I was telling a good friend about some things that I am facing. I love talking to her because she always views my situations through the lens of the Bible. 


When I told her how I was feeling and my new determination, she listened. And, then she affirmed me by showing me an even deeper way of looking at my circumstance. She told me that God loved me so much that He saw fit to keep that situation from me. Here I was thinking that maybe I'd done something wrong and was being "punished" in some way and she  showed me the protective hand of God by removing me from that situation. 


When I took a minute to look at everything, I could hardly speak. God loves me that much...it's amazing, for surely I don't know why He does. But I rest in the assurance that He does.


So, as you make your way through this coming week, know that no matter the circumstances you may face, God loves you. He has always loved you, and He only wants what is the absolute best for you. So trust Him. 

More recently than I'd care to admit, my faith has been challenged. I'd been fighting this thing off of me for some time and I finally got a little weary. Uh oh... I needed to recharge my faith batteries and get back to the place that no matter what, I trusted and believed that God would solve THIS situation. That's right, even this one. Yet, the more I tried to pump up my faith, the less my faith was pumped. I liken it to trying to pump up a bicycle tire with a foot pump with the nozzle improperly placed. You hear the air being pushed out of the pump but it's not going into the tire. End result: exhaustion, frustration and a flat-tire...still.

After a series of "game-escalating" activities, I came to this conclusion. It's not the things that I am trying to do that keep failing. It's what I'm trying to do to get to the answer. Instead of seeking His face, knowing that He will provide for even THIS situation, I've been seeking His hand - doing any and everything to try to get Him to tell me that He's going to work this thing out. But, that's already been revealed to me in His Word. Have I been asleep these years of my life or what?

So, now I rest in knowing that instead of trying to get God to answer me, I will just live a righteous life in faith knowing that God knows what I need. And, when He is ready, He will address THIS situation. To Him be the glory!

So, take a hint from me today. If you are struggling with God over an answer to a situation, stop now and just believe. Believe that He is going to work it out in due time and you don't have to worry about it. Just believe. Just trust. For the righteous live by faith!

I have an appreciation for birds. I get that from my dad. He and his aunt Sarah were into bird-watching. I think that what I really marvel at is a bird's ability to fly. I look at their bodies and then their wingspans and they just simply fly!

If I were to flap my equivalent - my arms - then gravity would surely pull me down. But, birds, they just do it. They have sense to know when to go out into the elements and when to stay in shelter. Birds get it. That's cool.

Yesterday, I was flying - in a metal bird some 30,000 + feet high in the sky ... over a major body of water. We hit a lot of turbulence. I'm happy that I am a seasoned flyer or I may have had a tendency to be a bit scared. But, we got jostled around for a good while. Even the pilot told us that we would have to just go through it - he couldn't go around it.

Turbulence - or rough air as the industry calls it now, comes. But when we are experienced, we notice the roughness, but we are not consumed by it - we are not afraid of it. And, that's how it is with seasoned Christians. They trust God to get them through. Even though it may be rough going with the things that they are dealing with, they have confidence and trust in God. They sit back in their seat within their "spiritual bird," knowing that even though they are being jostled about, and that they are high above the ground where falling is not an option (or either a deadly option), they are not fretting. They are trusting.

To the seasoned Christians, keep on trusting. Fly, fly, fly!

I cannot believe it’s October. It’s October and I’m still not wearing a coat to work in the mornings. What’s really going on people!?! Global Warming? End-times? What?!!

Okay – on to my point. I had a conference call this morning so that’s why I’m running behind in posting (plus the fact that I slept past the time I was supposed to get up so that I could post early. Sorry! Wink, wink…)

Yesterday, I nearly lost my cool. It’s like that when you birth something and somebody else tries their level best to take it away from you. I was crying and upset and couldn’t understand it (and I still don’t ) but like Patti LaBelle said … ou oou ou ou oooooouuu I’ve got a new attitude.

I spent a rather significant amount of time receiving wise council. And, well, now I’m set to do what must be done. With my face set towards God, I will step back and give God room to work the way that He intends.

You see, what happened to me yesterday is not a surprise to God. He’s seen it done before at the hands of the same people. God does not like "ugly" behavior. God sees, He knows, He cares. And, He handles folks too – He will repay. So, therefore, why should I get in His way? He is going to work this thing out in a way that gives Him the glory. And, I’m not going to interfere with it.

Now, knowing me, you recognize already that you are going to have to keep me in your prayers, right? It’s hard to turn something loose that means so much. But, whether it be at the hands of a thief or at the hands of God, when it’s time to let go, we’ve got to do just that. Let go and let God have His way in our circumstances and situations. We say that from time to time, and now here is the test.

If God intends for me to receive it again – since He’s the one that gave it to me and allowed me to prepare and present it, then I will have it. But, if this is the end of the road per the intentions of God, then it’s the end of the road. It’s really that simple. Somebody else cannot keep what belongs to you if God ordained it for you. So, please pray for me as I walk in faith, trusting God that He will restore me during this time. I grieved yesterday for the thing God allowed me to birth and now I have to trust Him, NOT man, with the growth of it.

OOOOOOOOUUUUUUWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, I'm excited y'all.

Thursday night, I rolled on over to Saint Amanda's in Garner. My pastor was preaching one night of their revival. And, I've got to tell you something - the Lord really used him. He was not operating at 100% in the flesh, you could see that on his face. But, one thing I do know, he allowed the Lord to use him 110%. The man preached the Word!

I believe that despite his physical condition, he came forth with the message because he believes in and fully trusts God. His faith in God allows him to do things that seem impossible to the eye. I have to give glory to God because I know that it was God's strength that sustained the preacher and it was God's message that came forth from the preacher. God is so good to us!

And it was such a timely Word. From my seat, I saw the faces of the people as God used the pastor to speak directly to their situation. I saw the knowing nods. I saw the conviction. I saw the trust. I saw the appreciation. I saw an eye full.

I did not leave that place the same way that I came in either. I was even more encouraged in the faith. I know that God can and God will use me when He deems it appropriate. I know that God can and God will continue to watch over and keep me. I know that my times are in His hands. And, I know that I love God more than ever and that this love will continue to grow.

May God bless you to have a great weekend!

How silly would we look walking around with a bullet-proof vest on?

Imagine it. Everywhere we went, we put on this bullet-proof vest. No matter what attire we were in - swimsuit, nice suit, or sweatpants - always wearing a bullet-proof vest. No matter the time of day - we'd sport that bullet-proof vest. I suggest to you that we would look pretty silly wearing that vest all of the time. And for those watching us, they would probably figure that we should be selected to appear in the very next taping of "What Not to Wear."

But, the truth is, some of us do walk around with a shield of armor protecting us. Sure, to the naked eye, we cannot see it, but to the spiritual eye, it's as noticeable as that bullet-proof vest. We walk around guarded. Yes, we are to guard ourselves from the activities of those that seek to do us ill-will, but we are not to be so consumed with guarding ourselves that we make ourselves unavailable to others.

It seems that some of us have allowed past hurts to determine how we will respond to others in the future. I did this. I was in a very serious relationship that was promised to end in marriage. Well, that relationship ended, but not in marriage. As a result, I became guarded - extremely so. I was not interested in letting anyone get too close to me. I walked around with my triple-layered bullet-proof vest on, and buried myself deep in the trenches of disappointment. I would recommend that you not even go there! It's no place for the living.

Instead, now I can look back and see the grand error of my ways. Keeping myself from living and meeting new people allowed the enemy to establish a stronghold in my mind. I always felt like anybody that approached me had an agenda. I was suspicious, anxious and paranoid. Yes, sadly I was. But, gladly, I can say that I'm free from all of it now. How did I get free? I had an encounter with the Lord Jesus and I then knew more than ever before that that was no way to live.

What I am trying to say - and not doing a good job of it at all - is nobody is perfect and even seemingly bad things happen to seemingly good people. However, our job is not to focus on the imperfection and the tragic events around us. Our job is to continue to live - and in doing so, give of ourselves to God in worship and to our fellow man in service. And, if it happens that you get injured on the way, take your concern or trouble to the Great physician - He can heal anything, anytime, anywhere - you just have to trust and know that He will. In the meantime, take off your vest and live!





Be Blessed!

Trusting in the Lord requires submission of our heart, mind, body and soul. We have to submit these areas to the Lord. This is what I preached about on Saturday. I wanted to share with you a little of what the Lord shared with me.

Our heart condition matters deeply to the Lord. For it is out of the heart that our mouth speaks. Whatever is in our heart comes out of our mouth. Can I share with you some examples?

What happens when you get cut off in traffic? What comes out of your mouth? It’s an indication of what is in your heart.

What happens when your cashier or waiter is rude to you? Or what about whenever it takes someone some extra time to bring something that you ordered to you? What comes out of your mouth? It’s an indication of what is in your heart.

What happens when you are left doing all of the work or working more than your fare share on a team project? What comes out of your mouth – even if you say nothing at work, what happens when you tell the experience to a friend or a spouse? It’s an indication of what is in your heart.

What happens when you are blatantly overlooked for a promotion that is rightfully yours? What comes out of your mouth? It’s an indication of what is in your heart.

Our heart condition is most evident in the little things that we do – the small responses. And it is when we find ourselves and our reactions in these small moments that we are able to see what condition our heart is really in.

Once we take notice of what is really in our heart, then we have to trust God to change us. Will you examine your heart today – and when you do, please go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to change you so that you become more and more like Him.

Be Blessed!
Sanya

I'm directed back to trusting God this morning. God desires that we fully trust Him 100% of the time. We acknowledge this as truth but something seems to get in the way - at least some of the time. What is it?

Would you share (anonymously if you prefer) what keeps you from trusting God? Your responses will help shape a message that I am working on. Therefore, I will leave this post up for the remainder of this week, in anticipation of your reply. And, if you feel more comfortable emailing me, you may do that as well.

Blessings!
Sanya

Part of trusting the Lord is waiting on Him to remedy the ills in your life. He is the only One that can fix the things that trouble us. When we come to that point of realization – once we are ready to take our hands off of the situation and once we are ready to stop calling everybody to get them to weigh in on what we should do, we are left with our own resolve. What can we do while we wait?

The best thing to do while we wait is to wait. Seems simple enough. Our society always has us doing something or going somewhere. We like to be busy. But, God does not need us getting into His business. If He has told us that He will do something on our behalf, then we just need to wait and it will come to pass.

Sometimes we like to look at our watches and calendars while we are waiting. This will only serve to aggravate you. Don’t spend your time doing this.

Other times we like to analyze the situation in our mind and inevitably find fault with something that we did. We like to blame ourselves. Well, if you did something that you haven’t repented for – quickly repent of the thing and then leave it alone. Don’t spend your time dwelling on what you cannot change. Give it to God and move on. Scripture tells us to cast all of our anxiety on Him because He cares for us. (1Peter 5:6-7)

So, what can we do? There must be something. Yes, we can occupy ourselves with learning about Him. We can study our Bibles. The only way to be like Him is to know Who He is.

While we wait, we can pray about everything that concerns us. Phil. 4:6-7
While we wait, we can seek the Lord – Isaiah 55:6
While we wait, we can praise the Lord – Psalm 66:17-20

Do you see my point here? While we wait, we can occupy ourselves with the things that please Him. We need to entertain and educate ourselves with the things of God, leaving our hope and trust completely with Him – not in ourselves.

In the beginning of relationships, for most of us, trust is inherent. It’s given. Not because we know this person but simply because we want to know them and draw ever closer to them. It’s one of those “innocent until proven guilty” situations – I trust you until you prove to me that you cannot be trusted.

The funny thing to me is that sometimes we flip our faith in reverse. Instead of trusting God at the beginning of our relationship with Him, some of us do not rely on God and trust Him until we have run out of other options. “It’s one of those – I’m not going to call you until I have to” situations – I’m not going to trust you unless I have no other option.

Considering that the Bible tells us that man is sure to disappoint us and that God will never – why is it then that we have such a problem trusting God more than we trust man?

One reason I believe this may be the case for some is that God is intangible. You cannot touch Him nor see Him. You have to trust and believe that He is there. In the midst of trouble, we as a people like to reach out and touch – feel an embrace – hear a voice. We like to be soothed by the tangible. So we lay our trust at the feet of those we know, see, and hear.

There may be several reasons why we lay our trust at the feet of people. But I want to encourage you today to disregard those reasons and lay your trust first at the feet of your Savior – Jesus Christ. He has come to us, lived among us, suffered for us, died for us, rose for us and has now ascended to the Throne, where He intercedes for us. But, He has not left us comfortless – He has left a Comforter – the Holy Spirit that dwells within us – if we would only trust and believe that He is there.

Would you examine your trust levels today? Where have you laid your trust?

What's on your mind this morning? Is it the Lord or some other thing?

For the past week, I've gone to bed in prayer thinking about a certain situation. I've woken up in prayer to God about that same situation. And, while this would normally cause me much discomfort and anxiety, I have a certain peace about it. The ability to take all of my cares and concerns to the Lord comforts me. He cares about my every detail - and yours too.

Trusting in God floods me with peace. I'm not in this situation by myself. He is there too. His love and care for me is eternal. That's pretty amazing. I know this because I ran across it in Isaiah.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." - Isaiah 26:3-4

I hope that you find comfort in that passage of Scripture. I know that I have.

Blessings,
Sanya

I looked in the mirror today.

I know that's a strange statement considering the fact that we all look in the mirror every day to brush our teeth, comb our hair etc. But today, I really looked. I was not examining a new pimple from my latest bout with adult acne. I was looking at me - beyond the surface. And guess what, I saw/realized something.

I am God's creation. And that's a wonderful thing. He is constantly molding and shaping me into His likeness. Every time I really look in the mirror, I see something new. Lately, God has been building my faith. I've been traveling to low places and climbing steep mountain sides. With the help of God, I made it through! And now, as a result of my recent experiences, I look in the mirror and I see that my eyes look brighter and my face has a certain glow - not brought about by skin products - but by the assurance that my Father loves me! He cares for me! And, that knowledge just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy! I'm glowing as a result! I did notice another gray hair popping up - but I'm counting that as joy too! That MUST mean that I'm gaining wisdom along the journey. :-)

For a period of time, looking in the mirror reminded me of what I am not. But, now, trusting and loving God as I do, looking in the mirror reminds me of Whose I am. Everything else is of little consequence.

Will you look in the mirror today? Try it and let me know what you see!