christianity

Some Things Will Manifest Through Your Seed

by 4myluvs89

I did not realize just how much my daughter truly loves biology. Sure, she’s told me that she enjoys learning all the subject has to offer and she loves the past few biology teachers she’s had, but when I tell you she really loves it, she really does. How do I know this, you ask? Because I had to help her study the other night! LOL!

I’ve always taught my children that there are a multitude of ways to study and our brains don’t always work as well with the same method for every subject. That said, aim to stick with what works. So, she opted to make some index cards to help her prepare for her upcoming test. When she gave them to me for us to begin studying, I quickly realized that ‘us’ would never be a reality. I’m not the smartest chic in the world and I’m no dummy either, but the material on those cards was truly above my pay grade. Yet and still, for each portion I called out, she all but gave me 100% of what she had on the card as the reply. I was floored.

I often remind her of a prophecy given to me by our (then) pastor while she was still a beautiful babe in the wound. He shared that God was going to use her to do great things. It’s funny how we receive and perceive based on our limited capabilities. I told her after our study time that I wanted her to always remember to seek God first for the way forward in her life. Her life’s goal is not a glamorous one, but she’s certain it’s what she wants to do after college, etc. I told her to keep in mind that what God wants her to do is so much more important than what she sees on the surface. I don’t know what that it is and she won’t either if she doesn’t ask him. What I do know is that he’s given her a beautiful mind to process, understand, and regurgitate these things in science. I know that some of the stuff God’s promised to us will be manifested through our seeds. And I also know that God doesn’t give us talents to be buried until he returns.

As you read these passages of scripture today, I urge you to consider the talents the Lord’s given you and the blessings he has in store because of them. Don’t sell yourself short because of your own personal desires or doubts encountered by others. I once noted that “there’s a manifestation of a made up mind” (author unknown), so let the mind of Christ be in you, recognizing that your value to the kingdom is far greater than you can imagine.

READ: 2 Kings 4:1-7; Matthew 25:14-30

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/3WbkHC6js8k?si=FdnJgLtoLEiMd4Qd “Manifest” by Jonathan Nelson

When to Give Up on God

by 4myluvs89

Mannn, let me tell you – I’ve had a week. Oh, for sure, it’s not the worst week ever, but still, it’s been a doozy. I’ve been on a new, temporary job for about two weeks now and I do thank the Lord that the negative stress level is minimal. It has it’s downfalls, but doesn’t every job? If you don’t think so, we’ll just agree to disagree upfront, LOL. I contemplated listing the things I could remember that caused me to feel so downtrodden this week, but I’m going to skip that part and get to the ‘when and why’ of our topic.

All throughout the bible, there are stories of trials and tribulations. My brother often jokes me about how much I’d reference the Book of Job over the years. It’s hard not to revisit Job’s story. He endured so much and was blessed even more. But for most people, it’s hard to read Job’s story from the beginning and feel better anytime soon. Here is where I submit to you that we have got to recognize that our lives, too, are but pages on a book, yet to be written.

When we read any book, it usually never gives the ending at the beginning. So, we have to read it, just as we have to live life. One of the biggest delusions about this, though, is that life is supposed to be lived out at the same speed. How soon we finish a novel is dependent on how long we decide to sit down and read it. Eventually, we’ll read to the end and can move on to another book. We get one life to live and there is no other book to move on to (it’s life and death). If you’re not a fan of Ms. Shirleen or are unaware of her altogether, this would be a great introduction to her. She submits to you that she is going to live her best life and I submit that we all should do the same.

Living our best life is encouraged in the Book of James, Chapter 1. Verse after verse provides a stark reminder that the time to give up on God is never. I will be the first to tell you over and over. I choose to be your friend today and tell you that nothing is ever so horrible or traumatic that it warrants an unexperienced or broken relationship with God. We will fall and mistakes. We will become weary and afraid. Bills will come due and money will be short. But God. Friends will hurt us and family will betray us. Still God. The Lord is faithful. Never give up on God.

READ: Job 19; James 1

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/B2YHvIam5vY?si=OEXfSSgE8pPaNe5P “Faithful Now” by Vertical Worship

Clouds and Streets of Gold

by 4myluvs89

Wow! What a blessed morning I’ve had! The song I’ve attached for you today! May I suggest you listen to it several times over. Undoubtedly, some of you may have heard it before, but there’s nothing like a fresh breath of air to change your perspective.

And after all, isn’t that the majority of what life’s about, perspective, that is? As I was reading the Word this morning, I had to pause so that I could take a picture of the beautiful cloud hanging outside my window. Yes, I said “hanging” because that’s truly what it was doing (Job 26:7-9/14). I have no sense of memorization when it comes to these things, i.e. the scientific names of clouds, etc., but I do love that the Lord’s blessed my daughters with the gift of being able to tell me. They both love science in their own regard, but I digress…

I recently revisited the idea of wealth with my daughters and I can tell you that my focus was on them knowing that it is not in money. We need money, yes, but the wealth that involves knowing the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself is unlike any other. We are never indebted because of it, it is not on a borrow/barter system, and it can never be taken away from us.

During lunch yesterday, we encountered an old man who blessed me by sharing with us words about his love for Jesus. He’d been at the table near us a while, having had, assumably, finished his meal, and I wondered why he was still just sitting there. I have a tendency to do that, contemplate the why’s of other people’s lives, that is ;-). After some time, he turned to us and inquired about the two beautiful twins I had with me and asked how we were doing. I clarified for him that many people think they’re twins, but they’re not, thanked him for his kind compliment, and shared that we were doing just fine. He proceeded to ask me if he could tell me about his Jesus. Yep, that’s exactly what he asked. I smiled and said, “you sure can!” While I can tell you that our waiter was nice and attentive, it didn’t escape me that during this time, he seemed intent on blocking this man from speaking to us, especially about that topic. One could see it as him just trying to ensure we weren’t being bothered during our meal, but I tend to see the spiritual aspect of it and know that Satan was at work trying to block the exchange of giving God glory. I’m actually glad the old man persisted in speaking to me/us because his words were so comforting. He was obedient and I was intent on being attentive.

What he said to me/us was that Jesus was wonderful. He proceeded to tell me/us that Jesus “makes a way when there is no way.” He assured us that God would provide all of our needs. I thought for sure he was going to sing every lyric of this song, LOL, but he settled on saying that Jesus would pave up streets of gold just to bless us. Now, that may do nothing for the average person, but I received it with open arms.

I’m passing it on to you. I come to you with a humbled heart and I’m telling you that Jesus WANTS to bless you. I share it with you with so much fervor that it’s truly unbelievable on my end because it is NOT what I aimed to blog about today. God changed my thoughts so that you could be reminded and assured that “he makes a way where there is no way.” The one who hangs the clouds in the sky can change your life. Read his words and be open to a new perspective. Allow the Lord to bless you with abundant wealth today.

READ: Psalm 1:1-6 and Jeremiah 7:1-7; Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 9:8, and Ephesians 1:3

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/cWLm6z42Gk8?si=EB0vuIfR_hjjOyhl “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson