On the Eve of Possible Severe Weather

It was 3 years ago that the South was hit with some of the worst weather ever. Small towns like DeKalb, Mississippi and Geiger, Alabama became national news. The same type of weather is expected tomorrow and the next day. Well, on the eve of possible extremely severe weather, I would like to remember God’s faithfulness. Though it all-houses lost, lives forever changed, near death experiences, it was God who kept us. Things could have been worse, but because of the prayers of the righteous and God’s faithfulness, we made it. Some people were actually blessed with more after the mess. So, everyone stay safe and stay prayerful.

When Children Believe: The Way We Raise Our Children Does Count

No parent wants to see their child hurting or in pain. But, so often as parents we have to watch our children hurting and wounded. We have to help them up from falls, put balm on their injuries, stay with them throughout the long nights, and kiss their boo-boos. The most painful times are those when there is nothing we can do. Amazingly some of my most awe inspiring moments have come when my children were hurting.

My oldest son has considered himself grown for several years now (He is only 19). He likes to think that he is “hard”. So, I found it absolutely amazing that whenever he was really hurting-I mean really hurting-that he would always run to me. “Moma, moma, help!” What was even more amazing was when he was in severe pain, he would always ask for 2 things: holy oil and prayer. He shocked me the first time he said, “Moma, go get the holy oil and come pray for me. This hurts so bad. Pray.” And, every other time he was in severe pain, he wanted me to help him contact Jesus.

This let me know that he knows enough about Jesus to know that he can heal. As a child, he attended Sunday school and church regularly. He has witness me and my prayer partner and partners laboring in prayer. He knows just what Jesus can do. So, it doesn’t matter if he sings rap or wears dread locks. He knows Jesus. I did raise him in the way he should go.

My youngest son has been having knee pain all week this week. He has had to be out of school and stuck with my mother and father. These bouts of pain come and go in intervals and when they come, they are excruciating to him. He screams and cries, and I feel completely lost. Yesterday, when his leg began hurting, he did something that shocked and thrilled me. He called me over to the couch where he was lying. He said, “Moma, pray for my leg.” That’s when I knew that I had done something right. No, I am not the world’s greatest parent. I am not the most patient person. I am not the easiest person to get along with. But, my children do know that I love Jesus. They know that he can heal. They also believe in the power of prayer.

Raise up a child in the way that he should go...

Proverbs 22: 6

James 5:14-16

Childlike Faith: Trusting God Inspite Of

Children are fascinating. They can believe something without having to see a whole lot of proof. Unlike us, they have not learned to be suspicious yet. They still see the world through rose-colored glasses. They believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth fairy. And, just as they believe in these mythical characters, they also take Christ at his word. They believe without seeing. They don’t have to see the nail prints in his hands. I have often wondered why I couldn’t be like them. Although I have faith and love God, sometimes it gets a little difficult to believe that God is going to do all of the things he promised. It is difficult to believe that he will open up the windows of Heaven and pour me out a blessing when the light bill is past due. It can be hard to believe the words of King David, who said he had never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread, when the cabinets are bare and there is nothing in the refrigerator. Thankfully, over the years, I have learned to look less at my situation and more to the promises of the father. God has not asked us to do the impossible. He asked us to simply believe-to have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed.When I stop worrying-stop trying to fix it myself-things change. So, my prayer is that I can adopt the faith of a little child.

Psalms 37: 25

John 20: 25

Malachi 3:10

Matthew 17: 20

Accepting Life's Disappointments

Jeremiah 29:11

"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 a hope and a future."

This is a scripture is that most of us have heard several times before. For some people, it offers them hope when life seems void and bleak. This scripture and I have had a long history, but it is not a good one. I can’t tell you how many times this scripture has been quoted to me by prophets and preachers alike. And, it was always at a time in my life when I was facing hurt and disappointment. It showed up at times when I was disillusioned and angry. At those times, this was not something I wanted to hear. Like any spoiled child, I wanted what I wanted at the time that I wanted it. So, hearing that God had a plan for my life that obviously wasn’t what I had planned didn’t set too well with me. Although this scripture is still not one of my favors, I have learned to accept that God knows best. Our times are not his times. And, our desires are not always his desires. Now, I don’t get as upset when disappointments come. I have learned to trust God and keep moving forward. All things work for my good.

Romans 8: 28: 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.

Get Out of the Boat: Be a Water Walker

A favorite quote of mine from my pastor, Dr. Robert Nix, is “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” This comes from the story of Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus. This is a true saying. If you want the miracle that God has for you, you have to be willing to take a chance. You have to have the faith to step out of the boat. My grandfather used to say, “Reach for the moon. If you fall among the stars, at least you will be on higher ground.” This is true. Stop sitting back wishing on a star. Shoot for your dreams. If you are not sure how, then do some research. Google it. Ask for help. The bible tells us to study to show ourselves approved. So, read books on the subject. Pray. Step out on faith. Walk on water.

Matthew 14: 22-33

Destiny and Address

 

God is Not Limited to an Address

When I was growing up, I can remember wanting to leave Mississippi as fast as I could. I knew that I was from a small town and that there was no way that I could make my dreams come true living here. Well, things did not go as I had originally planned. I am still in the great state of Mississippi. However, I have made a shocking discovery. I am able to make my dreams come true even while living right here in Mississippi.

I always wanted to become a writer. I just couldn’t figure out how I could get my work published and live here. For years, I thought my dreams were lost to me. I took my son, who was sixteen years old at the time, to convince me that I could make my dreams come true. He pushed me to pursue my dream. One day he said to me, “Momma, why haven’t you published any of your work.  You need to get out there and do something.  Send your work in and see what happened.  Don’t give up on your dream”.  I remember thinking again, how can I make it when I live here. Then, out of the blue, I discovered an article on The Krazy Coupon Lady that described how to become a freelance writer for online companies. I took a risk and tried it. From that point forward, I became a content writer for two different online companies, Yahoo Voices and Helium Network. I also started publishing in our local paper.

What I learned from all of this ways that it is not the address. It is the determination. It is the drive, and it is destiny. God is not limited to an address. It is does not matter if you live in New York City, San Francisco, Atlanta, or a small town in Mississippi. God can make your dreams come true. So, the next time you want to just pack up and move, ask yourself is this where God wants me to be. Is God too small to work where I am? Does an address really matter?

No, an address is not a handicap. God can find you where you are. He can help you find your destiny where you are. Lesson learned!

Leaving a Legacy Behind: Things We Must Leave Our Children

A few years ago, I wrote an article called “Legacies” for Yahoo Voices. In this article, I talked about a family from Kemper County whose parents had left them a lasting legacy of love, pride, and service. How wonderful it must be to be left with a legacy like that. As parents, it is our job to leave a lasting and positive legacy for our children. We should strive to ensure that our offspring is better off than we were to begin with.

Yes, I know we may have struggled, and many of us feel that our children are not any better than we are. But, did you ever stop to think how different your life would have been if you had been left with a positive legacy? Did you ever wonder how much further along you would be if your parents had provided a better financial foundation for you?

Well, I do. I think about all of those people who inherited their grandma’s house or their parents’ old car. I think about the money I would have saved. I also think about how much better off financially I would have been if someone had only taught me to budget my money when I was younger. No, I am not crying over spilled milk. The past is the past. And, I believe in moving forward. As my mother once said, you can’t drive a car if you are constantly looking back.

What I would like to do, however, is ensure that my children don’t have the same struggles. No, we should no give our children everything they want. No, we should not make them lazy. Yes, we should encourage them to work and make a living. But, we should make it a goal to leave them a legacy of honesty, hard-work, integrity, and financial and spiritual wisdom. We must educate our children on how to budget. We must teach them how to have a good work ethic. We must teach them respect. We must teach them be empathic to their fellowman.

So, as parents, we shouldn’t waste all of our substance (money/knowledge) on ourselves. We should provide a financial and spiritual legacy for our children.

http://voices.yahoo.com/leagacies-11617932.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/ending-cycle-poverty-indentifying-cause-12028759.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/ending-cycle-poverty-among-african-americans-11980800.html

Luke 15:11-32
Proverbs 13: 22

Lessons about God from My Own Children

 

 

I learn more and more about God each day from my children. I can remember one time being so angry with my oldest son. He said some things he shouldn’t have said. And, I remember thinking that I was done with him. If he wanted to act like an adult, then I was going to treat him like one. He could provide for himself. He could pay his own bills. I was finished. However, as I was driving to work, it came to me that despite what he had said or what he had done, he was still my son. I loved him in spite of his wrong attitude and wrong way of thinking. And, I remember thinking that this is how God is. He loves us even when we mess up and fall. He loves us despite our faults. I am not saying that we should never punish our children or let them do whatever they want. Because even though God does love us, he punishes us for our wrong doing. It is when we recognize our wrong and repent, he welcomes us back. And, just as these thoughts were crossing my mind that day, my cellphone rang. It was my son calling to apologize for his behavior.

The Birds Got It Right

You know life is kinda funny. As women, we work so hard to get noticed by men and other people. But, if you pay attention to nature, you would see that things are different. As I watching a group of birds the other day, I realized that the birds got it right. The male of the species is the most brightly colored. This is to attract the attention of the female bird. How much easier it would be if we women didn’t have to put so much effort into attracting the opposite sex. The reality is that men should have to work hard to earn our affections, our attention, and our goodies.