Shelter In The Storms

As I sit in my cold house bundled up like an Eskimo, my heart can't help but go to those that do not have a place to call home much less shelter...not only shelter from the elements but life's storms that happen. Storms happen in all our lives. Rich, poor, beautiful, ugly, fat, skinny...Storms are not discriminate.

Those of us that have Christ have the One to lean on, to leave our burdens at His feet...our job is to be strong to leave them there, not picking them back up again...to try to fix ourselves. Lord, give us the strength to leave it with You as You have got it under control!

What about those that don't know Him? What do they do? Who or what do they turn to? Drugs? Alcohol? Food? Violence because they don't have anyone to listen to them until it just boils out of them in rage?

Those of us that do know Christ we have an obligation to tell everyone we meet about Him. Not only did Jesus command it in the Great Commission, but wouldn't you want to tell everyone about how Great HE IS? How He loved you in spite of you? How He delivered you from the bondage that had you in the deepest pit? How your life was so bad that you wanted to die and He saved you from despair?

You would have to hate someone not to share the Good News with them. Everyone deserves a chance to find out about the One that gave His life for their sakes.

If you don't have the courage to start out with a simple, "Jesus loves you." Then how about fulfilling a need you see with your natural eyes.

There are homeless in every community whether you choose to see them or not - more than we care to admit. They need you to share the love of Christ. They need you to share some of you. They don't need your judgment of why they are there. They need your love.

As Christians we are to be CHRIST-LIKE. He wouldn't walk past them. He would feed them, cloth them and show them the love of the Father.

Imagine how great this world would be, if each of us helped just one person. There would be no want in this life.

I was asked, "What do you want for Christmas?"  Well if you ask my husband he will tell you that I want a new couch that I don't sink to the floor on. However my true Christmas wish doesn't cost a dime. My Christmas wish is for everyone to know and love Jesus. He is the Gift that keeps on giving.

Let's all give Jesus for Christmas. It is the celebration of His birth and I know that is the gift that He wants. Share Him and leave no one out. Storms come and storms go, but our Lord remains the same...in love with all of us.   He is our shelter in/out of the storms.  Seek/Share Him today and always.

Until Next Time, God Bless and Merry CHRISTmas.

Isaiah 58:2-12 (AMP)

2
“Yet they seek Me day by day and delight [superficially] to know My ways,
As [if they were in reality] a nation that has done righteousness
And has not abandoned (turned away from) the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me righteous judgments,
They delight in the nearness of God.
3
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You do not see it?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’
Hear this [O Israel], on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins] you find something you desire [to do],
And you force your hired servants to work [instead of stopping all work, as the law teaches].
4
“The facts are that you fast only for strife and brawling and to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You do not fast as you do today to make your voice heard on high.
5
“Is a fast such as this what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself [with sorrow in his soul]?
Is it only to bow down his head like a reed
And to make sackcloth and ashes as a bed [pretending to have a repentant heart]?
Do you call this a fast and a day pleasing to the Lord?
6
“[Rather] is this not the fast which I choose,
To undo the bonds of wickedness,
To tear to pieces the ropes of the yoke,
To let the oppressed go free
And break apart every [enslaving] yoke?
7
“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not to hide yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?
8
“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth;
Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity],
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away from your midst the yoke [of oppression],
The finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and [every form of] wicked (sinful, unjust) speech,
10
And if you offer yourself to [assist] the hungry
And satisfy the [a]need of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
11
“And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your soul in scorched and dry places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
12
“And your people will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up and restore the age-old foundations [of buildings that have been laid waste];
You will be called Repairer of the Breach,
Restorer of Streets [b]with Dwellings.

Why?

We are in the middle of my most favorite time of the year.  It is the time that the 5 year old in me keeps the child like wonder alive within me and hopefully those that come into contact with me.  I love giving and this is the season that not only promotes giving, it is highly encouraged.  I kind of live by the verse, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  We are in my season!

Then why am I so sad?  For the first time in years, I have family coming for Christmas.  I am so excited that my cousin who is more like my sister is coming to stay with me during my loneliest time of the year.  I am downright Joela Joyful over her coming.  I have plans for lots of fun with my “seester”.  Then why am I sad?

Lord, I have so much going for me, but I am sad.  Why?  Why God, why? 

Lately that has been the question I have been asking Him…why?  I have NEVER in my life questioned God and to why things happen.  In my mind that would just be rude.  However this week, that “why” has been asked more times than I care to admit.

Why am I so far away from family?

Why do I have to be so isolated from my kids?  Why can’t I be there for them?

Why can’t I see my grandchildren?  Why are they growing up without me?

Why can’t everyone live closer? Why do I only get to see them for a few hours a year?

Why do I hurt so much when I see them experiencing life without me?

Why are people leaving me?  Why do I feel so abandoned? 

Why do I feel so left out?

WHY?

I have never questioned why I have been relocated.  I do believe that God moved me to another state to get me away from the distractions that kept me in a rut, stagnate.  I enjoyed that life.  I had gotten too comfortable doing the same ol same ol, that I needed the uprooting and being transplanted away from everyone that I love.  He removed me from the family that I focused on for Him to get my attention. 

Ok God, here I am.  You have my attention God, You have me Lord.  What are we going to do today?  Who are we going to bless today?  I love You so much Lord, tell me what You want me to do…but God, why do I hurt so much?  WHY? 

Do you ask Him why?  I have been told that He likes us to ask Him that.  I personally have never liked asking Him, “why”. 

I never liked it when my children did the “why” game with me.  You know where you tell them to do something and every word that comes out of their mouth is, “why”?  I always considered it disrespectful to question your parents.  At least that is what my elders taught me.

God is my Father, why would He want me to ask Him, “WHY?”  Isn’t that me questioning the Great I Am, that I Am who is Omniscient? 

All I keep hearing in my head is my mama (and then me to my children), answering with, “Because I the parent, told you the child to do so!”

As I am studying the book of Revelation, I see that (over and over again) John is asking Jesus, “Why”.  However Jesus didn’t get upset when John asked, “why?” – He was patient and explained to John, the why.  Jesus led John to a deeper understanding of the why. 

Wow God, You mean I can ask You why and You won’t think me disrespectful?  I am in such awe of You Lord, that You love me so much (even in spite of ME!) that it is okay for me to ask why?  I knew that You want us to ask questions about You to learn more about You but why would me asking You “why” be okay?

This morning as I sat here asking the “why” I felt His loving embrace.  My answer didn’t come in the form of words this time.  I just felt Him loving on me.  He wasn’t mad that I asked the why question.  He just comforted me as my Father, the God of all Comfort.  He loves me!

Which I will be honest with you, was exactly what I needed.  The feeling alone and unloved left immediately.  Words would not have consoled me the way His loving embrace did.  He is a Good, Good Father…it is who He is!

I pray that your “why God” questions are answered in the manner that speaks volumes.

Until Next Time, God Bless!

Identity

Lately I have been struggling with my identity.  Who am I?  What am I?  Am I enough?  In these times it seems like we associate what we do with who we are.  In this fast paced over achieving society that we dwell in there are a lot of hats that each of us wear. 

I am a woman, I am a wife, I am a mother & grandmother and that is before I get out of bed each morning. 

Then there is what I am once I walk through the doors at work, I am an organizer, I am a baby-sitter, I am a counselor, I am a paper-pusher, I am a spread-sheet guru, I am whatever my team needs to get the job done to ensure the business is successful. 

What about at church?  I am a children’s church leader, I am a teacher, I am a member of a royal family, I am a sound booth operator / keeper of the messages, I am a cheerleader, I am a worshiper, I am a minister…which draws me into another realm of my life. 

What is my ministry?  Is my ministry just to make comforters and hygiene bags?  Is my calling to comfort to the homeless?  Comfort battered women?  Help teens that seek love and comfort?  Comfort children as their worlds crash down around them?  Am I doing enough to help the world around me?

Then there are the inner passions of destiny that scream to be identified, “I am a writer!”  I yearn to write, but what am I to write about?  I have lots in my head that longs to be written on the page.  When was the last time I sat down to reveal the words on the paper?  Am I really a writer?

What about me as the individual who longs to be healthy and happy.  I don’t want to just lose the weight to not be obese, I want to be beautiful.  I want my husband to long for me like when we first dated; you know when I was a size 11.  Will losing weight give me a new attractive identity?  Will being able to Zumba without looking stupid give me a better self-image?  Am I pretty enough?  Am I thin enough?  Am I desirable enough?

As I was wondering about this I looked around.  I have friends that have what I don’t have (that I crave).  As I started to cry wondering why I can’t have those simple things in my life God showed me the places where they are lost in their lives.  They may have that which I do not, but they are longing for one or two of the qualities or achievements that I have.  Each of us has areas in our lives that don’t measure up to our ideas of what they should be.

Then I heard those still small words, “Your identity is not in what you do it is who you are in ME.”  There it is, my identity is in Christ.  We are God’s children, we are His creations, we are His masterpieces.   

God loves us unconditionally…Agape love.  That sounds simple enough, but who am I?  I am reminded of the phrase, “You aren’t what you do, you do because of who you are.”   Your self-worth isn’t  found in what you do or what you achieve.  It is who you are in Him.  “He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1:22a NLT)

My identity is not defined by my feelings (sometimes I wish I could just turn those emotions off – they sure do get me derailed at times!)

I am not defined by what others think of me or the circumstances that are my life, nor am I defined by my successes or failures.  I am not defined by the car I drive (or don't drive) or anything that I may or may not own.  I am not even defined by how good or bad I think of myself.  I am defined by God and God alone. 

We need to stop comparing ourselves, our lives, our “everything” to everyone else.  We need to remember who loves us so much that He considers us so worthy to send His Son to die for our sins and shortcomings.  We are never going to measure up to standards of this world.  However isn’t fabulous that we measure up to His?!?  Our identity is in Christ.  The One who came to save us from ourselves. 

Soak up God; soak up His word and become drenched in Christ and your identity will become crystal clear. 

Until Next Time, God Bless!

Healthy isn't a size...it's a LIFESTYLE!

Girl Crying out to God: "I need help, I was doing so good being healthy by exercising and eating healthy...  I slacked for a bit and I have gained back all that I have lost."

God: "What changed?  Why did you stop exercising and eating healthy?"

Girl: "Well, I got busy, new job, the kids...."

God: "That is not an excuse to not take care of yourself, I have given you one body, if you don't take care of it you will not be around to be busy!"

That conversation that I heard from a friend a while back has me staying focused on my mission.  My mission is to get healthy.  It is not to lose weight.  I am not on any diet per say or gimmick.  To me diets are temporary - I have made a lifestyle change.  Once I lose the weight, I won't be changing my lifestyle of eating and exercising.

I was asked what is your weight goal, my response was, "There is not a weight that I am going for, I need to get healthy what ever weight that is."  Their response was, "That is rather vague, you must have a clear goal?"  My response was, "Yeah I want to get off my medication.  The only pills I want to pop are vitamins."  

Once I am off the medications this journey doesn't halt.  I cannot let that goal be an external goal that once I accomplish it, that I stop doing what I am doing.  

So my friends, you may think what I am doing is extreme but when God calls you to the carpet, there are no more excuses, there is no more being too busy, and most importantly there is no more denial that you have a real problem.

I am not doing this for anyone but me & God.  I am in desperation mode, I am determined to get my mind, body, and spirit healthy by being in line with God.  

I no longer want to see junk food and tell myself, "I can't eat that, I have to be good." NO! NO! NO!  I want my mind transformed to where when I see junk food that it doesn't even look appetizing to me.  Junk food is not my friend.  I have to stop the association of certain feelings with certain foods.  

Food is for fuel nothing else.  It is not a prize when you do well or you need comforting.  It is not to ease the stress of the day.  It is not to make you happy when you are sad.

Healthy food doesn't have to taste bad.  God provided us good healthy foods in fruits, vegetables and certain meats.  We have just conditioned our taste-palates to enjoy the crap that is manufactured.  Quitting is not easy by no means, but if you don't start today when will you start?  

I have only been on this health journey  for 76 days.  However I can tell you it has been worth it.  I can now look at someone eating a burger and not want to tackle them for it.  I can now drive past Starbucks without crying that I want a fancy coffee.  I can now look into my cabinets and not wish there was some chips.  It is a start.  Soon I won't think about how much I miss my beloved family member the tortilla...family he may be but my friend he is not!  

This is going to be a life long journey and it can't wait until tomorrow as tomorrow may never be.  It starts today and continues every day that the Lord blesses me with.

If you want to join me on this journey I welcome you, if not then please step aside as you will not hinder my progress.  God has me on a mission and I can't stop or slow down for anyone.  Amen?!?!

If you want help on your journey I will be there for you.  If you are looking for an enabler to justify your junk food lifestyle you need to find someone else. I can no longer go there.  My mindset has changed and I cannot give the enemy a foot back in.  I was in bondage to junk food and I will have the complete victory in Jesus name!

I love you all and I pray that if you are not healthy, that you listen to God on how He wants you to get healthy for His sake and yours.  He has a plan for you and it is good!

Until Next Time - God Bless!!!!!

The Great Architect

Yesterday I had the honor and privilege to tour London England in the UK.  As I was being shown around town I was blown away with the architecture.  Sure there were modern buildings that I am sure were quite gorgeous however it was the older buildings that held my special attention having the word, “wow” come out of my mouth at least a few thousand times.

During my little break while having a toastie and a latte I was thanking God for the day.  The tears just flowed as I related the gratitude of being able to see the tourist attractions that London is famous for.   I wept harder when I would bring to my mind's eye the architecture of the buildings with their ornate designs.  I communicated to God how I was in awe that the architect was able to put on paper the divine given design and that the master craftsmen were able to create in the physical what was in the mind of the architect.  

God response to me was that He was the Great Architect and that all of His people are the master craftsman for His plan.  He thought of each of us as He created the plan giving us those skills needed to fulfill the plan.  He has us hone our individual skills on a shed at first before we move on to a cottage.  Once the cottage craftsmanship is perfected God then moves us onto even bigger structures.  As the skills are mastered then we are assigned to bigger and bigger projects. 

We are not given a bigger project until we have shown that we have grown into the position.  There will be mistakes made.  However until we have perfected those skills we can’t be brought up to the next level too soon or it will be a costly liability to the overall project.

There are lots of trades that team up to build the building from the ground up – not one trade does it all.  You don’t have an electrician pour concrete.  You don’t have a roofer lay the plumbing pipes.  The framer doesn’t install the HVAC system.  You don’t have the drywaller do that masonry work.   The master masons who do the ornate masonry cannot begin their work that we see until the infrastructure is complete. 

Everyone's job is crucial to the plan.  If one or more trades does a shoddy job problems will occur.  It could be years later before the unseen work damages the areas around it, compounding the problem into problems.  Before long, the structure that should have stood the test of time becomes unsightly or even unsafe.  

Each trade has their craftsmen that have the knowledge and skill to perform their work to the full expectations of their bosses paying their salaries.  Everyone has their individual job to do as part of the team to fulfill the requirements of the plan.

Are you struggling in your portion of the plan?  Do you feel stuck that you are not being brought up to the next level?  Are others being promoted before you?  Are you sure that you are working on the plan you are suppose to be working on?  Do you doubt in the plan?

I want to encourage you my friend, that God’s timing is always perfect, never early and never late.  He opens doors that need to be opened and closes those that need closing.  He has a plan for you and it is a good plan! 

I am amazed that when I obey an instruction that doesn’t seem like it is part of the plan I am brought up to the next level or project that is part of the plan.

Please remember…Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” and Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”

The Great Architect chose you for His team of Master Craftsmen.  You may be an apprentice today but tomorrow who knows what project He will have you working on for His great plan.  Keep working on the plan, promotion is coming in Jesus name!

Until next time, God Bless!!!

Fear or Faith

I heard a phrase this last week that I have been meditating on…What you stare at, you will steer toward.  As believers we are on the path with God.  Through supernatural faith we believe in Him and let Him guide us through this road of life.

As I thought about that saying the visual that popped into my head was a car driving down the road, it was driving toward FAITH.  However the road sign of FEAR popped up.  The driver took his eyes off of his FAITH kept focusing on the FEAR and veered off the road and ended up in a ditch.

If you have ever driven a car you know that scene is totally possible.  You take your mind off your driving and you will cause an accident.  You need to stay focused on what you are doing when you are behind the wheel.

Winston Churchill was once quoted saying, “When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.”

Isn’t that so true?!?  If you have ever worried about anything you know that, even though what you worried about may have been awful, the scene played out in your head was way worse that what had actually came to fruition.  You ended up wasting a lot of time worrying, not being able to enjoy what is good about your life.

I am speaking from experience here.  My mind has a good imagination and when I let it worry, it can conger up some bad scenarios.  Stuff way worse that what happened in reality.  Meanwhile I was miserable for days…sometimes weeks.  I missed out on the good stuff that was going on while I was consumed with worry and fear.

I once heard another saying “Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.  If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

That right there was a game changer for me.  I was making a Grand Canyon with my stream of worry.

Proverbs 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” 

That cut me to the quick when I read that.  I worried about all the stuff that could go wrong.  To me that means that when I worry that I really don’t trust God in all my situations…wow, God I am sorry. 

After all 1 John 4:4 clearly tells me, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

That is the verse I am standing on this season.  A lot of different things are happening in my life right now.  Most of which are new and even though I look forward to the “new”, I am not entirely comfortable with the “new”. 

I am a planner, I plan.  I don’t like flying through life by the seat of my pants.  I like to get things perfected, get the bugs out.  How do you prepare for something that you don’t know how to prepare for it?  Where are the YouTube videos on this?  Where are my Google Maps driving directions?  This is where I take a deep breath and tell Him, “Okay God, You brought me here and I trust You will guide me through this.”

We all have heard that phrase, “Don’t tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how BIG your GOD is!”

You either know that He is God or He's not God.

He either answers prayer or He doesn't answer prayer.

You either know that the just shall live by faith or you don’t.

You either know that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him or He's not.

I choose to believe that He is still God.

I choose to believe that He still heals.

I choose to believe that He answers prayer.

I choose to believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!

I pray that as you are driving through this road of life, when that fear sign pops up that you will keep your focus on your faith.  That you will look around your life and see all God has blessed you with.  God is GOoD, all the time and all the time, God is GOoD.

Until Next Time, God Bless!

Unseen Harvest

This last year I have been whining to God that I don’t have a harvest for all the seeds I have sewn into the Kingdom these last few years. 

I sat there having a pity-party for one when I heard in my spirit, “What makes you think that you don’t have a harvest?”  My tear-filled response was, “Well I haven’t got to lead anyone to Christ.”  

The Holy Spirit’s response was tender but firm, “I have you writing to people you will probably never meet, you will most likely never see most of your harvest.  Your job is to continue obeying My instructions.   Write, Write, Write.”

I could just feel the “Suck it up Buttercup!” look on the Father’s face.  I wiped my tears, asked for forgiveness for my doubt and thanked Him for all that He has done for me. 

My mind drifted to others that might also feel discouraged in their purpose or the plan that God has for them.  You might feel that you are not making a difference.   

Are you obeying God’s instructions? 

Are you giving clothes to the missions? 

Are you donating food to the food pantries?  

Are you listening to someone whose heart is broken?

Are you giving a hug to that person who just lost their loved one? 

Are you calling that friend telling them that you are thinking of them? 

Are you reminding a friend that all is well that she will get through this?

Are you telling that grocery clerk, “God Bless you” as you take your receipt?

Are you putting your hands to the plow toward that ministry that was considering shutting down due to the lack of volunteers?

God’s instructions aren’t always huge and painful.  He can use you for what seems like a little to you, but life changing to others.  Love is in the little things.

The two greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.

When you love God with your all, you are filled with the love of God.  When you are filled with the love of God that love flows out of you to others. 

The seeds you plant may not be to crowds of thousands like the great evangelist that impact the nations.

The seeds you plant may be one on one. 

It may be to that person who is crying as they are contemplating suicide.  You may not know they are thinking those thoughts. You listened to your Spirit as you stopped to give them a hug and told them that they were loved.  You may not have brought them to Christ that day, but you kept them alive another day for the Holy Spirit to love on them and to water your seed that you planted.  Whether you realized it or not you did your part of the plan.

All of us who are believers have the same job, tell others about Jesus.  He is the Good News.  We must share it and not hoard it to ourselves.  

The great commission was not the great suggestion, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

We have to start some where.  Right now your nations may just be your neighborhood and soon it may be your city.   You just need to put action to your faith…and start. 

Moses was out in the wilderness for 40 years before God had him lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and then as he lead them another 40 years in the wilderness.    He never entered the Promised Land however he did his part and his harvest was huge.  He is still making an impact on God’s people!

Your harvest is coming, keep planting the seeds and let the Holy Spirit do His job of watering them.

I pray that your (and my) harvest is multiplied a hundred fold – even if it is an unseen harvest.  To God be all the Glory, AMEN!

Until next time, God Bless!!!

In a Minute

There I was stuck behind the school bus on the county road as it made its next stop, wondering, “Why didn’t I leave a minute earlier?” 

I had a flash back to the year that after a major car accident I was stuck riding the city bus to get around town.  I was living in Fresno behind the university and my place of employment was on the opposite end of town.  When you are driving a car that isn’t a problem when you can jump on the inner-city freeways, you can be to work in about 20 minutes.   That same trip on a bus that has lots of passengers to pick up/drop off on the route can take an hour (plus). 

The bus stop was at the end of the driveway of the apartment complex we lived in – so I could leave at 7:03 am to catch the 7:05 bus.  One morning I left a minute late.  As I walked to the stop I watched my bus leave without me.  GREAT!  I went back home and left a message on the company answering machine that I would be late as I missed my bus. 

Even though I could have waited in the comfort of my apartment for the 7:35 bus I waited at the stop as I was not going to miss the next one.  As I sat there I chastised myself, “Why didn’t I leave a minute earlier, now I am going to be over a half hour late for work!”  I was not happy to say the least.

In some cases being a minute late you can make up for it.  Drive a tad bit faster (not advisable), maybe making all the green lights or if you are late a minute, that it is not that bad.

However, like the bus scenario being a minute late can cost you valuable time.  Making that minute late into being severely late for work.

This week my family has lost a beloved member who is the last of the generation of our parents.  Even though we knew it was coming, one minute he was here, the next he was not.  In the blink of an eye our hearts have a hole in them.  We are forever changed.

We are comforted that he knew Jesus and is in a better place.   He will be one of the ones to greet us when our time comes. 

My thoughts drift to those that don’t know Christ.  What if in the next minute they are not here?  What if they could have been saved by something I could have done or said?  What if…what if?

We all have said in our lives, “In a minute.”  Whether it is your reply when your spouse asks you to take out the trash, or your child needs you to look at their latest finger painting masterpiece, or you just want to accomplish that one last task before heading out the door.  In a minute…

The Bible tells us we are not guaranteed our next breath much less our next day.  We don’t know if we will be here to even finish reading this writing post.  Jesus is coming back, sooner than later.  Are you ready?  

There is no time like now as you don’t know if you have anymore, “in a minute”(s). 

There are two places that mankind will go to when they die - Heaven or Hell.  There is nothing in between.  My friends, if you died today where would be your destination?

There is only way to get to Heaven, Jesus Christ.

If you are going to hell or even if you are not sure where you will go when you die - say this prayer, "Father God, I have recognized that I am a sinner. I repent of all my sins, I confess with my mouth, that Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior. Jesus come into my heart, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN."

I love you all and don't want you to miss out on a life with Jesus. I pray that the lost are found, that the sick are healed, that the broken are made whole and that the bound are loosed in Jesus name! AMEN!!!

Your life can change forever, just…in a minute.

Until next time, God Bless!!!

**Dedicated to my uncle Kenneth "Okie" Guinn - what I wouldn't give to have another minute with you.

Can I have two?

It was a season where I was merely existing.  I started out the year wanting to accomplish a lot however before I knew it, I had allowed the attacks of the enemy to keep me bound to the couch just being in a depressed daze for days that turned into weeks.  I was just going through the motions of going to work, home, church and back again.  

Unlike my normal bubbly, bigger than life itself personality, when I went to work I didn't engage with my co-workers.  If I did talk to anyone, I would just say enough to get away.  

At church I would slip in quietly hoping to be able to slip out as quickly as I slipped in.   It was a sad existence.

I remember that moment vividly that woke me out of my daze.

I was at church, trying to leave the sanctuary when Pastor Ruth turned and looked me straight into the eyes and blurted out, "Joela Oetterer I'm gonna tap you!"  Meekly I asked, "What did I do?"  Her response still rings in my ears, "Sometimes you just have to tap people into their destiny!"

Without even taking a breath or time to think I responded, "Can I have two?"

Who does that?  Can I have two?  Are you kidding me? Have you seen Pastor Ruth's and her taps she dishes out?  

She is much stronger than she realizes and has power behind that slap she calls a "tap".  That woman could tap demons out of you that would not ever return because they would be so scared of crossing her path again.  

To this day I am still dumbfounded that I asked for two of her taps.  I am reminded of Elisha asking Elijah for a double portion or blessing.  It is easy to ask for two, but a great responsibility comes with it.  However, Elisha's purpose was so deep in his core that he knew he had to have the double mantel of his mentor.

Ruth Mateola is not only my mentor, she is also my pastor, my spiritual mother and my friend.  To say that Pastor Ruth is an anointed woman of God just doesn't do it justice for the amount of anointing that is on her life.  The Holy Spirit uses her tenacity to the perfect will of the Father for the Kingdom of God.  

She is a go-getter for God.  Her ministries and teachings are so anointed that they are beneficial to men, women and children alike.  People don't even have to know that she is a pastor to know that there is someone special and/or different about her.  The love of God just shines through her to all those in her wake.

That is what I want.  I want a double portion of her anointing.  You may call it greedy however God wants us to have everything that He has promised us.  The more we have the more it glorifies God.   Jesus said that we will do what He did and more.  John tells us that the world can't contain all books that it would take to note all that Jesus did in his 3 year ministry.  Jesus had the ultimate anointing.  

I WANT THAT!!!  

The great thing is that God wants that too! So if it takes Pastor Ruth tapping me into my destiny I will take the taps willingly, not just two, I will take all that it takes to get me where God wants me to be!

Once you get it into your spirit that you were created on purpose for a purpose - you will want to achieve it.  If it is going to be, it is up to me.   Working with the Holy Spirit you will accomplish your purpose.

Do you have someone to chase after?  Do you have a mentor that will encourage and advise you into your destiny?  Do you have someone to tap you out of your daze that is stealing your days?

I pray that we all team up with the Holy Spirit.  I pray for open doors.  I pray for helpers of destiny.  I pray for mentors and people for us to chase that will bring us up to the next level and the next level (and so on).  That we continue to grow in God and in our purpose.  

May we all receive those double taps into our destiny. 

Until Next Time, God Bless!

Stop Calling You by Your Past

Stop calling you by your past.  That is not how God sees you nor does He does he call you by it.  He calls you by the future plan that He has for your life.

When a child is learning to walk you don't focus on how many times they fall down, you focus on the step they took.  You rejoice over each and every step, closer and closer to walking on their own.

God is the same way; He doesn't focus on what you were.  What ever He called you to do is already ingrained in your DNA, you just need to start doing it.  You are going to make mistakes along the way, that is okay as it is a part of the learning process.  The more you do, the closer you are to getting there, just keep moving forward.  

Even if you don’t “feel” that you are, you are what God created you for. 

You a writer?  Keep writing page after page.

You a teacher?  Keep teaching lessons after lessons.

You a sewist?  Keep sewing stitch after stitch.

You a dancer? Keep dancing dance after dance.

You a singer?  Keep singing song after song.

Do you refer to yourself as those things that you are in the process of becoming? 

If God created you to be a writer, you are a writer. 

If God created you to be a teacher, you are a teacher etc.

It is not to brag to others, “Hey I am a writer.” It is to tell yourself, “HEY, I AM A WRITER!!!”  Whatever you believe, you become.

When you see a baby apple tree without apples you don’t say, “oh it is just a tree right now.”  No, it is still an apple tree.  It just hasn’t gotten to the stage of producing apples yet.

Whatever you are and whatever you are doing, be the best at it as you never know who God will bless through the things that you do, touch, say on a daily basis.

Even if you clean toilets, be the best at it, you never know who God will heal after they used the ones that you cleaned!

Let God do GREAT things with the simple things that you do. 

By the way He showed me that the more I move forward the further and further I get from my past - What a journey we are on with God, right?!?!

I have been listening to Abounding Hope and Joy a powerful teaching series from Steve and Wendy Backlund.  What a bountiful harvest of information that I have never thought about before. 

Last week I finally understood why or how we become righteous when we accept Jesus into our lives.  It took 17 times through the series to finally get it but it finally clicked.  The stadium lighting went off above this blonde’s head and angels were singing.  That was a simple concept that I really didn’t think about but was missing it nonetheless. 

The above is what I am taking away this week for my life.   I am not going to call myself by my past.  God told me that I am a writer and who am I to tell God that I am not?!?!

God said it, I believe it, and I AM GOING FOR IT!

How am I going about it?  Well, I am going to keep writing.  Blog post after blog post.  Page after page.  Story after story.  I keep writing. 

As I look at my book shelf – I see a full binder of blog posts and a second one started.  I see a binder twice the size of those filled with stories of my childhood and experiences.  There is even a fairy tale in that book that reminds me that even fairy tales have a layer to truth to them.

As I keep typing, blank pages become filled with what the Holy Spirit dictates to me.  He is the one with the talent; I am just the vessel He is utilizing for God’s purpose. 

You never know who may read what has been written but I know that God is using it for a bigger plan than I can ever imagine.  I just have to do my part by keep listening and typing.

I pray that as you go about your day doing whatever it is that you do, that you do it as unto the Lord.  That He uses what you do to bless others in ways that you can’t envision.   

I also pray that if you have a dream, even if it seems outrageous and unattainable that you start moving toward it.  God gave you that dream and He also gave you what it takes to make it happen.  Just start believing it and moving toward it.  Each step you take you will move closer to it and soon you will be running toward your goal making that dream a reality. 

Until next time, God Bless!!!