2016 Will Be Different !!!

I share my personal prayer with you because I believe we have been through similar challenges this year; this prayer wasn't just for me. I believe that because we endured the testing and the stretching of 2015, our growth has ushered in the reign of 2016! Limits have been broken, mindsets have been changed, faith has been fortified, and dynamics have been excessively shifted to our favor!!! He has filled our mouths with laughter and our lips with rejoicing!

God Creator, I come to You in the matchless name of Jesus! I thank You Father for the stretch, I thank You for the test of this year.  I count it all joy because Your faith has produced a more perfect work of patience in me. I thank You because through every Goliath, You taught me how to war!

Now fortified in Your grace, rooted in Your love and protected by the blood of Jesus, I step into 2016 ready! Thank You for filling my mouth with laughter and my tongue with singing that people may say "the Lord has done great things for her"! I praise You Jehovah M'kaddesh for You are the God who has set me apart. You have set me apart for Your plans and purpose! I willingly and cheerfully offer my life as a living sacrifice to Your will; which is my reasonable service.

I intentionally, with gladness and excitement, synchronize my life to Your will and agenda.

I speak Your truth over my life. That:

I am a son of God

I am saved and established by Your grace

I am born of incorruptible seed

I am forgiven of all my sins

I am a new creation in Christ

I am seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

I am accepted in the Beloved

I am complete in Christ

I am strong in the Lord

I am intentionally and specifically created for success

I am significant; a needed and impacting member of the body of Christ 

I am set free

By the power in the name of Jesus:

I speak against and destroy every scheme and distraction planned by the enemy to derail God's plan for my life. I sever all relationships that are bait by the enemy. Let it be established in the heavens that plots, distractions, saboteurs will form against me but will come to nothing!  I bind the spirits of confusion and doubt. I rebuke the spirits of fear, lack and sickness. You have no place, no privilege to eclipse my life, the life of my family and the life of my church. 

I declare and direct that this year:  

I am more sensitive and yielding to the counsel, might, knowledge and power of Your Holy Spirit than ever before.   The love and compassion of Jesus is overflowing in me, compelling me to perpetual action.

I continually seek and live by God's wisdom; as a result, I am highly favored and esteemed in the sight of God and men.

I cannot fail because all work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Like Joseph, I prosper wherever I go and in every situation I am in because the Lord is always with me. I, too, experience preferential treatment.

Everything I put my hands to is successful because God has commanded His blessings to all I put my hands to.

 

I am a lender and not a borrower.

 

I am surrounded by God-ordained friendships; friendships that are fruitful and mutually beneficial.

 

As iron sharpens iron so am I to the heart, mind and emotions of my friends.

 

By the stripes of Jesus Christ I am healed; sickness and disease are far away from me.

The Lord is my dwelling place therefore, evil cannot overtake me; His angels assigned to me diligently hold me up and guard me.

Hallelujah! You are faithful God to perform Your word…You cannot deny Yourself! All success, all credit, all distinction goes to You! In the name of Jesus, AMEN!

In the Meantime

I've been blessed to have relationships with some extraordinary women, Jessica Janniere being one of them! During one of our Panera Bread "dates" we had a raw convo about the excitement and challenges of walking out purpose; and where we are personally. Jessica wrote this piece that is so honest and encouraging ... enjoy!

A note about Jessica Janniere: Survivor of rape, abuse and depression she was drawn and saved by the love of Jesus. Jessica stands today as the author of her memior "My Colored World" and founder of Look Up and Beyond through which she encourages people to search, discover and succeed.

 Written By: Jessica Janniere

Have you ever felt like you were just waiting on God to tell you what the next move for your life should be? I mean, you know you have a vision for your future. You also recognize that God has brought you a long way. You can look back and see the accomplishments, the victories and even the miracles. You feel grateful. But, now, you are in transition and you’re not really sure to where…

You prayed and sat still.

Nothing.

You fasted and deprived yourself of food and some of the physical pleasures of life for a specific time with hopes that you’d get that word from the Lord.

Nothing.

You went to church and although the message has always been an on-time word that sprinkles massive encouragement into your heart…it’s not quite what you SPECIFICALLY want to hear.

You play your worship songs and wholeheartedly sing to the Lord. You are feelin it. And God just refreshes your Spirit in those moments but….You are still waiting for the answer to your question “What’s next Lord?”

And still, nothing.

Transitioning from season to season is part of life. God does all things in order and at a specific time. In His Word it says…”There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...” Ecclesiastes 3:1

When we KNOW where we are going we tend to feel more at ease. But there are times in our life when we are in the “meantime” season and God wants to BE our ease. Trusting Him activates the peace we desire, when in the natural, it would be justified to feel anxious and fearful.

In the meantime-we don’t have to allow it to scare us or frustrate us. We can choose to trust God who already knows what’s ahead. If we cling to Him, He will lovingly guide us and sustain us through this season as He’s always done in previous seasons.

In the meantime….it could be that God wants us to slow down to speed up. This simply means He wants us to take time to prepare for what’s to come. Yup, we can prepare even if we don’t know specifically for what. But it’s not the preparation that we may think. Slow down. Matter of fact- STOP. He says, "Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

In the meantime, we can have joy. In the midst of our transition, we can and we should praise God. Like the Psalmist, David we can say “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

In the meantime, God wants to strengthen our faith and give us an opportunity to a deeper relationship with Him. We can “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) by reading His Word and being still in His presence.

I recently found myself in my ‘meantime” season. I have been seeking for answers to “what’s next?” My answers didn’t come the way I wanted them to. But, I have learned that this is a blessing…Because when we are in the meantime, God reminds us of our need for Him and the fact that He wants us to be whole and complete in Him.

In my meantime, I was also challenged once again, to make sure that I am not validated by what I DO, but by WHOSE I am. As a child of God we are enough just being His. Our identity should never be rooted in positions, titles, responsibilities, etc. Those things are important and help to shape our identity but they are NOT our identity.

So, if you find yourself in transition, in a place where things seem confusing, at a standstill, scary and uncertain…don’t be alarmed. Rest in God. Delight in Him. Take one day at a time and trust that God will answer the question “What’s next?”

But, in the meantime…hold onto that vision of where you’re going. Remember the promise that He as a future and hope for you. He really does. And He didn’t bring you this far, to leave you now. So ride the wave of change with a smile on your face, praise on your lips and hope in your heart. God is right there…even in the meantime. 

Look up and Beyond,

Jessica

Confidence: When Building is in the Breaking

In my last blog, "Duped by Self Confidence" I wrote about the true root of confidence; resting in the depth of God's love for you. It was being secure in His love,  that I was able to survive something I called "The Process". Specifically, the first and hardest step in the process:

Allow Yourself to be Broken

God helped me to understand a scripture I never liked. It's Matthew 21:44 , and it says "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” ...

Duped By Self-Confidence

When did it start for you? Was it when you failed, even though you thought you put your all in it? Or was it when you were staying focus but nothing was happening, at least not like everyone around you? Was it the eighteenth time you were compared to your sibling? Was it the way mom/dad noticed you without seeing you? Perhaps when you realized he didn’t think the best of you; she was never kind. Or was it when that “love” failed?

For me it started when it was spoken over me “you are just like your father …” and it was not meant as a compliment. Most times I live in the reality of my freedom from it. Other times, it reminds me that it is still lurking, waiting for the moment I let my guard down so it can creep in to steal, kill, and destroy everything that God has given me and promised to me.

 Insecurity.

It is the thing that the enemy uses to undermine the foundation of our confidence. Whether it be by other people, testing seasons or, my personal favorite, the deception of self-confidence. Let us not be duped into thinking  self-confidence  is the antidote to insecurity. They have the same concept in common; one is looking “in" or to “self” for security and confidence. The foundation, no matter how beautifully it has been built up, will crumble when the soil it is built upon is unstable and weak. It doesn’t matter how many degrees you earn, gifts you have, which family name you’re given; these things can take you but so far because the weakness of the soil limits the strength of the foundation to endure the different seasons and withstand the storms. The stability and strength of confidence comes from one truth …

Gods unearned and specific love for you

What would happen if we would intentionally set our mind, will and emotions on entering into a bottomless, bold, uninhibited love affair with Jesus? Understanding that we did nothing to earn His love , He simply chose to love us first. To really comprehend Who loves you, why He loves you, and the reality of life because He loves you, certain “insecurities" won’t make sense anymore! Think about it:

God do you see me, do you care ? Yes ...  Isaiah 49: 15-16 

Will you speak to me too ? Yes ...  Jeremiah 33:3

Can I do this ? Yes ... Isaiah 41:10

Is this going to work out? Yes ...  Romans 8:28

I messed up, again, have you given up on me? No ... 1 Corinthians13: 7-9

I’m too (fill in the blank) for this to happen.  

What if people think I’m …?  

Am I good enough?

As I share with you the next few blogs about establishing our confidence in Him, my prayer for us is to continually grow in the revelation of the infinitely long, wide, high, and deep love of the Father that surpasses anything we have ever experienced. To bathe ourselves in this understanding that causes us to be deeply rooted and securely grounded in Him. That we may live our lives full and undaunted!

Let's Eat Cake !!!

"Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:3

 ... are the questions God used to pierce my heart as my husband referenced this verse while ministering on spiritual gifts during our midweek service. At the top of this year my husband and I did just that. We made decisions about our family, our ministry, our finances based on the spirit;  where we "knew" God was leading us. But then, two weeks from my birthday,  I was sitting in our midweek service asking myself "Did I really hear God? Did we make the right decisions? Should I just go the 'safer' route?"   And just as my spirit and emotions were battling back and forth (frankly, my emotions were winning) He hits me with Galatians 3:3. Then God, being the great, loving and communicative God that He is, reminded me of the dreams, the impressions, the prophetic words,  and the excitement He stirred in my  spirit for His plans for my life, our life. He reminded me that although things might not be where I thought they would be, His grace has made our feet like the feet of deer, which are strong enough to  securely set us on high places;  with a peace that surpasses all understanding through this season. He reminded me that He is not a man that He should lie... God is faithful!  

Days later God gave a friend of mine a dream. And in her dream we were eating white cake. She knew by the Spirit that the white cake represented God's blessings in our respective lives. I share this dream with you hoping that you will take it as your own through your challenging season. So, as we walk this walk of faith, let's choose to recall God's promises, God's encouragements, His Faithfulness and let's trust Him. The batter has been stirred, the pan is in the oven, we are licking the spoon and about to eat cake!

The Pursuit of Purpose. Pt. 2: The Day of Doubt

In my previous post The Pursuit of Purpose,  I wrote about finally pursuing God for my purpose instead of chasing society's image. When I started asking God questions and he answered, I didn't react the way I thought I would have. I had what you would call the Zacharias Response:

Luke 1: 5-20  New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias ...  an angel of the Lord appeared to him ...  the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” ¹⁸ And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. ²⁰ But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

Isn't it interesting that Zacharias asked God for a child, God answered, showed him the big picture, yet Zacharias didn't believe God when He was giving him what he asked for? God supernaturally caused him to be mute, so that the same thing he asked for, God could ensure it happens.  Could it be that the same mouth that asked God for something be the same mouth that blocks, delays, or limits it from happening?

When God began to show me bigger pictures from my then current situation, my mind couldn't believe it but my heart knew it was possible. Possible but not guaranteed. One of the determining factors ... my words !!!  Words move our emotions, beliefs and actions.  The question is ... where are you sending them? Even those who are not Christian understand the power of Proverbs 18:21 ... they just call it "sending out positive energy".  Doubt will come to contradict where God is leading you. "This isn't going to work ... You don't have enough money for this ... this is too much for you ... this is too big for you ... stop daydreaming ... you can't do this... you don't have the education for this ... you don't know the right people ... you know ___ failed 'following their dreams'" .

What will you say in the day of conflict? ... Say this :

1) All is working out for my good (Romans 8:28)

2) God's promises can not fail. They are coming to fruition in my life right now! (2 Corinthians 1:20)

3) God is continually teaching me to prosper and leading me in the way I should go.
(Isaiah 48:17)

4) I am not afraid because God is with me and for me. We can not be stopped !!!  (Isaiah 41:10)

I believe in you, I love you and I am praying for you !

 Until next time, Lashan

The Pursuit of Purpose

God messed me up!!! I was ignorantly content with my master plan for life. Step 1: Get my bachelors in business. Step 2: Get a good paying job in the city where I can wear power suits. Step 3: Get married. Step 4: Have a kid or two. Step 5: Retire at 55 ( didn't want to be too old ) with a well funded 401k and solid stocks. Final Step: Travel to places I haven't seen yet while sending my grandchildren post cards. But then in the process of step one,  I went and got saved. Everything went haywire! I came across Ephesians 2:10  and life transformed as I knew it.  My plan for life spoke nothing of purpose or meaning.  "My plans" were simply a testament to other peoples vision for my life and an unsourced image of what "life" should look like. God completely squeezed out.
When I finally wanted to make God's plans my plans, I went from having no purpose to begging God to reveal my purpose. I was expecting a vision, a dream, an announcement from an angel or even better for Jesus Himself to show me THE BIG ANSWER!

It didn't quite happen that way. But, here's what did happen:

God  pressed the "reset" button in my mind.  I began to understand  that purpose is progressive and multi-faceted; that you never "arrive" to this one thing. Jesus said to do work until He returns . Where did we get this inaccurate and frankly aggravating idea that you have to "meet purpose" at a particular place and time?  My purpose is to be a wife. My purpose is to be a mother. My purpose is to be a friend and sister. My purpose is to be a minister. Each purpose progressed through my life and each purpose is still progressing. When we look at Jesus, Joseph, Rahab, Mary etc. their lives were a series of purposeful events and different purposed filled stages;  that led to purpose being fulfilled even to this day as people are being saved and developed through a snapshot from their lives.  My job is to confer with God about what needs to be done and learnt in this stage, to move to the next. Believing that as I inquire, He will answer.

I realized my "purposes" are  linked to the  abilities and gifts God has given me!   We have abilities, gifts, and interests that uniquely make up our design for the work we have to do in this life. God knew what he was doing when He individually created us !  What began to happen was that "life"  tainted and covered these things; making it difficult for me to identify and understand how God intended for me to use them. I had to get back to basics and ask myself simple but powerful questions. What am I good at? What are the things I do that make me happy? What comes easy to me?

I asked God "How do you want me to use these gifts?" This is when I started to get impressions or what I like to call  "inward visions". Were the visions of my entire life mapped out? No.  Most often,  it would be as simple as seeing myself take on the new project just announced at work. Now I can look back and see He  purposed that project to develop something in me then, for this stage of purpose today. Now, are there visions of the rest of my life mapped out? No, but the picture has gotten bigger. And just as before, when I trusted Him in doing the little steps, He faithfully shows the bigger next steps and bigger picture.

My prayer for you is to be bold, filled with faith and love as God shows you your next steps ... Amen!

Love you to life ....Lashan
P.S. How has your purpose journey been? Any advice you can share? Or questions you have? Lets talk about it!