Day #5 #ReDiscover U

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" There's nothing worse than being in a dark place, a lowly place, an empty place with no hope...even though you are alive it feels like death is eminent ...when you're in a valley it feels like everything is crumbling all around you....I say that because I remember when I was laid off from my job and shortly thereafter my family and I lost our home.....It was a low place...it was a valley...its during these times that I needed more than an encouraging phone call, text or voice mail....I needed God to intervene.......that's when I realized that God is all around us...David asked, "Whither can I go from your presence? If I made my bed in hell, you are there" ....so because God is omnipresent and I am where He is...I then realized when I'm in the valley, He's there with me....."I shall fear no evil for you are with me" Knowing that God is with you and for you causes a shift to happen in the atmosphere....all of a sudden I'm reminded that "God did not give us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind" It wasn't easy at first...but the more I prayed the more I trusted....the more I read His word the more I trusted...oftentimes dark valleys or dark places is where God does amazing work....remember in Genesis? "Darkness was on the face of the deep and God said, let there be light and there was light." Do you remember Paul and Salis? They were in a valley...locked in prision..."but at midnight Paul and Sialis  prayed and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them and....suddenly there was an earthquake...there bonds broke" You may be reading this and you feel like you're in a dark place, a dismal place, a dry place....but I decree to you that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world....what the devil meant for evil God blocked it....its all working together for your good.

Day #4 #ReDiscover U

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" Over 18 years ago I recall my struggle to be "churchy" That's right I said "churchy" and that just about summed up my understanding of Jesus and Christianity. My fear of believing in Jesus Christ was rooted in my frequent wondering into a wilderness of sin,  then feeling guilty and unworthy after the escapade.  What was I to do? All I use to hear was how bad and inconsistent I was and how religous other people were. I actually use to think that I was the only one in the world that struggled with sin. It actually left me in a fogged state and as a result of that, being a Christian seemed hard.  It wasn't until I began reading God's word for myself. I read: "Come unto me all those that are burden and heavy laden and I will give you rest" also "He became sin who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus" also, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" and lastly,  "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved." This revolutionized my mind. I then felt the gentle hand of God "Leading me to the path of righteousness" It's not my goodness, its not my ability, its not my gifts....it's because of Jesus, Jehovah Tsidkenu -  The Lord our Righteousness. "For His name sake" Seeing he has taken upon him the name of a "Good Shepherd", He will keep His word , in spite of us. You and I being bad sheep will not make him stop being a "Good Shepherd", but he will be "good", and maintain the credit of "His name" in spite of all of our badness....God is good all the time.... and it's all good, because it's all God....and He will get the glory  "His name" shall  be magnified and exalted.
 

Day #3 #ReDiscover U

"He restores my soul" Have you ever felt depleted? Like you were close to throwing in the towel...I have and I must say it has happened more than once. The closest thing that  I can compare it to would be the day I tried running multiple errands with very little gas in the car. I had money to put gas in the car, but I told myself, "I can make it....I've done it before." Passing several gas station in route (which I would later regret) my mind became occupied with other things...totally forgetting about the fact that I needed gas. That's when it happened...this vehicle that I trusted to get me where I needed to go abruptly came to a hault. Why? Because I failed to get the vehicle where it needed to be in order for it to be supplied  with what it needed. Without supplying the vehicle with what it needed, it could no longer function in it's purpose or what it was created to do.  It doesn't matter how "good" a car looks or how "nice" the wheels and rims are...if there's no gas in it, it can't serve anyones need. Like a car, at times we are running close to empty, sadly many people do not have anything within telling them that their about to come to an abrupt stop. Often times depression and frustration sets in and we feel like we are failures. It's not that we are failures or our life has no meaning....we just need to get to the place or environment that has the capacity to give us what we need and fill us up. Obviously, we are not cars...so that place is not a gas station but rather in God's presence. David said, "He restores my soul" The Lord, the Good Shepherd, can restore you. Not only can He restore you, He is also a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  We are very good at rekindling old flames once the fire has gone out....but I challenge you to commit your way to the Lord and He will direct your path. Before you plan your vacation for the holidays or mark your 2018 calendar ...take a day off from work or just set some time aside for God....talk to Him, read his word...meditate on Him..let the Good Shepherd restore your soul "They that keep their minds stayed on Him, shall be kept in perfect peace"

Antonio G. Wells 

Day #2 #ReDiscoverU

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters"
....so what are these green pastures? I see those pastures as His holy word -- always fresh, always rich, and never dead pastures, but living.   The Lord's word is sweet ....fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutrients for sheep. By faith we are able to find rest in the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of green pasture...it's at this time that we discover provision and peace, rest and refreshment, safety and satisfaction. "He makes me lie down" It is the Lord who graciously enables us to perceive His truth and to feed upon it....how grateful we should be for the power to appropriate His promises!

We are not just lying down in green pastures , we are journeying  towards our destiny...we also read, "He leads me beside the still waters" ....so what are these "still waters" ....I believe them to be His precious Spirit...."still waters", for the Holy Spirit  loves peace, and sounds no alarm in is operation. He may flow into your soul, but not into your co-workers, and therefore your co-worker may not perceive the  presence of the Spirit of God....its amazing how the Holy Spirit may be pouring his floods into your heart, yet the person that sits next to you may know nothing about it.
....my grandmother use to say, "still waters run deep"....silence is golden ...the Lord leads us beside these "still waters" we couldn't do it by ourselves, we need His guidance, and grace... that's why His word says "He leadeth me" He does not drive us... Moses drove the Israelites, but Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads us by his example, and by His amazing love.

  

Day #1 #ReDiscoverU

"The Lord is my shepherd,  I shall not be in lack" Knowing who's sustaining you is essential as you travel down life's highway.  Many believe that it's their place of employment that is sustaining them, when in reality the job is only a resource and God is the source. It became very clear to me after ascending up the corporate ladder rather quickly moving from $23,500 to $60,000 a year without a college degree.  It wasn't until that same place of employment that anointed me the best thing since sliced bread, that said that I was the most witty,  most professional and articulate
layed me off...that's when a shift happen in regards to my view of who God really is. Maybe you're reading this and your life has been picture perfect and you never experienced a layoff or let down. Well, I did and it doesn't feel good. This challenged my faith and put me in a position to stand on what I told others I believed in. I heard a wise man say, "A faith untested, is a faith that can not be trusted." I began to pursue God more after the words of people failed me...I mean the company moved forward and didn't see the need for my position...what was I to do? I remembered  Psalms 23....and the beginning passage realigned my vision and put things back in  perspective, a ReDiscovery of sorts...it said, "The Lord is my shepherd,  I shall not be in lack" So what does a shepherd do? The Shepherd leads the sheep, cares for the sheep, He opens the gate for the sheep and the sheep know His voice....because the Lord is my shepherd I now know that He sustains me....in addition to that I have discovered that promotion does not come from the east nor west but it comes from the Lord...better yet, my Shepherd. That is why I can say with confidence...."I shall not be in lack" It's true that my God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus...He became poor so that I might be rich ~ it's not just monetarily but also wisdom,  knowledge,  and access to His presence...for in His presence is the fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore ....my Shepherd, my Jesus #WonderfulCounselor #MightyGod #PrinceofPeace #Day1

  

#Don't Quit

Do you remember this time last year or better yet a few years back when you were trying to figure out how you were going to make it? So much pressure with very little or no support....you were just about to throw in the towel...but some how, some way....YOU SURVIVED!  I'm writing  this blog today for you...that's right you....another obstacle, another situation has surfaced and you feel like you mopped yourself in a corner...often times God shows up in the fire not before the fire...know that if God did that, He can do this! Hang in there...help is on the way #Don't Quit

#PURPOSE

Have you ever asked the question,  "Why am I here" I know I have.... it's at that moment when we realize that it's more to it than the 9 to 5....its more to it than obtaining multiple degrees, its more than the house with the picket fence...its more than the promotion on the job...I mean it's all good, but it keeps one in a place of predictability,  a regiment of sorts and before long what has been obtained becomes mundane.  It puts one in a box, a feeling of comfort sets in and before long he or she becomes comfortable and no longer willing to embrace change when it comes. Purpose is not about what I have accomplished,  but rather "rediscovering me"...I love the passage in Jeremiah 1:8, when God says to the prophet, "before you were in your mother's womb I knew you...I ordained you a prophet." It was an "aha moment" for me....Jeremiah's purpose was revealed....school may have said otherwise,  a wedding may have tugged him to the left, a job may have been a hindrance...but purpose was revealed to Jeremiah before there was a job or a wife...he had a clear path to his purpose and he walked in it....what about Jesus? His dear mother Mary and Joseph were headed to the Passover with Him, but they lost sight of Him. When Mary located Him, what did He say? "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" That's purpose....He was 12 years old at the time...and yes He was a carpenter,  but 18 years later He reverted back to His purpose (He never lost sight of it) and you know the rest of the story. We get overwhelmed at times in the pursuit of happiness....well happiness as we know it here on earth...I have come to realize that my job is not my purpose...my ambitions are not my purpose...my purpose is what God placed me on the earth to do. After crying and praying and praying and crying I realized that my purpose is to write for His glory. Whenever I write its effortless....not because I'm so good, but rather it's my purpose, it's why I'm here...that's why I do what I do....because God gently whispered it to me....my life has never been the same.  I encourage you to cry out to God in your prayer closet and the Spirit of God will speak #purpose