If you are reading this, you made it through the first week of 2023. That is something to be grateful for. Praise God! If you watched the news this past week, there were deadly shootings, road rage, missing children, suicides, etc. All of this in the first week of 2023! It can be depressing to say the least. However, I want to encourage you to not get weak from this first week. Stay focused! Stay strong! If we keep our gaze on God and His Word, the troubles of this world cannot distract us from God’s purpose for our life. God has brought us through 2022 because He has a purpose for us in 2023. Psalms 33:11 tells us; “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”  

In spite of all that is going on around us, we do not have to be afraid. The Lord is with us at all times. He already knows what is going on in this fallen world, none of it has caught Him by surprise. This includes our personal trials and tribulations, family problems, health issues, and financial problems. God is faithful and He will turn it all around for our good if we seek and trust Him. He is our light in these times of darkness. God’s power is limitless, and He promised that He would work all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose. We know all of God’s promises are Yes and Amen!

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)  

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)  

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  

“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:11)  

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so, through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) 

How do we begin to navigate through this dark world and the attacks of the enemy? We certainly cannot do it in our own strength. The goal of the Christian life is to become more like Christ, who always took time to pray. Prayer should be our first reaction to any situation life throws our way. We should strive to make prayer a necessary part of our daily lives, like breathing. Father God wants us to communicate with Him through prayer. Praying daily will bring peace in your life. It will help you to understand more about God’s plan for you and also bring blessings to you, your family, and those you pray for. We must intentionally seek God and spend time in His presence daily.

 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

I encourage you to pray at all times without ceasing. Prayer is how we communicate with God. And in these trying times, we need to stay in tune with Him daily. Prayer is the best place to reveal our true feelings, even fear. Unlike humans, God is not fooled by our attempts to disguise our true feelings, to put on a false smile, or to cover our suffering and heartache. We can bring Him our hopes, fears, doubts, and even our anger. Jesus already knows us better than we know ourselves. In our Father we will find comfort and a peace beyond understanding. Prayer is our safeguard against acting on our feelings. When we hear about senseless killings, and violence, especially if it hits close to home, our emotions kick in and we may want to react but if we pray and wait until our feelings are in line with God’s will, He will strengthen and comfort us. We can be confident that no matter the hurt that needs healing or the chaos that needs calming, Jesus can and will fix it!  

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” (Ephesians 3:20)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)  

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20)

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

This year I pray that we stay focused on God and His promises, I pray that we walk by faith instead of sight, and I pray that we stay connected to God daily who will bring the infinite hope of Jesus! Love and Blessings…🙏🙏🙏

Going into 2023 I pray we are intentional about our goals and our life purpose. Once we know our purpose, our life journey can be joyful and fulfilling. How we know our purpose is by spending time with our creator. I pray this coming year we are more intentional about spending time with Jesus. The more time we spend in His presence, the more we are energized by His anointing and equipped by His grace. No matter where we are or what we are going through, He is with us. Scripture says He is near to all who call His name. His presence is only a prayer away. It is up to us to stop the hustle and flow and give Him our undivided attention. We must take out time everyday to spend time with the one who gives us life. Five minutes or five hours, that’s between you and God. This coming year, make your relationship with Jesus your number one priority and be empowered by Him each and everyday! Here’s to a blessed and prosperous New Year! Love and blessings…

“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.” (Isaiah 50:14)

“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)

“Call  to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

I remember as a child I would ask my mama why when she told me to do something. She would often answer with because I said so. I did not like that answer! I would not be honest if I said I never cried out to God, why Lord why? Sometimes the answer is because He is God and He said so! Is that supposed to make you feel better when you have lost a loved one, when you are struggling, or in pain? The answer is yes it should. Why should it you ask? Because what I have learned is the why doesn’t matter, it is the Who. We know the God Who knows everything, the God Who loved us enough to sacrifice His only son, the God Who has plans to work everything out for our good, this is the God Who we can trust and be obedient even when we don’t know the why.

“For  I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) ESV

“For  God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) KJV

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) KJV

Scripture tells us there are some things we will never know because His ways are higher than our ways. Sometimes God will reveal things to us but the scripture tells us that some things He keeps sealed until the end of time. God knows what we can or cannot handle. The Lord uses all things to accomplish His purpose for our lives. HE will even use evil things that come from the evil one and turn them around for our good. Understanding that we may not get an answer does not make the hurt or the pain any less. And of course understanding does not make us not miss our love ones. But God Who is always wise, always good, always trustworthy, and is always with us will give us peace through it all.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) NIV

“And  when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” (Revelations 10:4) KJV

“The Lord works out everything to its proper end even the wicked for a day of disaster.” (Proverbs 16:4) NIV

“You  intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20) NIV

“The  Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) NIV

“When  you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2) NIV

Even though we might not get an answer or the answer we want, we can always go to God with our questions. He does not get angry when we have questions, however there is a blessing when you choose blind faith. It leads to full surrender and peace. Love and Blessings…

TODAY’S INSPIRATION: NOT TODAY SATAN! (NOT EVER!)

“And I knew that any words and actions in this moment, like all moments, spoke powerfully of the God within me”____Unknown Author

Some people will purposely try to snatch you out of character. They will allow the enemy to use them to come for you. Sometimes the best response is no response. We have to be careful how we respond to people or situations. I will admit this is not always easy. Some people believe that because you are a follower of Christ, you are weak. This is not true, it actually makes you strong. Strong enough to say not today Satan! You will not steal my joy. Not ever!

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ” (James 1:19) ESV

“Be  sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) ESV

Do not let the enemy deprive you of your joy, peace of mind, confidence, hope or spirit. Do not let satan distract you by making you waste your time and energy on things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things! Stay focused and keep pressing on. Continually fix your eyes on God who will give you wisdom to handle any situation. Seek God’s word! Refresh and refill your mind and spirit with the truth!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) BSB

“let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:23) NLT”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) NIV

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) NIV”

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3) NIV

“In  the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) ESV

Emmanuel, God is with us, not sometimes but at all times. He is our strength for today and our hope for tomorrow. And with that promise, God is asking us to proclaim His goodness to the world. Everyday we must strive to be Christlike, imitating His character. We want others to be drawn to the Good News of the Gospel because they see the light of God in us. Refuse to allow anyone to put out your light or even dim it, keep shining! Love and Blessings…

I am no longer ashamed to admit that sometimes I get weak. I know God’s power is displayed through our weaknesses. There are times I am able to stand up in pain and weakness and still do what I have to do, not because I am strong, but because it is God who strengthens me, especially to do what He has […]

TODAY’S INSPIRATION: I AM WEAK…

I am no longer ashamed to admit that sometimes I get weak. I know God’s power is displayed through our weaknesses. There are times I am able to stand up in pain and weakness and still do what I have to do, not because I am strong, but because it is God who strengthens me, especially to do what He has called me to do for Christ’s name. Sometimes we tend to use our weaknesses as excuses for disobedience instead of accepting them for what they really are, opportunities for God to show up and show off in our lives. The truth is we are not meant to depend on our own strength. Scripture tells us not to resist our weakness but to boast about it. Sometimes because of our weaknesses, we may make choices that are not pleasing to God. The good news is that it is never too late to repent and correct our choice as long as there is breath in our body. The thing is we do not know when we may take that last breath. And when we take our last breath, it is not our weakness that will matter, but our choice to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) NIV

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) KJV

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) KJV

God’s grace is sufficient for every believer. We often want to feel independent and self-sufficient. Who likes to feel weak? I personally don’t. But I am learning not to go by how I feel but by the Word of God. When we attempt to depend on ourselves, we miss out on seeing God’s power at work. Jesus said without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5) Sometimes life with all of its challenges can leave us feeling weak and powerless, lacking the strength we need to persevere through difficult times and doubting our trust in God. When we have a relationship with Christ, His strength overrides our weakness. When we are shattered, He will restore us. When it seems all is lost, He gives us hope.  

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) NIV

“Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” (Psalm 119:115) NASB

When we are weak or scared, we have to trust God enough that our faith is bigger than our fear. God is aware of who we are and what we can and cannot do. When God calls us, He equips and empowers us to obey that calling. Our strength is never enough. That’s what faith is all about. Faith is a willingness to step out and trust God.

“so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17) NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ( Philippians 4:6-7) NIV

A new year is coming. Do not go into a new year hoping for change when you are trying to bring what don’t belong! Trust me, if you do so, you will have the same problems you had last year! God wanted to bless Abraham (then Abram), so He sent Abraham to a new land from his family and his father’s house. Now he told him specifically that he wanted him to depart from his family (Genesis 12:1). Abraham took his wife, his father and Lot went with him. If you read all of Genesis 12, you will see the problems Abram encountered by bringing Lot and Sarah along. Yes, God still blessed him, but it created serious problems and delayed blessings for five years! We can avoid confusion and missed blessings by not taking baggage with us that God told us to leave behind. This year trust God, let it go so He can give you your blessing! This year we will embrace change. Clear away what needs to be cleared away and toss out what needs to be tossed out. I’m not claiming it is easy because we all are a work in progress; we are spiritual beings living in fleshly physical bodies. But God! When we are weak, He is strong!

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) KJV

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) NIV

“But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) KJV

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) NIV
 

Sisters and brothers, do you want a joyful new year? I say joyful and not happy because joy comes from the Lord, and happiness depends on what is happening. I declare and decree that 2023 will be the year we will start walking it out, not just talking it out! We will make our lives a testimony to our new awareness of the glory of God! And when we get weak, He will strengthen us! Love and Blessings….
 

This morning while in my prayer closet I said to God, “God, I choose to thank you and rejoice today even though some things don’t appear to be good right now. And He reminded me that He is in control and what He has done in other challenging situations. Then I started rejoicing because God is on the throne, and He has a plan and purpose for my life even when I don’t understand it. I begin to rejoice because of the grace He gives me to endure and persevere in challenging times. I rejoiced for Salvation daily and God’s forgiveness of my sins and shortcomings. I rejoiced for the things that my eyes have not seen, nor have my ears heard that God has planned for me. When I exited the closet, I felt like dancing like David, and I did!

Choosing to rejoice in the midst of stressful circumstances is not a normal reaction in our world. But as Christians it should be our first response because we know the One who reigns over all the earth. When we tap into the wisdom of the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we do not have to let our circumstance or situations hold us captive. We can rejoice even in difficult times because we know God is in control and working things out for our good. He orders all things and upholds their purpose. We may not always understand why God allows for things to happen in our lives that cause pain, fear, and worry. However, we can trust that He has a purpose, and we can rejoice in the fact that it will work out for the good of those who love Him. We do not have to be victims to a dark and sinful world. Instead, we can choose to be the light God needs us to be and a living testimony of joy and peace when the world is falling apart. We are more than conquerors because of Christ’s great love for us. In every season we must be committed to being as Christlike as we can be. When we come to realize that our life is not about us or what we may go through here on earth, it is about serving God and revealing His character to the world, especially when we are going through. Brothers and sisters let us rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice today no matter what comes your way! Love and blessings…

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)  

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)  

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)  

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9)  

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  

“You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36)  

‘Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,” (Romans 12:12)

I am a living witness that often God calls us to follow in paths we would not have chosen for ourselves, especially when it takes us out of our comfort zone. It is not easy going from familiar to unfamiliar. Walking into unknown territory is scary. However, when it is God that is leading us, we can rest assured He has given us everything we need inside of us to make the journey. God does the planning; we do the preparing. Without change there is no growth. The truth is we cannot fulfill our calling in our comfort zone. Be ready for the next level that God takes you to. He will clear the path for you, removing obstacles and placing divine connections to help you along the way. If we keep our focus on Christ, we will be victorious. He is with us every step of the way!

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13) NIV

“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16) KJV

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) NIV

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6) NIV

You may ask why is it scary when God is with us? Why are there so many problems when we are being led by God? The answer is the enemy also knows we are being led by God. He knows that God’s plan is for us to prosper and grow spiritually in Christ. God’s plan is to give us hope and everlasting life. The enemy is intent on stopping all God has for us by any means necessary! Scripture tells us how satan tried to tempt Jesus so he could destroy God’s plan for us to be delivered from sin and death. Christ does not have a sin nature as we do. Christ’s temptation was an outward exposure to satan’s ploys. (Mathew 4:1-11) This is nothing new, he started with Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:1-5). Scripture also tells us how Jesus himself suffered and died for us. We are called and given the privilege to suffer for His name sake. In 2 Timothy 3:13, Paul tells Timothy that everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Jesus also said that those who follow Him will be persecuted for his name sake. (Matthew 10:2) He said in this world we will have trials and tribulations. The good news is no matter how hard he tries, the enemy cannot win. Weapons will form, but they will not prosper!  

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) ESV

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) NIV

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17) NKJV

Isaiah 54:17 should reassure us that we can leave our comfort zone knowing that God has our back. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His sacrifice at the cross gives us the victory over any circumstance or situation the enemy may throw at us. Yes, it can be scary leaving our comfort zone but if we keep our focus on Christ we will be victorious. We must walk by faith and not by sight. God will do the rest. We can look forward to a future full 0f His promises, blessings, and protection. When God is with us we can be comfortable in every zone! Love and Blessings…

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6)

Sometimes when you believe in something and there is no evidence, people will call you crazy. You may even think you are crazy. However, as soon as that thing you were believing in manifests, you are no longer considered crazy. I like to call it crazy faith. Each time I experience crazy faith, my faith grows even deeper. In 2016 for seven months, I could barely walk, and I was told that I could lose the ability to walk at all. In spite of the diagnosis and what it looked like, I refused to believe it. I chose to believe the report of the Lord who says by His stripes I am healed. Today I am walking, and on a good day you might even see me jogging. And then I am reminded of the time I did not have a penny to my name and God gave me the exact amount I needed to get my car fixed. I kid you not, the exact amount! And how about the time I wanted to move my business to a home I did not have. I told my clients the name of the street I would be moving to as if it was so. Yes, God gave me a house on that street! Now that is crazy faith! I have many more testimonies where I did nothing but hand it over to God and believe He would handle it, and He did.  

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) KJV

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Mathew 21:22)

There are many people in the Bible who had crazy faith. I am sure they thought Noah was crazy, the people didn’t see a need for an ark. He must have looked crazy every day he worked on it and there was no rain in sight, until there was rain. And Abraham, who was no spring chicken, must have looked right foolish leaving his family and home to travel to a land he knew little or nothing about. But because he had faith, he chose to obey God. And even though it took some time, God, as He always does, kept His promises to Abraham.

“And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch.” (Genesis 6:13-14) ESV

“They were eating, drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27)

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

We are familiar with the story of the twelve spies who Moses sent to the land of Canaan. God told Moses He had given this land to the Israelites. He instructed Moses to send one leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to explore the land. After forty days, the spies returned with their reports. The thing is their were two different reports. Two spies are fully convinced that they are able to go into the promised land, overcome the people there and possess it. The other ten spies are scared to death. They are convinced that they are no match for the people living in the land of Canaan. Now they all saw the same things in the promised land. So why were there two totally different reports? I believe that two of those spies had crazy faith. They believed what God had promised them in spite of what it looked like. But because the people chose to believe the other ten spies, the children of Israel went around and round in the desert for forty years. It is easier for people to believe what they see, but the blessings and victory comes when we walk by faith and not by sight.

“The LORD said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each tribe. So, at the LORD’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.” (Numbers 13:1-3)

“And they returned and came to Moses and to Aaron and to all the assembly of the children of Israel, to the Wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh, and brought back word to them and to the entire assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They reported to him and said, “We came to the land where you sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. However, the people are strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are fortified and very great, and also we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negev, and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the edge of the Jordan.” Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are able to overcome it.” But the men that went up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people because they are stronger than us. They gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come from the giants, and in our eyes we were like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.” (Numbers 13:26-33)

Some of the most successful people in today’s society were laughed at and called crazy when they stepped out on faith and left their comfort zones to follow their God given visions and dreams. The world calls it crazy. But listen, what the world calls crazy in one season, will be considered faith in another. Crazy to the world changes depending on what it looks like. But the Word doesn’t change, and the Word says, “your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:5) The Word of God is powerful! When we stand on His Word, walk by His Word, live by His Word and speak His Word, things change in both the physical and spiritual realms. I have learned when you pray about something, you must give it completely to God, trusting Him to handle it and believe that it will work out for your good. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, how long it’s taking, or who says you are crazy for believing something that they can’t see. You may not even see it, but that is what faith is, believing what you can’t see. Crazy faith will never fail you! Love and Blessings…

“for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

“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)

A while back I read something online that touched me deeply. I typed it and I keep a copy on my desk because it is a reminder of how fragile life is and why we should make every day, no, every second count. Jesus suffered and gave His life so that we could live, and not just live but have eternal life. That itself is profound. I know we don’t like to think about it but life here on this earth is a temporary gift that should not be taken for granted. Sometimes we get so busy doing life, we don’t appreciate it or those we share it with, at least not until they are no longer with us. Which is why I am sharing this reminder to “Make the Chili.” I don’t remember where I read it or who the writer is, but I am thankful for the reminder. Love and Blessings…

“A good friend of mine unexpectedly lost his wife. “A couple months later we were golfing together, chatting about nothing.” He asked what my dinner plans were, and I told him wifey wanted my homemade chili and cornbread, but I didn’t feel like stopping at the store. We golfed for a few more minutes when he quietly said, “Make the chili.” It took me a few minutes to realize we were no longer talking about dinner. It was about going out of your way to do something for someone you love because at any moment, they could unexpectedly be taken from you. So today I’m sharing with you that wisdom handed to me by my dear friend, that I’ve thought of many times since that day. Next time someone you love wants you to go for a walk or watch a football game or play a board game or just put your phone down and give them your undivided attention, just do it. “Make the chili”

Author Unknown

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15) NIV

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) NIV

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  (Romans 12:10) NIV