Angels & Dragons – No Fairytale

Once upon a time…

“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to His throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus…” Revelation 12

As most good stories go, this one also continues. It builds to a lively crescendo with an exuberant ending for good does triumph over evil. However, this story is no fairytale. It is the dream that will come true for a few and is the fear of one’s worst nightmare for many. And yet, this story is like no other – it has a very special twist.

Unlike any story you have ever read, you will have a part to play in this one and your part will be a vital role. Your contributions will greatly impact the storyline for this is also your story and you will determine the ending. Tell me a story, will you live happily ever after?

Life… A Delicate Pause In Time

 

“Life is but a delicate pause in time. Savor the moment.

Feel its warmth…

Hear its laughter…

See its beauty…

Taste its sweetness…

For when you reach to grasp its memories, it is gone.”

 

R’chelle Cyrus-Hughes

Jesus Did Not Come To Bring Peace… He Brought Truth

There is a common misconception about why Jesus Christ came to earth when He came the first time and unfortunately, this misunderstanding helps to paint an inaccurate view of the Father as this view often overlooks God’s justice and His holiness.

Everyone loves to embrace Jesus’ gentle, loving and gracious qualities and we all love to embrace His message of peace for this is an easy and more accepting message to share. However, although Jesus is certainly all of these things, there is another message that we are responsible for sharing and that is His message of truth. The message of truth is a much harder pill for people to swallow so people often avoid sharing this one.

Sharing the message of Jesus’ grace, alone, is popular because it is non-threatening and it gives people the false impression that it is okay for them to continue to live in their sin. However, we rarely share the true message of God’s grace. This is the message that requires us to have a change of heart as well as a change of lifestyle, according to God’s truth. Although Jesus desires peace on earth, He DID NOT come to bring peace and good will to ALL men when He came the first time. Instead, He came to bring “peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14)

Jesus did not come to make friends with everyone. Jesus came to convict us of our sin because He knew that the only way we could experience true peace, is for us to first be reconciled to God in such a way that is pleasing to Him. If you are someone who loves God, this message should bring hope to your heart. If you are someone who knows God is not pleased with you, it should bring fear. Here is another truth. Contrary to what you may believe, Jesus’ came so that there would be division and distinction. It is a message that separates the sheep from the goats and the wheat from the tares.

When Jesus comes again, then it will be to establish His peaceful reign on earth. Until then, the gospel of Jesus Christ delivers a sword that divides those who believe and those who do not. Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-36, “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I CAME TO SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW. Your enemies will be right in your own household!”

In Luke 12:51-53, Jesus said, “Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to bring strife and division! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against – or the other way around. There will be a division between father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.”

Jesus understood that this division would tear families apart because there are people who do not want to accept the fact that they are sinful and that their ways are evil, corrupt and prideful and truth told to them makes them angry instead of humble therefore they ridicule and persecute.

Understand that Jesus’ sole purpose was to seek out and save the lost. (Luke 19:10) The fact that there are those who are lost who will choose to remain in their lost state while others will recognize that they are lost and will choose to turn their lives over to Christ, indicates that there will be division. Here is another truth. Jesus did not come to accept the entire world. Instead, He came to call out the entire world so that they would turn from their sin. Again, this is a message of division.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that if Jesus was physically here today, He would peacefully be handing out hugs and free food, and I definitely mean no offense to the much needed organizations that do this. Don’t forget that He drove out the corrupt from God’s temple, (Matthew 21:12-13) and He boldly came up against the leaders of His day, (Matthew 23) When we think of Jesus today, we must remember His truth and His mercy, together. We must also remember that the peace Jesus promises to give IS available to everyone, but only those who love Him will receive it. There is no true peace without conviction for real peace only comes with salvation.

Such Splendor Is Deserving Of So Much More

I walked past my bedroom window as a beautiful male cardinal caught my eye. Its stunning red plumage visibly stood out as it sat gracefully among the olive-toned treetop just beyond my reach. As I smiled at how radiant it looked resting among the foliage, a sobering thought occurred to me. Although it was comfortable within its modest surroundings, it just didn’t seem to belong. Its rubicund brilliance seemed to shame the lackluster backdrop that supported it. “Surely,” I thought, “such splendor is deserving of so much more.”

God must think like this when He sees us comfortably conforming to the world around us for He has created us to stand out for so much more. When we choose to mimic the behaviors and customs of this world, we are blending in instead of standing out and we become invisible. When we submerge ourselves into the human sea of obscurity, our voices are not heard and the image we have been given to model goes unseen.

To live a life that represents the splendor of God, Scripture tells us that we must be transformed from what was old to what is new. Sadly, it also tells us that a transformed life will not happen for everyone. Not everyone is going to choose the path that leads to Life because the path that leads to destruction is so much easier to travel. The gate that leads to destruction is wide for those who will enter it are many. Are you among those who are traveling on the wide path to destruction?

If you choose the way that leads to Life, be encouraged. This path is more difficult to travel and its gate is narrow for those who will find it are few .(Matthew 7:13-14) Yet, “Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Are you traveling the path that leads to the narrow gate of Life?

Are you choosing a transformed life? If not, reconsider for God has fashioned you for so much more.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.” Romans 12:2

What The Bible Says About Christ Mas (Christ More)

“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn. That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said. Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – “either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son!” his mother said to him. “Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “You should have known that I would be in my Father’s house.” But they didn’t understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him.”  Luke 2:1-52

The Author of Life

His thoughts are in motion as pen is in hand.

His design is a notion awaiting command.

His words, as He speaks them, give life to behold.

Revelation is written – His story unfolds.

 

In the sound of His utterance are the powers that be.

All eyes are upon Him, all creation will see

The depths of His wisdom in the smallest detail…

The breadth of His splendor in the grandest of scale…

 

As He beckons, I kneel, as He humbles, I pray.

A mind open to Him is empowered each day.

A silver-lined message in silence of gold,

A commission assigned – for all will be told.

 

“Cry out in the wilderness, voice that’s not heard.

Speak boldly in Christ though you won’t say a word.”

His fire’s consuming, His charge, set apart

As the Author of Life writes His word on my heart.

written by R’chelle Cyrus-Hughes

Talk & Tea With Me

I was recently given an invitation by the CEO of Wizpert, an on-line advice platform that connects users with experts via Skype on a variety of topics such as health & wellness, exercise, parenting, relationships and more. Apparently he ran across my blog and after viewing it, invited me to become one their topic authorities. Wizpert allows you to connect directly with people who have the expertise and wisdom to personally guide you through a variety of  issues. It’s much like talking to a trusted friend or a family member you respect.  When faced with a problem, we all prefer to converse with someone we can relate to and yet not everyone has that luxury.

I will now be available for one-on-one discussions concerning Christian ministry, love, relationships or my book, The Twelve Pearls of Wisdom via Wizpert.Com, Monday through Friday from 6:00 – 9:00pm. My Saturday hours will vary. I am calling these sessions Talk & Tea With Me. For a limited period, my conversations will be free of charge however, eventually there will be a user fee. So if you know of anyone who is interested, have them contact me as soon as possible.

To chat with me, just relax and pour yourself a cup and click the link below.

Talk & Tea With Me

ZionGirlZ, The Ministry!

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin,…”   Zechariah 4:10 (New Living Translation)

Over the past twenty-five years, God has taught me so much about myself.  What He has shown me has humbled me, broken me and brought me to my knees. In what I thought was my strength, He has shown me my weakness. In what I thought was my weakness, He has shown me my strength. Through it all, I developed a clearer understanding of who God is in me and who I am in Christ.  The most important lesson I have learned along the way, though He has taught me many, was realizing that my life really was not about me at all.

Through a chain of events leading up to the spring/summer of 2003, God brought me to a place where I met a beautiful girl. Her determination and desire to reach for the stars, despite the obstacles that were before her, triggered something deep inside of me. It ignited a passion within me to find a way to help make that possible for her and for others just like her. Through her, God inspired me to start a ministry for teen girls. In my home town of Plano, Texas and without any efforts of marketing or advertising, God blessed my little ministry and it grew substantially. However, in the summer of 2004, my husband’s job prompted a move to the Atlanta, Georgia area and unfortunately, I had to leave my home town and I temporarily closed the door to my ministry. Although I saw a need as great in the area where I was, many distractions kept me from restarting my beloved ministry and yet the passion inside of me remained. The passion I have for ‘young women’ of all ages is the inspiration for my writing and is the basis for my ministry.

Through a new chain of events, God has paved a path for me to begin a new thing in Atlanta, Georgia.  In the spring of 2013, the new Atlanta chapter of  ZionGirlZ, The Ministry will commence. ZionGirlZ, The Ministry is a scripture-based Christian school of etiquette featuring The PoiZe Program. The ministry encourages teen-aged girls between the ages of 13 and 19 in their walk with Christ as they learn to manage self, relationships and life’s challenges. Using my modeling background and the principles of runway modeling to illustrate the parallels of modeling, ZionGirlZ members will become High ‘Fashioned’ Models for Christ.  I have begun working on the website which for now will serve as a blog called High-Fashioned Models. Please take a look and feel free to share your comments as well as any feedback you feel moved to give. I would also appreciate your fervent prayers as I move to partner with God in this much-needed ministry.

May God richly bless you and thank you for visiting!

http://highfashionedmodelforchrist.wordpress.com/

Crutches And Chains

Woman after God’s own heart, has life become cumbersome and heavy? If so, you are carrying around unnecessary burdens. Along with the ‘healthy weight’ God allows in our lives to stretch, strengthen and prepare us for all we will encounter on the road to our destination, we are guilty of also taking on what God has not asked us to carry.  These burdens are distractions and hindrances that interfere with your journey as well as your walk with the Lord. However, there is someone who will do whatever he can to ensure that you are laden with these burdens. His name is Satan. His goal is to weigh you down to the point of exhaustion as he wants you to give up on your journey as well as your walk with the Lord. Do not allow yourself to become snared by his traps. The unnecessary burdens we allow in to our lives are crutches and chains.

Crutches are devices and vices that we use believing they will support us and hold us up.  Some of us are fooled into thinking that these vices will lighten our load or even allow us to escape from it altogether.  Crutches are bad habits such as drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex, pornography and other kinds of dependencies.  They are very deceptive and very dangerous.  They will manipulate your mind into thinking you have found a harmless, temporary escape but in actuality, you led directly into a trap that will hold on to you indefinitely. Some Christians will choose to hold on to their crutches and let go of the Lord.

Chains are equally damaging as they will alter your life’s journey and restrict your walk with the Lord.  They consist of character flaws such as anger, bitterness, selfishness, jealousy, laziness, ignorance, etc. They can also include unhealthy relationships such as freeloaders and even some family members. They are like little foxes silently creeping in to the vineyard, gnawing away at your sweet, tender grapes and so destroying the vine. They often go unnoticed and yet the after effect is devastation.

Crutches and chains will destroy healthy relationships, cancel your dreams and block God’s blessings. Stop and evaluate the weight you are carrying so that you will be able to see clearer to reposition the healthy weightand welcome their purpose in your life. Finally, you must release the heavy burdens so that you can continue your walk while enjoying newfound freedom in your life – and praise God for it!

Are You Carrying Healthy Weight Or Heavy Burdens? Part 2

Woman after God’s own heart, because God knows that your life will consist of many challenges, He knows that you must be properly equipped so that you can manage these challenges. One way that He equips you is by allowing ‘healthy weights’ into your life.  These healthy weights are designed to stretch you, strengthen you and build you up for your life’s journey.

However as life’s challenges challenge us, we will sometimes take on self-inflicted burdens in addition to the healthy weights that are necessary for us carry.  These burdens are encumbrances we bring into our lives and are not intended by God for us to manage as they are independent of God. These burdens will become afflictions to you because you were not created or designed to carry them. In fact, when you take them on, you will find that they will always distract you from your life’s journey. This is no accident for this was the plan of your enemy (Satan) all along. His plan is to burden you to the point of exhaustion as he wants you to give up the walk altogether. Be aware of this fact and do not allow yourself to willingly walk into his traps.  These burdens can be categorized as crutches and chains which I will expound upon in my next post.

Woman after Gods own heart, know that the Lord never puts unnecessary burdens on you.  He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Are You Carrying Healthy Weight Or Heavy Burdens? Part 1

Woman after God’s own heart, because God knows that your life will consist of many challenges, He knows that you must be properly equipped so that you can manage these challenges. One way that He equips you is by allowing ‘healthy weights’ into your life.  These healthy weights are designed to strengthen you.  The weight God allows in your life is very similar to the weights you might find in a gym.  Although the weight He allows may seem strenuous at times, it is necessary because they will serve to stretch you, build you up and prepare you for what life has in store.  These healthy weights will also serve to draw you closer to Him.  As unpleasant as they may seem at times, they are necessary.

Necessary weights include responsibilities God has given you such as taking care of yourself, your children or your family,  striving to achieve the goals He has inspired you with, your ministry, your work,  and so on. Healthy weights also includes correctly managing the painful events that will come into your life.  I say correctly managing because God gives us instruction on how to properly manage the pain that comes into our lives and if we follow His way, even the painful events will be used for our good.  God promises His children this,  “…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) When we don’t follow God’s way and we take matters into our own hands, what could have been used as a healthy weight then becomes a heavy burden, which I will cover in my next post. Healthy weights are necessary tools that are used to grow you into the person God has created and predestined you to be.

Know that whatever the weight God has placed on you, He will help you bear if you become too weak or too weary while on your journey.  There may be times that even the healthy weight you carry may seem too much for you.  Know that it is during those times that God will carry you, weight and all, because He loves you that much.  This my friend, is called grace.

A Path Paved Just For You

Woman after God’s own heart, have you ever wondered why life is seemingly so unfair to some while others seem to have it so much easier?  Have you ever wondered why some are so passionate about certain things in this life and others, simply, are not?  Before you judge, know that God has paved a unique path that is custom-made for your feet, alone.  He uses everything in your life to equip you to do exactly what He has designed you to do.  He uses everything about you – the way you look, your personality, your desires, your dreams, your children, your spouse, the parents you have been given, the family you were born into, the relationships you will develop, the mistakes you will make – as well as all that brings you pain and all that gives you joy – everything and everyone.   Nothing about you or around you is a coincidence.  It is all a part of God’s master plan and the unique individual plan He has predestined just for you and your life.  Never take any part of your life for granted and never compare your life with the lives of others as you have not been conditioned to travel their road and they have not been conditioned to travel  yours.

Has God revealed your path to you?  If so, boldly be about His business.  If you are not sure about God’s plan for your life, think about the gifts and the talents He has given you.  What interests you?  What tugs at your heart?  Where do your thoughts often lead you?  What drives you the most?  What are you passionate about?  The answers to these questions may very well lead you in a direction that will place you on that path God has paved just for you.

You Are An Exquisite, Exclusive Garden

Woman after God’s own heart, do you know that you are an exquisite and exclusive garden filled with beautiful flowers and exotic fruits.  Holy and uniquely designed, you have been fearfully and wonderfully made for God’s purpose alone.  The Lord fashioned you and He places an elegant white fence (God’s Word) around you as He has set you apart for His own good pleasure.  Before you love another, remember that He desires an exclusive relationship with you first and foremost.  In fact, He commands it:   “For you shall worship no other god; for the Lord, Whose name is Jealous is a jealous (impassioned) God…”  Exodus 34:14   You will find that you will not be able to love man correctly unless you have loved God first.  He says this about you:  “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew (and) approved of you (as My chosen instrument), and before you were born, I separated and set you apart, consecrating you…”  Jeremiah 1:5 

In my study of the scriptures, I have not found a more beautiful parallel of a woman’s life than the one given by Solomon in the bible’s book, Song of Solomon.  In the following excerpt, Solomon compares the woman he loves to an exquisite garden:  “A garden enclosed and barred is my sister, my (promised) bride – a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.  Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates or a paradise with precious fruits, henna with spikenard plants.  Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes, with all the chief spices.  You are a fountain (springing up) in a garden, a well of living waters, and flowing streams from Lebanon.”   Song of Solomon 4:12-15

Absolutely beautiful!

Privileges and Pleasures

Woman after God’s own heart, are you carelessly giving away your privileges and pleasures? As you date, please remember that the dating relationship is simply an entity that does not represent a commitment. These are not permanent relationships. They are only temporary, at best. Every dating relationship you enter into will always come to an end. It will either digress into a friendship, progress into a marriage-ship or, simply come to an eventual end-ship.

The privileges and pleasures that come by way of you are exclusive and are intended, by God, to be gifts given to a couple who have truly agreed to commit themselves to each other by entering into a covenant-binding union called marriage-ship. These privileges and pleasures, absolutely, HAVE NO PLACE in a non-committed dating relationship. Many women are misled into thinking that simply by dating a man on a regular basis somehow makes their relationship worthy of receiving these privileges and pleasures. Many of us have participated or is currently agreeing to participate in a live-in situation – a mock marriage, if you will. If this is you, you have and are doing yourself an unjust disservice. Playing house is damaging, more than you realize, for all parties involved; however, it is particularly damaging for you, the woman.Remember, there is nothing legally or spiritually beneficial in the dating relationship you are involved in and pretending that there is by living together does not change that fact. Both parties will always be free to kill the relationship by simply walking away physically and emotionally at any time, and most eventually do. The casualties left behind as the result of this death are numerous. Need I say more?

The only union, that is legally recognized, sanctioned and blessed by God, is between a man and a woman and it is called marriage or a marriage-ship for the sake of this post. Your dating relationships will always come to a fork in the road and regardless of which direction the two of you decide to go in, it will always come to an end. Just a little food for thought…

Giving Thanks On This Day

“You will say in that day:  “I will give thanks to You, O Lord, for though You were angry with me, Your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.”  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.  And you will say in that day:  “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted.  Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”

Isaiah 12:1-6

 

 

“I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me!”

Do you ever feel like somebody’s watching you?  As a woman after God’s own heart, be mindful of the fact that people will always be watching you!

However, don’t be bothered by this scrutiny and definitely do not disregard it, in fact, welcome it!  Think of it as an opportunity to witness to others without ever saying a word.    God tells us to refrain from even the appearance of evil so that we will not cause others to stumble.   Being the daughter of the King is an honor and a privilege and it comes with much responsibility.  Embrace it and don’t shrink back from it.  You, all by yourself, have the opportunity to make a difference in this world…  Work it, girl!

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I Thessalonians 5:22-23

Suffering From A Bad Case Of The Lonelies?

Woman after God’s own heart, please don’t be in a hurry to find Mr. RightForYou.

Why?  Well, for one, desperation is not attractive and two, the fear of being alone has tempted many a woman to make many a wrong choice.  Don’t allow this to happen to you.  Trust me, your distinguished Mr. RightForYou will come when his time is right.    This is not just a cliché’, it is the truth.  God reasures us that there is a time and a place for everything.

Mr. WrongForYou may temporarily satisfy a bad case of the lonelies however, you will find out if not sooner than later that he will not be worth it in the end, so please don’t compromise.  Take the time to weed out the undesirables from your pretty little garden while leaving your gate ajar for  Mr. Tall, Dark and Appropriate to enter in.  Be an active participant in the process of elimination.

Remember, if you value what you believe (God’s word),  then believe in what you value…  Scripture tells us:  “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them who are inconsistent with your faith.)  For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness?  Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?  What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (the devil)?  Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”  II Corinthians 6:14-15

Manage Your Emotions As You Should Manage Your Dessert

Woman after God’s own heart, to live an optimum life that is pleasing to God, you must manage your emotions…

It would not be wise nor would it be considered responsible to move from one part of the world where you have successfully lived your entire life, to a completely different part of the world you know nothing about without first considering the consequences that may follow and the sacrifices you may have to make.  Would you agree?  Even more so,  it would not be wise nor would it be considered responsible to make a move towards the direction of a potential Mr. RightForYou without first knowing everything there is to know about that uncharted territory.

One day, you will meet (or may have already met) a man who you will believe to be your distinguished Mr. RightForYou and you will enter into a relationship with him that will change your life forever.  For as it progresses, the relationship you have with this man will lead you, and anyone else who is connected to you,  into a foreign place called The Rest Of Your Life.  If you are wise and responsible, you will seriously consider all of the consequences that may follow you and all of the sacrifices you will need to make if you decide to enter into a union with this man.   Because of the amount of weight every relationship has the potential of carrying, you will need to make calculated decisions concerning every one you encounter long before you make that decision.  Believe it or not, what may be thought of as small and relatively insignificant (your emotions) will try to stand as  commander of every big decision you make.  (There are spiritual connotations behind all of this but I’ll address that in a different post.)  Manage your emotions before your emotions have the chance to manage you.  Managing your emotions is as important a decision as managing your education, your career and your finances, as everything you do will branch out of how you manage them.

Think about your emotions much like you would think about your favorite dessert.  My favorite dessert just happens to be a rich, luscious chocolate so I’ll use it for the sake of discussion.  When you eat rich, luscious chocolate, your senses are being seduced.  The pleasure you feel is not actually brought on by the chocolate itself, it is the chemical makeup inside of the chocolate that is triggering your pleasure.  However, your emotions will fool you into believing that the chocolate itself is responsible for all the pleasure you feel.  Just as you should not allow the pleasure you get from eating a piece of rich, luscious chocolate to control you, neither should you allow your emotions to control you.  If you allowed the pleasure you felt from eating a piece of chocolate to control you, you would be compelled to eat it morning, noon, and night which would be very unhealthy for you.  You should think of your emotions the very same way.

You know that exercising control when eating anything you enjoy is wise.  The decision – and it is a decision – you make to remain in control of what may try to control you enables you to fully enjoy your chocolate without allowing it to bring harm to you and your body.  Managing your emotions is exactly like this.  Very simply, emotions are only feelings that are triggered by something that is much deeper and you cannot count on your feelings to accurately guide you through the important decisions you will need to make in your life.  So manage them wisely!

Have your emotions been managing you or have you been taking control?  Let’s discuss…

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Love Is Not Fleeting, People Are

Woman after God’s own heart, have you ever wondered why love never seems to last?

The truth is that it is not the love that is fleeting, it is the people.  The act of love is a gift from God.  It is not just an emotional feeling, it is a commitment we make to give our affection, our friendship, our devotion and our support to someone we consider worthy of us.  However, too many of us measure the love we profess to have for someone by our emotions and the way that we feel about that person at the moment.  You should know that your feelings alone are not true indicators of true love.  Feelings and emotions can be fickle and they are often subject to many external circumstances which is why they must be managed, which I will cover in my next post.  When you make a commitment to love someone, that commitment, like any commitment, is meant to be resolute.  True love is an act that requires our conscious will.  Making a commitment to love with your head and not your emotions, is not a natural thing for us to do.  This is why so many fail at the attempt.  In order to truly give love, you must understand that it is a supernatural gift that has been given to us, and is demonstrated through us, by a supernatural God.  It is almost impossible to operate in it without His power to do so.  Love is a blessing given for those who will use it precisely the way it was intended by God.

If you are still not sure what real love really looks like, know that you can always look to the way God loves us as the perfect example for modeling the true expression of love.

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An Invitation Into A World of Inspiration

As a girl, I would often disappear into my room where I would find solace from the life and world beyond my bedroom door.  My escape led me to discover a secret place within myself where my soul poured out its contents.  With pen in hand, I found joy in the ability to unleash my thoughts allowing them to run free within the  rhymes and stories that emerged.   I felt constrained by school and yet I discovered freedom in English, Literature, and Language Arts classes and took full advantage of the opportunities given me to explore my infatuation with writing.  Though many would encourage it, I vowed to never pursue a career in writing for fear of losing the joy and satisfaction it gave me.

In 2001, six years after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I began to experience a new surge in my writing.  What resulted was a collection of poetic summations…  poetry that reflected an outpouring of the Holy Spirit – a gift from God that spoke to me about my life.  With this gift came the expression of my joy and the heart of my pain, it brought me comfort and restored my peace – as it celebrated the existence of my God.  For years I tucked my gifts away, as they represented that secret place within myself where, then, only Jesus and I could gain access.  I would remove my gifts from their hiding place, only on occasion, to find shelter within my Lord when life would pour down hard upon me or, simply, to remind myself of just how wonderful my God truly is.

Today is a new day and I invite you into my secret place.  Visit me often as I bid you entry into my world of inspiration.  Here you may partake in my private selection of God-inspired gifts of poetry which I will add to this site as the Holy Spirit moves me.  May they bless you as they have blessed me.

Needless to say, I have broken that self-inflicted vow I made years ago to not pursue a career in writing.  As today, I am an author and  I write for the purpose of life…  I write as an author of life.