Life is not fair it’s filled with injustice.

Trials are where your testimony lie because you can say “life really sucks sometimes, but He is faithful.”  It’s in the valleys you can really learn the gifts of the spirit if you allow it.

When someone asks about your faith you get to share and give an answer for the hope that is in you out of experience.  Without pain or adversity there’s no real room for growth.  We don’t always get answers to why we have to go through certain things, but maybe it’s simply to be someone’s “I’ve been there, too.”  His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts.  This life isn’t about us and it never will be.  It’s all about giving glory to Him and letting your light shine which is always His light.  Maybe you were given this assignment in order to help someone else in the future through encouragement and an understanding ear.  How do you learn to overcome or explain who your God is if you never had first hand knowledge about it?

I’ve been tested in my faith lately, but He has held my hand and is currently walking me through it.  I am thankful for people God has provided who has been through MUCH WORSE than me so they can say “It’ll be alright” and I believe them.

I can “feel” like God forgot me.  I can “feel” angry and “feel” like He doesn’t have a plan for me, but deep down I know that’s not true because His word says otherwise.  He says He will never leave or forsake me and that He has a plan of peace, not harm, for my life.

It doesn’t matter what I “feel” because feelings are not facts or truth… it’s a fleeting emotion that goes up and down.

Let inadequacy and insecurity draw you to wholeness…

“NAY, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” – ROMANS 8:37-39

During this quarantine I lost someone very close to me who I loved dearly and highly respected.    We prayed fervently this last year and kept waiting and waiting for the miracle.  The miracle did not happen here, but he was healed in heaven.  It was also during this unique time being home I could only draw closer to Him for answers.  Nothing or nobody could sway me this way or that on how to deal with something because they weren’t around and all I had was His Word.  I went back to work last week with assurance of who my God is and a bit of healing was “ready to give an answer for the hope that is in me” because I lived God experiences no matter how much it hurt.  I may have been shaken, but it really wasn’t until I talked to someone else I knew where I stood.

I found my coworker’s bible in a drawer while looking for a mask Friday.  It was way too early to ask if I could read it but did so anyway.  That opened a door to talking to someone who asked what I was reading so I shared.

She shared someone had given her Redeeming Love (which is one of my favorite books I’ve read multiple times) so I got to share the story of Hosea and then I talked about Ruth.  They are on their own spiritual searching journey and I hope they land on Jesus and walk away from the world, but I asked if they ever read Ruth and explained how I read it 1,000 times but last year when I read it was as if I never read it before.  I told them how I found the passage in Ezekiel which says I found you when you were destitute and naked and clothed and loved you.

Later that day the same person asked me how I deal with things … meditating or just reading my Bible.  I said reading and journaling but I also lock myself in my room and read passages aloud when I am really down and having problems.  The reason I do that is not because it’s a mantra I have to repeat to myself but rather my God is alive and His promises are true.  It’s not empty words on a page, but He is real and there with me.

They asked what I thought of certain tv preachers like Joel Olsteen and Joyce Meyer and I immediately said Joel is more of a motivational speaker but doesn’t speak truth.  They both say great things and are excellent speakers, but teach in error and to be careful because they teach what they want the Bible to say rather than what God actually said.  She mentioned knowing I am not into religion and asked me about it.

I said “Let God be true and every man a liar.”

There’s so many religions… ‘This religion takes this verse and says these things…
“This religion takes THAT verse and says these things… but none of them teach what God says.  They create their own doctrine and version of the truth, but it’s all taken out of context.

After all this I realized it was for me.  I’ve been through enough in the last 6 years of being saved and especially the last few months that I don’t care.

I don’t care.

To be asked a question and not worry about your answer being rejected and being exactly who you are and who you know your God to be was something maybe the person needed, but God provided that situation for me as well.  If that seed was thrown to the side the conversation wouldn’t be for nothing because God comforted His child by having me say out loud Who He is.

“This is who you are in Me.”

I needed the reminder.  I needed to say outloud who my God is and proclaim He is faithful even to an unbeliever and that He will never leave me and He was there for me when nobody else was.

I realized that after thinking how cool it was God provided that door.

“NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY.

WHEREFORE LIFT UP THE HANDS WHICH HANG DOWN, AND THE FEEBLE KNEES; AND MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR YOUR FEET, LEST THAT WHICH IS LAME BE TURNED OUT OF THE WAY; BUT LET IT RATHER BE HEALED.” – HEBREWS 12:11-12

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FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK. FOR THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED FROM FAITH TO FAITH: AS IT IS WRITTEN, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. – ROMANS 1:16-17

Lift up those weak hands and get up off those feeble knees and praise the God who never changes and will never leave or forsake you.

I am too anointed to be disappointed.

Are you??