Gratitude

I am truly grateful to my Lord and Savior because it was a breakthrough day today in that the flood gates opened up and I was able to write again after a long unplanned hiatus.

The great thing about it was that I felt free again like a bird whose wing had healed and it could fly again or like a kid let loose in the candy store. I couldn’t get enough writing in today. I kept thinking of things I wanted, needed, and felt compelled to say but had held back for so long.

I had to temper myself to stop and wait for a few hours while I went home and tended to the activities of the house for the evening but now the house is quiet. The kids are all settled and I’m back at the keyboard ready to put down all that wants to spill out of me or should I say spew out of me like a volcano. It is so overwhelming to have so much at my fingertips again. I feel so blessed but also so humbled because I know this is a gift from Him and I don’t take it lightly.

I give thanks that He gave me my voice again through the written words that fly from my fingertips.

In God I Trust!

"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8

December 31 I was laid off. January 5 I had a new job!!! Only God could orchestrate things the way they came together. I totally left it up to Him and he came through just as he has promised in his word time and time again.

I know that there are those that have been out of work 30, 60, 90+ days and counting so I don't take this lightly. I AM BLESSED!!! And I would be very remiss if I didn't acknowledge my God for his goodness and mercy in my life.

Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!

A New Year

2009-2010 ended/began much like 2008-2009, in elegant praise, worship and fellowship. We attended the New Year's Eve service at church and were blessed in a mighty way.

In retrospect the whole year was blessed. Tony moved to Richmond and helped make our house a home. We got married, took family vacations, visited friends and relatives and surrounded ourselves with people that love and support us.

We made new friends, said good-bye to old friends and let go of friends that were toxic in an effort to make our lives more fulfilling and meaningful to us. We set goals and took great pride in seeing them come to completion and then began new ones and God was with us the whole journey.

God made a way when things seemed impossible. All we had to do was have faith and believe. We paid our tithes, gave generously and stood on His Word and every time things worked out. Not necessarily how we wanted them to, but according to His will and purpose and oftentimes better than how we envisioned things.

His hand has stayed our course right down to losing my job. He knew that there was nothing left there for me and did not allow me to linger there any longer than necessary but long enough to learn a few more lessons about the nature of people and myself.

Which brings me to where I am today, the first work day of the new year - unemployed. All dressed up and no place to go. I got up and dressed for my work day refusing to get out of my routine and the enemy to rule my mind. By 9:00 I had two interviews lined up. Praise God!!!

Both were good opportunities but one would leave me bored out of my mind. They will be making decisions pretty quickly so if one of these is the opportunity God has for me it will be revealed soon enough.

In the meantime, I will be volunteering with one of the agencies that assist victims of domestic violence to keep myself busy and motivated in between interviews.

I am excited about what 2010 has in store for me. Mostly because I'm leaving it all up to Him. I don't know where I'll be or what I'll be doing but I do know that it will be what He has destined me for. I've done nothing in this process but surrender myself totally to Him and let Him be my guide. The jobs I've applied for have been presented to me, I haven't had to seek them out and the volunteering opportunity was again orchestrated by him. I know that great things are coming and I'm preparing myself to be open and receptive to them.

Bigger, better and more than my heart and mind can imagine. I smile just thinking about it and although I have no clue what it will be, if it is from God it can only be good.

A new year, a new journey, a new beginning... so many possibilities.


For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. An ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Happy Thanksgiving

This has been a year full of many things to be thankful for. My increased faith and relationship with God and my husband coming into the family being the best of these for me personally. The least of these how things went today. I overslept, the oven caught fire, the vacuum cleaner broke, the turkey was a little dry and now the refrigerator has decided to go on the fritz. However, in spite of all the attempts by the enemy to take away from our joy this day it has given us a reason to give even more thanks!

First, we thank Him for life. We awoke this morning to sunshine, birds singing and warmer weather. We all have our health and strength and despite whatever differences we experience with each other during the day we love one another.

Secondly, we have the basic necessities in life that so many people take for granted; a home, food, clothes, transportation and jobs.

Thirdly, we are blessed beyond measure and we know that. We are surrounded by our friends and family and at the end of the day that is one of the most important things of all besides the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the love of God.

The extra sleep was welcomed and very much needed. The fire in the oven was a distraction that set me back by a 1/2 hour but no harm was done and I believe these were the best sweet potatoes I've ever made! The vacuum cleaner has served us well and with a house full of kids there are plenty of things it could pick up on any given day that could have caused it to fizzle out. This was my first "small" turkey -12 pounds and it didn't have the pop up letting me know when it was done so I had to go with my instincts... enough said (I don't do much in the "small" arena so I was a little out of my league) and well the refrigerator is 8+ years old and has held up well under 10 kids so I can't complain. The timing sucks but we have a back-up in the basement as we have to have 2 refrigerators and a freezer to keep up with the food needs of the family.

So at the end of the day it is all good. We are full, happy and counting our blessings even as we prepare to hunker down for the evening. The kids are asleep, the house is quiet and we have had a great day.

Thank you Lord.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

Amazing Grace

To God be the glory!!!

I had to share this with you because His goodness and mercy cannot be stifled. We must shout it out to the world!

Two weeks ago we had a two-day, three session conference with Dr. Leroy Thompson on "Money Cometh." Thursday night was just blessed and we gave a "proper" offering for the first time this year - I say that because instead of me stroking a check, we asked God and then I asked Tony what he wanted to sow and we were both in agreement with what we decided to give. Tony attended the Friday morning session of the conference and sent me notes since I was here at work. His last note to me was that "Surprise Money" cometh to us so do not worry. We had several unexpected expenses that left us pretty tight financially but I was believing and praying that our breakthrough would come and so I received that anointing from Dr. Thompson and was doubly blessed and encouraged at Friday evening's service.


I have been praying over the scriptures he gave us during his conference and the materials that were in the partners package. It's amazing because I have given far more offerings this month than any other this year as I had committed to increasing my partnership seeds to several ministries that I sow into on a monthly basis and sowed into several people as my heart had been led this week. All the while I have been checking my bank account every day to make sure nothing "bounced" since I knew it would be a close call between what was outstanding and what was in the account. This morning I logged in and there was a balance that far exceeded what I had in there since my paycheck went in on Thursday night and came back out Friday night!!!! :-)

Only God could have moved like this my sweet sisters, only God!!! I received a lump sum amount for child support which will cover the remainder of the bills for the month!!!!! If that isn't surprise money I don't know what is!!!!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah!!!

I took to heart what Dr. Thompson preached about this being a spiritual way of life, a process, not a get rich quick thing, not a slogan and certainly not something to play with or take lightly. I have felt so much better about sowing, about giving and giving generously. I have had a stronger desire to give and have been praying and will continue to pray that I be in a position to give even if I never see the fruits of my giving in whomever/whatever I am sowing. It has been so freeing to know that as I praise Him, as I glorify, magnify and exalt Him and follow His commandments and believe that He will bless me and prosper me according to His will. 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 has become one of my greatest passages of scripture. I read it and speak it every day and it brings me much joy to praise Him that way. I will continue to speak this as I walk boldly in this new process of living for God and allowing Him to use me to give to His people so that He can get the glory.

I pray that this will bless each of you in some way and for you to know the blessings according to Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." May you find delight in Him this day and every day!! Believe and obey.

Today's Devotional - Thank Me For Your Problems

Oh how my heart sang as I read these words! What reassurance, what freedom, what peace is garnered from this devotional. I long to be able to do just as He asks; no hesitation, no qualms or fears, just childlike obedience and the resulting reward that comes from it.

Alas, I am your typical Type A personality. I want to fix it myself. Do it “my way” even if I have no clue what “my way” is. I borrow from tomorrow, the next day and the next and I try to evaluate it from every “human” perspective only to be thwarted time and again by unknown forces. What a relief to know that if I give it up to Him then it will go away and I can be spared from the self-inflicted pain and agony of trying to fight a battle that is not mine.

In a perfect world, this is the perfect solution but I do not live or function in the perfect world so I must try to incorporate this into my life one painstaking step at a time; trying to change what has been inbred in me (perfectionism, independence, relentless pursuer, Type A personality that I am) and pray for a miracle of change in my mindset.

Thankfully, I bask in the knowledge that with God anything is possible but with man it is impossible. As an intelligent person wouldn’t I certainly choose God? With these odds, one would think so; but then why the hesitation, the lack of focus and commitment to make this a habit for success, for joy and for the peace that flows?


May 11

THANK ME FOR YOUR PROBLEMS. As soon as your mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to Me with thanksgiving. Then ask Me to show you My way to handle the situation. The very act of thanking Me releases your mind from its negative focus. As you turn your attention to Me, the problem fades in significance and loses its power to trip you up. Together we can deal with the situation, either facing it head-on or putting it aside for later consideration.

Most of the situations that entangle your mind are not today’s concern’s; you have borrowed them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from your eyes. In its place I give you My Peace, which flows freely from My Presence. John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; Ephesians 5:20 – Jesus Calling