MiConfession

Sometimes you just gotta STOP and ask yourself, “WHAT in the WORLD…am I doing…am I thinking?”

When I STOP and examine my “emotional” actions and/or “kookoo” behaviors, I must confess that the “unsaved” part of me just does not want to stay dead and that controlling myself is just not that easy sometimes. Even though I know that some of this emotion and/or behavior is instigated by thoughts that ‘pop in my head’ I find that I “go with it” cause in that moment it satisfies a strong desire to strike back. Yet, when the clap-back dust settles – I think, “Who was that woman?” It is always so surreal when you look back and you wonder, “what in the world…?” (Galatians 2:20, Proverbs 25:28, Ephesians 2:2)

It’s only when I remember to be still and reflect that the battle is not mine’s to fight that I am reminded that Jesus is the SAVING GRACE. His GRACE gives us all the ability to arrest our emotions and/or behaviors so that our change can come. (Psalm 46:10, II Chronicles 20:15, John 1:17, Romans 2:4, Psalm 147:3)

It is just so liberating to know that because of Jesus, God has gifted us the Holy Spirit so that we can know when we go left and are empowered to decide to go right. (John 16:13, II Corinthians 10:5)

When I think that somehow God will allow every experience to work together for our good, I am amazed at HIS mercies. (Isaiah 55:8, Romans 8:28, Lamentations 3:23)

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His Name, for it is lovely. (Psalm 135:3)

Have you ever felt overwhelmed and wondered why the ‘world’ could not SEE what you were going through and stop? Stop for just one minute while you get a ‘grip’ on life, again?

Have you ever felt incapable of explaining why you feel the way you do – all you know is that it is just TOO MUCH, in that moment? (Job 3:1 – 26)

Have you ever poured your heart out to others and thought maybe they will understand and bring comfort, only to find that their words provide little comfort because they just don’t get it? (Job 16:2)

I have.

It has taken YEARS for the Potter to reshape my thinking – for me to realize just how unfair my expectations/needs/desires were. (Jeremiah 18:4)

God has shown me that the World is not supposed to stop because I am going through and that those around me – though they mean well – are NOT supposed to carry my ’emotional burdens’. (John 16:33, Matthew 11:28 – 29, John 14:18)

It took me 56 years to understand how unfair it is to expect those who love me to take HIS place as the HEALER of my heart. (Psalm 43:5)

I have ‘leveled up’ my expectations towards God and asked God to help me to seek Him during the hard times while the World Goes On. (Psalm 121:1, II Corinthians 4:8 – 18)

Jesus is –

          Protector. (John 10:11)

Jesus is –

          Sustainer. (Matthew 11:28)

Jesus is –

          Redeemer. (Isaiah 53:5)

Jesus is –

          Love. (John 15:13)

Jesus is –

          Life. (John 10:10)

JESUS IS –

          EVERYTHING. (John 1:3)

Matthew 20:1 – 16 is such a wonderfully encouraging parable because it demonstrates that the Lord Jesus Christ does not reward us based upon our ‘labor’ but rather rewards us based upon His Goodness, His Grace, His Mercy and Loving-Kindness.

Jesus not only ‘hires’ laborers who seek Him but goes looking for those no one else will ‘hire’.

I think we often forget that if Jesus had not ‘hired’ us to labor in His vineyard – whether early in this life or later on in life – then we would have all received the ‘wages of sin’. I am so grateful that whether Jesus hires us early or late that if we accept HIS offer of ’employment’ we shall all receive the same reward, the gift of eternal life. (Romans 6:23)

But for the Wonder of the GRACE – none of us would have been ‘hired’. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The Black Panther movie may be considered by some as a rallying cry from a generation of people looking for a hero they can identify with.

I cannot wait to see the movie, I hear it is ‘marvelous’.

The trailers seem to exude a nobility and grace that Hollywood rarely depicts in characters portrayed by people of color. I applaud the fact that we are clothed with dignity, intelligence and power in this movie.

Hopefully the movie will serve as a vehicle for future dialogue across “race-lines” which may help shatter erroneous stereotypes.

More than anything my hope is that when the hoopla dies down and the world resets, that we who know our God will be inspired to do exceeding great exploits so that the world will be reminded that JESUS CHRIST is the ONLY TRUE SUPERNATURAL HERO. (Matthew 26:53, John 1:14)

It’s easy to understand why Psalm 23 was one of my mother’s favorites. It was one of her go to passages during hard-times.  

I totally get it – now. 

In six verses the Psalmist explains how the LORD provides, instructs, leads, refreshes, guides, fortifies, protects, comforts, promotes, empowers, blesses, guards, loves and promises eternity with HIM…

If we could just grab hold of the promises in that one Psalm and BELIEVE…what peace we could have even in the times of trouble…

Psalm 23 (NIV)**

A psalm of David.

Both and young and old folks have a story to tell and sometimes in the telling I discover living nuggets. I pray for ears to hear and eyes to see the wisdom to be found from both. (Proverbs 20:12)

Young folks can teach me how to embrace living with fearless-enthusiastic awe, eagerly anticipating life’s next challenge with breathtaking expectation that GOD CAN… (I Timothy 4:12)

Old folks can teach me how to embrace life with reverent-comprehension, gratefully welcoming each new morning as a gift, demonstrating the abounding joy to be had in simply living and knowing that GOD CAN… (Proverbs 16:31)

When I tap into the knowledge of both young and old folks around me with the expectation that Jesus will grant me the perception to see and hear His Wisdom in their stories, then I can rejoice in their evidentiary testimonies that GOD CAN…  (Hebrews 11:1 – 40)

Life explodes with extraordinary possibilities and limitless potential if I have ears to hear and eyes to see that GOD CAN…!!!  (John 10:10)

We have all been hurt by people and we have all hurt people – whether we intended to or not.

More often than not in our communications and/or actions we often GET IT WRONG. We reach out to others in the way we THINK they need to be helped and often miss the mark because we don’t stop to ASK them what they actually need from us or we fail to PAUSE long enough to really listen to their heart’s cry.

I am willing to admit that I would destroy every relationship I have been blessed with simply because I am often led by my own intellect and/or emotions instead of being led by the grace and love of God.

Relationships require a mind and heart that only God can provide – a heart clothed in love, even when we are hurt. (Colossians 3: 12-14)

My prayer is that we will ask God to heal us and pray that He will heal the people we have hurt. (James 4:3, Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1)

I remember like it was yesterday – a close friend invited me to a ‘party’. The people there were singing, shouting and dancing to the music with abandon. They seemed to be full of something. In my eyes, they looked utterly foolish and totally out of control – they appeared “High”. (Acts 2:15)

While I sat there and worried about them stepping on my shoes with all their whooping and hollering I was thinking, “it don’t take all that, and whatever they are taking I am pretty sure I do not want it.”

Yet, the experience made me curious. Before the ‘whooping,’ the people there appeared to be in their right mind so I started to ponder,”…maybe there’s something to this?” So, I started searching the word for myself, seeking to understand what getting “High” was all about. (II Corinthians 3:14 – 18)

In all my searching, I could not help but recall that those at the ‘party’ appeared to be transported beyond their worries. They seemed so ‘free.’ As time went on and life continued to happen all around me, I started to think that just maybe the price the ‘partier’s paid for looking ‘ridiculous’ was worth the reward, the “High”. (Proverbs 4:5 – 7)

I became hungry for, I knew not what, but I KNEW there MUST be more – because they demonstrated that there was ‘more’. (John 7:38 – 39)

A few months after attending that ‘party’ a different friend invited me to another ‘party’. Since I was still searching (still hungry), I agreed to go and I hoped that maybe this time I’d get a little “High” too. But, my expectation was that I would be able to maintain my dignity when I received my “High”. I mean, who really likes looking foolish?

So, when we arrived at this ‘party’ I noticed that it started pretty much like the other one, e.g., singing, shouting, dancing, etc. As happened in the first ‘party,’ the Word of God was preached. I knew what to expect – but this time I was expecting I would also get “High”. There was a blissful, peaceful surrender on the faces of those around me and it made me “hungry”. (Matthew 5:6)

I wanted what they were having! The ‘party’ was almost over and I did not have what they had – I was so ‘hungry’. I no longer cared if I looked foolish, if I retained my dignity – I needed everything God had for me and if I had to look ‘foolish’ in my own eyes to receive it, so be it! I surrendered myself to His will. (II Samuel 6:14 – :21)

So, I cried out in my heart (it was not audibly stated but it was an inward prayer, a longing – a shout in my head – “Father, don’t let me leave here without a touch from you…”) and at that moment I was given/gifted the same “High”. (Luke 11:13)

God did not disappoint!

As soon as I asked Jesus and surrendered my will to GOD, I felt heat move through my body – starting at my hands. My arms and hands started trembling and I was “High” for the first time in my life! Truly abandoned in the Lord – joy you can not explain. (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:1 – 4, 10:44 – :45, I Peter 1:8)

I am “High for Life”  – Holy Spirit – High!!! (Psalm 55:22)

Oh MY GOD…

Tell me… have you ever felt so depressed, sad, overwhelmed or burdened that you start taking an inventory of your life and your loved ones and YOU decide you can’t take it anymore and you say, “Lord it looks like everybody gone be alright…since you got this…I am READY to be with you…take me Lord…???” (Jonah 4:8)

At that moment, YOU think you are ready…to see the King.

But the next morning you are so thankful to wake up again because your Helper, the Holy Spirit, reminds you that GOD has given you a “sound mind” and that there is “nothing impossible with God…and that GOD has an expected end for you…” (II Timothy 1:7, Luke 18:27, Jeremiah 29:11)

How mind blowing is it that GOD will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER give up on us…even when we have given up on ourselves??? (II Peter 3:9, Psalm 34)

Oh MY GOD…Thank you JESUS!!!! (Psalm 107:1 – 2)