It’s all coming back to you!

It’s been two years since my last post, and I’m sure I have COVID19 to thank for my ability to write today.

In January of 2018, I told you all how I was so happy to be in a process of restoration after having battled cancer and losing my late husband in 2016. Well, today I am remarried, a new mommy to a four-month-old, and living in my very first owned home! I have truly been restored in many ways and blessed beyond what I could have imagined.

Did I do anything to deserve this, NO. I just chose to believe that my Father in heaven desired to restore me and would. And guess what? He did.

As I was sitting enjoying one of the many perks of COVID19 living, online church service, I saw a vision of a boomerang, and I heard the Spirit of the Lord say, “it’s all coming back to you!” Immediately, I began to get excited because if you are familiar with my blog, or know me personally, you know that I am a giver. I LOVE to give! In fact, one of the things that made me happiest in my worst times was giving. 

It’s interesting how life throws curve balls, but we have a choice in how we can handle those times. We can wallow in despair or be lifted up!

Did you know that all boomerangs don’t return to you, but the ones that do have a curve-shaped path that allows the boomerang to respond to the air by lifting itself in a manner that brings it back? There are some seeds you plant that aren’t meant to come back because they are meant to accomplish what they were planted for in someone else and it will be watered by others, but there are other seeds that come back and when they do it’s usually multiplied.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, ESV)

I stopped my workday to take a break and tell you that all of the sleepless nights, worrying moments, hard work days, grief-struck days, and obstacle field years have served a purpose. Life may have thrown you a curve many times, but TODAY those seeds you’ve planted (whether talent, money, time, encouragement, etc.) are coming back to you! God has heard you and He has seen all you have gone through. You’re reaping time is NOW.

Enjoy your day knowing that God has your front and your back!

God can change your situation in seconds…

It’s been a while since I’ve written. My life has had some pretty hard turns since the last post you’ve read. For those that are familiar with my blog, you know that my husband is battling Stage 4 Bladder Cancer that has spread to his lungs, and one day before Thanksgiving we found out it spread to his liver. To say that my family was devastated is an understatement because we were expecting a good report.

We just had a CT scan which revealed that the tumors in his pelvic area were shrinking and the ones in his lungs were as well. However, they showed two dense spots on the liver that they wanted to check. Yet, they didn’t believe the cancer had spread because they said it was rare to see shrinkage in one area and growth in another area. My husband had gained all of his weight back and he looked really good. We were unprepared for a bad report.

But something amazing happened the next day….

When we woke up, my youngest boy (who is ten) said to me and my husband, “you know what I am most thankful for?” I asked, “What?” He said, “You guys’ strength!” And then all three boys began to tell us what they were thankful for. It was in that moment that I realized the power of prayer and the faithfulness that God continues to show our family. We celebrated our Thanksgiving with smiles, laughter, family, and fun.

We decided as a family that we aren’t going to allow the doctor’s report to dictate what we believe for our lives. As I sought to encourage myself, I was lead to 2 Kings 7. It is a wonderful story about God changing things in a matter of hours!

In the story, Israel was in a war and famine. The king sought Elisha for a Word. Elisha told the king that this time tomorrow food will be selling for one piece of silver (2 Kings 7:1). The king’s officer found it hard to believe because of what things looked like. He said, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” (2 Kings 7:2, NLT) Elisha reinforced that the Word will definitely come to pass, and the officer will see it, but he will not be able to eat any of it.

The chapter goes on to talk about four men with leprosy that were outside of Israel’s gates. They assumed that their fate was death and were waiting at the gates to die. In their eyes they had one of two choices- to starve to death or to turn themselves into the enemy who was planning a war with Israel. They decided to do the later and turn themselves in to the Aramean army, whom the city was at war with (2 King 7:4).

As they prepared to go into the enemy’s camp, God was working behind the scenes. God caused the Aramean’s to hear horses and chariots coming. Because of this, they fled for their lives and left all of their goods and belongings (2 Kings 7:6).

When the lepers arrived the camp was deserted and an abundance of food, gold, silver, and goods were left behind. They were EXCITED and began to enjoy the spoils. As they were celebrating, they realized their blessings were too good to keep to themselves so they went to share it with Israel and the King. And it just so happen that things occurred just as Elisha said it would, at that time the next day food sold for a piece of silver, and the king’s officer didn’t eat any of it because he was trampled by the stampede of people trying to get to the goods at the gate (2 Kings 7:8-17).

What’s the moral of the story?

The moral is GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR SITUATION AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT! It didn’t look as if the end was going to be well for the four lepers or Israel, but God was working behind the scenes to bring His Word to pass!

What has God spoken over your life? Has He given you a Word for your situation, but things don’t look like they’re going to work out that way? Remind Him of His Word and believe! The Word of the Lord is SURE and it MUST come to pass! Don’t be like the king’s officer and miss out on the blessing because of doubt.

Things didn’t look good for the lepers. They tried to make their own way, but God had a plan for them.

I believe that God has a plan for you too; a plan to prosper you, not to harm you, and a plan to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God gave our family a right now Word from a prophet none of us knew. He called my husband by name (in which we never gave) and told us that God is going to do a miracle in my husband. Everything around us looks different from that Word; in fact, things get worse with every report, but we have a choice. We can believe the doctor’s report, or we can believe God’s report.

WE BELIEVE GOD! Will you?

Hasn’t He Brought You Out?

I was spending my alone time with God, when a few things stood out to me. As I finished praying, I scrolled down my Facebook feed, and I saw a post from Steve Harvey. It was a picture that had words across it that read,

“name one thing God has not brought you out of”

Then he said, if there is one He hasn’t brought you out of yet, it’s because He’s pulling you through it now! I don’t know about you, but that truly blessed me! It was the most powerful statement I had heard in a while.

Can you name one thing God has not brought you out of? 

I sure can’t! I have gone through 4 battles of cancer with my husband, and we’re on our last two treatments, but God has not failed us during one obstacle of this battle. Our income has been cut in half, but EVERY bill is paid, we have a full refrigerator, our children have on new clothes and sport fresh hair cuts, we’re not homeless, we have NO DEBT outside of student loans, and we continue to prosper despite the devil’s attempts to destroy our hope.

My testimony doesn’t stop there. I have been sick in my body for months at a time with no help from the doctor’s, but I am alive today. I have lost jobs, and still paid off my car. I have started a nonprofit from nothing, but still managed to assist 23 single parents and 37 children with no nonprofit experience and while receiving no salary, unemployed. Every other organization told me we wouldn’t make it, but H.O.P.E, Inc. is thriving today.

God brought me through it all! 

The Bible tells us to remember God (Deuteronomy 8:18)! When life is painful and you find yourself losing hope, remember the question Steve asked, and name one time God has not brought you out. I bet you will find there is not one thing that He hasn’t delivered you from because you are still here!

People wonder how I can write such encouraging words in the hardest season of my life, my response is, I have to. There have been times when my husband felt I was losing hope and a hadn’t met a morning without tears in my eyes, but I thank God that His Word says He is faithful, His love is undying, and we can draw joy from salvation (Isaiah 12:3). In your darkest hour, you’re going to have to remember God and remember His Word.

His love will heal your hurt and disappointments.

Out of all of my pain came two books. My second book, Pearls for Pigs, VII, Everyday verses until the rain comes is being released this month, and it contains 200 pages of inspiration when you’re losing hope, waiting on God, and praying for the latter rain of abundant blessings.

I am still receiving testimonies about the first volume, Pearls for Pigs, Taking you through what God brought you through, which was written three years ago and people are still reading it. If you, or someone you know, is going through a really hard season, consider this one-minute devotional for them to enjoy; or, maybe you just want to be encouraged with God’s Word everyday, this is the book for you!

So, I write all of this to say this…God has not forgotten about you! He loves you so very much, and He will pull you through. You can count on Him, you always have, and he is more than faithful.

Trust that God has to have a plan for you, and He will cause everything that is purposed in that plan to come to pass (Jeremiah 29:11).

Keep Your Hands Up!

“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.” (Exodus 17:11, KJV)

In this chapter, the Israelites were in the wilderness and they were thirsty. They had been questioning Moses about God’s true presence, if He was with them or not, because they could not find any water. God heard them and instructed Moses to strike a rock and water would be provided. The Israelites had just experienced this miracle when an enemy approached, the Amaleks.

So, God told Moses to have Joshua go out and fight against them. As long as Moses hands were raised with his staff, the Israelites were victorious, but when his staff came down they were no longer victorious.

In life, we find ourselves in desert times. Where we once had provision, we may see a lack in that area, and we become unsure of what is going to happen next. Often times, we get so anxious for a taste of what God has for us, that we begin to beg Him for water (that which we long for). When God is compassionate upon us and gives us a taste, it seems like that’s when the enemy shows up.

The Israelites were just trying to get to the promise; yet, they faced obstacle after obstacle because they weren’t ready to inherit the promise, and the Amaleks were trying to make sure they never made it there.

Your Amalek’s are going to show up in your desert experience, right after what seems to be some breakthrough, but don’t be discouraged…all you have to do is remember your staff and keep your hands up!

You see, the staff is a symbol of authority, and you have it!

God gave you the power to overcome your enemies and your circumstances through Him. Praise is a powerful weapon you have and no matter how difficult the battle may be, you must keep your hands up.

You have to remember the character, spirit, and power of the God you serve. In your weakest hour, He is made strong and He has gone before you, just as He went before the Israelites against the Amalek’s.

Don’t allow your enemy to catch you with your hands down. Let your worship, your prayers, your study of God’s Word, your faith declarations, your giving, and your life be examples to the people and spirits that come against you.

Your life should send a message, a message that says YOU WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!

Yes, some days will be harder than others, but even through your tears you can cry out to the Lord in prayer with your hands up in worship.

God is with you, and He will not fail you. Keep your hands up, you will have the victory!

We Have Property Rights: Full Restoration

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no blood guiltiness on his account. But if the sun has risen on him, there will be blood guiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If what he stole is actually found alive in his possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.” (Exodus 22:1-4)

They say you reach the most people when you write out of your pain. I have endured a lot of things with my husband being ill and walking in my calling. Yet, I continue to press towards the mark of the high calling that is Christ Jesus. And like many of you, I have sometimes cried myself to sleep wondering when this season will be over. But there is one thing that has kept me, and I believe David said it best.

I would have fainted, had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! (Psalms 27:13)

I received a mailing from Joseph Prince the other day and it talked about restoration, and how when God restores, He restores double! He referenced Exodus 22:1-4, and I love how it showed the restitution of God.

You see the enemy may think he has stolen your peace, your joy, your health, or your family, but for the children of God, you don’t have to give it to him, but if he does take it…he can’t keep it! He has to give it all back! And not only does he have to give it back, but God is going to give you beauty for ashes and restore you in double!

He did it for Job, Joseph, David, and others in the Bible. He will, and has done it for you. The Bible says in Joel 2:25 that He will give us back the years lost to the locus and the cankerworm. And I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to my double portion.

There is a gospel song that says, you have to have a made up mind; well, I have made up my mind to believe that God has restored my household, my husband, our finances, my joy, and everything else that this situation has tried to take from me. Yes, some days I may get sad, but I have realized that I walk in greater victory (even in my weak moments) because that is when God is strongest in my life.

I encourage you today, to know that the enemy has no rights to your stuff! The desires of your heart will be fulfilled and it will be fulfilled in great magnitudes. God is not done with you yet. Your story is greater than the trials of today. You can make it!

When you come out on the other side of through, you will be richer (spiritually and physically) than ever before. You may not understand why you have to go down the path you are on, and it may be despicable, but Jesus is with you. He is birthing in you a mighty testimony that will attract souls to Him!

So endure till the end, keep pressing, and move forward. Your future has an expectant hope and you will be fully restored!

God Is Not a Liar!

“…Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” “(Romans 3:4 NLT)

How many of us have struggled with God’s promises and His truth? The Bible is filled with examples of people that have, in their human nature, questioned God’s Word and prophetic promises. Zechariah questioned God, when God sent the angle to tell him of his prayer being answered regarding a son promised to him and his barren wife. Sarah questioned God when news that she would bear a child in old age. Jeremiah questioned God when people mocked him, but he knew God told him he was a prophet called according to His purpose. 

I, too, have sometimes found myself questioning the very promises of God in my own life; but there is one thing I have grown to learn in this daily process of dying to self, is that God is not a liar!

I have had to remind myself that God is not like any human creature that has the ability to let you down. He is not my earthly father, mother, sibling, or earthly friend. He is the Lord, my God, holy and most high. His love and compassion for me far outweighs that of this world. 

He has no desire to hurt us, disappoint us, or cause us pain. I have learned not to compare Him to any of your human relationships, but to remember who God is and who He has been in my life.

It is important, as believers, to know that we CAN trust God!

His Word is true and His promises are true. He says….

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalms 37:4, KJV)

Now does this mean that if we are in Him anything we want we can have? NO! What it means is as we are in Christ Jesus we should be desiring to line up with His will for our life’s, and as we do this God will place desires in our hearts that He will provide for us!

 

Think back, has there ever been a time you were in His will and He let you down? If there is anyone who has been unfaithful in our relationship with God, it is us; not Him. Our Word and intentions cannot be trusted, but His Holy Spirit gives us the power & ability to stand on His Word & believe in faith.

Therefore, if you’re standing in need of a breakthrough today, I encourage you to trust Him. It doesn’t matter if no one has ever done right by you, believe that He WILL… if you give Him the chance. Ask God to help your unbelief & watch the power of God flow in your life. God is able!