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!

Out of the Valley

Hi Pearls for Pigs Blog Family,

It has been a while since I’ve blogged. Not because I haven’t desired to, but because for the past year and a half I have been trying to balance my life, after losing my husband to bladder cancer in 2016.

Having fought cancer with my husband for almost every year of my seven-year marriage, I realize what it is to be in the valley. As a Christian, the term “valley” is a common one, it usually describes some kind of trial, and a word read throughout the Bible. However, no one really embraces it while in the mist of it.

Yet, if you are in the valley today, I want to encourage you that there is good news! Although things are rough now, you are in a good place because in the valley God is close!

Yes, you read that correctly. I’ll rewrite it, “in the valley, God is close!”

Even more so, you have a lot to look forward to! Why do I believe that, you ask? Because the Bible gives many examples of the benefits of the valley and the process of RESTORATION!

Yes! You, my friend, are going through to be brought into your GREATER! Look at Hosea chapter 2.

God considered Israel to be adulterous, putting all of their faith in everything, but Him. Are you guilty of that? Living the good life, and then forgetting about God until the trial comes?

God told the prophet Hosea that the Israelites were putting on their earrings and jewelry getting dressed up for their lovers, but forgetting about Him (Hosea 2:13).

Wow! How often do we do this? We give everything and everyone our time, but God. Forgetting who our source and prosperity truly comes from.

But even though the Israelites were guilty of this, God allowed them to go through a wilderness season. He called it the Valley of Achor (trouble) to restore them back to Him.

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.”

God brought them to, not to condemn them, but to give them hope. A hope that can’t be denied, and can’t be satisfied by any other gods we put before the one and only true God.

In the valley we may lose our hope, joy, provision, and become unfruitful from all the grieve we feel, but one thing is for certain God’s mercy endures forever!

If you are in a rough place right now, God is still with you. He’s close…comforting you and trying to restore you to right relationship with Him so that you may prosper and grow from this experience.

Yes, it may be painful and almost unbearable. Believe me I know, but there should be a comfort in knowing that God has good plans for you. Plans to restore you, to help you, to give you a new joy, provide for you, and give you more than you could have ever imagined both physically and spiritually.

God is not done with you yet, and you will be the last one laughing! I look forward to encouraging you more and writing again.

With Love!

No More Delay!

Hey Readers!

Have you ever felt like God wasn’t listening to your prayers? Well, so did Job! In Job 21, he talked with some of his very insightful, but completely off based friends, about the incredible storm he was in, and he says to them his problem is not with man, but with God!

Woe! What a thing to profess. In fact, he said in verse 5-6 that it even stunned and scared him to say such a thing. His complaint was that the wicked seemed to prosper, while he suffered enormously.

In preparing for my first sermon in a few weeks, I heard the Holy Spirit saying that many people’s hearts felt the exact same way. You wondered where was God at in your situation? Why has he not answered my prayers, while everyone who has no reference for Him seems to prosper?

God indeed has an answer! It has always been his answer. Are you ready for it? “Those who accept my commands and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and REVEAL myself to each of them.”(John 14:21, NLT)

Regardless of what you may be going through, if you have a relationship with God, He will reveal Himself to you and you are not alone!

You may be saying, that you are loosing heart because you have been waiting so long. My answer to that is, prayer is hard work for those who are broken. When the answer seems delayed, it hurts and we can lose confidence; which can cause us to question the power of our prayers.

However, prayer is powerful, and the enemies strategy is to cause you to doubt what God said is true. There is a story in the Bible that exemplifies what we must do in situations like this. BE PERSISTENT!

Parable of the Persistent Widow:

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-8, KJV)

If an unjust judge can render a just decision, than cant our caring and loving Father react to our persistent faith? God will reveal himself to those who love Him, and Yes! He WILL show up for you!

Reveal in the Greek is emphazino…. Emphazino= is a verb that means fully manifest. It is future tense, voice is active, and mood is indicative. It occurs 814 times in the New Testament (verb).

Future tense= certain occurrence of an event which has not yet happened (faith).

Active voice= represents the subject as the doer or performer of the action.

Mood indicative= simple statement of fact. If an action really occurs, has occurred, or will occur it will be rendered in that mood.

Jesus is the ultimate means through which God reveals Himself! According to the definitions above, Jesus is certain to show up, He will perform the action you ask for (you just have to give it to Him), and that is just fact!

In other words…Jesus is the conduit through which God will reveal himself and He is THE PROMISE!  We can’t be deceived by what Jesus says, so if He said it, than it is fact (as mentioned above) therefore what Jesus reveals to us is the promise, and the promise is received by faith! (Romans 5:16, NLT)

God hears your cries, and He hurts just like you do. The Bible says “in all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9, KJV)

The difference between that judge and our judge is that God is not annoyed by our request, nor is He waiting for someone to get on His nerves before He brings about justice.

“And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He [a]defer them and [b]delay help on their behalf?” (Luke 18:7, AMP)

You can receive the promise!

God’s promise is for you, even if you mess up sometimes. “If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.”(Romans 5:14,NLT)

it is our gift and only obtained by faith. “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.” (Romans 3:27, NLT)

Therefore, be encouraged and don’t lose faith in what you are believing God for. Faith brings joy, loosing heart brings despair. There is greater for you, and you WILL have it. Be persistent and watch God reveal His glory in your life!

Is your battery low?

I was reading my daily devotional, Pearls for Pigs, this morning, and one of my favorite scriptures was quoted. It reads…

“I  will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

And I began to hear a song in my heart, Your Next in Line for a Miracle by Shirley Caesar. The lyrics of that song are so encouraging because it reminds you that although you may feel overlooked, your day is coming!

I wondered, if there was anyone out there who’s battery may be low. And by that I mean, are there any
weary spirits out there that need re-charging?

When our cell phone batteries run low, we hook them up to an electric cord, that we then place the cord into a socket that provides our phone with power.

Are you tapped into your power source today? 

The great thing about knowledge is that when you have it, you know what to do in certain situations. When your cell phone battery is low, you have the sense to charge it up. Why is it that, in spiritual matters we may know a thing; yet we won’t apply what we know to our situation?

If we have the foundation of Christ Jesus, then we know where and with whom our power source lies. Why do we allow the enemy to keep us from plugging in?

If you needed your cell phone and you knew the battery was low, you wouldn’t allow anything to keep you from charging your phone. You may have to wait until you can get to your car phone charger or your wall charger, but the point is you would get your phone to the source of power allotted for it.

Why is your battery low? 

Maybe you’ve been praying and worshiping, but the origin of your strength ( the Word of God) hasn’t been your priority, Your spirit man needs the Word of God in season and out of season…when you’re in battle and when you’re out battle…..when facing a trail and coming out of a trial. The Word of God is, and still remains, the cord connecting you to the Socket (Father God) your source of power.

It is the Word that fuels you, heals you, comforts you, confronts you, encourages you, rebukes you, and convicts you.

“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”(Mathew 4:4, NIV)

If you’re battery is low, get some where quick and charge it! Be like David and encourage yourself. Your breakthrough is coming! Your new day is not far off.

In the words of Pastor Shirley Caesar, “get ready for your miracle, move to the front of the line; today is your day, you’re next in line for a miracle”.

Charge that battery! God is working it out for your good. Believe only.

To the Faithful

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful,” (2 Samuel 22:26, NIV)

Oh, there is something to be said about a faithful servant of God. David was faithful and had the heart of God. Yes, he sinned and fell short of the glory of God, but he knew to repent and turn away from his sin. Thanks to David’s triumph and valley experience, we are able to see the faithfulness of God.

Now, I know that God’s love is unconditional, but I believe that God shows Himself faithful of His promises to His faithful servants.

Think of your children (if you have any), when they have a need (like a pair of shoes) you meet it if you can afford to, or you try to find a way to meet it if you can’t; however, think about the times they did the things they were supposed to do in school or around the house, did you reward them for their faithfulness? Of course you did!

The Father does the same with us. So, when David says God shows Himself faithful to the faithful, I believe any need we have, according to God’s will, He is willing and able to meet it.

When I was unemployed, and we had one income in our household, God showed Himself faithful. You see, I am a faithful believer in the worship of giving and tithing. I tithed regardless of my financial status, because I desired to worship God in my giving as well as my praise and life. Well, because I was a good steward over the little, God was a great steward over the abundance at His discretion. Our bills were never behind, we gave more than we ever had before, our children had everything they needed, we had a savings and an emergency fund, we paid a car off, AND we went on vacation. BUT GOD!

He was faithful to the faithful.

When I was sick and often felt weak, I never stopped praying and serving God. I preached His Word, I prayed for others, I served. In serving Him, he healed my body. He shown Himself as a healer to the faithful in need of a healing. His Word says,

 “to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure,” (2 Samuel 22:26-27, NIV)

In other words, if you are committed to serving Him and saved by grace, then God will show up in your situation when you need Him to care about the things you care about.

If you’ve been a faithful steward, He will be faithful over His blessings towards you and your family. If you’ve been an encourager, He will encourage you when you need encouraging. If you’ve been a faithful minister of His Word, He will be a teacher when you seek wisdom.

I’m not saying that God loves conditional, but I’m saying there are rewards for those who set their eyes on Him and press towards the mark.

What’s to be said about your walk? Are you faithful? Have you had your hands out only desiring to receive, but not willing to serve, give, and submit to Him?

David said in Psalms 31:5,AMP, “I entrust my spirit into your hands.” He exemplified total submission and trust! No wonder God kept David in the valley of a shadow of death, and saved him from his enemies.

To the Faithful, remain faithful, and expect God to move! This is your season for GREATNESS! He will reward you in open for all you do in secret…all you sacrifice that other’s don’t even know about…all you’ve suffered. You will have a harvest. Just wait and see what the ends going to be!

Kenita

P.S. Have you enjoyed this blog? Want to read bite-size devotional nuggets to encourage you daily from yours truly? Check out my one-minute devotional Pearls for Pigs! Guaranteed to bless you!