No matter what happens in life, I find the gifts you're born with will always be pulled to the forefront whether you consciously choose to or not. If you're a writer, you will be compelled to write. It may not be as you envisioned or as you desire but you will write. If you're an artist, your craft will find a way to manifest. Any God given gift will somehow manifest until all purpose has been served.
As I sit here writing thoughts I never intended to, the power of gifts amazes me. My only intention today was to do some research for my sister's endeavor. Next thing I know, I am pulling up my old blogs and writing! I had thought my desire to write had finally been put to rest. I am purposefully working on my health and making great strides but had just about given writing a permanent spot on a back shelf. Surprise surprise!
I find myself encouraged to write again and missing it more than I thought. So among my other pursuits (beginning a handcrafted jewelry business) I will save some focus for writing again. Sitting here, a smile creeps upon my face. Divine gifts will do that.
Gifts you are really attached to may sit unused yet every time you 'clean' out the ideas in your treasure chest, that gift will remain. They are life giving because they stir your creativity and invigorate your life’s' breath. They have purpose.
All the ideas you have in your head, all those dreams that resurface have meaning. It doesn't matter how long they are there. It doesn't matter how much progress or manifestation comes. Until purpose is fulfilled, they will remain and purpose may not be culminated as you originally thought. Maybe you weren't meant to bring the idea completely forth. Perhaps the idea was just meant to be shared at the right moment with the right person as a seed for them to pick up the baton and fulfill. Perhaps the idea needs to be watered by someone else for you to fulfill. Then again, it may just an issue of timing and maturity.
So share your ideas prayerfully and wisely, keeping clear of dream killers. God's purpose will direct you as to whom, how and when. Trust God's leading.
Or sometime through avenues unbeknownst to you, you will be directed back to that gift or idea. Like me. Like today. So again I renew my gift. Today I share it with myself.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I recently watched that show where people retell their near death experiences. They all had completely different perspectives on life. All who didn't believe came back as some level of believer. Proof positive to - there is a hereafter ya'll - 'nuf said. One recurring comment was how if it was not their time, they all had to come back - for purpose. So this morning, I smile cuz' I believe this day is a gift and honor and I have a mission or purpose to fulfill, when foolishness creeps in today, I gotchu' - with a smile and peace, you can not have any part of my day.. I really get you just don't have that kind of power... Smiles, I'm good.. are you? (Inspired by Psalm 27:13,14)
I was thinking early this morning how scripture speaks to how we can profess to love God whom we cannot see but can't find a way to love those in our lives we can see (my paraphrase of 1 John 4:20). I've read it over many times over but this morning I saw it through as applied to those in my own household. As a mother, wife and friend how can I say I love God while entertaining wasted negative thoughts about those who live in my own household? Stupid, small, selfish thoughts came waving through this morning and I thought, 'what is that noise?' Such small minded foolish thoughts about nothing of any significance. I could also see depression and oppression were trying to settle in for the day and these foolish thoughts were just one avenue they were using to get me there. It seemed the assignment was to make my feel unhappy and hopeless.
I paused, reminded of those who have died and come back with fresh understanding and perspective on life. I remember thinking, life is so much more than these insignificant disturbances. I had to press my way a bit but I overcame, I won. I started with a purposeful smile, reminding myself the gift'ness' of this day. The honor and privilege I have in being here for a specific purpose. No matter what little impy voices try to stir, I will surpass them, I will overcome, I will smile for this day is a gift and everything I could be worrying about is really going to be alright, in its own time and way.
I also found a renewed desire to raise the love and service of those first in my house and then any I encounter today. Now that's a good day, which holds nothing but wonderful reaped benefits for me in my next journey.
My mission is to keep a genuine awe infused smile in my heart and on my face all day!
I was thinking early this morning how scripture speaks to how we can profess to love God whom we cannot see but can't find a way to love those in our lives we can see (my paraphrase of 1 John 4:20). I've read it over many times over but this morning I saw it through as applied to those in my own household. As a mother, wife and friend how can I say I love God while entertaining wasted negative thoughts about those who live in my own household? Stupid, small, selfish thoughts came waving through this morning and I thought, 'what is that noise?' Such small minded foolish thoughts about nothing of any significance. I could also see depression and oppression were trying to settle in for the day and these foolish thoughts were just one avenue they were using to get me there. It seemed the assignment was to make my feel unhappy and hopeless.
I paused, reminded of those who have died and come back with fresh understanding and perspective on life. I remember thinking, life is so much more than these insignificant disturbances. I had to press my way a bit but I overcame, I won. I started with a purposeful smile, reminding myself the gift'ness' of this day. The honor and privilege I have in being here for a specific purpose. No matter what little impy voices try to stir, I will surpass them, I will overcome, I will smile for this day is a gift and everything I could be worrying about is really going to be alright, in its own time and way.
I also found a renewed desire to raise the love and service of those first in my house and then any I encounter today. Now that's a good day, which holds nothing but wonderful reaped benefits for me in my next journey.
My mission is to keep a genuine awe infused smile in my heart and on my face all day!
Monday, January 24, 2011
God Picks up the Quietest Frequencies
I was listening to Joyce Meyer on my phone the other day and was greatly encouraged. I was using my Bible app and just perusing through different devotionals. She was speaking about having a great day (Psalms 62:1,2). This morning I was reflecting on my encouraged heart and how wonderful God's ways are which led me to be grateful and at peaceful place. It's so cool how God will feed you by meeting you at your point of need without making a big fuss about it. By that I mean, you can be whispering random thoughts to God, issuing trust declarations for movement or resolution, answers or just encouragement and as if He is listening and tuning in for faint radio frequencies He captures your thoughts.
He is such a loving caring God that He is listening for even the most faint declarations of trust, faith in His Word, His promises and Truth. Even when all circumstances appear dim and dire, He listens for those frequencies that declare He is yet God and the Word is the ultimate and final source of Truth. He wraps your thoughts in His love and sprinkles them back in your heart for strength and resolve. Without even realizing what has transpired, you soon find yourself feeling better. A soft smile spreads upon your face and all of sudden your circumstances aren't weighing you down though nothing has changed.
I am so encouraged by these moments and find them very powerful in building my relationship of mature faith and trust in God. These moments are those upon which life is built and meant to be shared.
He is such a loving caring God that He is listening for even the most faint declarations of trust, faith in His Word, His promises and Truth. Even when all circumstances appear dim and dire, He listens for those frequencies that declare He is yet God and the Word is the ultimate and final source of Truth. He wraps your thoughts in His love and sprinkles them back in your heart for strength and resolve. Without even realizing what has transpired, you soon find yourself feeling better. A soft smile spreads upon your face and all of sudden your circumstances aren't weighing you down though nothing has changed.
I am so encouraged by these moments and find them very powerful in building my relationship of mature faith and trust in God. These moments are those upon which life is built and meant to be shared.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
I pledge..
Happy and blessed new year to all!
I, in the midst of physiological struggles pledge to write more consistently in the gift of this year 2011.
I pledge to continue to step forward beyond and through past negative experiences. I do not deny their existence or validity but neither will I allow them to cause stagnation or paralyzing fear in my gift of life. It is not what God intended or purposed. They are allowed to help build positive purposeful strength and character. They are allowed to so that I can help others. They are allowed to teach me appreciation for the things that really matter.
I pledge to walk in love, wisdom and understanding, encouraging others every opportunity given.
This is a new season ya'll, dare to embrace it, dare to live and not just exist...
Peace to all
I, in the midst of physiological struggles pledge to write more consistently in the gift of this year 2011.
I pledge to continue to step forward beyond and through past negative experiences. I do not deny their existence or validity but neither will I allow them to cause stagnation or paralyzing fear in my gift of life. It is not what God intended or purposed. They are allowed to help build positive purposeful strength and character. They are allowed to so that I can help others. They are allowed to teach me appreciation for the things that really matter.
I pledge to walk in love, wisdom and understanding, encouraging others every opportunity given.
This is a new season ya'll, dare to embrace it, dare to live and not just exist...
Peace to all
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
These Perilous Times...Were we really prepared as a nation?
I am so very grateful for everything I have right now. A roof over my head and a haven for my adult children. I drive a vehicle which was bought used. Yes, it's a Mercedes and yes it is very comfortable vehicle. We have bought all our cars used from a local auto dealer we established a good relationship with. I feel so fortunate that we have been able to purchase safe comfortable cars for our last 2 children (a 1995 BMW and 1995 Mercedes E320)when they graduated high school. Purposeful living afforded that gift. All my children are well, respectful and honorable adults. We budget with purpose and have learned to question our purchases before we make them but our bills get paid, we have food on the table and we're very fortunate to have medical benefits.
There are many families and individuals like us. The sad thing is there are many who did not receive lessons presented to get their affairs in order. Plans to live wisely eluded them. What is it they say? Failing to plan is by default a plan to fail. Again, I am not speaking to any who have been on this purposeful living course and are continually working very hard to an even more purposeful life. No matter when the realization comes to living poorly, the important thing is change courses. For our family that came in 2009. I am so very grateful we were allowed the opportunity to begin getting some things in order before our economy got real bad.
The perilous times facing so many right now is truly heart breaking. My husband and I were so humbled and sobered the other night watching 60 Minutes. There was a segment on how many well meaning people (many who had been middle and upper managers as well as executives) who's lives spiraled out of control when they lost their jobs ending well established careers. They have spent their retirement and their children's college funds in effort to keep their homes, pay bills and put food on the table. Things they might have taken a little for granted before.
The segments focus was on the 99 week policy we have for unemployment and how many have still not been able to find jobs. Their unemployement is about to run out and after almost 2 years they still have no employment. One previous executive shared how he was genuinely happy to have just been hired as a sales clerk at Target. The experience has been very humbling and somber for so many.
What is happening is devastating and it is only by the grace of God we have not met such dire circumstances. I hope what I am about to say is not found offensive but rather becomes a moment of honest reflection and hindsight. As a nation, for many years we have lived a priveleged (and some analysts say spoiled) existence. Studies show we spend the most on education while coming in about 4th worldwide on the quality and level of that education. We have advocated instant gratification and entitlement instead of earning to achieve and living with purpose and value. Spend, spend, spend, get it now. There has been a calculated move to teach us to live above our means more and more through the use of credit cards and mortgaging our homes to their well inflated limit.
As a result, one portion of those now found in devastating times are quite truthfully due to years and years of living above their means. Getting bigger houses, cars and things they really could not afford. Homes filled with stuff that now means nothing. They never thought, no matter how bad it got in the economy that they would be thinking about how they are going to eat next week. They suffer now in part from slipping into a slumber on their plan to live wisely and responsibly. Some slopes have crushed families into a pit that seems insurmountable. The slope of frivolous living we have all been on at some point.
Thankfully many are learning a new way to live and they are planning with more more wisdom and quality. It is a tough way to learn what life is truly about but the gains are tremendous.
(These thoughts stemmed from watching a segment of 60 Minutes and my devotional reading this morning. Proverbs 27:23-27 spoke to me about living purposely with a hard earned plan that when put in place faithfully will bring security through tough times. Be blessed!
There are many families and individuals like us. The sad thing is there are many who did not receive lessons presented to get their affairs in order. Plans to live wisely eluded them. What is it they say? Failing to plan is by default a plan to fail. Again, I am not speaking to any who have been on this purposeful living course and are continually working very hard to an even more purposeful life. No matter when the realization comes to living poorly, the important thing is change courses. For our family that came in 2009. I am so very grateful we were allowed the opportunity to begin getting some things in order before our economy got real bad.
The perilous times facing so many right now is truly heart breaking. My husband and I were so humbled and sobered the other night watching 60 Minutes. There was a segment on how many well meaning people (many who had been middle and upper managers as well as executives) who's lives spiraled out of control when they lost their jobs ending well established careers. They have spent their retirement and their children's college funds in effort to keep their homes, pay bills and put food on the table. Things they might have taken a little for granted before.
The segments focus was on the 99 week policy we have for unemployment and how many have still not been able to find jobs. Their unemployement is about to run out and after almost 2 years they still have no employment. One previous executive shared how he was genuinely happy to have just been hired as a sales clerk at Target. The experience has been very humbling and somber for so many.
What is happening is devastating and it is only by the grace of God we have not met such dire circumstances. I hope what I am about to say is not found offensive but rather becomes a moment of honest reflection and hindsight. As a nation, for many years we have lived a priveleged (and some analysts say spoiled) existence. Studies show we spend the most on education while coming in about 4th worldwide on the quality and level of that education. We have advocated instant gratification and entitlement instead of earning to achieve and living with purpose and value. Spend, spend, spend, get it now. There has been a calculated move to teach us to live above our means more and more through the use of credit cards and mortgaging our homes to their well inflated limit.
As a result, one portion of those now found in devastating times are quite truthfully due to years and years of living above their means. Getting bigger houses, cars and things they really could not afford. Homes filled with stuff that now means nothing. They never thought, no matter how bad it got in the economy that they would be thinking about how they are going to eat next week. They suffer now in part from slipping into a slumber on their plan to live wisely and responsibly. Some slopes have crushed families into a pit that seems insurmountable. The slope of frivolous living we have all been on at some point.
Thankfully many are learning a new way to live and they are planning with more more wisdom and quality. It is a tough way to learn what life is truly about but the gains are tremendous.
(These thoughts stemmed from watching a segment of 60 Minutes and my devotional reading this morning. Proverbs 27:23-27 spoke to me about living purposely with a hard earned plan that when put in place faithfully will bring security through tough times. Be blessed!
Daily Devotional 1
In reading Proverbs this morning, I found a scripture that backs how I have always felt about fighting. I preface my thoughts however with this - there is a time to fight and that is to defend your life or family - but this instance is really very rare. A huge majority of fights are simply temporal matters we need not be drawn into.
Let me introduce the scripture here. "Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him" (Proverbs 27:22/NIV). In my younger years I can't recount any fights I saw where a foolish person changed his mind because he was beat up. The victor may have won the physical fight but it did not change the venom the foolish person spewed. As a matter of fact, most fights seemed to end with the foolish person all bloodied and battered still talking hateful or opposed to the victor.
I used to say all the time, beating someone up does not change their mind. They may not be up in their opposers face but they continue their foolishness. How many times have we pulled a friend back saying, "It's not worth it". There are no truer words we could say to our friends.
Let me introduce the scripture here. "Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him" (Proverbs 27:22/NIV). In my younger years I can't recount any fights I saw where a foolish person changed his mind because he was beat up. The victor may have won the physical fight but it did not change the venom the foolish person spewed. As a matter of fact, most fights seemed to end with the foolish person all bloodied and battered still talking hateful or opposed to the victor.
I used to say all the time, beating someone up does not change their mind. They may not be up in their opposers face but they continue their foolishness. How many times have we pulled a friend back saying, "It's not worth it". There are no truer words we could say to our friends.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Fear and Faith
A friend of mine emailed my a wonderful testimonial to a new posture she is taking on. I related to it in so many ways, I asked her permission to post it here as well as my response. I hope you find some encouragement through our thoughts.
Subject: FEAR and FAITH- A Word of encouragement.
Family and Friends,
This morning in my prayer time I ask God for clarity concerning FEAR and FAITH in my life. This word of encouragement I pray will bless your spirits as it has helped mine.
For the past 2 months I have been in a battle within my mind over faith and fear. Fear of what I could not confirm to be true, fear of what I though I could not control, fear of feeling helpless, unloved, mistreated and disrespected. Not necessarily from family or friends, but as a whole. Each day I would have to dig deep, grab a bulldog hold on my faith in God, trust Him further than I could trace Him and encourage myself in the knowledge that I was right where God wanted me to be. I realized at this crossroad, the I needed to hold on to the one thing that stands the test of time, HIS WORD!
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1
My faith was being tested. God was challenging me to look internally and come to the understanding that He allows such circumstances to come about in order that I might learn how to totally look to and depend upon Him. So that I can get our of self, focus my attention on His plan and accept that life is not always about me....it's about His will for my life.
I had to stop and take inventory of the things going on in my life. I work and full and part time job to support my family and pay for college. I am in school 2 nights a week working on completing my degree. I'm trying to do ministry and give him the time He deserves but it just seems like I am stretched so thin. FEAR begins to creep in and you question if you are really doing what is right for you as opposed to what God planned. FEAR tells you that you are going to fail, that you are no longer as faithful in certain aspects of your life. FEAR told me that when my boss questioned how focused I was on my job because I was not able to devote my extra time at work to push my staff that perhaps my job was in jeopardy. My boss is used to me being the very best and yes, my focus has not been as precise with the other areas pulling at my attention. At the beginning of the year I made a vow to pay off all existing debt before 12/31/09 12:59 pm. FEAR told me recently that I would not meet that goal even though I am 2 credit cards or $600.00 away from paying off all 5 that I started with at the beginning of the year. Or that I only have 5 car payments left to pay my truck off and my hope was to do it before 12/31/09 12:59 pm and the funds I though I would have by now have not manifested in the natural. FEAR told me the people I care the most about don't care the same way about me. Their absence or lack of attention somehow reflected negatively on me. FEAR was trying to take me out.
For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
I HAD TO OVERCOME FEAR. I had to decide for myself that God can remove it all from around me and I would still have faith in HIS plan, purpose and will for my life. I had to stop listening to that little imp whispering words of defeat into my ear gate, and declare that God controlled my destiny and not Valarie, family, friends, co-worker, finances, school or my children.
If we examine FEAR we see that F=Faith. What we allow to enter our EAR gate takes up residence in our mind and feeds our soul. The only way to combat that is by having faith in what God says and not what others say. I was not clearly listing to God though this time.... otherwise I would have heard him saying "I've Got this Val, step back and let me be GOD!."
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 The more I allowed myself to listen to the distractions, the more they took residence in my mind. As I pondered them, the more focused I became on trying to understand and fix what I thought was broken. The more I tried to fix what I thought was broken the more FEAR consumed me. I was fearful in what my natural eye thought was true instead of trusting my spiritual eye, asking God to reveal the truth and then stand on His will for my life. I was in need of a transfusion for my mind.
When I accepted God's promise though that one simple statement (and it took some kicking and screaming and tons of tears on my part), I realized my lack of trust and faith was causing my fears to manifest in the natural.
God took me into the word and reminded me that David was anointed some 20 years before He allowed him to rule. That all of David's brothers, Jesse's sone, were in the eyes of others more suitable to reign, it was about Gods plan. When He has a plan for our lives it is on purpose. We may not see it, we seldom understand fully, but we must trust through faith in HIM that HIS plan will come to pass.
I've been fortunate to see God's word manifest in the lives of others around me and I am so excited for their blessings because I realize His timing is everything. You see when you do it right, God will bless it right. There have been times and circumstances I've found myself dealing with that I've questioned God's plan and purpose over my life. Some days I wonder how much longer...and God reminds me to not be weary in well doing. I have learned that when I place my focus on things I desire as opposed to the things God demands I begin to doubt and wonder and allow my focus to be shifted. When I take myself out of the equation, re-align myself to His will, I no longer fear the who, what, when, where, why and how but instead embrace HIS timing.
I have to remove myself from certain environments that make me question who I am in Christ and what my worth is.
Just like David, people often times don't recognize greatness in others. It takes a Godly eye to see the purpose and hand of God at work. David was selected from among his older brothers who looked the role but didn't have the anointing. God is only looking for a willing vessel, someone willing to yield to his command. To do so, you have to live and operate in faith. You can not fear where He is taking you, or question the path you are on.
I took the revelation as a way of clearing the clutter in my head and asked God to clear my heart of whatever had taken root to make me question HIM.
I know many of you are struggling, questioning God about why you are in the place you are in. How much longer will you struggle? Why the people you love the most have the tendency to hurt you with a far greater force than those outside of your inner circle. I've been asking God this for weeks now. What God has finally revealed to me is:
Valarie: Let GO!
Valarie: Love Me!
Valarie: Trust and Rely on Me!
Valarie: I see where you are and I know where you'd like to be but I am preparing you!
Valarie: You've had to depend on you most of your life. Now learn to depend on Me!
Valarie: If I took it all away, would you still trust and praise me?
Valarie: I know the thought I think toward you. Thoughts of peace and not evil to give you an expected end. When I set the ball in motion, all you will have to do is walk into your purpose. I am teaching you to be flexible, allowing your roots to grow firm like the palm tree so as the storms arise, you will have the ability to bend in the mist of the storm without being uprooted. I am perfecting your faith, removing all fears, establishing my hold on you and forcing you to walk, live and move by and in faith! Most of all, I am allowing others to see how you go through this storm so when you come out, it will be a testimony to what I've invested in you. I've never been closer to you, and I will never leave you!
God gives this to me the same as He would to you. I pray you are blessed and encouraged by this word. Don't lose sight of your faith, do lose faith in God, don't lose God through Fear and don't Fear change. You've waited this long...You'd better get ready, Payday is coming after awhile!
This and other postings are available at the Damascus website listed below. I pray you are encouraged.
Minister Valarie Williams,
Damascus Road Ministry
www.damascusroadministry.com
My reply was as follows:
Great timely words! I thank God for who He is and His awesome understanding, Love and ever-Presence with us. Your prayerful words mirror my life as I am sure they do many others. I thank you for your unction to express and share your prayers - they r not received over deaf ears and your effort is not in vain. How lovely and awesome is our God!
Be encouraged but more so determine to keep loose from the old weights that once laid heavy on your shoulders and heart - its time for you and me to be free while spirit led for the battle is not ours and our steps R ordered (and backed up) by God.
Have a wonderful day to all who stop by and read today's blog!
cTracy
Subject: FEAR and FAITH- A Word of encouragement.
Family and Friends,
This morning in my prayer time I ask God for clarity concerning FEAR and FAITH in my life. This word of encouragement I pray will bless your spirits as it has helped mine.
For the past 2 months I have been in a battle within my mind over faith and fear. Fear of what I could not confirm to be true, fear of what I though I could not control, fear of feeling helpless, unloved, mistreated and disrespected. Not necessarily from family or friends, but as a whole. Each day I would have to dig deep, grab a bulldog hold on my faith in God, trust Him further than I could trace Him and encourage myself in the knowledge that I was right where God wanted me to be. I realized at this crossroad, the I needed to hold on to the one thing that stands the test of time, HIS WORD!
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1
My faith was being tested. God was challenging me to look internally and come to the understanding that He allows such circumstances to come about in order that I might learn how to totally look to and depend upon Him. So that I can get our of self, focus my attention on His plan and accept that life is not always about me....it's about His will for my life.
I had to stop and take inventory of the things going on in my life. I work and full and part time job to support my family and pay for college. I am in school 2 nights a week working on completing my degree. I'm trying to do ministry and give him the time He deserves but it just seems like I am stretched so thin. FEAR begins to creep in and you question if you are really doing what is right for you as opposed to what God planned. FEAR tells you that you are going to fail, that you are no longer as faithful in certain aspects of your life. FEAR told me that when my boss questioned how focused I was on my job because I was not able to devote my extra time at work to push my staff that perhaps my job was in jeopardy. My boss is used to me being the very best and yes, my focus has not been as precise with the other areas pulling at my attention. At the beginning of the year I made a vow to pay off all existing debt before 12/31/09 12:59 pm. FEAR told me recently that I would not meet that goal even though I am 2 credit cards or $600.00 away from paying off all 5 that I started with at the beginning of the year. Or that I only have 5 car payments left to pay my truck off and my hope was to do it before 12/31/09 12:59 pm and the funds I though I would have by now have not manifested in the natural. FEAR told me the people I care the most about don't care the same way about me. Their absence or lack of attention somehow reflected negatively on me. FEAR was trying to take me out.
For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
I HAD TO OVERCOME FEAR. I had to decide for myself that God can remove it all from around me and I would still have faith in HIS plan, purpose and will for my life. I had to stop listening to that little imp whispering words of defeat into my ear gate, and declare that God controlled my destiny and not Valarie, family, friends, co-worker, finances, school or my children.
If we examine FEAR we see that F=Faith. What we allow to enter our EAR gate takes up residence in our mind and feeds our soul. The only way to combat that is by having faith in what God says and not what others say. I was not clearly listing to God though this time.... otherwise I would have heard him saying "I've Got this Val, step back and let me be GOD!."
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 The more I allowed myself to listen to the distractions, the more they took residence in my mind. As I pondered them, the more focused I became on trying to understand and fix what I thought was broken. The more I tried to fix what I thought was broken the more FEAR consumed me. I was fearful in what my natural eye thought was true instead of trusting my spiritual eye, asking God to reveal the truth and then stand on His will for my life. I was in need of a transfusion for my mind.
When I accepted God's promise though that one simple statement (and it took some kicking and screaming and tons of tears on my part), I realized my lack of trust and faith was causing my fears to manifest in the natural.
God took me into the word and reminded me that David was anointed some 20 years before He allowed him to rule. That all of David's brothers, Jesse's sone, were in the eyes of others more suitable to reign, it was about Gods plan. When He has a plan for our lives it is on purpose. We may not see it, we seldom understand fully, but we must trust through faith in HIM that HIS plan will come to pass.
I've been fortunate to see God's word manifest in the lives of others around me and I am so excited for their blessings because I realize His timing is everything. You see when you do it right, God will bless it right. There have been times and circumstances I've found myself dealing with that I've questioned God's plan and purpose over my life. Some days I wonder how much longer...and God reminds me to not be weary in well doing. I have learned that when I place my focus on things I desire as opposed to the things God demands I begin to doubt and wonder and allow my focus to be shifted. When I take myself out of the equation, re-align myself to His will, I no longer fear the who, what, when, where, why and how but instead embrace HIS timing.
I have to remove myself from certain environments that make me question who I am in Christ and what my worth is.
Just like David, people often times don't recognize greatness in others. It takes a Godly eye to see the purpose and hand of God at work. David was selected from among his older brothers who looked the role but didn't have the anointing. God is only looking for a willing vessel, someone willing to yield to his command. To do so, you have to live and operate in faith. You can not fear where He is taking you, or question the path you are on.
I took the revelation as a way of clearing the clutter in my head and asked God to clear my heart of whatever had taken root to make me question HIM.
I know many of you are struggling, questioning God about why you are in the place you are in. How much longer will you struggle? Why the people you love the most have the tendency to hurt you with a far greater force than those outside of your inner circle. I've been asking God this for weeks now. What God has finally revealed to me is:
Valarie: Let GO!
Valarie: Love Me!
Valarie: Trust and Rely on Me!
Valarie: I see where you are and I know where you'd like to be but I am preparing you!
Valarie: You've had to depend on you most of your life. Now learn to depend on Me!
Valarie: If I took it all away, would you still trust and praise me?
Valarie: I know the thought I think toward you. Thoughts of peace and not evil to give you an expected end. When I set the ball in motion, all you will have to do is walk into your purpose. I am teaching you to be flexible, allowing your roots to grow firm like the palm tree so as the storms arise, you will have the ability to bend in the mist of the storm without being uprooted. I am perfecting your faith, removing all fears, establishing my hold on you and forcing you to walk, live and move by and in faith! Most of all, I am allowing others to see how you go through this storm so when you come out, it will be a testimony to what I've invested in you. I've never been closer to you, and I will never leave you!
God gives this to me the same as He would to you. I pray you are blessed and encouraged by this word. Don't lose sight of your faith, do lose faith in God, don't lose God through Fear and don't Fear change. You've waited this long...You'd better get ready, Payday is coming after awhile!
This and other postings are available at the Damascus website listed below. I pray you are encouraged.
Minister Valarie Williams,
Damascus Road Ministry
www.damascusroadministry.com
My reply was as follows:
Great timely words! I thank God for who He is and His awesome understanding, Love and ever-Presence with us. Your prayerful words mirror my life as I am sure they do many others. I thank you for your unction to express and share your prayers - they r not received over deaf ears and your effort is not in vain. How lovely and awesome is our God!
Be encouraged but more so determine to keep loose from the old weights that once laid heavy on your shoulders and heart - its time for you and me to be free while spirit led for the battle is not ours and our steps R ordered (and backed up) by God.
Have a wonderful day to all who stop by and read today's blog!
cTracy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
