Transparent Vision

And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Gen 15:5


When I was about 10 or so, I had to go to the eye doctor because I was squinting and not doing so hot in school. It was then that the doctor revealed to my mom and dad what I had kept a secret for a couple of years.... I couldn't see very far. The result? I had to get glasses. I hated that but I have a confession to make. I loved getting the glasses because the lady that would slip the glasses on me did so gently that it made my head tickle.... and I loved the smell of anything clinical! What I didn't know was that my world as I knew it was about to change. The years after, I went through fierce bullying, teasing, losing glasses because I wouldn't wear them in school, punishments, whoopings and lost interest from boys. If someone would have told me beforehand that all that was gonna happen, I might have skipped that appointment! What I didn't understand was that my eyes were better. I could see the board and whatever else was not right in front of me, but because of what I heard I could only see the bad.


At my church, we meet for prayer starting at 4:30 in the morning and go until 7, sometimes 8am! I have been going per my commitment everyday this month, whether it's for 2 hours or 30 minutes. What I am realizing is that I can still feel His presence! Well yesterday morning, something was said that I had a hard time grasping much less swallowing. There was a number, a cap, put on how many to reach and for us to record each one to keep count. The vision I instantly saw was a picture of David sending a scribe to count how many fighting men he had because he was bored. Now while I still don't agree with the number box God was put into, I feel what was being said. In God's Word, we are the ones who go out into the fields because God says the "harvest is ready." Not when we feel like it, not when we get ready or think there is a big need like say, shootings and other violence. No, we are to get out into the fields when it's quiet, when there is no action, when God says to. why? Because He is setting up His righteous army, us, and when we are in place HE will move! He tells us this! His Word says it right in black and white! And why does He share this with worms like us? Because "without vision, the people perish." If we don't know what a leader, boss, pastor.... president is doing, we tend to lose interest and die away. God made this picture crystal clear to me! He is positioning us for something much greater and He is using our circumstances to move us into position! Case in point, Kuczo (Emperor's New Groove) is freaking out about crossing a shabby bridge. He finally gets halfway there and is met by an opponent. He is so busy fighting not to fall and fussing at Patcha (sp) that he doesn't realize he is across the bridge already! His fear and anger were used to move him over to the other side!! (Scoff) How crazy is that?! James does tell us that faith brings about endurance! 


Let's reflect this week on the past circumstances that have led to greater faith which has led to us doing the RADICAL things God would have do if we weren't limited in the first place by shallow faith! Let's pray! God, thank you thank you thank you for loving me past what I can see! And for seeing what I can't and trusting me with Your vision! I just pray you would remind me when I am suffering that it's training for the better things to come! In Jesus name. Amen!

Transparent View!

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. —Psalm 16:11

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. —Proverbs 21:17

This has been for me a season of being in need. How did Paul put it in Philippians 4? I am definitely in want. But that is according to my flesh. My flesh says I don't have enough, and I have been listening. My flesh says I need more, and I have been agreeing. 

Have you ever had a day when you got like, teenage dramatic needy? Where you just "had to have something?" It could be a bill paid, some money for food or gas, etc, all you knew was you just had to have it! I have been on that path most of my life now. Even as a surrendered child of God, a lot of my focus was on His hands instead of His face. This wasn't even in my radar to look up, even though I had heard that saying many times before!

There is a story that was told many times over when I was a little girl. The story of the greedy dog and the lake is correct for us so much more today! The story goes, there was a dog that was walking in a small town and he found a bone in his journey home. The dog carried the bone hurriedly to his owner’s house so that he could bury it in the back yard. While on his way home, he had to cross a small pool of water. He slowly crossed so as not to drop his bone in this very small pool of water and while going across, he glanced down only to see there was another dog under the water with what seemed to be an even bigger bone than what he had in his mouth! The dog finally crossed the pool of water and after shaking off the water, he started to head home. Taking only a few steps, he began to think of the other dog and his bone and decided that he wanted that bone too. He turned back and faced the dog in the water, to which he growled and growled, prowled back and forth and finally after seeing that his attempts were not scaring away the other dog, he barked. 

Now those who know that story know that is truly how it ends. For a child, this is a most peculiar way of ending a story because it brings about questions for them. What happened when he barked? Did the other dog drop his bone and run away? Did the dog get the other bone too? I can still here those types of questions being asked. But the truth of the matter is that I didn't understand that story for years! It took quite a while for me to understand that the other dog in the water was the dog's very own reflection in the water! How powerful is that in my adult financial life! If only I would look at what I have (my bone) instead of what I don't, I would be so much better off!

A revelation I had this week and I want to challenge you to meditate on is this, a child who is in need of something first looks at the parents hands to see if they have what it is they need. It is only when they pick the child up or stoop down that the child has a chance to look them in the face to see a loving and understanding face. Let's finish this week and start next week by looking towards the Father's face, shall we? Matthew 6:33 (my life verse) tells us to seek HIM first and all His righteousness, and everything else will be provided. When we seek His Kingdom, we are seeking Him, His will for us and it's only then can we see where His eyes are telling us to go for what He has for us. We are so busy looking at His hands (how He can provide for us or how we NEED Him to provide) that we are forgetting what comes first! Let's put it back into perspective together! Let's pray!

Father, forgive my constant prayers of what do You have for me. I should be asking what I can do for You as well as thanking You for what I already have. I should be focused on Who You are because that is when I can trust what You will do for me! To be honest Lord, that's hard to do! Help me to do that this week. Help me to seek Your Kingdom and all its righteousness and leave the rest, my needs, up to You to take care of! In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent Slap

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
(Esther 4:14 ESV)


Esther chapter four has always, it seems, been quoted when someone is going through a hard time and needs to be reminded that they can do something when they think they cannot. "....And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV) This is the THIRD sentence in this fourteenth verse. The first two somehow seem to get lost in translation, so to speak. " For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish....” (Esther 4:14 ESV) Did you catch it? Did it seem less like a motivational speech to you yet? Here, let's travel back. Esther was raised by her uncle Mordecai after her parents deaths. He was a Jewish leader and well known in the providence they lived in. Anytime there was a need, anytime there was injustice or a time to cry out, the community tore their clothes and put ashes on themselves. It was traditional, which means everyone who lived even as an alien within their community and even the surrounding towns would know that this is what was done when despair took place. Fast forward to verse 4 where Esther was told about her uncle's condition, the state he was in, and pay attention to what she does. "She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them."  She then sent her eunuch to find out what was wrong. Is it becoming more clear yet? She had been in this community of bourgeois for so long that she had forgotten what it was like to be in need, to be in pain, to cry out. The very things, I am sure, she had done prior to being snatched from her comfort zone and even for possibly days or weeks after being handed the opportunity to be the next queen! She forgot!! She got embarrassed for him because he even went as far as the king's gate wailing in his ol dirty sackcloth with ashes covering him like he had just been mud wrestling without the water! How embarrassing for her, the poor thing!

It was in that instant that she did exactly what a court in line for a high position might do. She tried to cover over the issue with gifts. And when he didn't accept what she gave him, only then did she try to get to the root of the crying. She sent her eunuch to see what was wrong with him. When Mordecai sent the answer to what was wrong along with instructions, she sent back this even more indignant answer, "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” (Esther 4:11 ESV) Do you believe that! The man that raised her, the man that had to be there for her through all of her childish antics, teen rebellion, he trained her, he loved her, he clothed and fed her and she tells him she can't because some silly rule not to disturb the king until he calls for you?! The nerve! Or was it the doubt? I just noticed the similarities between her and Vashti right before Vashti was ejected.

Vashti was beautiful and her king wanted to show her off, not good for feminists, to his nobles and other guests. Esther was beautiful and godly and Mordecai wanted her to use the position God put her in to speak to the king. Ever worked somewhere and had a friend come in asking for your discount? Yeah. But Esther had become afraid of the worldly traditions she was taught while the care of Hathach. So much so that she was willing to forget what she knew about God and save herself. What comes next is a slap back into reality that rings in my head differently now.

Mordecai has gotten the message back, the answer he was waiting for back from Esther, except it isn't the answer he was waiting to hear. She tells him she just can't because of an edict that has been in place since before she came, and added that everyone knew this! Mordecai's reply to her was harsh but so graceful that you can't help but to receive it and soak it in, just like God's discipline to those He loves.

"Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14 ESV) His words wreak havoc on her soul and send conviction soaring like a hand sent from Texas to slap sense into someone. Pebble level? He says how dare you think you are above reproach and will saved from this sentence! You can keep quiet if you want to, you can think about it and argue with God if you want to but while you do that He will save us in another way, but you and yours will die. How do you know this isn't the reason He sent you there?" Wow! Now that was just me paraphrasing and picturing his conversation with us now, but it is what was meant. And her response tells me that. she changes her tune and sends word for them to fast and pray for her and if she dies then she dies. But even that drips of the remnants of doubt.

What's my point you ask? Let me simplify. God has given me the Spirit of discernment something fierce! Ever since I could remember, I have been able to "see" what people wanted to be hidden from everyone. Their hurts, their pain, their anger and hatred, the abuse they have endured or inflicted on others. I never really understood it but back then I was used by the liar to expose and make fun of those which I could "see." I wasn't in Christ, I didn't even know who He was other than He was on a cross. Now that I am counted as a friend, He shows me these things for a more powerful purpose! So that I can go into their hurting world and bring them the only Light they need. Sounds good right? The only issue is, I wasn't doing that. I would "see" people's true hurts and just say a comfortable prayer as I walked along, or drove by. That was NOT His purpose for me! I am supposed to reach my hand out, go into their dark corners and speak His love! In the movie based on Esther, One Night With The King, the ending has always been my all time fave because all you see Esther doing is walking into "dark territory" and then collapse. It's as if the fight with doubt had weighed heavy on her and the realization that she had just done the unthinkable overpowered her. Now of course that's not the real story but isn't that how we can feel after battling with our doubt and arguing with God?

My point of all this long winded storyline? I am now seeing that God has so much more for us to do. Yes He wants us going into the world preaching the Gospel. But why do some of us stop there? Why do others stop at saying, "Yes, I will pray for you?" and not just pray WITH them? We are called for such a time as this! Not to talk, not to wish, not to have meetings, but to act. Let's "awake o' sleeper" and walk into the Harvest, not just talk about it! Don't let the message get more harsh than that from God.

Let's pray. Father, I ask forgiveness for not being more direct, more bold, more like the perfect example in Your Son, Jesus. Help me to walk more and talk  less God. send to me the people that You have ordained for me to help and minister to. Thank You that I don't have to ask for strength or wisdom in this aspect Lord, it is already given! Thank You for the passion You place in us Lord, help us to keep that passionate fire for You, Jesus, going strong! In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent P.U.S.H.

"pray without ceasing," 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Just Do It. Such a simple statement that we all see and picture a bubble like check mark when we see it. But what are we supposed to "Just Do?" When I looked it up on Google, I came up with a couple of different statements. One basically says Nike wanted a good way to say, "Don't talk about it, be about it." The other was that the executives were trying to come up with a catchy slogan and this one was on a post it. I wonder who wrote it and if they got a percentage of the profits from it. Probably not! It reminds me of the time I was in a meeting and my idea was heard and shot down, only to come back up by someone else the next meeting and it was accepted. Talk about needing some time to pray! 

Have you ever been in need of something and it seemed like you were praying for quite some time with no relief in sight? I have. I have been praying for awhile now for a vehicle. Not just any vehicle, but for a specific vehicle. A vehicle from God. You see a few years ago, I surrendered my life to Christ and in doing so, among the promise of eternal life (which in and of itself is alone awesome) God told me He would give me a car. Not lead me to one to buy or provide money for me to rent one or even other's cars to use, all of which He has done while I wait to procure mine from Him..... in other words, pray. I have had a couple of vehicles since that promise, long term rental and a car bought for me. Both are gone, the rental turned in after having an accident and spent much money (not all my money) and the other died (engine problems). I should have taken the Nike stance point and just did it.... pray that is. 

Prayer, I don't think is never meant to be a blah blah blah, Amen type of thing. Although there are certain prayers I have learned and am still learning is that when God promises something to us, He doesn't put a date on it. He just says, "pray without ceasing," and as we are obedient, He will answer. That doesn't mean don't move at all! No, that means to continue with what He has already having you do (Matthew 6:33) and while we are doing that very thing He commanded, pray in the midst of it. I can see that I need a car. God can see that I need a car, yet while I am in need of my own, I am blessed with using my mother's vehicle. It gets frustrating because of the work that is needed to be done and the pit less gas tank her truck seems to have, but nevertheless I am thankful.... and I continue to pray. I pray for her vehicle, that it would continue to hold up, I pray that mine would come soon, I pray for the resources to fix up her car and pour endless amounts of gas in the guzzler called a gas tank, and I pray for mine to hurry up and get here! Then I begin to see that sharing a car with my mother allows me to pray for her as well. I pray when she is in the car, when I can see her mood is not the best or the enemy has been on her back. Mostly I pray when she is sleeping in the car, because that is often, that God would intervene. I'm even sometimes venting about things, including her sometimes in the car. She thinks I'm just not social but it's just I'm being more social with God... especially when she is complaining. But nevertheless, besides my own sanctuary room, the truck is where I most convene with God!

To cease is to put an end to, to stop, to discontinue. Prayer without ceasing is to continue to pray, regardless of how you feel, regardless of how things looks, regardless of what the doctor says, regardless of the utilities being off, the refrigerator being empty, the bills coming in or the spouse or child going out. CONTINUE praying, pray WITHOUT ceasing! When you most feel the pressure, pray. When you feel like things are going your way, pray. It doesn't matter if, like Paul, you are without or have plenty, pray without ceasing! You never know what God will reveal in the pit or on the pedestal!

Father, thank You for being the ear we can cry to! Thank You for being the Provider and Portion we need. Lord while we are in the need, You comfort until You supply. David says in Psalm 65:13 that in the valley we will have plenty and I thank You that it is so true. We know that You hear us because Your Word says You do and we know that those who believe and request in Jesus name receive, so thank You in advance! Give us courage to pray without ceasing while we wait for You to answer those requests. In Jesus name, Amen

Transparent Journey

“Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it." Matthew 7:13

This journey called life is full of ups and downs. It can be uplifting and full of awesome markers such as birth, graduations, weddings, celebrations, promotions and just plain laughter. It can also be full of heart breakers such as death, divorce, suspension or termination, back stabbing and the like. Then there seems to be the mediocre. The ups and downs of emotion: joy, happiness, love, laughter, depression, hatred, loneliness, etc. This is the journey we call life and there is no way to jump off the train without getting hurt or dying (attempted or successful suicide) as well as there is no way to bear it all without the Conductor of our lives to reassure us of the bumps and bruises we may get when we are pushed, forced or fall down. 

The verse today speaks so much to me. I picture this very narrow but worn path met with distractions, vines in the way, hanging limbs that look as they may fall at any time and a dusty, sometimes uncomfortable road leading to the Way, the Truth and the Life; Jesus. But in all actuality He is the reason that path is worn. He walked that path centuries ago to pave the way for us, to make it a little bit easier to see this very small, very narrow path. The three years of His ministry was marked with ups (deliverances, miracles, little children, converts) and downs (death, denial, lies, ignorance of his own disciples, abuse, slander and eventually his own brutal death). But the miracle of His story, of his life on Earth is that it didn't stop there! He rose again 3 days later!!! That can be the truth for us as we who continue to walk, stumble and even fall on this very narrow path, we too can take heed and rise as well. The point is not that you have fallen; the point is that God loves you regardless and you can raise back up as Jesus did as a Holy Example!

The opposite of the narrow path is that wide, very traveled path that everyone who does not care to be careful, all those that have traveled the road that is less comfortable and those who don't know there is another road are content to walk on. The road is made in such a way that many can fit on it at a time. It's made to be more comfortable and there is less bumping into folks, less stepping on shoes, less chance to ruffle someone's feathers on the journey. Who wouldn't want this path? I walked this path for 38 years. It was comfortable, it had tents in case I wanted to rest or give up for a while. There were pit stops to sit and drink, mingle and even meet up with desirable people. What it didn't have is Jesus. I could tell there was something missing. Even when I was young. I tried talking to this God I had heard about from different churches but couldn't seem to yell loud enough over the crowds of people walking with me, and I certainly couldn't hear what He was saying to me. That became irritating and I would eventually say, "Oh never mind!" each time I tried to start this conversation. All the while the only thing He was saying was, "I love you, beloved child. Come walk with me." But that wide road looked so much more comfortable than the narrow one He was walking with those few worn, tired looking, sometimes carried people. I didn’t want to leave this road and lose my place on the road to "success" just to go over and see what He was saying to me!

What road are you on? Little do we know, the wide road has its bumps as well. Those bumps are messages sent from the One who longs to walk beside us on the narrow road. It's His way of saying, "Come to me and I will give you rest." We are so busy walking that we don't realize we need rest. We don't realize we are more tired looking than the few on the narrow path. They just don't seem to be having fun and He has to carry them sometimes! We never have to be carried on the wide road, do we? Or maybe it's that we have no one to carry us and so we just keep moving. Aren’t you tired of walking? Don't you desire rest? His arms are waiting. Walk the path of Jesus and get that rest you need! Its okay that you fall, He will catch you. He won't condemn your fall. He will only brush off the dirt and either carries you or set you back on the path, depending on the pain from that fall.

Have you been on the narrow path and gave up because you couldn't "see" God from where you were? There is a popular poem called Footprints that says on the times you only see one set of footprints, those times when you don't feel Him near, it's because He is carrying you. I like to say when I can't feel Him or He seems far away, He is preparing my table in the midst of my enemies! But I forget that and want to look to the right and the left and that's when I lose my footing. Come back to Him. His arms never get tired of being wide open for you. Walk, run, and jog.... come to Him. After all, Jesus walked this road initially and paved the way for us. He made it and He was on earth as flesh just like us, why can't we?

Jesus, thank you for marking this hard to walk road for us. Thank you for not stopping at dying for us but also rising again with all power to then give us that same power in you. This road is hard to stay on. It seems to be filled with distractions to trip us up and knock us down. Those on the wide road have their eyes always on us waiting for us to trip and fall. Give us strength to continue this journey and show them the way to walk it victoriously. In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent Time..... Keeps On Slippin

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (Matthew 6:27 ESV)

I'm finding out that time change is a hot topic to discuss. Some enjoy it, some don't like it at all and some don't care one way or the other. I really don't care for it and don't see the savings it brings. It feels more like someone is trying to play God. But because my state does it, I need to adjust. This is the hardest thing to do! It seems that one hour change has such power over me and I am weak to fight the fatigue that surrounds me.

Its crazy how just one hour can bring about such confusion, sluggishness and loss of time. This year seemed to be worse than others I woke up dazed and even though I know April 21st is the shortest day of the year, it seemed to dredge along so long!

I realized that waiting can be that way. When we wait, especially when we really need the item right away, it seems so long from the beginning till the end of waiting. For example, my daughters both have their hair in micros. For those who don't know, micros are tiny individual braids that are done by adding hair to your existing hair, i.e., extensions in the form of braids. Anyway, they now both have these micros. I want them because it gives hair a rest for up to 3 months! The wall between me and my braids is my impatience, my inability to sit still. Let me explain, the braids can take anywhere from 4 hours (with two people) up to 18 hours with a really slow person taking breaks. The woman that does their hair, Ms. Sheeda, takes an approx. 9 hours to get their hair done. Sometimes a little less but never more. That is an issue for me! I cannot, no; I will not sit for 9 hours!! Now she takes a couple of 2-3 minute breaks of course for her and her clients but I just can't seem to muster up the nerve to do it! Its 9 hours!! I don't have that attention span to do it! Shucks, it's even taken me all month to do this post! But the end result is beautiful and lasting! Think about it, 9 hours to do the hair for 3 months of freedom to NOT do your hair... well except the occasional washing, but then its wash and go even then!

We take time for granted a lot. We use it to twiddle our thumbs when we could be busy promoting God's Kingdom, we use it to scroll and stalk on Faceboook (guilty) when we could be cleaning a room, writing a note to someone or even talking with or listening to God. 9 hours is a lot of time but compared to the 3 months I wouldn’t have to do my hair, it's minutes really! Four minutes per day for 3 months to be exact! Wow!! How much time are we wasting and investing? I challenge you to not only take a look at your time, but do a chart to see where you can change it! I did one with IBloom a few months back and it has revolutionized how I spend and look at my time!! 

This is not even just a suggestion from me, but a command from our God! The verse I began with not only works when you begin to worry about something, but when you look back at time wasted, you realize you can't gain that time back. We are also told NOT to have idle time in Ecclesiastes 11:6 (Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.) and 1 Timothy 5:13 (Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.) Let's honor His Word by doing and not being idle today. 

Lord, forgive my idleness today. I get caught up in the moment of what I am doing.... or not doing and lose track of time easily. Holy Spirit would you so nudge me with little things or big things to let me know I'm being idle with my time. Lord, would You show me what You would have me do with my time and give me the wisdom to be a good steward of my time as well? After all, it's on Your time that I breathe. In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent Peace

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10 (ASV)

My last post was 5 months ago at the end of August. I had just been through a near eviction and right after that having my water shut off for about 3 weeks. Needless to say, it was a hard and almost overbearing time. I had no income; unemployment seemed to be taking its sweet time coming and a very outstanding water bill, not to mention my children who God sent to me to lift me up in times just like this. I was broke AND broken yet it seemed this time all my broken pieces were held in the Hands of a very loving, very powerful Father. He told me each morning to be still. He told me every morning that He is God. Never did it become redundant to hear these words. He seemed to know exactly when to say them and each time, every morning they were sweet to my ears. I love my Dad!

Around this time, now that I think back, I was in the wilderness being sifted. During that time some uglies came out of me that I am not very proud to say even resided in me, but I gladly say that because of Who is in me, not what! He was continuing my healing process from the Heart transplant I had asked for not much earlier than this. I believe if He had revealed to me what He had planned to take me through, I would have opted out of it. I would have said, “No thanks. I appreciate what you are trying to do God but I can’t go through all that, not again. My kids can’t handle that again and they may even leave this time to go stay with their dad. Then where would I be? No, no thanks.”

Can you imagine saying no to God? Yet we do that very thing every day by choosing our ideas and ways of doing things over His. As if we know so much more better than He does. As if WE were the ones “sitting high and looking low” and He was the apple of our eye! How crazy is that? Yet look at how gracious He is! He knows our hearts and the lust for control in our lives yet He loves us! Oh how He loves us! His grace and mercy IS everlasting!

During this hiatus, I have learned a lot about myself and about God. I have learned how imperfect I really am, no matter how many times I try hard to be “perfect.” I realize how much I needed saving when He reached down in the mess I made and saved me. I realize that I need that same Savior everyday to not only save me from myself and my frienemies but to be Lord of my life. Jesus is Lord and Savior of my life like keys and an engine is to a car. It won’t move without them. I also learned that His grace and mercy are everlasting. I screw up every day. I am an example of how far out His grace and mercies go and believe me, they are still going stronger than the Energizer Bunny!

I also learned that in order to hear from God, I must be still. I must listen. I must know that He is God. If an unknown teacher came into your town professing to be able to answer all your questions and help you in your daily life and finances, will you go hungry to hear his words? I don’t think so. You may go, you may even listen but it will not be with the intensity and hunger as if that teacher was TD Jakes or Dave Ramsey or even Mother Teresa (that would be weird). In order to listen intently, you must be still. If you are listening to the radio and a breaking newscast comes on, you stop what you are doing to really listen. In order to be still you must know that He is God. If a stranger comes towards you waving a gun saying be still or they are going to shoot you, what would you do? Likewise, if a friend comes towards you shouting get down and be still, waving their gun, you would do it because you trust them. In order to know that He is God, you must trust Him.

I believe I am in a “be still and know” moment in my life. I’m still not working, I still have needs that I lift up to Him but I now choose to “know that He is God” and let Him do the rest. I know when it’s time for me to act on the gifts He has given me, He will tell me. Until then, I won’t budge a muscle except to minister to those He sends my way. You see my job right now consists of being a godly woman, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and even stranger. Colossians tells me to do whatever I do to the glory of God (Colossians 3:17, 23). And at the exact moment that He lifts me to the ministry that He has given me, I will be so ready that I spring into action. I still need a vehicle, I still need clothes for my family, and I still even need food for the most part. But what I need the most is God and I am so thankful that I have Him in Christ Jesus!

Oh God, thank You for Your wonderful grace and mercy. Thank You for showing me what I am not so that I could accept the love You give to me anyway. Without You I am unworthy, dirty and useless. But with You I am made whole! Help me to be still and know that YOU are God even when I feel like I need to move forward. Close doors that only You can close and at the right moment, bust doors wide open that only You can open! Until then, Your grace is sufficient. In Jesus name, Amen!