YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH!!

29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”  30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. ~~ Proverbs 31:29 – 31

If we know the story of the Proverbs 31 woman, you know the list of her accomplishments or accolades bestowed upon her.  But the most important thing about Her is that she is not concerned with what seems right according to the world. Instead, she focuses on God’s truth. Her biggest desire is to honor Him. That is her story, your story may be very different, your path may have been rocky, and you may not have had anyone to honor you in the same manner, but you have to know my dear Sister that, YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH!! 

You were born more than enough, the Lord said these words to Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5.  

He said this to Jeremiah, but he also says the same to you and about you.  You are God’s greatest creation; He chose you to be set apart and there is no one like you.  Take the time to tell yourself what David said in Psalms 139

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.  15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Psalm 139:14-15

Let me just say this, you are so unique that if you stood in a room of 1000 other women and the Lord called you specifically by name, 999 other women would have to take a seat.  Embrace your uniqueness, your difference, it is who you are, and it sets you apart from anyone else.  I used to think that I was strange, but after reading God’s word, one of my favorite scriptures –
1 Peter 2:9, I found that I’m not strange, but I’m peculiar – that’s a good thing.

Just writing this makes me so excited about being ME!  There is no one like ME!! I hope it makes you feel the same, knowing that you walk a path set just for you, I caution you to be protective of that path, stand strong, armored up – not allowing anyone to knock you off course where you end of up a place where you no longer feel worthy.

Walk in victory knowing that YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH!!

GIRL I SEE YOU!

COMPARING MEN AND WOMEN ATTIRE IN THE BIBLE/CHURCH

5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.  ~~ Deuteronomy 22:5

I had a very interesting discussion this week, with my Niece and Nephew about women wearing pants in the church.  My nephew brought up the past, where girls at our high school of a certain religion never wore pants.  Even in Physical Ed Class they worked out in long skirts. When I shared a couple of scriptures with them, such as Deuteronomy 22:5, they wanted to know how today’s scripture could be true or relevant when everyone in the bible days wore a dress.  Was there really a way to tell the difference between men and women clothing?

Although everyone wore dresses in the bible, there was a way to make the distinction between what men and women wore in church.  I wanted to help them further, so I found pictures, trying to show the difference between the men and women garbs in the bible days.

As you can see, men wore beards and facial hair to appear as ‘men’ and were often represented with weapons, such as swords or staffs on their side.  While women had the same flowing robes there was modifications, such as overall length and hoods or hair coverings and jewelry.  Although their garments were similar, it was easy to see the difference, so it would not be acceptable for either of them to show up to the temple wearing a garment pertaining to the opposite sex.  There is no blurred line here, scripture is very clear – men should wear those items fitting a man and the same for a woman.  This doesn’t happen in present time, as this is where the line gets blurred.  In today’s society, we wear what we want, but men are not labeled as harshly as women are in the church  or in society as a whole.  Whatever a woman wears, to some people says who she is, based on a mere glance someone will label her by what she is not.  We have to be careful with this type of judgement, because if we took the time getting to know the person behind the label, we would probably get a different viewpoint.

Don’t steal my glory before you know my story!!

When Samuel went to anoint David King, he looked at David’s brother, and he was sure that God would choose him because of his good looks, but that didn’t happen.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ~~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Rahab’s story is messy, and at first glance we would never see how the Lord could use her, but nevertheless, she shows us how to stand firm in the face of danger. She showed us how faith in action allows God to transform us.  She didn’t look good to some, but she is considered righteous for her obedience to God (giving lodging to the spies and sending the Canaanites in a different direction).

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.  ~~ Hebrews 11:31

Before we started to cherry pick scripture, which is the application of using certain Scriptures that fit our story, purpose, or denomination, completely ignoring all other Scriptures around it that are applicable but don’t help our cause. I wanted to leave them with one important thing and that is the word of God is true, how we interpret it may be very different, but that doesn’t negate its validity.

We may not always get it right at first glance, but Girl, I See You!!

Love the Unlovable

Loving others is not always easy. However, there are some that make it a delight to love them. Those that we share the same interest and passions. Even when situations are challenging, these individuals are still worth the fight, so love prevails. But what about those that are just difficult people to start with.

Difficult people are not only difficult to love; they are also difficult to be around. We go to great lengths to avoid these types of people. We hide when at work. We tell our children to say we are not home when they call. We even walk the other way at church, pretending we didn’t see them.

The worse may be those you want to love, but they find it hard to accept that love. So they do whatever they can to sabotage the relationship. No matter how hard you try or how many times you forgive and restore the relationship, they reject that love. They find every flaw in the relationship and pick apart themselves, giving every excuse as to why they don’t deserve that love.

No matter the type of difficult person you encounter, loving the unlovable is just hard. But what if we made it easy. What if we didn’t view others as difficult to love but as those most deserving of our love. Maybe they are being difficult because they have never experienced real love. They could be in your life for just that reason, to experience real love.

From some personal experience, those I find difficult tend to reflect some difficult characteristics in me. Yep, difficult people can be a mirror. Wouldn’t you want others to view you as deserving of love if you were difficult to them?

I challenge you to love those difficult people with the love that has been shown to you. Love them as you would love yourself. And if loving yourself is difficult, start there by showing yourself some grace.

We all deserve love.

Loving Your Partner

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

True, genuine love begins after the spell wears off, after the actual or relational honeymoon ends and real life begins. If you know that loving someone starts at the end of the buckling knees, then you’re prepared, you don’t give up. You don’t think, Oh, no, it’s over! My heart doesn’t flutter anymore, and the butterflies are gone.

When you love your partner, you do what needs to be done to nurture what’s most important to you by being fully invested.  That means that you care about the relationship, and you’re invested in relationship health. If problems arise, being invested means you will work with the other person to solve them.

Small investments in your everyday relationships can offer huge benefits when you most need them.

Here are some things you can do in your relationship

  1. Commit to Your Relationship

Decide that you are going to be in the relationship; that you are going to work toward its growth; that you will nourish it to the best of your ability.  Without that commitment, you don’t have the necessary foundation to build a loving relationship. That is why this first step is crucial.

You have to know that loving partners are not secretive; they’re open about where they are and who they’re with. If their plans change, they’ll call you or send you a text. Because, in their excitement of being with others and whatever they’re doing, they haven’t forgotten about you. They’re thoughtful.

  1. Invest Time

The workaholic who works 60 hours a week might say, “I love my partner so much. I’m working hard to provide for them.” That’s not love. Remember, love is not a feeling; it’s not words.  It’s an action that you decide to take.  Take the time to create a more intimate relationship with your Partner. Prioritize a routine date night to fan the flame of your relationship.

Take Time to:

  • Talk with each other,
  • Communicate and share things that are important,
  • Build connection and intimacy,
  • Ensure you see and notice your partner, appreciate who they are and all the things they do.

Invest time in your relationships.  In your marriage, make sure to go to bed together, make and eat meals together, write small love notes to each other, love one another.

PRAYER:  Lord, our prayer is that you help us to truly cherish our partner and that you teach us what it means to put them on a “Faith Supported Pedestal”. We need your Divine support to transform our hearts to ensure our partner will always feel loved and respected.

Do Something New – Take Care Of You!!

(SELF CARE IS NOT JUST A BUZZWORD)

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

The word self-care in the bible looks a little different than what we may practice today, nevertheless, God’s word is clear that we are to take time for ourselves in order to draw near to Him and care for ourselves.

In the past year, self-care has become a buzzword for some, but for others, it is a real necessity.  You see big-time athletes and entertainers walk away from their sport or craft to get the care they need.   Unfortunately, this has not always gone well with the media and others who feel they are being “too weak” or “selfish”, as if they owe their lives to those who are entertained by what they do.

Despite what others think, self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself as it produces positive feelings and boosts your confidence and self-esteem. Also, self-care is necessary to remind yourself and others that you and your needs are important too.   People are dying because they ignore the need for self-care.

To administer self-care takes discipline, respect, and tough-mindedness to do the things that are good for you. When you take care of yourself, you will have more energy to take care of others joyfully.

Are there people that misinterpret self-care and turn it into so much self-focus that they become selfish…yes for sure!!  This doesn’t apply to everyone.  Those of us who need to take care of ourselves, be it physical or mental health, should do so without fear of conviction or judgment from others, those who can’t possibly know how we feel.

I for one, have the appearance of always being strong, able to take care of everyone and everything around me.  Well truth be told, it can take a toll on your life, I haven’t made a resolution yet, but I plan to take better care of myself and in doing so I’ll be better equipped to help others do the same.   One of my favorite books from the Psalmist is Psalm 46 – vs. 5 tells us that “God is within her; she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”  When self-care is my priority and God is with me, there is nothing I can’t do.  When I try to keep up the rapid pace, in fear I may disappoint someone, I only hurt myself.  There is a fine line I must walk to ward off a mental collapse.

I challenge you today, take the time you need to take care of yourself, it’s not only beneficial to you, but to those around you.

I found these 10 Easy Habits To Get You Started On Self-Care, I’m sharing them with you and I hope you find them helpful.

  • Go for a walk or a light jog
  • Meditate or do deep breathing for five minutes
  • Take a break when you need it
  • Choose who you spend time with
  • Laugh heartily at least once a day
  • Eat healthy meals
  • Avoid emotional eating
  • Start a journal – write what you are feeling
  • Learn to say ‘No’
  • Stop overthinking everything

REMINDER:  Self-care is necessary to remind yourself and others that you and your needs are important too.  It produces positive feelings and boosts your confidence and self-esteem.   Smart self-care habits like eating healthy, connecting with a loved one or, practicing meditation cuts down the toxic effects of stress by improving your mood and boosting your energy and confidence levels.  Lastly, nothing helps the mental state more than spending time in the presence of the Lord.

Take time in 2022 to TAKE CARE OF YOU!!

We have new opportunities this New Year!! Be Blessed My Friends!!

Decluttering Your Spirit

“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke 12: 15-21

As I wind down my long working career and start to prepare for retirement and a move to a different state, I feel the urgency to simplify my life.  To declutter, my office and my home, since I have far more possessions than I could ever use in a lifetime.  One thing that is clear to me is that when my home or office is cluttered, I’m unproductive which creates chaos for me and those around me.    By cutting down the clutter in your home to only the items you will genuinely use, you will also help yourself feel calmer and less under pressure to complete a mountain of tasks.  There’s no denying that when your home and life are cluttered, you’re more likely to feel overwhelmed. More stuff equals more demands on your attention and it’s difficult to focus because you feel pulled in so many directions.

 

Decluttering your home is important, decluttering your spirit is equally as important.

Ephesians 4:31-32 states, “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”

Dealing with clutter, physical or spiritual, is a life-long endeavor.  Research shows that disorganization and clutter have an increasing effect on your brain. Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganization can drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.

Just as our brains like order, our spirit man likes order as well, have you noticed how you feel or behave when you have overloaded yourself with negative content.  I know for me I feel sluggish, unmotivated, and almost paralyzed.  The way to rid myself of this feeling is to focus on the word of God.

Here are Bible verses to focus on that can help declutter our spirit:

  • For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~~Matthew 6:21 –This is an implicit warning, that if one’s treasure is on earth, one’s heart and attention will also be on earthly matters, to the exclusion of God.
  • For God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace. ~~1 Corinthians 14:33 – Paul wanted to remind born-again saints that their disorderly behavior and continual bickering was dishonoring to the Lord and contradictory to His ways. They reflected the ungodly conduct of the unsaved who are still members of a fallen creation.
  • And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ~~Mark 10:21 – A wealthy young man asks Jesus about eternal life—and gets an unexpected answer in return. His response to Jesus’ answer shows that his interest in God is limited by one thing: his money. In this, Jesus reveals that those whom God blesses often value the gifts more than the Giver. We declutter our spirit when we know which is more important, just to give you a hint, it’s not our money.
  • Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ~~ 1 John 2:15 – The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, but believers must be careful not to seek or value possession for the purpose of abusing them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.

These scriptures help us to see how we clutter our spirit, there are just as many that help us to declutter.  As I prepare to declutter my physical house for a move, I find it’s an opportune time to do a checkup on my spirit.  I’m excited to see what the Lord will do as a result of my spiritual housecleaning, there is so much more that He can pour into an empty vessel than one that is hoarded.

Songwriter puts it this way, “Lord I’m available to you, my will I give to you, I’ll do what you say do use me, Lord, to show someone the way and enable me to say, my storage is empty, and I am available to you.

There’s no time like the present to declutter, it’ll be beneficial to you and those around!!

Faith Is The Main Ingredient!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6

 

The beginning of the beforementioned Scripture also tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  So, the basic definition of faith, is simply believing in God’s goodness and believing that He rewards the people who seek after Him.  This passage describes a conviction that already takes custody of what we hope for and what God has promised us in the future. This present-day ownership of things hoped for and promised in the future is an inner reality. Right now, amid a global pandemic, financial crisis, and social unrest, as our world seems to be falling apart,  but we who have faith can stand on the unshakeable promises of God’s peace, provision, mercy, grace, and salvation. His Word can be trusted. We can have full confidence in the Lord’s promises because they are real and a firm foundation for this life.

Another definition of faith contains the same two aspects: intellectual acceptance and trust. Intellectual acceptance is believing something to be true. Trust is actually relying on the fact that the something is true.   The analogy of a chair is often used to help illustrate this. The acceptance is recognizing that a chair is in fact a chair and agreeing that it is designed to support a person who sits on it. Trust is actually sitting in the chair.

We grow our faith by experiencing examples of God’s faithfulness. We can start by choosing a promise from the Bible that says if we do one thing, then some specific result will happen, even though the result might not make any sense. Each time we do this and find that the promised result really happens, our faith in God grows. The next time it’s easier for us to do something even when the result seems even more farfetched.

Sometimes, we get the wrong idea when we look only at the end results of a long process. It would be like looking at an Olympic runner and saying you could never run that far or fast.  We have to understand that no one starts out at the Olympic level! And as Christians, our faith doesn’t start there either.

Another way to show our faith is by giving. it is the one thing in the bible that God actually wants us to test Him on! Malachi 3:10 it says:

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

As we start the new year, let’s exercise our Faith and see what God will do as a result of our trusting in him despite what we see or feel.

WISDOM – OFTEN GREATER THAN MONEY

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  ~~ Ephesians 5:15-16

 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  ~~ James 3:13

 

Wisdom – the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.  The ability to discern inner qualities and relationships.   Wisdom is that knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life it’s the natural ability to understand any given subject.

 

The Bible speak of a number of people who walked by or asked for wisdom?  Here are a few we would like to explore.

We start with King Solomon who was wise beyond his years. He was around 20 years old when he was called by God to be King.  He knew that he needed help in knowing how to be a good King and take care of the kingdom. Solomon could have asked God for anything to assist him on this journey; money or material possessions but instead, he asked God for wisdom.  God had offered him anything his heart desired, and he requested wisdom. He felt wisdom was worth more than even money.  Because of his response, God granted him wisdom, He also gave him what he didn’t ask for, both wealth and honor.  Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, worth more than money.  He would have no king equal to him in his lifetime.  1 Kings 3:1-15

 

Abigail displayed wisdom as she dealt both with her foolish husband Nabal and with David who was very angry and ready to take revenge. Dealing with difficult people is a great challenge. Abigail shows us the value of learning and applying God’s wisdom in relationships and in making an appeal. You can read the story in 1 Samuel 25: 23-35.   There is a lot to learned from the way Abigail dealt with her situation.

Some wise people in the Bible are not specifically named but they played a huge role in preventing undue violence and bloodshed or seeking the Messiah.

  • A wise woman of Abel is an unnamed figure in the   She appears in 2 Samuel 20:16-22, when Joab pursues the rebel Sheba to the city of Abel. The woman, who lives in Abel, institutes a deal with Joab, who promises to leave the city if Sheba is handed over to him. The woman speaks to the people of the city, and they behead Sheba, and throws his head over the wall, at which Joab departs.
  • On the night of Christ’s birth, a mysterious light appeared in the sky which became a shining star that continued in the heavens. Tradition says that there were three wise men, this came from the fact that the Bible mentions three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, this is according to Matthew 2:11. It is not really known if more than 3 men travelled to see baby Jesus, what is known is that they bring to light that the Savior of the world had been born.  The wise men who came seeking the Christ child were not ordinary men or idolaters; they were upright men of integrity. Kings seeking the King of Kings.  What they do next is what we should all do when we encounter the Lord, they bowed down and worshipped Him and presented Him with gifts.

Of course, there are many otherwise mentionable in the Bible, I implore you to search the scriptures to find them and see what knowledge you can take from them that you can apply to your own life.

 

I leave you with these 8 characteristics of wise people, based on James 3:13-18

  1. Humble – Wise people don’t constantly brag, boast, or display a prideful attitude.
  2. Good deeds – Wise people live an upright and moral life.
  3. Gentle – Wise people treat others with care and respect.
  4. Considerate – Wise people put the needs of others ahead of themselves whenever possible.
  5. Peace-loving – Wise people don’t foster division. Instead, they work to end strife and turmoil.
  6. Merciful – Wise people demonstrate compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to others.
  7. Sincere – Wise people are genuine, real, and honest; not deceitful, hypocritical, or false.
  8. Impartial – Wise people are fair and just. They do not show partiality to others for their own benefit.

Priscilla: Walking in Godly Partnership

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. – Acts 18:1-3

As in the case of Lydia, Priscilla is not detailed a lot in the bible.  Priscilla, or Prisca, is a Jew from Pontus, she is married to Aquila and they were both tentmakers.  Priscilla is always paired with her husband, Aquila, so it is difficult to separate her and place her on a pedestal of her own.  Together they show us the meaning of partnership, working together for the good of the church and the cause of the kingdom.  They labored together in the service of the church as they had mutually agreed to put Christ first.

In the six references where both are mentioned, the name of Priscilla comes first in three instances, and Aquila is first in the other three. They are never mentioned apart.  A number of speculations have been put forth why Priscilla comes first at all in the references. Some writers suggest that she perhaps had the stronger character, but never overshadowing her partner.

In certain biblical references, Priscilla is called by the more formal name “Prisca.” The fact that the writers felt comfortable at other points to use her nickname suggests that Priscilla was a warm-hearted, gracious woman who didn’t take herself too seriously.

 

Priscilla spent time with the Apostle Paul and the work of the ministry. She and her husband Aquila not only risked their lives for Paul (Romans 16:4), but they also showed us an example of a godly marriage, a true power couple in the Bible.  When Apollos spoke boldly in the temple, together Priscilla and Aquilla took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately and he went on to greatly help those who believed through grace.

The two went on to establish a church in their home in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19).  Throughout their ministry, the couple exemplified kindness, hospitality, and hard work, no matter where God planted them.

Because we can’t speak of one without the other, this couple appeared attached at the hip throughout Scripture, and Scripture presents them together as equals, despite the view of women in the Jewish culture. This goes to show that two can become one in marriage, making the other stronger through a strong relationship with Christ at the center.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord thank you for the example of another woman you used in the bible, help us to learn these lessons exhibited by Priscilla:

  • Dedicate our life to Kingdom work
  • Be a hardworker – tentmaking was not an easy task
  • Have an attitude that won’t allow a bad day to define us
  • Allow her example to give us reason to be confident
  • Seek a man who will walk along with us in our Christian life.

In Jesus’ name, we pray and ask it all ~~ Amen

Honoring Senior Citizens

1 Timothy 5:1-2 – 1Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Respecting our elders is an aged old practice, it is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. When addressing elders, Chinese etiquette involves using the word “nin”, which is the polite version of the word “you” in Mandarin. The elders almost always come first in Chinese society. You greet them first in a meeting, and they get seated first at dinner.

Among Native Americans, Elders still meet to make decisions through discussion and consensus.  At a presbytery gathering, a meeting of the elders might be called to make recommendations on issues before the governing body, this shows great respect.

Senior citizens have a lifetime of experience, they’ve survived The Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam War, and The Great Recession. They have taught us about enduring change and handling life’s adversity. They may have lost their hearing, or their memory isn’t what it was in the past, but senior citizens have great wisdom to impart.  Isn’t it more interesting to hear about history from someone who lived it?

There are several ways we can show our respect and honor our Elders:

·       Take Time to Listen
  • Ask Them for Advice
  • Enjoy a Meal Together
  • Discuss Family History and Heritage
  • Pick Up the Phone to Call Them
  • Express Your Appreciation

 

Personally, I wish I had taken the time to sit down with my grandparents to get their take on life and family history, those things I could have handed down to my children and my children’s children.  I missed the opportunity; I pray you won’t have to.


Prayer:  Heavenly Father, your word has set an example of how we are to honor and respect those who paved the way for us.  Remind us of what this looks like, help us to do the things that show respect, to not just some, but all elderly people, despite how we feel about them or their present state of mind.   Help us to take the opportunity to glean from them, historical facts that we can someday pass down.  We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen!