I pray this message finds you all well. As we prepare to close out the last month of 2025, I want to share one important sentiment I truly hope those of you who need it, will grasp…
DON’T GIVE UP!
This year has been quite the year for a lot of us. There has been SHIFTING and there has absolutely been some SIFTING!
Shifting where some of us have had to make some unprecedented and uncomfortable decisions in order to be divinely positioned for our NEXT; not fully understanding the scope of the how, when or the why.
Sifting, biblically defined as a violent shaking/intense testing of our faith by the devil; involuntarily pushing us through unbearable tests and trials, often leading us fighting for our faith, family, finances and even the function of our own bodies.
This season may have been physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually challenging to say the least, but DON’T GIVE UP! A lot of times when things seem like they are falling apart, they are actually falling into place. Don’t be distracted by what seems to be shaking your world. Put your faith and focus back on The ONE who created this world and who has already overcome it (See John 16:33).
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NKJV
Trust that the same GOD who brought you out of the difficult situations the last time, will bring you out again and again and again; not looking or smelling like the fire you’ve been through.
It’s not easy walking through the hard and dark seasons but you have to Shift your perspective to recognize that God is still moving on your behalf even in the midst of the chaos.
This year my husband and I have personally experienced the loss of loved ones; yet in the timespan of 1 week, on a mission in South Africa, we also personally witnessed 61 people choose eternal life by receiving salvation through Jesus Christ.
We experienced affliction after affliction after affliction with bad doctors’ reports and sickness in our bodies; yet even in the midst of our suffering, we can reflect on the fact that we personally witnessed the supernatural healing miracles of God with our own eyes for 52 people on that same mission in South Africa.
We experienced the effects of the US government shutdown affecting my husband’s job with no pay for a month and a half. Yet the same God that knew this was coming before it happened prepared us months in advance with instructions for emergency financial preparation for our household.
There is so much more we personally went through this year but I was reminded by 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NKJV that “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”. The NLT translation reminds us that we are never abandoned by God.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we arenot crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT
Just because it’s happening to you doesn’t mean that God won’t see you through it. How do you expect to see the sunshine and rainbow on the other side of the storm if you don’t go through the storm in the first place. DON’T GIVE UP in the middle! Keep going knowing that God is with you and your breakthrough is just on the other side. We have to remember that the weapon may form but it shall never prosper (See Isaiah 54:17).
I’ll leave you all with this…
In God’s construct of time, there’s always a due season which is an appointed time to reap the harvest on what you have sown. Meaning if you have sown faith, perseverance, love, obedience and anything that is an attribute of God, you can expect a good harvest in that due season/appointed time. If you have sown disobedience, discord, hate or attributes of satan, then expecting a good harvest may be out of reach unless you choose to repent and turn that behavior around. The bible says in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Another translation states, “let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we Don’t Give Up.” I challenge you to keep going in this season, even when it’s hard, when it feels dark and even when it hurts. Know that God is with you always (See Joshua 1:9) and in due season you will see the blessing if you DON’T GIVE UP.
Until the next Faith Movement Message…
To be a part of the movement, share your own faith story Here!
It’s the last day of May 2025 and instead of giving you all a story, a testimony or a lesson I want to give all of you, across the now 83 countries that this blog reaches, an opportunity. It’s the best opportunity that anyone can take advantage of, especially if you haven’t in your life as of yet. This opportunity is the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Salvation is the saving or deliverance from sin and its consequences, through God’s grace and forgiveness given to us because of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. It’s not something you have to strive or work for. You merely have to receive it by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].
Ephesians 2:8-9AMP
Accepting the free gift of salvation doesn’t only save us from eternal damnation, it gives us eternal life. Meaning when we leave this earth after we pass on, we get the privilege to abide in the presence of God forever vs spending eternity in the midst of fire and brimstone in hell with satan. Sounds like an easy choice to make but I never want to assume that everyone has been presented with that opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Just 2 weeks ago my husband and I lost his mother and while it is a tremendous loss for us, we are grateful that we were able to make it in time to sit with her, pray over her, talk to her about Jesus and lead her in the salvation prayer because again we didn’t want to assume she had been presented with the opportunity. Even in moments when it was difficult for her to breathe she fought through repeating every single word of the salvation prayer. Even when my husband offered for her to communicate by tapping his hand, she wanted to say the prayer out loud. Nearly an hour after saying that prayer, my mother in love went to be with the Lord. While we were saddened, we knew according to Thessalonians 4:13 that we could weep and grieve with the hope and knowing that we will see her again when we get to heaven .
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life].
1 Thessalonians 4:13 AMP
The Bible says in Romans 10:9 that when you confess with your mouth and believe with your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him(Jesus) from the dead, you will be saved. Now if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to receive salvation, I would like for you to join me in repeating this prayer that will change your life for the better.
9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 AMP
If you are ready to surrender your life to Jesus, Repeat This Prayer:
Dear God in Heaven,
I thank you for Jesus. I believe that Jesus Christ is your son. I believe Jesus died on the cross, paying the price for my sins. I believe you raised Him from the dead and He is alive right now. Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart, come into my life, save me, forgive me, and make me brand new. I repent and turn away from sin. I surrender my life and choose to follow you for the rest of my days. According to the Bible, I am right now born again.
If you prayed that prayer, I want to congratulate you on making the best decision of your life!
I encourage you to join a Bible teaching church, if you are able to, and start studying God’s word. If you have further questions, please refer to the below links.
It’s the last Faith Friday of the year and I pray you all are having a great wrap up to 2024 and are in expectation of the fullness of all that God has for you in 2025.
Today we are going to talk about resisting pride when it comes to your expectations from GOD. See, there is a difference between having faith and being in pride when it comes to what you are expecting from the Lord. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen (See Hebrews 11:1). Faith also means to have strong belief or complete trust or confidence in GOD. Pride, on the other hand, can be defined as the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one’s importance; presumption; arrogance; conceitedness; egotism; self-regard; self-glorification or haughtiness.
There are several scriptures in the Bible that talk about the negative connotation and impact of pride:
“When pride comes, then comes shame…” (See Proverbs 11:2)
“By pride comes nothing but strife…”(See Proverbs 13:10)
“A man’s pride will bring him low…” (See Proverbs 29:23)
“Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord…” (See Proverbs 16:5)
The Bible also states, that “God resists [to oppose, strive against or withstand] the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (See James 4:6)
The world will make every attempt to convince you that having pride is a good thing but GOD’s word shows us in black and white just how destructive “Pride” can be.
Let’s take a look at the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-19 to show you how pride can potentially hinder GOD’s blessing. Naaman was a mighty Syrian army commander who’d brought the king of Syria much victory yet he was suffering from leprosy. His wife’s maid servant told her that one of GOD’s prophets in Samaria could heal Naaman. Naaman told this to the king of Syria and the king wrote a letter to the king of Israel to introduce Naaman and his purposes of coming to their land to be healed. GOD’s prophet, Elisha, heard about the king of Israel’s response and told him to send Naaman to him so that he would know there is a true prophet of GOD in Israel. Naaman headed to Elisha’s house with his horses and chariot and stood at Elisha’s door. Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman to “go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan river. Then your skin will be restored and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman, in pride, became furious and went away stating that surely he thought the prophet would come out to meet him, wave his hands and heal the leprosy. He described other rivers in Israel being better than the Jordan river and didn’t understand why he shouldn’t wash in those rivers instead. Naaman turned away in rage and pride and would have missed his blessing if it had not been for his servants reasoning with him about the instructions from Elisha. His servants stated, “if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, “Wash and be clean[cured]!” So Naaman went to the Jordan River, dipped seven times and just like the prophet of GOD said, He was completely cured from leprosy. Naaman went back to the prophet of GOD and proclaimed that now he knows there is no god except The true and living GOD (then called the God of Israel).
How many times have you missed out or nearly missed out on GOD’s blessings because the way GOD wanted to do things didn’t meet your prideful expectation? You may have been looking for the extravagant gesture or the instant result and the Lord is telling you it’s in the process and MY still small voice. (See Reference I Kings 19:11-12)
I can recall many occasions where I wanted the Lord to do something a specific way but GOD showed me that His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts (See Isaiah 55:8-9). There was a specific instance where I wanted GOD to heal me miraculously like He’d done so many times before. I soon found out that had I not gone the medical surgery route like GOD was leading me to, I would’ve not only missed my healing but I would have missed the opportunity to minister to so many women who were connected to my obedience to share my story. Don’t worry, I plan to share that story soon in the coming year.
There was another instance years ago, where I was expecting GOD to pay off my student loans miraculously, much like I had seen happen in the past with people I know. Well that’s not how GOD wanted to do it with me and I found that out very quickly after receiving a late fee from not making a payment that GOD didn’t tell me not to make. We all make zealous mistakes sometimes but this is why it’s important to obey GOD’s instructions and not your prideful expectations. That minor disappointment was my own fault and had nothing to do with God because He didn’t instruct me to do that. Through all of this, GOD was trying to show me how to steward my finances well and proper money management so that I would know for future purposes. Well those private student loans were paid in full in 2018 and I have been able to remain debt free from student loans even after getting a masters degree and bible college diploma because I stuck with the process of the bigger lesson that GOD wanted me to learn through all of this.
Let’s finish up the story of Naaman, Elisha and Elisha’s servant in II Kings 5:20-27, to understand what can happen when you actually give in to prideful expectations.
After Naaman spoke to Elisha sharing that he now knows the only god is the GOD of Israel, Naaman offered Elisha a gift from his servant. This gift included silver, gold and clothing. Elisha responded, “as surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” Even though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. But Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, said to himself that his master, Elisha, should not have let Naaman leave without accepting any of his gifts. In pride, Gehazi stated, “as surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after Naaman and get something from him.” Gehazi caught up with Naaman, lied about Elisha sending him to get 2 sets of clothing and 75 pounds of silver for two visiting prophets and was offered twice as much silver from Naaman along with 2 sets of clothing. When Gehazi got back to the house, he hid the gifts. Elisha asked Gehazi where he had been and he lied again, stating he hadn’t been anywhere. Elisha asked Gehazi if he realized that his spirit was there when he met with Naaman, basically letting Gehazi know that the spiritual gift that GOD had given Elisha allowed him to spiritually see everything that happened while he wasn’t physically there. Elisha asked “Is this a time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants?” Elisha proceeded to tell Gehazi, because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever. When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.
Remember those scriptures on pride. This was a clear example of how Gehazi’s prideful expectation and greed that he should get gifts from Naaman, put him right on the path to destruction. While my student loan late fee is nothing compared to Gehazi and his descendants being stricken with leprosy forever, I could have dealt with a lot worse and still been in debt had I not humbled myself and listen to the instructions GOD was actually giving me on money management versus my prideful expectation of Him just making everything go away in the blink of an eye. Don’t get me wrong, our GOD is the GOD who can do any and all things but if HE did it instantly or the same way every time then what lesson are you really learning. Are you only seeking HIS hand and what HE can do for you? Or are you seeking HIS Face and learning HIS ways intimately so that He can lead and guide you to and through the purpose HE has for your life. So resist prideful expectation from God and humble yourselves according to the Lord, knowing that He may exalt you at the appropriate time (See I Peter 5:6AMP). The choice is yours.
Until the next faith lesson…
To be a part of the movement, share your own faith story Here!
I know it’s been a while but I hope you all have been remaining Faith filled. God has had me focusing on a few different things in the past several months, but I promise you will still see these blog posts as the Holy Spirit leads me to write.
I have noticed that the enemy’s (Satan) tactics in this season include planting seeds of “Doubt” in an attempt to make you forget the promises that God has already made to you in His Word. Promises regarding your health & healing; Promises regarding your peace; Promises regarding your protection; Promises regarding provision, purpose, clarity and so much more.
Recently, I found myself in the midst of a struggle with doubting that God would come through for me regarding a matter. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you have seen how God has moved in my life and the lives of others in mighty and miraculous ways. So why was I doubting?! One reason is because I’m human and we have to choose and fight daily to keep our minds stayed on Jesus (Isaiah 26:3), while remembering the benefits (Psalms 103: 2-3) of our salvation through Jesus Christ. If or when doubt tries to creep in, there’s no time for self condemnation (Romans 8:1); so if this happens, just refocus and remind yourself of what God says about you and your situation.
In the midst of my struggle with doubt, God whispered the scripture 2Corinthians 1:20 to me. “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” Immediately, my thoughts were flooded with the promises of God from His Word.
” For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV
Let’s break down what this means…
The word “Yes” is a confirmation or an affirmative response.
The word “Amen” means “so be it”, meaning “certainly” or “it is so”.
Therefore when you think of any promise written in God’s word it is already Confirmed, Yes, through Jesus Christ and we therefore say “Amen” to God, as a reference that “it is so” and “certain”, for His glory.
For those of you in the midst of a storm that has you doubting God’s ability to do the impossible, here’s a reminder of His promises that are Yes and Amen.
YES, No weapon formed against you shall prosper, AMEN.
Isaiah 54:17
YES, All things work together for The good of those who love the Lord and are called to His purpose, AMEN.
Romans 8:28
YES, weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning, AMEN.
Psalm 30:5
YES, By Jesus stripes we are healed, AMEN.
Isaiah 53:5
YES, God is able to do exceedingly,abundantly above all we can ask or imagine, AMEN.
Ephesians 3:20
YES, you shall not die, but live to declare the works of the Lord, AMEN.
Psalms 118:17
YES, A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand but it shall NOT come near you, AMEN.
Psalms 91:7
YES, No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling, AMEN.
Psalms 91:10
YES, God has given you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over ALL the power of the enemy (satan) and nothing shall by any means hurt you, AMEN.
Luke 10:19
YES, for God knows the thoughts that He thinks towards us, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope, AMEN.
Jeremiah 29:11
YES, for with God nothing will be impossible, AMEN.
Luke 1:37
Meditate on these promises, remind yourself who you are in Christ Jesus and never forget God’s promises are true.
Until the next faith message…
To be a part of the movement, share your own faith story Here!
I am sure today’s title has you wondering, what is she talking about?! The answer to what…and for what?!
Well it’s the answer to All of Your Problems!
So I’ve learned a few things over the last several years of my life; from my own experiences and from the experiences of others. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that everything you need is found in the presence of God. Where the presence of God is, an invitation of intimacy with Him begins. I’ll get into what that means shortly.
“Everything you need
is found
in MY presence.”
–From God to Me
Recently I have come across several friends and individuals, including myself, who have felt physically and mentally tired, drained, confused, emotional, frustrated, angry, anxious, heavy and down right burdened. If this is you, then you will want to keep reading. Why have they felt this way and what causes it? The answer is Life causes it! Some of us are taking things day by day and just trying to make it through the first 24 hours to get to the next 24 hours and then to the next and so on. Some days are great, others are intense, some days are joyful while others are beyond stressful. Why is that? Because Life is going to Life and then rinse and repeat. We have a real enemy(the devil aka satan) in this world who seeks to steal, kill and destroy (SeeJohn 10:10) and if you are living your life for Jesus Christ then the enemy seeks to not make it easy for you. The everyday life we live may be inconsistent but the one thing in our lives that isn’t inconsistent is God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever ( See Hebrews 13:8).
So how do we get in the presence of God to fix all of our problems? Well, the answer is we build a relationship with God and we become consistent with Him; in His word, in prayer and in communing with Him daily. Being consistent with God in turn creates intimacy with God. The word intimacy means close familiarity or friendship; closeness. It also means fellowship, communion, affection, understanding, sharing and togetherness.
Intimacy with God means closeness, familiarity, friendship, fellowship, communion and togetherness with God.
How do you become consistent with God to create intimacy with Him? Well let’s look at it like a marriage. When you marry someone and choose to spend the rest of your life with them; before you make that covenant before God and the courts you develop a relationship with that person. You spend time with them, you learn their likes and dislikes, you develop familiarity, friendship and closeness with that person and you learn the ins and outs of who that person is as a whole. That’s no different than what intimacy with God looks like. When we spend time with God in prayer or in His word, we learn His likes, dislikes and the promises He has made to and for us. When we truly seek God, we learn that the time with Him is never a one sided conversation because He certainly talks back, we just have to take the time to listen. This is what a relationship with God looks like.
What happens when we have intimacy with God? How do I begin to see God make a change with the problems I see in my everyday life? In Matthew 6:33, the word of God says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” In the context of this section of the book of Matthew chapter 6, Jesus is telling us not to worry about our life. In not worrying about our life, He’s saying don’t worry about what we will eat, drink, wear or anything related to our everyday lives. He reminds us in this chapter to look at the birds and how the Lord makes sure they are fed; look at the flowers and the grass and how the Lord makes sure they grow and are taken care of. If we, being created in God’s image (See Genesis 1:27), are regarded higher than these things then how much more will God make sure we are taken care of. “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (SeeMatthew 6:32). Earlier in this same chapter, where Jesus is showing us how to pray, He also says “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (See Matthew 6:8). He is all knowing and all powerful so when you have intimacy with the all knowing & powerful God, just imagine how that will change your life for the better.
“…For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:8
The above may address those who don’t have a relationship with God or rather those that don’t exactly know how to have a relationship with Him but I also want to address those of you who have a relationship with God yet are lacking in intimacy with God. There are some of you out there who pray all the time and spend time in God’s word yet you still feel burdened, drained and overwhelmed as if you are carrying a weight that isn’t yours to carry. This was me and a few others I encountered recently. Some of us were so used to seeing God as just Lord and master, instruction giver, the One who shows us what to intercede for, yet we had somehow forgotten that God is our Father first and He wants us to come to Him as His child. Why? Because we spend our days trying to be the go to person for our families, the employee, the parent, the intercessor, the prayer warrior, the missionary, the minister and so many other roles we take on along with attempts to try to be everything to everyone, that we often forget that we are not and were never built for that. That’s why Jesus died for us, so that we wouldn’t have to carry those burdens.
If this is you, you may be lacking in intimacy with God and require some intimate time with the Father. What does that look like? Intentionally setting time for just you and God with no agenda, no prayer points and no distractions…Just you and God’s presence. Where it goes from there is up to you and Him. The only requirement is going to Him like a child in need of their Father, knowing everything will be taken care of, just as children often do. It can be a conversation about your day, how you feel about something or even just basking in the awe of His felt presence. Set this time with God consistently and watch a new facet of your relationship with God begin to unfold.
I made the change this year to set consistent intentional and intimate time with God with no agenda and in just the first two weeks my life changed drastically spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially and even physically. Everything I need was and is found in the Presence of God. So, whether you have been walking with God for 2 days or 20+ years, we all need intimacy with Him. Take the first step and watch how time with Him gives you all the answers you’ve been looking for.
Until the next faith message…
To be a part of the movement, share your own faith story Here!
I know it’s been a few weeks since you have heard from me. I was away getting much needed rest and resting in God to understand what He is requiring of me in this new year. I hope this new year/season is treating you well and many of you are sticking to the declarations and promises that you made at the start of 2024. Not out of superstition, ritual or routine but out of sheer desire to do what’s needed to walk into the fullness of the new thing that God has for you in 2024, even in spite of what may be going on around you.
I want to start today’s testimony by talking about how a New Years’ promise to myself and God, going into 2018, freed me from years of hurt, resentment and unforgiveness due to a father wound.
Some of us are fortunate to grow up in loving two parent households, some of us single parent households and some of us not so loving two parent homes. My family structure growing up was a little different. My parents were high school sweethearts who got married when I was 4 and divorced when I was 6, with good reason from my observation. I think I may have been the only young kid that would say their parents didn’t need to be together. This meant for most of my childhood I spent doing frequent to infrequent visits to my dad’s house. It started out great until it wasn’t.
I started out spending alot of time with my dad as he watched me while my mom was away on airforce reserve duty. We took plenty of trips to the park, the fair, and shared loving moments at home of me and him dancing while I stood on his feet.
Things started to shift from ages 9 to 25 when I started to feel abandoned by the person who was always supposed to love and protect me. My dad remarried and the visits became far and few in between. My dad’s wife, at the time, even told me I needed to spend more time with my dad. Which made no sense to me at the time because I was only 9 and always available for him to make the 10 min drive to pick me up from my mom’s house. Years later my dad divorced and remarried a third time. The distance only got worse. My then 2nd stepmother, had 4 children coming into the marriage so as time went the overwhelming feeling and evidence of being replaced with his new family started to rise while I strived to feel included in the new family structure.
Once I was old enough to drive and could borrow the car from my mom, I would drive over to spend time with my dad and his family. I watched the interactions with him and his stepdaughters and stepson and it was evident that they were getting a father figure that I hadn’t had the pleasure of being acquainted with. It was crushing to sit back and watch my dad be a father to others while I strived to be significant in his life. I started buying him and everyone gifts in hopes that it would help them see me more, like me more or even invite me over more often. I was promised that they would give me a key to the house so I could come over between classes and that when they got another house there would be a room for me but that never happened. Broken promise after broken promise occurred.
There was a moment when I had issues with my car and couldn’t take it outside of city limits and was limited to school, work and home. I told my dad and he offered to talk to his friend to get it fixed. That never happened. I was later told by my dad that my stepmother said I only called when I needed something. I wasn’t upset that she said it. I was more upset that he seemed to believe it. This all happened while my stepsister was receiving her first vehicle, they purchased for her.
In my senior year of high school, things got expensive. There were senior dues, senior pictures, the band ball, senior prom, running for prom queen, senior trip, senior dinner and all the things that required money. Myself and my mom’s financial position wasn’t in the necessary shape to support all that I had going on but we made it work the best way possible. My step mom made my band ball dress and my Junior prom dress the year before so she wasn’t all bad, in case you were thinking that. There was a senior dinner coming up and we were asked to invite our parents and present them with a gift. I’d gotten my mom a gift and my dad a crystal sculpture with an image of a father and daughter inside of it. We received two tickets so I told my dad about it and he told me he would come. The evening of the dinner my mom and I were sitting across from each other and my dad’s seat was next to me. I saw my dad in the entryway of the event hall signing in and said to myself “He came!”. My friend that knew the issues I’d had with my dad smiled at me as I wore the excitement on my face. He seemed to be standing at the check in a little too long so I went to see if there was an issue. He’d brought my step mother, which was fine, but didn’t understand why there wasn’t a ticket for her. I told him I only received 2 tickets for him and my mom but it wasn’t a problem because it was a nominal fee for additional people which I believe was $8 at the time. They said okay and I went back to my seat glad that all seemed resolved, yet it wasn’t. I sat down and after a few minutes I looked in the entryway and saw my dad leaving. I went back up to the check in area and looked outside only to see my dad and stepmom driving away. I wanted to be optimistic and think that they were coming back but they didn’t. I went to the ladies room, where my friend met me, and I cried the tears that hurt so badly to shed. My friends gave me a pep talk and we went back out to enjoy the dinner with her parents and my mom. It’s safe to say I took the gift I got for him back to the store. I didn’t address it then or even for several years with my dad about why he left that night. I was too afraid that it would validate my thoughts and feelings of him abandoning me on my senior night over $8.
A similar event happened several years later when I was graduating from college with my engineering degree and my stepmom called me and said my dad wouldn’t be coming to my graduation because my stepbrother’s boot camp graduation was that same weekend. I didn’t react, I was hurt but told her “okay I understand”. I didn’t keep my hopes up regarding my dad much after high school. To my surprise, my dad actually came through and made it to my graduation and I got to see him briefly afterwards before we were all supposed to head to my joint graduation party at a friend’s house. We were caravanning to the location in multiple cars. My mom was behind me and my dad behind her. I recall some reroutes along the way but we were all tailing each other to get there. Once we got to the location I noticed my dad didn’t pull up to the house. I thought something was wrong and was concerned. I later found out that he decided to drive to see a friend near the area and then back to Savannah from Atlanta because he said he couldn’t keep up with the traffic. I told him he could’ve called and we would have navigated him here but that was after the fact and another moment in time that I had been disappointed and left to feel like an afterthought to him in my mind. This was the introduction of what I had come to know as Father Wounds.
From the age of 15 to 30, looking back, I realized the effects of the father wounds and how they showed up in different aspects of my life. It started with me positioning myself to never need anyone’s help for the fear of being let down. That resulted in me working 5 jobs at one time while in college. I worked at a men’s clothing store, Best Buy, the campus bookstore, in the campus athletic department and I had my own tutoring service on the weekdays as well. The effects didn’t end here. They show up as people pleasing and a lack of boundaries with people in hopes for them to like me. The worse part was that it showed up in my dating relationships and lack of discernment on choosing a partner who God would choose for me. Because of this I ended up in several cheating, toxic and abusive(physical and verbal) relationships. A few of these relationships took years to heal from the mental, emotional and physical traumatic toll it had on me. When I look back on it, I ask myself, why did I allow this? Because I didn’t have a male standard to go off of. I didn’t have someone telling me “No, he’s not the right one for you”. And I didn’t have the father figure, like some of my friends had, teaching me to not entertain just any guy that crosses my path. This was until I met someone that changed everything for me.
That someone I met was God. I know it sounds cliche but hear me out. When I received salvation through accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I looked at God as my Lord and Master. Someone to give me orders and instructions for my good as I navigated life. As I grew in my relationship with God, after the last toxic heartbreak, I began to not only see God as Lord but I started to see Him as My Father, someone relentlessly loving me out of every hurt and pain I’d ever experienced, someone who was always there in the ups and the downs, and someone there to make sure I am always safe and protected. God took me on a journey of restoration changing me from the inside out. He erased every disappointment and replaced them with His faithfulness. He fulfilled His promise in Psalms 68:5(See Below) and showed me the father I needed and always wanted.
“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.”
Psalms 68:5 NLT
Though I’d had so many disappointments from my dad, God shared with me that my dad couldn’t give me something that he himself didn’t receive from his own father. God showed me how to love and forgive my dad despite the past. I was reminded of the scripture Mark 11:25 which says, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” I realized the unforgiveness was hurting me more than anything. My husband says it best, unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick or die. I needed to make a decision to let go.
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.”
Mark 11:25 AMPC
That year, in 2017, I had been working on a letter to send to my dad but I couldn’t quite finish because I don’t think I was ready to share my thoughts the way God needed me to share them, speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15 NKJV). It wasn’t until December 31st, 2017 that I ‘d made up my mind that I would no longer be bound by the hurts, pains, resentment and unforgiveness of my past. I wrote a letter sharing my heart with my dad and letting him know that I would no longer harbor the events of the past because I was choosing forgiveness. In the midst of this, God told me something that pierced my heart in a different way regarding not just my dad but people in general. He said to me, “He’s a man and man can fail you but I’m your Father and I will never fail. That was the moment I decided to no longer put my trust in man but in God alone.
Letter to my Dad mailed December 31st, 2017; choosing forgiveness and God’s healing
On December 31st, 2017, New Years Eve, I not only forgave but I received a new found freedom that didn’t come in response from my dad at the receipt of the letter, it came when I made the decision to let go and let God. My dad never responded to the letter nor spoke of it. In fact I didn’t know he still had it until I asked in 2021. It didn’t bother me one bit because I’d left all of that hurt at the feet of Jesus on the last day of 2017. It also didn’t bother me because a few months into 2018, after I sent the letter, God showed me how He would use my dad in such a way that showed me though I can’t physically see or touch God, He can do more for me than any man can. In 2018, I healed, I found freedom, I grew closer to my dad, I discovered my purpose, I met my husband and so much more. It’s amazing what one decision to forgive did.
Until the next testimony…
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“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13:12 NKJV
Have you ever been in the midst of a circumstance or situation that you desired to change. Your health, a family relationship restored, your living situation or even your finances. I believe everyone has at some point in their lives, in some way shape or form. That’s what “Hope” is… a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. But what happens when those breakthroughs don’t happen when you expect them to. That’s when disappointment attempts to set in, especially after countless attempts to see change in the situation come to pass. It’s only when the breakthrough reveals itself that Hope is fulfilled. The message bible translation of Proverbs 13:12 says it best; “unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.”
Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.
Proverbs 13:12 MSG
That sudden good break is when after several attempts to see change, you finally receive a good doctor’s report or that prodigal relative returns to restore the family bond. It’s when you finally find the long awaited permanent home you’ve been seeking or your financial situation is no longer a disparity. That’s Hope Fulfilled.
This past weekend my husband and I had the opportunity to serve at an event at our church called iHope, where they provide Christmas gifts to families in need. The families were able to sign up or be nominated to participate. They would then come to the church the day of the event, receive a shopping cart, partner with a family host and have the opportunity to choose several gifts for each of their children to be gift wrapped and sent home with them providing a hopeful experience on Christmas day. All at no cost to the families. The event served over 200 families providing gifts for over 630 children. That’s not all! In the midst of the church being the hands and feet of Jesus through this event, each attendee received prayer, resulting in 14 people giving their life to Christ with 24 people receiving healing. More than 500 volunteers showed up to give hope to those who needed it during this Christmas holiday. That’s Hope Fulfilled.
During the highlight video, one of the individuals nominated for iHope shared their testimony. She mentioned that in 2016, her and her son lived in a homeless community. During that time, she acknowledged, she didn’t grow up in church nor did she go to church but since a bus would come by the community to pick everyone up, they would jump on it and go. At church is where she got saved, receiving Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Fast forward to 2023, she stated that her kids are saved, they are baptized and they all haven’t been homeless since. She actually had the opportunity to volunteer and serve at the very homeless community they used to live in during Serve Day 2023. She stated, “It was just a full circle moment for me”. Now that is Hope Fulfilled!
For everyone out there, remember Jesus Christ is our blessed hope and because of His sacrifice for us (John 3:16), we can always live in expectation of having Hope Fulfilled.
Until the next faith testimony…
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How many times have you heard the phrases “Consistency is key”, “Consistent actions create consistent results”, or even “Success isn’t about greatness, it’s about consistency”. Well all of these quotes aren’t just true in the world and business but they can also be applied biblically.
Consistency is Key!
Consistency can be defined as the quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way, or of always happening in a similar way. When I hear this definition, it makes me think of the most consistent person in my life, Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 13:8, the bible states, ” Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. He is consistent with His love and faithfulness seated at the right hand of the Father. He was consistent in His compassion and power as He walked this earth over 2000 years ago. And He is consistent in His character and stance as He never compromised God’s word even when His own life was at stake. Jesus is consistent because of the unchangeable name of God. It’s just like the bible says in Numbers 23:19, God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good. Basically, if God promised it, He will do it because He’s consistent.
We all know that God being consistent is a given. But our relationship with Him isn’t just about His consistency, it’s about ours. Its about our consistent faith (Mark 11:22 AMP), our consistent prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17NLT), our consistent obedience, our consistent trust, our consistent time in His presence… our consistency period. Our relationship with God is a two way street, meaning even after we have talked to God in prayer, we should listen just as long as we pray to hear what the Lord has to say in response. Prayer is not a monologue, it’s a dialogue/conversation.
Our consistency with God nurtures the very relationship that orders our steps to and through purpose. It builds trust not just for us towards God but for God towards us. When dealing with trial after trial with my health several years ago (See Blog Post Here), I didn’t know God for myself nor how to hear His voice but I consistently cried out to Him, read His word and prayed as much as I knew how because “something told me”, which I now know that something is the Holy Spirit, that it was going to be okay and just keep praying. Soon enough I unexpectedly yet expectantly received the answers to my prayers and the healing to my body because I consistently prayed, consistently spent time with God and consistently stood in faith. Not only did my consistency build my trust in God which, in turn, strengthened my faith but it also showed God that He can trust me too when it comes to divine assignments He leads me to do concerning His children(all of you), for His glory.
It’s December 1st and some of you are wondering what’s next for you before this year ends. Just because there are 31 days left in this year, doesn’t mean God can’t do something profound in your life through your next 31 days of consistency. So I challenge you to allow God to wow you in the midst of your consistency in seeking Him, consistency in prayer, consistency in faith, consistency in discipline, in writing that book, applying for that job, starting that business and LLC, and consistency in obedience of doing what God is leading you to do in this last month of 2023. Pick up those projects you thought had died, take the steps of consistency with God and watch yourself finish the year stronger than you could have ever imagined.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us
Ephesians 3:20 NIV
Until the next faith story…
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In light of the Thanksgiving Holiday celebrated in the United States this week, I pray this week has been filled with gratitude and thankfulness for you and your families. For some that has been your sentiments, but for others there has also been a wave of emotions of loneliness, grief and sadness. This is all too common for those who have dealt with the loss of a loved one and those who are in a place where they feel lonely during the holidays even without loss. You may feel hurt, sad, lonely, angry, confused, or even lost in the midst of the flood of emotions but it’s okay. I know that sounds kind of weird coming from a Christian blogger but I am here to tell you there is nowhere in the Bible that tells you to keep your emotions of grief bottled up. In fact, the Bible tells us in Matthew 5:4; “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” In the midst of the emotions and the thoughts that take us to that unwanted place, we have to realize that it’s okay not to be okay, but we just can’t stay there.
“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4
It is normal to grieve loved ones who are no longer with us. It is normal to feel a certain way when we are attempting to celebrate a holiday that was once filled with their presence yet now it is not. Remembering the words they uttered when you saw them, the chair they once sat in, the meals they once cooked and even the warmth they made you feel just from being around them can all be a lot to process. It is okay to mourn the loss of that loved one and the very essence of who that person was to you. We just can’t stay there because when our emotions begin to lead over our God given spirit it leaves a foothold to the devil. The enemy would love to take any attempt to bring you down deeper into a state of mind that you once had control over but is now flooded with consuming thoughts taking you into a hole you can’t dig yourself out of. The Bible says in I Peter 5: 8, “Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Therefore recognize when you have those moments, understand you are human and its okay for you to not be okay in those moments, then proceed to ask Jesus to help you stand on His word in faith and receive His perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3-4). This is better described in I Peter 5:9-10 where it states “Resist him(the devil), steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
I Peter 5:8-10 NKJV
After you have suffered in the things you are going through, whether that is grief, sadness, loneliness, confusion, depression, physical pain or anything else not God given, God will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. God will perfect meaning He will mend and restore what has been broken. He will establish meaning God will stabilize and render your mind constant. He will strengthen meaning God will make your soul strong. He will settle meaning God will lay the foundation and ground you there. God will do the work for you, you just have to trust Him and surrender the burden to Him.
For those who are having a difficult time this Holiday season here is a prayer for you to pray over yourself:
Father God in the name of Jesus, thank you for being Lord over all, not just in my high moments but also in my low moments. Thank you for Your love to comfort me in the midst of mourning and for Your perfect peace that surpasses all understanding as I keep my thoughts stayed on you. Thank you Lord for helping me to understand in my heart that as believers my loved ones may be absent from the body but are now present with You Lord and I will see them again. I thank you that my faith and trust are anchored in You and Your power at work in my life. I decree and declare I am more than a conqueror and the devil remains a defeated foe in my life. I decree and declare even in the midst of grief, You are perfecting, establishing, strengthening and settling me in Christ Jesus. And I thank you that I can forever live from a place of peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Until the next time…
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I want to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart today. The topic that saved my life. The very reason this blog was brought to fruition…FAITH.
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
What is Faith? According to Hebrews 11:1 NKJV, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Faith can also be described as complete trust or confidence in someone or something; a hope or belief. The Hebrew word for confidence is Bitachon, meaning to be at ease, to trust and to be confident. Think about when you put your trust in something or someone, there tends to be no doubt or disbelief in it, yet there’s also an assurance and certainty regarding that person or thing. This is how we ought to have faith in Jesus…with trust, certainty and assurance. This is the faith in knowing that He is the Son of God who walked this earth over 2000 years ago sharing the Good News and the message of God’s kingdom while also performing miracles including healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons (Matthew 10:7-8 NKJV). When Jesus laid down His life for us, dying on the cross yet was resurrected and is now seated at the right hand of Father God, His sacrifice forgave every sin/ iniquity and healed all of our diseases (Psalms 103:3NKJV). This didn’t just end in biblical times, we still have possession of the free gift of salvation that includes all of the above as our benefits.
In John 14:12-14 NJKV, Jesus says to His disciples, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works (in quantity) than these he will do, because I go to My Father (God). 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. Well this doesn’t just apply to the disciples then, it also applies to the modern day disciples, who happen to be us.
Where there is hope, there is Faith. Where there is Faith miracles happen.
Anonymous
Years ago I put my faith and this scripture to the test. Around this time in 2014, I nearly lost my eye from a fall that shattered my orbital floor in my right eye. The doctors wanted me to get surgery even though I didn’t live in the area where the incident occurred. They informed me that they would need to go in, lift my eye back up and put a plate in to keep the eye stabilized. I refused the surgery because my FAITH was in my eye fully healing on its own. Sounds crazy, but I knew this situation was no match for God. Due to the incident, I no longer had right peripheral vision, was sensitive to light and my brain and eye were not communicating so basic function like walking straight and turning when someone says something to you was very limited. During that week I laid hands on my eye and prayed to God that my eye would heal on its own without surgery. I backed my prayer with Mark 16:18 “…they will lay hands on the sick , and they will recover” trusting that God’s word was true and would work on my behalf. Once I returned home, I went to an ophthalmologist to make sure my vision was still okay and my eye hadn’t dropped and everything with my vision checked out good. I’d forgotten to give my CT scans to the doctor until the end of the visit. He came back looking like he’d seen a ghost and based on the scans recommended me seeing the plastic surgeon and getting the surgery recommended by the other doctors. Again my FAITH was in my eye fully healing on its own without surgery.
Shattered Orbital Floor CT Scan Shattered orbital floor and loss of peripheral vision in right eye Two weeks after the injury
Within 2 weeks my eye looked as if the injury had never happened and I had full functionality. Fast forward to my 6 month check up with the ophthalmologist, my eye had fully healed on its own with no changes to my vision and without any surgery! The doctor’s assistant came in and said “You know you’re really lucky because someone came in with the same issue and had to lose their eye. I told her “that’s not luck, that’s God! I could’ve literally lost my eye and according to the doctors the vision in the other eye would’ve diminished too…But God! He performed not just a miracle but a medically documented miracle for me! How, you ask? Because of my Faith. While faith sometimes doesn’t make sense, it does in fact make miracles.
Until the next faith testimony..
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The Faith Travels 