Month: April 2016

Wait.

Shantel G.
Trust God. Don’t be hasty. If you have a gut feeling that something’s not right or it’s not what God promised you, then wait. My patience and obedience have been tried lately. And while others were hasty during the situation, God’s spirit on the inside of me would not settle with the circumstance. This is not stated to boast about my ability because I have won and failed some tests but when it’s meant, things just start coming together. There’s no second guessing about it.
 
This is how I know the Father is concerned with our well-being. Although we can rush to receive something quick, He takes his time to create a masterpiece for us when we are patient. Then when it’s time to receive what He has put together, run full speed ahead!
Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) – Genesis 13:8-10 NLT
According to Genesis 13, when it was time for Lot and Abram to separate, although they had lived together with their herds and families for a while, Lot chose to live in the Jordan valley because it had streams and appeared to be everything he needed. But Sodom and Gomorrah were very close by and were the places that God eventually destroyed with fire and brimstone. This was the same place that God told Lot to eventually flee from.
After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” – Genesis 13:14-17 NLT
When Abram departed from Lot, God told him that all of the land around him was his and his descendants would be as countless as the dust of the Earth. Abram was grateful and built God an altar. It’s not always about what you see; the blessings can be visions turned into reality. It pays to wait on God.
but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31 AKJV
Here’s a prayer that you can pray:
Father,
Help us your children learn how to wait. There are so many things you have in store for us. May we invest time in your presence, helping others, loving each other, and utilizing our faith. May we find comfort in knowing that you are preparing your best for us in every aspect of lives.
Amen.
#ItpaystowaitonGod #Theresablessinginthelesson #Bepatient #Godsgotit #AndHesgotthebestforyou

Life More Abundantly

Shantel G.

For the longest time I considered traveling the world. The pictures on social media, the landscapes in magazines, and the travel guide videos were astonishing. This, I thought, is living life to the fullest.

world view

The crystal clear waters, the sparkling sand, the lush green fields, and diverse culture were a few things that drew me. I wanted to experience Earth on the other side. At the time, I had commitments and responsibilities that were freshly added to my list of things to do. But sometimes I would stay up at night, envisioning my escapades.

Although I still have dreams and aspirations, I  have come to realize that I can live life more abundantly at my current state. I can smell the roses while taking my dog for a walk. I can start conversations more with people around me. I can check on my family members and friends more often to see how they are doing. I can daily do a self-check to make sure that I’m not harboring any negative energy.

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. – James 4:13,14 NLT

We all have those moments when we’re so focused on our future that we forget about the present. Our present day is a gift (Thanks for the quote Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda!). Live in the moment and savor each day.

Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. – Philippians 4:6 NAS

Here’s a prayer that you can pray to God:

Dear Father,

Thank you for blessing me with this day. I acknowledge that it is a gift. Show me how to enjoy it and impact others in a great way. Guide my heart and remove every stain. Clear my mind of negative thoughts so that I may please you. Help me embrace the opportunities that you have placed before me. I know that you hold tomorrow in your hands. May your will be done because it is what’s best for me.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called the present.- Master Oogway

Check out my cover of Cece Winans’ “He’s Concerned” here!

 

#Blessed

#Blessed

Shantel G.

Blessed. We hear the word used on social media, in songs, movies and the list goes on. In the 2015 Western Conference Finals, during a post-game conference after the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets, Stephen Curry’s daughter sang “Way up, I feel blessed.” It’s a word that circulates around us and many people have different views of what it means to be blessed.

No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed. – Godfrey Winn

\ˈble-səd\  (1) having a sacred nature : connected with God. (2) very welcome, pleasant, or appreciated (Merriam-Webster)

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to be blessed is to be spiritual or gratifying. Considering this definition, there are many things that we consider gratifying but to be connected to God requires a certain nature.

I was blessed with certain gifts and talents and God gave them to me to be the best person I can be and to have a positive impact on other people. – Bryan Clay

When we show gratitude towards God for his blessings, we are acknowledging that we are  blessed. His blessings include the birth of a child, a flower in bloom, a new home, family, friends, food. However, there are blessings in disguise. Blessings that some would believe are curses.

When I lost my job in 2015 I did not feel like I received a blessing. Prior to being fired, I felt that my season was changing but I did not think it would happen the way it did. I tried to stay optimistic but thoughts of failure and disappointment clouded my judgement. The fear of the unknown devastated me. Instead of trusting God and believing He knew what was best, I wallowed in my insecurities.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5,6

I’d like to let you know that it is okay not to know everything. It’s okay not to have it all together. Eventually, I realized that I was never supposed to have all the answers in the first place but to have faith and trust that my God would take care of me.

As humans we attempt to perfect the areas of our lives through our ideals and worldviews. We attempt to pick up all the pieces and create a masterpiece through our own ability. However, we are not sufficient alone. God sent His Son to redeem us from our tainted state. We need His help.

Sometimes He puts us at a stand still so that we can acknowledge Him. We tend to lose our way when we don’t put our focus on Christ.  Accept that as a human you are capable of making mistakes. And that’s okay. Acknowledge your imperfect state. Ask God to improve you despite your flaws.

It is easy to become distracted by everything that surrounds us. Let us take the time to celebrate our state of being blessed. Let us cherish and savor the moments we have with those around us.

Here is a prayer that you can pray to God:

Dear God,

I acknowledge that I don’t have all the answers. I’ve made many mistakes (you can name them if you’d like). I need your guidance. Please direct me to your path. Show me your ways. Clean my heart and erase the stains. Thank you for your blessings; even those that I cannot see. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t love myself. This is my moment and my time to live blessed. You lead me and I will follow. Connect me with people who also follow you. Show me how to enlighten those who don’t believe in you. Your Son died on the cross for me. He rose on the third day for me. I am blessed.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

What Seed Have You Put In The Ground?

Shantel G.

This message is inspired by a journal post  that I wrote in 2014. I pray that it blesses you just as I am blessed by it.

\ˈhär-vəst\ the season when crops are gathered from the fields or the activity of gathering crops.

picking fruit

When I hear the word “harvest” I think of receiving something and having an expectation. I also envision fresh fruit and vegetables gathered from crops.

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” – Genesis 8:22 NLT

In life we have many harvests. There are plentiful harvests and poor harvests. There is a principle in the earth of giving & receiving; sowing & reaping. For a crop to produce ripe fruit and vegetation, good soil and care are needed.

“A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.  But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” – Mark 4:3-8 NLT

planting seed

When you sow seeds, with proper care, they grow out of the ground. Reaping is the process of cutting away. Jesus informed His followers that the time was now to reap the benefits of their labor.

God was a giver and He gave sacrificially. We should not give conditionally but sacrificially. The harvest after your suffering will come.

We are recipients of the promises of God but let us be mindful of what we sow in the earth. When you bless others, blessings will come to you. When you curse others, curses will come to you. When God blesses you, no man can curse you (Isaiah 54:17). Sometimes you may be discouraged when you bless others and don’t see results right away. But have courage; God sees you and will reward you (Matthews 6:3,4).

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9 NLT

I encourage you to reach out to God today; show Him that You are available to be used. Sow acts of kindness, sacrifice, wisdom and love.

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – Matthew 9:37,38 NLT