Dream on Champion! Part 1

You know when you are younger, you dreamed unexplainable things! As a young girl I dreamed that I would one day marry Prince Charming, he would sweep me off of my feet and take me to the countryside, where we would have a house on a hill surrounded by a white picket fence. It would be at that residence where we would start our family and the rest would be history.......

Fast forward 30+ years later and yes I married my Prince Charming, we had children, but we never made it to the countryside, instead we moved to the city. Talk about how things can change in a moment!

In Genesis 37 we are introduced to a 17 year old young man whose name is Joseph, son of Jacob and they resided in the land of Canaan. Joseph had a dream that his family would one day bow down to him as he would be their ruler. Needless to say the brothers didn't like that idea. So they schemed a plan to get rid of him and for the first couple of years it worked! What they did not realize is that God had favor over Joseph's life.

Joseph was probably emotionless, heart broken and lifeless by the act of his brothers. I don't even think he could have possibly felt like he was going to survive the first of many pits. His first pit didn't look like LIFE, but death. The Bible actually calls it a cistern, in those times the average size was 15 to 20 feet deep, with a 2 to 3 foot opening. What do you do when others throw you in the pit and leave you?

His dream turn into a nightmare within a matter of days. You see you can dream, but you must be careful who you release your dream too! Even the ones that were closest to Joseph didn't understand him....they were dream killers! But God had a plan.....

First thing to remember: always keep your dream alive, keep it close to your heart. When it seems and feels like it's not going to work, and it feels more like failure, hold on to the promise. It's not permitted to kill you, but to GROW you. The action done by others is working out in your favor.

The pit may seem lonely, dark and cold, but you have someone there with you...God is orchestrating your next move, he is preparing you for victory. We know all things work together for our good (Rom. 8:28), it doesn't always feel good, but it is producing a Champion! I encourage you to stir up the gift that is within you (2 Tim. 1:6). Don't let others kill your dreams!

The pit is not permanent, it can not keep you down but for a moment, it is your stepping stone to victory. The vision will come to pass! (Habakkuk 2:3) Hold on CHAMPIONS!! VICTORY BELONGS TO YOU!

VICTORY!

As a child I was not the "athletic" type....my thing was books, making cool science projects, running for office in student government, so therefore I didn't know what my level of physical endurance would be until I became older and implemented a workout regimen.

Being a Christian, I certainly didn't know what my "spiritual endurance" would be until I began going through "storms" of life. Wow, I can recall early on in my walk with God.....it was hard, I wanted to give up, throw in the towel and forget about the test, my mentality was just give me an F because I am failing. My carnal mind was not putting my trust in God, who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. I tried to fight the battles on my own! Boy, was that the wrong thing to do.

Ephesians 6:12 tells us " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Too many times when I was in the battle, my flesh had me looking at who was against me, instead of what spirit lies within that situation. Finally, I wanted to just quit, throw in the towel. Crying out to God, I began seeking more of him. Each speed bump, hiccup or hurdle that I faced, was different and hurt even the more. I can imagine how I looked sweat beating against the brow, panting hard, losing my breath and at the point where the ropes couldn't hold me up, I was down for the count as a matter of fact, the countdown by the refree had already begun. But God had a different plan, he never intended for me to run from my problems, instead of me throwing up the white flag, he wanted me to throw my hands up and surrender to him.

God wants to fight our battles, he doesn't want us to hold on to them and harbor unforgiveness, lose our sense of joy and more importantly lose sight of what he has prepared for us. Sometimes the look and smell of victory is at what appears to be the point of defeat. But just when you were ready to throw in the white towel, GOD steps in and says....."I have this, I am turning this around for your good!" The battle is not yours it belongs to GOD! What was trying to defeat you has been defeated by God.....he has crushed the enemy on your behalf! VICTORY BELONGS TO YOU!

Reference Scriptures: Psalms 21:11, II Chronicles 20:15,Ephesians 1:11, Ephesians 6:12, II Corinthians 10:3

Getting Out Of The Past!

Ever had one of those days when you thought about something you did as a child? Like riding your bike on a hot summer day and you tried to do a trick in front of your friends and it didn't work, or when you fell down at the skating rink, were you embarrassed when you fell? Did you get back up? Of course you did, you laughed, brushed yourself off and kept on trucking.

Somehow along the roads of life, we have forgotten that principle of getting back up and we have held condemnation over the heads of others. Even in our weakest moments, we have had the opportunity to be forgiven. Yet, we play games with the minds of others, by making them feel inferior and that they will always be that "same old person." Ps. 32:1 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." We can not dangle a person's past over their head. For the believer we must extend our hand to help those that may have fallen. True we should not be a crutch for them, but an extension (witness) of God's saving grace.

The greatest moment in any one's life is the opportunity to use their setback as a come back. God gets the glory when we realize that we have overcome and are willing to share our testimony with others. After all how did we hear about the gospel other than when someone shared their encounter with us. We overcome by the word of our testimony (paraphrased Revelation 12:11) "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up..." Proverbs 24:16a The bigger question is are you willing to help or hurt those in need. I choose to HELP!

Champions, you have a challenge....today, this week, this month and this year. Help someone else along the way. It's not about you although you are fearfully and wonderfully made, it's about God......he doesn't give us dead ends, but glorious new beginnings. Challenge the CHAMPION in you to become a better you in your home, church, community, on the job, and in school.

CHAMPIONS, VICTORY BELONGS TO YOU!!

If looks could kill!

Recently, I spoke to a young man who said he stopped going to his mother's church because people knew what he used to do and they frowned upon him when he would come in to the church. I could tell he was very uncomfortable and hurt by what happened...he shook his head and further states "I am not that old person!" When will the "church" see that we are sending more people away from God! Our looks and words could cause someone who is not strong in the Lord to go back to the familiar things in life. We can't continue to look at the outer appearance, when God is looking at the heart.

For some, this would not have been a problem, they would have just blown it off, but for Dirk, it was a problem and the look in his eyes told the story! When the woman who was caught in the very act was brought before Jesus, Jesus without even looking at the accusers said..."He with out sin let him cast the first stone", then he replied to the woman, "where are your accusers, she said, "there is none" and Jesus said "neither do I condemn you go and from now on sin no more" (John 8:7-11)ESV

Romans 2:11 says "For God does not show favoritism" Not only did salvation come to the woman caught in the act, but to the young man, me and you. Sin is what it is and it separates us from God, but don't let religion and our views keep others separated from God.

My prayer for Dirk and others, "Lord, forgive us if we have turned our nose up or frowned at others who have come to the local churches, don't let our emotions, thoughts and words discourage any believer, we believe that you died for all of our sins and through your death we can live again. Thank you for giving us a second chance to get it right! In Jesus Name, Amen!

Laying Aside My Weight!

For years I was obese and I would never admit it, I hid behind clothes and shoes. It wasn't until about six years ago my husband asked me if I was happy? My reply was yes, I had a wonderful husband, children, career and ministry was going great. Deep down I didn't feel good. I looked great on the outside but felt bad on the inside.

I never equated how I was feeling physically to being over weight, I honestly thought it was because I was doing too much. One day I was bending down trying to tie my shoes and all of a sudden I was out of breath, it literally felt like I was choking just from trying to bend down. I immediately knew that I needed to do something. But What? I had tried, slim-fast, Redux and a list of other weight loss alternatives, but what about this time, what was I suppose to do?

My answer came out as I wept to God, I began asking God to help me in an area of my life that I had no control over. This time was different for me, with tears in my eyes I told God how I really felt, about my weight from a child to my adult life. I began to weep about how kids would pick on me for being "fat" and how I use to have low self-esteem because of my weight. The more I confessed my feelings the more God began pouring his love and word over me, I was being healed.

That moment of breakthrough, changed my life for the better! I began taking small steps toward losing weight and I never told anyone I was on a diet, but rather I was on a LIFESTYLE change. Step One in my journey: I had to realize that I needed help, no one could speak for me, I had to do it for me. Step Two: My confession allowed God to heal me.

Maybe your story is similiar to mine or maybe you haven't had a problem with your weight but you have something(s) in your life that are "weighing" you down. Our weight could be our job, family member, finances, depression, low-self esteem, or anything that is keeping you in bondage. Hebrews 12:1b says. "let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us."

There are many more steps that I will blog about in the upcoming weeks and months, but Today is about you! It's time for you to release some weight in your life. I love you, but God loves you more! Until next time.....

Additional Scriptures: Deut. 31:6; Joshua 1:9; John 10:10, 3 John 1:2

What Are You Looking For?

As a child I remember playing a game called "Hide and Go Seek", this game brought to my mind so many memories. My sister and cousins would draw a straw to see who would have to do the chasing, it seemed like I always picked the shortest straw. So I would close my eyes and count to ten or a hundred, then run off and try to tag someone. As I was laughing about the game, I tried to figure out what was the significance of the game? I mean, we just ran around in circles until we became tired or we quit.......

Life has a way of making you go around and around chasing after things....In the bible there was a woman who had an issue twelve years, who tried every doctor and spent all of her money, yet no solution. (Luke 8:43 MSG Bible In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her.) Could you imagine dealing with your present day situation for twelve years, that's 4,380 days of drama! Not to mention, the fact that during this time of affliction the woman endured alot of pain, emotionally, financially and physically.

There are times in our life when we have issues that we want to be resolved. We search for clues and answers to our deepest questions. Questions about who we will marry, what kind of job we will have and even down to what will our future child/ren look like. We live in a generation where we are seeking after "stuff" to make us feel good, but what about the real issues?

Have you ever lost a job? It didn't feel good! Have you lost a loved one? It didn't feel good! Been betrayed by someone you love? Ask Jesus, it didn't feel good! Those are some of the issues that surround us everyday, but everyday we choose to turn to everything but God to heal us of our infirmities(spiritually and physically). I can only imagine that by the fourth year this woman was beginning to feel like whoa!, hey!, can anybody, somebody help me?

Even in the largest crowd this woman was very sure of what she wanted she was determined to go after Jesus, even if she had to crawl to touch his garments (Matthew 9:20 MSG Bible Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well." ). Her determination and faith led her to touch the hem of his robe, which led her to receive her healing.

Twelve years of chasing the wrong thing and in just one day when Jesus was passing by she decided to give her situation to him. Even in the midst of the large crowd, Jesus felt her touch him. Her touch was different than everybody else's, when she touched him, she had surrendered everything, it was nothing else left for her to do, to go and see, she had exhausted all of her resources, the only thing left for her to do was to touch Jesus. The touch was very personal it was a one on one contact and Jesus desires to do the same with you, he is not asking anything of you but to trust him and have faith that your situation will be healed.

Sometimes in order to get to our breakthrough we have to surrender everything and be emptied out so that God can fill us with his spirit. I encourage you on today to give your issues to God. You do not have to try everything to be healed, try Jesus he wants to heal you of your situation! (Luke 8:48 MSG Bible Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!")

God loves you and there is Greatness in You!

Additional Scripture Reading~~~Matthew 7:7-8; 9:20-21, Mark 5:25-34, Psalms 51:10-12,17, Hebrews 11:1,6, 3 John 2

Have you ever had a day when you were upset at someone, for something they did? Once while shopping I became frustrated and irritated with a salesclerk. In my mind I believed I was being overcharged according to the sticker price. In the clerks mind my bill was accurate. As I questioned the clerk, it appeared that she became frustrated with me, her voice and facial expressions changed very quickly. This conversation lasted for about four minutes, finally I said you are right and I am wrong. For the sake of a long winded argument, I was going to take this one.

Everyday we deal with situations, that can effect how we react to people, whether it is someone on our job, family member, neighbor, or a boyfriend/girlfriend. Now the clerk was doing her job and I was doing my job as a "consumer" right? I mean we are suppose to be the one who is always right! We have seen the signs that says "customer's first", or the sign that says "we listen to our customers." Right? WRONG!! In that window of time, I allowed my emotions to come to the front line and speak, even though I was upset, I didn't fly off the handle, I remained cool, but my tone with the clerk was firm. I believed I was right and I was standing for what I believed to be accurate. In that moment, I stopped and I apologized to the clerk for my irrational behavior. By me apologizing she calmed down.......and yes we were able to solve the situation.

Too many fights are used with harsh words backed by strong emotions. My great-grandmother use to tell us, "never go to bed mad at someone, you never know when it is their or even your last time here on earth." Those words of Mama Nannie still ring in my ear to this day!

Sometimes you have to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation, what is it that the person is saying and does it hold any truth. In other words am I reacting because of someone else's reaction or I am confident in my beliefs that I stand firm in what I am saying?

Today's thought: Keep a level head and always remember, that no one is perfect and sometimes you and the other person could be wrong as well as right. The best way to solve any problem is through clear communication. Yes, stand firm in what you believe but also respect the beliefs others!