What's the Plan?

For most, the first two weeks of a new year are quite busy. This is when everyone resolves to lose weight, get the finances in order, and so on and so forth. But around March or April, we tend to forget the resolutions made. I don't believe in making resolutions. I am a person who is incapable of reaching long term goals. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. However, if I decide to do something and I really, REALLY want to do it, then I will. I would like to simply live one day at a time and to make the most of every moment that I am given.

I don't know about anyone else, but I my 2011 wasn't at all what I thought it would be. One thing last year taught me was that sometimes, my plan of action isn't always the best plan of action. I had so many expectations this time last year. And it started off pretty good but somewhere around April things began to fall apart. I heard a mini sermon today on the radio that sounded so much like my life as it was in 2011. The speaker was talking about how we plan our lives according to our age. We expected to do XYZ by the time we're 25, 30, 40 and when those milestones pass and we haven't attained that thing or the things that we aspired to, we get confused and question God. She went on to point out that we fail because our plans aren't in line with God's plan. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (NLT).  In God's great plan, we all live on a "need to know" basis. If He shows you the end result, maybe you won't try as hard in the process; perhaps you'll burn a few bridges. Or worse, you may forget who's really in charge and take all of the credit for yourself.

Now people love to quote the above scripture. Okay... I love to quote the above scripture. It's my favorite. It sounds good and it can fit any situation but today, I find myself looking back and knowing in my heart of hearts, that I never really hid this particular word in my heart. As I type, I'm realizing (God is revealing) that it's about trust. Trust that you are doing what you're supposed to be doing in this moment, on this day, for this year. Forget about everything else.

Tis the Season

When I was a little girl, every year before Christmas, my mother would give each of us an opportunity to look through the catalog Wish Book and write down everything we wanted. (We always knew that Santa Claus didn’t exist). Oh how I loved going through that book, pencil and one subject notebook in hand, neatly writing the item number, color and page number of all those wonderful toys. I’d like to believe that as a child I was somewhat of a realist. I knew that I wouldn’t get all of the items on my wish list, so I put the most desired things first on list. My mother would pick a few things to get from the list and keep them in the trunk of her car until she had a chance to wrap them to be placed under the tree.  I remember one year I wanted a doll—come to think of it, I always wanted a doll—but this doll was special. She was a “big girl” doll. I knew that if I was on my best behavior, or didn’t give my mother any grief, that doll was mine. But then again, I was always a good child (smile). 

The holiday season is upon us once again and we’re all hustling and bustling, rushing and running to buy gifts; praying we have enough money and time to do so. Another year is about to end and soon we will face a new year and venture into the unknown.  I always take a retrospective glance over the things that I’ve said, done, thought, and, wished. Last night an image flashed in my mind: an abundance of gifts set aside for me that I couldn’t access.  God revealed to me that my obedience is required, ALL of it, not just in spurts or little bit at a time. I cannot or will never receive the blessings that He has for me until I get in line. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” (KJV).  It’s been no surprise that I’ve had a difficult time with some things but it’s to be expected. I haven’t been obedient.   

I realized last week that the things that God has asked me to do are for my own good: let go of some people who don’t have my best interest at heart; step out on faith and use my talent (my God given talent); be consistent in every area of my life. Sometimes things aren't as simple as they seem, but in this case it was. So I made a decision not to take certain people, attitudes, and behaviors into the new year.

The Lord told me years ago,  Look past man and see Me. He won't lead us down the wrong path, He's simply leading us to the "good of the land." My mother always told us obedience was better than sacrifice. I've found that to be true, especially these last few years. And I'll be the first to tell you that the good of the land is much better than the bottom of the barrel. No thing or person is worth my inability to access what God as set aside specifically for me. What about you? Will you aim to please people  in 2012 or strive to please God?

Fight!

Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. (Mark 5:26-29 NLT)

The woman with the issue of blood has been on my mind lately. I've heard this story so many times down through the years but today, during this month, in this year, it takes on a whole new meaning. I never realized until now that she was a fighter. She wanted--desperately needed--a move of God. And she got it. She got it only because she felt the risk was worth taking. In my not too distant past, a series of events caused my faith to falter. This was my "issue." But I didn't know until the Lord woke me up in the middle of the night to read the story about the woman with the issue of blood.

As I read, I saw myself standing next to this woman, pale, tired, slumped over; moving slow because she lacked energy. I watched her fight the swarm of people. She was bumped, brushed up against, even knocked down. But she kept going. I watched her get closer and closer to the Son. As I watched her I realized something: I was still standing in the same spot. I had no fight left in me. I told myself that I would remain where I was. I chose to give up.
Yet while I had settled in this place that God had NOT designed for me to be, something really amazing happened. Someone close to me was diagnosed with an advanced stage of breast cancer. The doctor talked about how aggressive the treatments would be; how taking a bite out of the cancer would take a bite out of her. I watched her lose weight, I went with her to a treatment and sat with her in the hospital. I saw the toll it taking on her body. All this time she never felt sorry for herself. She never complained and constantly speaks life into this situation. That cancer knocked  her down, shoved her, has made her tired but she keeps going. Her faith never, ever faltered. She's a fighter.

All this month  I've been thinking about countless women who fight breast cancer everyday. If they have it in them to keep pressing despite what's happening to them,  then so could I. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" resonated in my spirit like the chanting crowd drawn to a school yard scuffle. It is Satan who wants us to give up. It is Satan who wants us to camp out in the wilderness and stay in the season of lack. But it is up to us to fight: the Enemy, our circumstances, sometimes even ourselves.

This woman in my life will never know the magnitude of how grateful I am for her. She has inspired me in a way I thought was lost. I want to fight. I need to fight. Imagine how the crowd was impacted by the woman with the issue of blood. True, she needed health and healing but what about those skeptics who didn't believe in Jesus's power who saw her instantly be healed just by touching His hem. Think about Jairus who was there, waiting for Jesus to heal his daughter and how hopeful he must have been witnessing that woman with her issue being healed.

I encourage everyone reading this to fight, whatever the situation may be. Just like a boxer must guard himself, we must guard our anointing. Fight! Belive that it is worth it. Faith is an action word. The woman with the issue of blood received a trifold blessing:  And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over (Mark 5:34 NLT).  She was healed, he spoke peace into her life, and her suffering was ended all becuase she was willing to fight.

For more information on how you can help fight against breast cancer, visit http://ww5.komen.org/ or American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/

Stuck in the Center

There's a storm out on the ocean, and it's moving this-a way. If your soul's not anchored in Jesus, you will surely drift away...

Yesterday, my pastor preached about making the right decisions, which was confirmation for me because God has been dealing with me on just that. I asked God not too long ago to help me make better choices. As I sat and listened yesterday I started thinking about both the good and bad choices that I've made in my life, especially since I've been a believer. I'm still under construction so I'll admit that I've made bad choices since I've been saved. I started to wonder about what would have happened if I had taken a different path with some of these choices. Who would have been adversely affect if some of my good choices were not made? And who would have been positively impacted if my bad choices were not made?

While humming that song this morning, God revealed something to me: When you're outside the will of God, you get what you get. Whether it's a job, a financial decision/major purchase, who you choose to marry... You may as well roll the dice and hope for the best. It is basically the same thing. Yet when your "soul is anchored in Jesus" every decision you make is grounded in Him.  I had a dream about three and a half years ago regarding two major decisions that I needed to make.  Impulsively acting on one decision caused me to wait regarding the other.

I did not realize that:
A). I would be still be suffering the consequences of the bad decision I made
and
B). I would still be waiting concerning the other.
I used to think that both consequence were equally bad because I don't like to wait, especially for an extended length of time. Waiting is okay if it's just for a little while...at least that's what I used to tell myself. Finally, I've learned something from my bad decision. Every time it seems like it's time to act on that situation still waiting in the wings, I remember my  impulsive behavior and tell myself, "Just sit tight for a little while longer." The anchor of God's wisdom keeps me in place.

As long as we focus on the storm, of course it's going to seem like it lasts forever. But if we concentrate on what's keeping us from "drifting away," well, then...the storm, no matter how bad, seems bearable. When you know you aren't going anywhere you dig in and go through.

I'll leave you with these parting thoughts.One is the main thing that stuck out from yesterday's sermon: be willing to wait for God to give you His best.  The other is a scripture that I wasn't looking for but was apparently looking for me: And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise (Hebrew 6:15).

Broken Pieces

It is a terrible thing to feel like you're not wanted. But it is far worse when someone only wants bits and pieces of you. There is a great sense of loss in knowing that someone craves the insignificant parts; chip..chip...chipping away; breaking off insignificant parts until a significant amount of you is gone. Now you are left with a gaping hole, living life desperately trying to conceal how exposed you are. A secret known only to you. But like film--in the process of developing--will be destroyed when brought to the light before the process is complete.

A man that I thought I loved walked out of my life (again). I was worried that he was the best that I would get so I started second guessing the good that could be seen in his absence. I focused on my loneliness instead of focusing on the alone time that could potentially help me. I became desperate for this man's attention until God helped me to realized I deserve so much more; regardless of how good looking he was, how much money he made, or how often he went to church.

So before that thing (that un-ordained relationship) could be completed, the Light of God's glory and His love showed me that it shall not be so. It didn't make any sense to me then but now....wow. I have never been so glad to have someone out my life.

Let us always remember our worth and smile. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10 KJV).

The hardest thing for me, as a Christian is smiling when I don't feel like it. We all experience difficult seasons and I understand that our conditions are not what make us. I know that our environment should not affect us because strength comes from within. Yet, as I am dealing with multiple challenges, I don't want to smile through the tears. I want to cry, eat cake and go to bed...I also understand that's my flesh.

Health issues, financial issues, job issues--all fell on me like a ton a bricks at the exact same time. I still believe God is able; I know that all of these things are working for my good. I WILL NOT complain. Instead I withdraw and wait. I need to be left alone to keep from lashing out or allowing what I'm going through to negatively affect others.

The thing is...I know that all of these issues are about to turn around. I think it was the late Bishop G.E. Patterson who said that when the devil knows that God is about to evict him from your situation, that Satan is going to attempt to cause as much trouble as he can on the way out.

So I'm still working on that "in spite of smile" but I feel confident that God is okay with that because even though I'm not smiling, I'm not doubting. Job said it best: all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come (Job 14:14).

The Waiting Process

Ahh…It’s finally August: the end of the wedding season. Amid the bouquets, brightly decorated banquet halls, and buffet style serving, I can see tangible signs of my growth. If a year ago, someone had told me that I’d have crazy peace about being unmarried, I would have laughed in his or her face (and called my wedding Isaac).  It is ridiculous how many times I hear “You aren’t married?” or “Why aren’t you married, yet?” or “You don’t want to be married?” It used to hurt just a little and of course people aren’t being cruel or inconsiderate, they just don’t understand. But I, too, didn’t understand for a while. I would ask myself and I would ask God, Why aren’t I married? I would spend countless hours analyzing myself—physical features, state of mind, salvation—every angle. Then I’d analyze my failed relationships. The thing about that is, it’s easy to find fault if fault is what you’re looking for. If I believed that my last failed relationship was because of the man I was dating, then I could blame him and vice versa.

I would sit in my friends’ and family members’ weddings, secretly envious that I wasn’t the one being escorted down the aisle. I was happy for the person who had entered into matrimony. But, still, I was just a little sad…which probably explains why I always ate too much cake at the reception. I was the single girl who didn’t get behind the bride to catch the bouquet. I was better than that; those women always seemed so desperate. I was desperate, too, but I certainly didn’t want to look it. And so it was in life, I desperately wanted to be dating, in a relationship, married… But I didn’t want to look like it.

I’ve moved on. I have created a list of things that I want to do before I get married and I always say that I have plenty of time to get them done. Until one day a friend rebuked me (and was serious, lecturing me in her stern mother voice): “No, no!! Don’t you say that! Why would you say that? Don’t you limit God like that, He can do anything!” She was for real fussing at me, no joke. So I no longer say, “The women in my family have babies well into their 40s; I have time for marriage.” If the truth be told, I pray almost every day that it does not take that long. Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God (Phil 4:6 Amplified). The clock is ticking; I’m surrounded by people getting married, engaged, meeting “the one.” What’s so strange is I was about to give up, when I heard it three times: 1-during morning devotion; 2-on the way to work; 3-at church. Surely that was no coincidence. When God speaks, I listen. He said, “Delay is not denial.”

In February 2008 I had a dream. In this dream someone walk up to me and said, “The Lord knows that you desire a mate. He is here at your church; just wait for love to approach you.” I received it and knew it was God. I didn’t say it out loud but I was thinking, “There are no datable single men at this church.” I received this prophesy right in the middle of a broken heart, so nothing anyone said, even GOD, was going to drag me from the pity party where I’d camped out. The Lord took me through some things—painful but necessary things—until I learned to genuinely trust Him when it came to my singleness. I didn’t hate being single, but I REALLY didn’t like it. I used to think that God was so sick of my whining; so tired of me crying about the same thing over and over and over… Then I realized that God cares about my problems because He cares about me. So I figured I owed it to Him to stop whining, if only for a little while.

I did well for a while. I tried to be optimistic about my situation. I put on a good game face but my heart wasn’t in it. I remember watching something on television that hit so close to home that I cried. I cried and cried, and cried some more; then I went to sleep. For the rest of the year I was miserable. I just said, “Well, maybe it’s not meant for me to be married. Nobody wants me.” Twelve months of this, literally from February 19, 2008 to February 1, 2009. I remember around the end of January 2009, thinking to myself  that I needed to fast for the New Year. Going back & forth: should I, shouldn’t I? Will I, won’t I? Until God said, “you should and you will…and do this: be quiet and listen, speak positive; be patient; stay focused; no TV, no coffee, no sweets. You’ll have your answer in the end.” Is He serious? No coffee, not even light roast? OK, here goes… For twenty one days, I did just what God required of me. I thought that at the end I would meet my soul mate but I met someone better—me. I was almost scared of the peace that rested in my heart. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is…[ that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7 Amplified).

Approaching two years after that prophesy, I started to wonder….did I misunderstand? Was that really God who spoke or just my own optimistic, overactive imagination? What am I to learn from being single? What is that I must accomplish during this season of my life? Whatever it is, it has to be important and I have this unshakable feeling that the fruit is not just for my benefit but for others as well. I had another dream and at the time, I didn’t tell anyone about this dream but I woke up feeling…something. I can’t quite find a word to describe how I felt. I know I was hopeful, but there was another subtle feeling, lightly woven within the hope barely there. I felt it then and I feel it now…that other something that keeps the hope going. I have this purpose, this goal that must be done; something that shall be done. I had my eye on the prize and I knew that was moving forward.

Then something happened.

I met this guy. He was a nice guy, a good looking guy. He told me, “I’ve been a member for three years.” Wow. How is that possible? How could I have been at this church for five years and miss this one here? Suddenly God’s prophesy came to mind. I thought to myself that surely this man was who He had in mind. And like I’ve done once before, I tried to make my life fit into God’s word instead of allowing Him to put the puzzle pieces into place.  

I initiated conversation with this man. I was excited because we had good chemistry. Then something else happened: God said “no.” But instead of doing what I normally do (follow my will instead of God’s, make a big mess of my life, then beg Him to help me) I said, “Okay.” I saw what God saw. This was not in His plan for me. This man at this time was not a part of the plan. I thought it would be difficult to walk away, but it was surprisingly easy; and I felt good about my decision.   

 
So in the meantime—the time between my promise and the performance—I wait. But not with my hands neatly folded in my lap watching the minutes tick by. I wait as in “what can I do for You now, Lord. What is it that you need of me?” I wait on God, not for God. Sometimes we get the impressing that God owes us something; especially if He has spoken something into our lives and it doesn’t happen when you feel it should. I have been waiting for marriage for seven years, but I’ve been waiting on God for only a few months. It took me a really long time to learn the difference. Now when someone asks the once dreaded question about my “unmarriedness” I just smile and say, “I’m waiting on God.” In the meantime I, with expectant anticipation, serve God.