does this make sense, sis? I pray so. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The challenge with <i>‘Just right’</i>: <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, eventually, my son grew into
a 44-size shoe. The same shoe size his father had been long before my son was born. 44
was the shoe size he had aspired to fill even as a young boy running around in
his father’s oversized shoes...it was his subconscious self-limiting border. As his own feet hit size 44, <i>‘just right’</i> happened! And don’t get me
wrong sis…‘just right’ is great. It really is! But therein lays the problem in
itself! Just right is an affirmation that all your efforts, all the growing and
stretching have been worth it in the end. Just right is ‘arriving’... it’s a
place of victory. ‘J<i>ust right’</i> works sis. It does! Think about it. My son suddenly had
access to several dozen pairs of shoes. And what a variety of shoes he then had
access to – formal, casual, sports, slip-on’s, etc. He had access to red shoes,
black shoes, grey shoes, blue shoes, shoes with a combination of colors. He
could choose between pure leather shoes, patent leather, suede shoes, etc. I
mean, he literally had it going on at the point of size 44… at his ‘just
right’. So yeah, just right works! But, it’s only meant to work for a season
sis...that is God’s way! So why do so many of us tend to settle at <i>‘just right’</i>?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sis, translate this to your life.
Do a quick self-assessment and ask yourself where you have hit ‘<i>just right’</i>….and where you may have
settled. If my son had settled at just
right, his shoes would have continued to pinch as his feet grew larger. But you
know what? If he didn’t realize there was a ‘<i>more’</i>, he could simply have taken the pinch on his toes as the pain
that goes with the territory of ‘<i>I’ve arrived
at the max shoe size… </i> which I can
also restate as <i>‘I’ve attained the
self-imposed limit of my growth and success’</i>. He could have made excuses
for the ‘cut’ of the shoes being the cause of the pain. He could have started
to rationalize that pure leather shoes didn’t hurt as much as the others, and
he could then have constrained himself to wearing painful pure leather size 44
shoes for the rest of his life. He could have found many ways to justify the
discomfort of settling with size 44 shoes, whereas in truth the discomfort was God
calling him to stretch to the size 46 God had ahead of him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, what are the pains in your
life that you are making adjustments and accommodations for because you feel
you have arrived at your ‘<i>just right’</i>?
What excuses are you making for not stretching? What are the ‘perks’ of your
arrival at ‘<i>just right’</i> that are
blinding you to seeing the ‘<i>more’</i>
that is up ahead, the more that you were designed for in the first place? Sis, from
as simple a belief that you are not even qualified to have arrived at size 44
in the first place… from as simple a mindset of ‘<i>let me just be grateful that I made it this far</i>’, you can settle at
way below your potential and God’s purpose for your life. Sis, what do you know
that you know that you know, that God is calling you to come up higher in?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I have used the analogy of a
simple phrase about shoes translated in near literal form, to also try to speak
God’s heart to you, sis. Today, the Lord is asking you to take a good look at
your life, at what you have done, at what you are doing… and He is asking you
to compare it with what you have the potential to do, to be and to achieve. But
here is the thing, sis… God is not asking you to make this comparison based on
your own strengths. No! Rather, He is asking you to look at your potential from
the point of view of the breath that He breathed into you, the gifts and
abilities that He imputed into you at creation, the ‘<i>more’</i> that He has for you if you would go back to Zero and allow His
power in you truly avail for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I just saw a tweet that said ‘<i>Your life is too small to be the purpose of
your life’</i>, to which I had responded ‘<i>Absolutely’</i>,
for really that is just it, sis. Our lives are way beyond us! And if this is
true (which I assure you it is), then we must reach for that ‘<i>more’</i> that God has for us. We must reach
for more because there are more lives that God has purposed to be blessed
because we fulfill the fullness of our potential. Do you get this, sis? God is
calling you today to revisit what size you think you are, sis. He is telling
you and I expressly that we are at least two sizes larger than where we have
settled. He is asking us to stretch, sis…. to take the limiting shoes off and
allow our feet grow into ‘<i>more’</i>. He
is assuring us that we can do it because of the greater One that is in us. He
is asking us to put away that ultimately false ‘humility’ that keeps us from
wanting to be more, and He is saying ‘<i>more is who I called you to be. Don’t settle!</i>’.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Our God is limitless, sis. And we
who are created in His very image and likeness, we in whom He lives, we
shouldn’t be the ones placing limits on the purpose of creation, and of the
Creator. God is asking you and I to take some time today to seek His face, in
the quietness of worship to seek to hear His voice as He speaks to us what He
needs us to deliver on. It in one of such quiet encounters, seeking His face, that
God said to me that He has ‘<i>graced me to
deliver specifics in my latter years</i>’. For me that clearly means that I
need to be attentive and always listening out for what He would have me do next…
for instructions concerning my <i>‘more’</i>,
especially as He also said to me that this year He would speak to me more ‘<i>on the go’</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sis, you need your own word from
God so you can push through to the next phase of growth He has for you. He is
here and He hears. He loves you and He is willing to help you. Please take off
whatever comfy-sized shoes you have on today and allow God stretch you, sis.
And can I tell you something? Stretching never ends! You never arrive as far as
God is concerned. When you do, then that is the day of your calling to the
other side of eternity. And you and I know our hearts cry is to hear ‘<i>Well done’</i> right, sis? By the grace and
power of God, we will die empty of all the Lord has purposed for us to deliver
on this earth. The Holy Spirit will help you sis. He is certainly helping me!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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Be blessed sis… for you surely
are! <o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-17874736639554983102016-02-14T20:12:00.001+00:002016-02-15T19:06:23.120+00:00This Love Thing<div style="text-align: justify;">
It’s that time of year again. <i>Valentines’ Day!</i> You couldn’t pretend
not to know it if you tried. For the last couple of weeks it seemed like
everywhere you looked the color red popped out at you. I really admire the
tenacity of retailers, sis. Even in the trying economic landscapes they held
strong to the traditions of men, hoping for a seasonal boost in an otherwise
dismal looking year ahead. That doesn’t sound too <i>‘doom and gloom</i>’-like Does it? I hope not. I actually am one of those who believe strongly
that God’s children are designed to thrive in these times as long as they play
by the rules of <i>Kingdomnomics</i> rather
than economics, and so the goings on in the world don’t bother me like that.
But the worlds economics is a topic for another day; today we deal with
the love thing, lol.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I typed that last phrase, Tina
Turner’s song ‘<i>What’s love got to do with
it?</i>’ began to play in my head. And really, for those of us who know better,
the genesis of Valentine’s Day is some pagan festival that really had nothing
to do with love in the first place. How we got to where we had a need to set
aside a specific day of the year to celebrate every little thing, I have no
clue. Thinking through the fact that God has said to us that the greatest
commandment is that we love Him first, and then love our neighbors as we love
ourselves; it seems reasonable to me that the call to love is a daily demand
that transcends the ‘celebration’ of love on any one specific day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The frenzy with which the cards,
the gifts, the romantic dinners and getaways are planned; the desperate
spending and completely unwarranted (in my view) efforts to out-do each other
in these ‘expressions’ of love at Valentine, completely baffle me. I guess I’m
just getting old! Really, that must be it because I once looked forward to
February 14<sup>th</sup> with some level of anticipation too. Did I hear you
laugh? Well, you know sis that age and wisdom are not necessarily related so
this is not about the number of years you and I have spent on the earth, is it?
Or maybe it is that as I mature in my walk as a Christian I am seeing many
things that I had previously accepted as ‘normal’ through new lenses. Or maybe,
as my people say, ‘<i>na de two-both-of-them</i>
dey do me’.... hee hee hee! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Seriously though, I just haven’t
been able to whip up any excitement about Valentines’ day this year. Please
don’t get me wrong, I don’t question those who do. Like I said, I used to ride
that train….. And who knows, maybe next year I will be singing a different
song. At this time however, all I can see and feel deeply really is God’s love
for me and how He has made this manifest in so many ways all through my life.
God has been faithful, sis. He has! That He loved me enough in my mess of the
past, that He loves me enough through my imperfections of today…. I can’t put a
price on this. I simply can’t! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So here is where I anchor my
thoughts and challenge to you today, sis. And believe me, it’s a personal
challenge to me too. There is one major question on my heart, and it filters
down into a series of questions…… Sis, check the level of your preparations for
Valentines’ Day. Think about your excitement, the build-up, and the efforts you
have made to get just the <i>right</i> card.
Think about the effort that went into planning and selecting that red outfit
that was just <i>so right</i> for today.
Think about the passion with which you ran around from shop to shop, or browsed
site to site trying to find that incredible gift that would ‘<i>wow’</i> that special one in your life… <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Think about it all sis, and then
ask yourself: ‘<i>When last did I spend so
much time and energy and money trying to show God how much I love Him and how
grateful I am for Him in my life</i>?’ Ask yourself, ‘<i>When last did I pursue my passion for God, for His word, for His face,
His presence, with the same intensity with which I prepared for Valentines’
Day?</i>’ Ask yourself, ‘<i>When last did I
excitedly plan and purpose time out with God - to be alone with Him and to
love on Him as truly and as deeply as my heart can summon at any one time?</i>’
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Do you get my drift sis? Do you
really?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I tell you what? Let’s not even
over-spiritualize this thing. Love is not only about us and God is it? Err…it
is actually – any way you look at it, but let’s not go there now. Let’s look at
our various relationships. It is a big question just how passionately,
intentionally and consistently we pursue expressions of love to our husbands,
children, friends, loved ones, colleagues at work, etc. I ask again, how did we
get to where the effort revolves around one day, and then for the rest of the
year we revert to status quo? Should the efforts to express love be more
intense on Valentines’ day, birthdays, and at Christmas alone? Hmm!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Like I said earlier, when I think about God’s
commandment that we should love Him above all else, and then love our neighbors
as ourselves, I kind of see this whole love thing very differently, sis. You
see, God’s love is steady and sure. It is consistent. It is persistent. It is
passionate above all else and it is purposeful. It is a love that covers. It is
a love that embraces. It is a love that forgives. It is a love that gives
sacrificially. It is a love that only contends for our good. And it is a love
that gives its fullest expression day in and day out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, sis. If we look at this love
thing through the eyes of Christ then we should wake up every single day
purposed to express love to God and to those around us in some tangible way. We
would be constantly on the lookout for avenues to bless God with our time, our
praise, our service. We would approach each new day with an attitude of prayer,
asking <i>‘Lord, show me who I can bless
today and how, so that I might deliver glory to You – which is my ultimate act
of reciprocated love’</i>. Sis, if we did this, we would be less prone to
offence, more forgiving, more understanding, more giving. We would manifest
love in its purest sense daily because it will emanate from the true position
of our hearts. We would walk in the understanding that our daily expressions of
love are our service to God, our obedience to His ultimate commandment, and well
pleasing to His own heart. How amazing is that? I can’t describe enough how
uplifting it is when God tells me that I make Him smile, sis…. when He lets me know that I am
pleasing to Him. Simply awesome!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t know sis… I don’t know if
I have ended up preaching ‘at’ you. Please forgive me if I have. I really just
wanted to get you to the place of realizing that God is worthy of so much more
than most of us give Him and we need to rework this equation. We need to pursue
Him with more intensity than we do the many material things, the many
traditions of men, the many worldly achievements and aspirations that tend to
consume our time and energy, leaving us too drained to give Him the best of us.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, today is as good as any for
you and I to shift our perspectives where this love thing is concerned; to
refocus our hearts and to ask the Holy Spirit to help us do this. I pray you
can see this as clearly as I do, sis. I truly hope so! I pray that the Holy
Spirit will minister this to you with added clarity, sis. I trust Him to do
that. I trust Him to always help you, as surely as He always helps me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…. for you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-63177226766426409572016-01-29T20:45:00.003+00:002016-01-29T20:45:53.938+00:00Embrace the Challenges<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was saying to a friend of mine
recently that for some reason I’m so excited in my spirit about the year 2016. I
have nothing to base this excitement on save for a knowing and a confidence inside
of me that this is going to be a great year. Outwardly though, you perhaps wouldn’t
know it to see it, sis. Indeed from the very first working day of the week, my
life has been on an accelerated ‘go’. By the middle of January, I felt like I was
already well into the middle of the year. It’s been one assignment or challenge
after another. There have been times when all I’ve had it in myself to do was
to put my head back and close my eyes, deliberately disconnecting in every
spare second I could get. That said, I can nonetheless feel my molecules continuously
dancing to an internal praise beat. I can sense that my heart is beating in
alignment with the worship songs that spew forth from my spirit daily. It’s a good
place to be, sis. It really is!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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And I can’t put my finger on the
source, you ask? No, dear friend! I can’t and quite frankly, I’m not even
trying to. The Scripture says in John 20 v 29 <i>‘Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed’</i>. I don’t
need to know, sis. I only have to trust, and I only need to rest in Him Who is
my assurance that all things are working out for my good, that all things end
in praise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I recall that when I put together
my GPS for 2016, I’d sat for a few minutes able to do nothing more than say ‘<i>Hmm</i>’ several times over. I looked at all
the goals I’d set for myself and tried to figure how I would make them work. Eventually,
I sat back and had a hearty laugh, and then printed it out as my final working document
for 2016. You see sis, in those few minutes I was reminded about what I preach regularly….
that if our goals are easy enough for us to achieve without much effort, then
they are not from God. Those kind of small dreams and goals are nothing more
than our personal want-to-do’s and nice-to-do’s. God’s assignments tend to come
in God-sized packages that help us know that we can’t do them in our strength. I
laughed because I remembered that God is my Source, my Anchor and so as much as
He lays in my heart to do, He also would help me to deliver on them as long as I
stay faithful to the cause. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Where am I going with this post? Actually,
truth is that I’m somehow hoping that by the time you are done reading, you
would find your molecules also being agitated somewhat as the Holy Spirit
unfolds this word to you Himself. I’m hoping that you will take a few minutes
to be still before God and allow Him stir you up with this same internal
excitement. Can I assure you that this is going to be a great year sis? If you would
only but catch the bug, sis… if you would! It’s going to be a radically great
year, in Jesus name, amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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God gave me a word for 2016. He said
that I would experience new challenges that would bring new opportunities for
me to take new territories and give new testimonies. Wow! Wow! Wow! Sis, I am
so holding on to this word. It still blows my mind every time I think on it. It’s
probably part of what has me so stirred up internally. And you know what? I
have found it hard to believe that such a tremendous word could be for me alone,
and so I have continued to declare it over everyone who would hear and receive it
from me as a sure word from Heaven above for their 2016. I declare it over you also
sis, in Jesus name I do! <o:p></o:p></div>
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One thing I love about this word is
the fact that it infill’s me with a boldness to face any challenges that have
and are still coming my way. If my God Who knows the end from the beginning is
able to tell me that I will have challenges, then it goes without saying that
He will be with me through them and that I will overcome. So no, God has made
no effort to sugar-coat 2016 for me. He hasn’t tried to give me a sense that I would
live in La-La land all through 2016. Simply put, He has said to me ‘<i>brace up’</i>. He has not indicated just how
big or small the challenges I will face in 2016 are, but He has said there are
new testimonies that will come out of each and every trial I will face. What awesome
encouragement! My loins are girded up, sis. I know with greater certainty that
He Who is Himself the mighty Man of Battle fights with and for me, and I will
receive victory on every side in Jesus name, as will you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lord also told me
categorically that in this year, it is imperative that I maintain an atmosphere
of worship around me. He has told me clearly that this will be the key to my victories.
He has said that He will help me and He will uphold me, but the greatest parts
of the battles will be won by praise, in a continuous atmosphere of worship, in
spending time daily in His presence. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am excited about new
territories. Cautiously so, I will admit and this is because as well as I know
God, He is not predictable. He does as He pleases, His thoughts are not our
thoughts, and His ways are certainly not our ways. When He says He wants to use
you more, it does not follow that it will be in the same way that He has used
you before. I also know that when He wants to take you higher, then there is a
higher level of testing that you will necessarily go through for the purpose of
refining. God can’t have those who are still drinking spiritual milk on
assignments that require those who are spiritually mature and rugged enough to
eat meat. You know this right, sis? Hmm! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyhow, my heart’s desire is
truly to grow in Him, to be used more of Him and to walk more closely in alignment
with His will and purpose for my life. So, my response has been and is that I yield.
I yield fully and I yield completely. I yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit
because He will bring this word to my remembrance in the times of my testing. I
yield because at the end, if I allow God lead, I win. And when I win, God gets
the glory. Can you see, sis? <o:p></o:p></div>
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What has this got to do with you?
Very simply sis, I want to encourage you to embrace the challenges 2016 will
throw at you. Don’t try too hard to pray them away. If you had nothing to deal
with, your life wouldn’t bear much fruit and that is the truth. The muscles we
grow when we go through trials always position us to be more greatly blessed
later on, and to be a blessing to countless others who get the benefit of our
counsel, our compassion and our prayers in their own times of need. Don’t worry
about the challenges you currently face or will face in 2016, sis. Embrace them
with the fullness of the realization that indeed, they are creating new opportunities
for you. Embrace them because those new opportunities will make room for you to
take new territories spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, in your relationships
as a wife/mother/daughter/friend; in your businesses or work; in your finances;
etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, those new territories will put
indescribably awesome new testimonies on your lips to the glory of God. This is
His assurance! So brace yourself, sis. Wear worship well! As it is, praise
looks incredibly good on you, and it never goes out of fashion. Are your
insides dancing yet, sis? Pray over this Word, sis. I assure you that the Lord
will interpret it for you Himself and help you internalize the assurance that
He has given me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m so looking forward to sharing
your testimonies all through this year, sis. And please send in your praise
reports if you will. This year, I want to feature your testimonies of what God
is doing in your life. I’m happy to share this page with you, my fellow unique
woman. It’s an honor to go and grow with you on this remarkable journey of a
life in Christ. Here’s to fruitful and fulfilling 2016, by the power of the
Holy Spirit Who is effectually at work within us, in Jesus name amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis…for you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8000400106710372347.post-22393811605728973392016-01-17T21:43:00.000+00:002016-01-17T21:43:03.575+00:00Birth your dreams<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I thought about what I purposed
to share with you on this post today, a tweet I sent out recently came to mind.
It was a quote that said <i>‘The biggest
mistake you can make is listening to people who’ve given up on their dreams
telling you to give up on yours</i>’. I can’t
begin to tell you just how true this expression is, but I can tell from the
number of re-tweets it got that it resonates deeply with many. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the things I am so glad
for today is that I have been able to fulfill a good number of the dreams in my
heart, and even as new ones continue to evolve, I have a sense that as bold and
as audacious (scary even) as some of them look, the same grace of God which has
seen me being able to actualize some of my dreams in the years past, is the
same grace that will as well see these new ones come to pass. I look back on
some of the things God has helped me to birth and I smile in remembrance of how
big they once looked. I smile in realization that no matter how big the dreams
are, God is bigger. Indeed, I have preached countless of times that if our
dreams are big enough for us to readily accomplish with minimal efforts then
they are certainly not from God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our God is a big God! He is the
greatest of the greats. He is too big for us to readily comprehend. He is the One
who sits on the heavens of heavens as His throne, and the One for Whom the earth
is but a mere footstool. He is eternity past, present and future. He knows all
things, and in Him do all things consist. Nothing is made that was made without
Him. He is all knowing, all seeing, all powerful! He is the Creator Himself! He
is the master Craftsman! He is the Author and the Finisher! He is the Potter! He
is the Designer and Controller of the universe! He is the One to Whom all the
resources of the earth and in the spirit realm belong!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, our God is the One Who has
written the end of all things from the beginning. He is the One for Whom
nothing is impossible! He it is Who has boldly declared that eyes have not
seen, nor ears heard, that it has not come into the realm of the imagination of
men the things He has prepared for those that love Him. And this our God is the
very One Who puts the dreams in our hearts in the first place, according to His
grand design. One thing I know is that our God cannot put anything in us to do
that He has not already resourced us to deliver on. The challenge is that we
think about the possibilities through the eyes of our strengths, rather than
through the lenses of God’s abilities. But when we choose to look past
ourselves and set our hearts to obey, the outcomes are always so awesome. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Why am I focused on dreams today?
Well sis, I have shared with you before that out of one of the dreams the Lord
laid a dream years ago my book about couples working together- ‘<i>Double
Impact’</i> was birthed. I know now that that dream was but a seed, sis….and the
book is only one tree in the mighty forest that I know God wants to birth out
of that seed. Last year, and as God had been leading me, I finally stepped out in
a new level of obedience and set up the <i>Double
Impact Platform</i>. What an amazing journey it has been so far! We just had
our first meeting for this year and it was simply remarkable. The feedback from
participants – male and female, gave me some serious food for thought on one
hand, and on the other hand gave me clarity about the fact that the <i>Double Impact Platform</i> objectives from
the perspective of the Kingdom are so much deeper than I had thought or can readily
see. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I can’t share the details on this
post, but suffice it to say and I can testify time and again, that when God
puts a dream in our hearts, all He needs is our obedience and He does the rest.
My earlier plan was to make the first two sessions free and then have
participants pay going forward, but God spoke to me and said the Double Impact Platform
would always be free. Sis, when He said that, my heart skipped a beat. I immediately
thought of how much each meeting had cost me and wondered how I could sustain
that expense. But I drew on my faith reservoir and decided to rest afresh in
the assurance that I am resourced by heaven and God Himself. And as always He
has come through for me time and again at these meetings, sis. All He needed was
my faith! He has continued to do the rest. I have not lacked, and I have not been
pressured! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sis, I stepped out in obedience
and lives are being touched, marriages are being transformed, and Kingdom businesses
are positioning to go to their next levels for God’s glory. And do you know
what I believe is the best part, sis? It’s that I am able to say that in this
too I am delivering glory to God. I am able to see that He has counted me
worthy to use as an instrument to bless His children through another channel. I
can see the forest now, sis. I have no clue how each tree will be established,
but I know that as I stay the course and allow Him lead me, God Who has called
me to do the planting is He Who will water, and He also Who will bring the
increase. This increase will bless lives for generations to come, and expand His Kingdom
on earth….of this I’m certain! I’m completely honored to be used of God sis,
totally and completely bowled over!<o:p></o:p></div>
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But this is ultimately really not
about me, sis. I have shared this with you to encourage you to step out in
faith and in obedience to deliver on whatever it is that the Lord has lain in
your heart to do. The dream you have held down all this while is so much bigger
than what you can see, sis. And our God has counted you worthy to entrust you
with the vision. You are holding back a kingdom assignment, sis and our Father
is asking you to do something with what He has purposed for you to do. He is
not calling you to go it alone, sis. I promise you! He is with you and He has
already provided. As you take a stand to step out today, He will help you to
see, to understand, and to access the resources He has made available to help
you along the way. You won’t ever experience fulfillment until you
intentionally step out in faith, sis. Can I encourage you to do this today? Can
I ask you to take a deep breath, exhale and then allow yourself free-fall into the
arms of He Who in the first place upholds you? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our Father has need of you, sis! He
has need of you in a greater way today! He has asked me to remind you today
that He is waiting on you to make a move. He has asked that I say to you
categorically that in 2016 He has a higher expectation of you. And He has asked
me to remind you that you already have all the help that you need in Him. The Holy
Spirit will help you, sis. This is my prayer for you. Certainly, I see that in
my life that He has been and is my constant help. He is here for you too, sis. His
grace is available to you and for you. As you walk into a new level of obedience
backed by action, God will arise for you. He will honor your every effort and
magnify your output for His glory….in Jesus name, Amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be blessed sis… for you surely
are!<o:p></o:p></div>
Uniquely Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160527969370484353noreply@blogger.com0