YOU WERE NOT BUILT TO BREAK

Welcome back!!!!!

Typically before I leave work, I sit down and look out the window to catch the sunrise, and on this particular day, as I was sitting down looking out of the window, I noticed something. I found myself lost in a trance watching the palm trees sway back and forth as the wind blew. I know it sounds like something simple, but as I watched the trees I felt God begin to drop something in my spirit.

For one, I noticed that no matter how hard the wind blew the trees simply adjusted and went the same way the wind blew. I also began to think about how many times I saw palm trees in extreme weather conditions and they all simply swayed back and forth. THEY WOULD ALWAYS BEND BUT NEVER BREAK.

When the wind blows hard against palm trees, it actually strengthens the roots of the tree. They always come out of every storm stronger than before.

So I want to leave you with something on today. No matter what we go through in life, we are built to withstand every storm we face. Granted, we may bend, but we are absolutely not meant to break. Everything that the Lord brings us to, is set up for us to win and come out stronger in the end. God literally wants us to be victorious in everything that we do, so if that’s the case, why would he not create us in such a way to be able to withstand tough times?

The next time you are in the middle of a storm, I want you to remind yourself of these four things:

-God wants you to win

-God paid a heavy price to make you victorious

-You have an advantage in battle

-God gives you authority to win

“So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6 (AMP)

Until next time, have a blessed and prosperous week!

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Hey, welcome back! Today will be short and sweet and my prayer is as always that you are encouraged in some way.

We live in a world full of darkness and it’s easier to be consumed by it. But this week I challenge you to be bold and let your light shine. It’s easy to pick up offenses throughout the day, or walk around being irritable from something that only lasted five minutes, or even being quick to have a negative rebuttal towards the person who walked in the room and did not speak.

When you let your light shine, you walk with a different attitude, your speech becomes different, and the way you live becomes different too. Letting your light shine is simply allowing the Lord to abide in you, and you abide in him. And one thing is for sure, you lose absolutely nothing by letting you light shine. You begin to uplift yourself and others and that’s what life is all about.

So continue to live out the gospel daily in front of the world as they watch so that God may receive all of the glory.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

Matthew 5:16 ESV

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

PACK LIGHT

Flight 2021 is boarding and we will soon be ready for take-off. Due to low cabin space whatever you do not need we ask that you leave it behind. Those willing to leave behind what you do not need, please continue boarding, and unfortunately for those that can’t let go of their extra baggage, we will see you next time!

Just imagine hearing those words when you arrive at your gate ready for departure. You see some people willing to do whatever it takes to board that flight, dropping all the baggage they have to enjoy the next destination, then you have those that just can’t let go resulting in them not being able to go any further.

The same thing happens in our life when we continue to hold on to dead things. When God is trying to do a new thing we focus so much on the old that we can’t even appreciate where we are going and we end up forfeiting what’s meant for us. And one thing is for sure, each new level you go to requires you to let some junk go. Whether it’s friends, family, a job, anger, fear, negativity, so on and so forth, it all has to be left behind.

Of course, it’s easier said than done, but look at it this way, would you want to be around someone that is carrying extra baggage all the time? The answer is a hard no because it’s a lot to deal with. So I challenge you to let go of anything that is no longer serving you any good and keeping you from going to your next destination. Whatever is holding you back, let it go, and allow God to replace what you let go of with new things that are going to flourish you. Another thing to ponder on is if God were to tell you today to leave everything behind because he has something new for you, would you be able to? The goal is to get to a place where we can say yes without any hesitation or fear.

Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

AS ALWAYS STAY BLESSED AND COME BACK NEXT WEEK!

WATCH GOD WORK

One thing I've heard constantly throughout my life is “the truth will set you free”. Obviously when you’re young, you hear it and take it in, but you don’t fully process it until you get older and begin to fully understand. 

I say all of that to say, have you taken the time to be open with God? When I say open, I’m talking about raw, uncut, no filter, tears, and all. It’s a vulnerable state to be in but it’s so worth it and I’ll share my story with you. For one, GOD CANNOT HEAL WHAT YOU DON’T REVEAL.

This is something that took me a while to grasp, but when I decided to get real with myself and God that’s when he was able to start working. Now this is not to say that God doesn’t already know everything because he does, but it allows us to fully release whatever is on us and give it to him. Surrendering it from your hand into his.

When I started being really honest with God, healing began to take place in more areas than one. Every insecurity I had, when I talked about it openly, I was comforted with peace and the word to back it up. When I was trying to break old habits and kept failing, I didn’t receive the strength needed to kick it until I was honest, when I was frustrated with my life and how things were going, I sat down, screamed, cried, and bared all. In return I got his love, correction, grace, and peace.

I gained so much when I started being raw with God and the good thing about him is that he doesn’t judge, he loves unconditionally, and he knew everything that we would struggle with in this life, so nothing is unbeknownst to him. Trust him enough to let him come in and take the weight off of your shoulders. 

Stay safe and love on someone today!

BE GRATEFUL

How many of us have prayed to God for different things, and you’ve seen it come to pass? I am a living testimony to this and words cannot express how blessed I am, including the “small” blessings we tend to overlook. Typically when we get the things that we have prayed for, in that very moment we show a lot of gratitude and awe for what God has done and how He’s moving, but that eventually fades away and we are back to operating in our flesh, leading to discontentment and a lack of gratitude, and if you say you haven’t done this you are absolutely WRONG!

I remember when I moved into my second apartment, I was so overwhelmed with joy because for one I was moving in by myself and two I knew that it was a blessing because of my circumstances at that time. I had been praying and asking God to put me in a place that was affordable so I did not have to have another roommate, along with having a leasing manager who was nice. Mind you I still live in the same place, and everything I prayed for exceeded my expectations, but only for a while.

When I started really getting comfortable here, my gratitude turned into complaining. I wanted to move to another apartment complex that fit my bougie. Sounds superficial I know, but I was dead serious. I wanted a place that had stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, bigger bathroom, so on and so forth. I began to lust after what I didn’t have and get frustrated because I was trying to live up to someone else’s standard, totally disregarding everything that God had done and provided.

When you go from thanks to complaining its a slap in God’s face for what He’s done in the past, and faith in what He can do in the now, and future. Dissatisfaction comes when we shift our attention from what we have to what we don’t have and that’s a dangerous place to be in, so tread lightly. I began to overlook at all the many blessings bestowed upon me because I wanted more. Ignoring the facts that I live right in front of a school so the area is really safe, the area is quiet, rent is super affordable, I’m close to more than one shopping plaza, I’m in a great location and can get to everything in a good amount of time, when I have maintenance issues they are fixed the same day if not within a few days, etc.

When I realized what I was doing, I immediately stopped and asked for forgiveness. I began to think and ask myself who am I to be greedy and lust after these things when I’ve already got so much. The bigger question was, how can I expect the Lord to bless me with more, when I can’t even be grateful for the things I have now? Luke 16:10 says, “One who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much…” and that’s something I want you to think about the next time you find yourself being ungrateful.

How can God trust you with more, if you are not even satisfied with what He is doing in your life currently? And if God never blessed you with anything else would you still be content, offer up praise, and show thanks? When you ask yourself these questions and answer them, you’ll see where your heart is.

Be Blessed Y’all!

I'VE MESSED UP, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

As christians we are called to live a life pleasing to God and a life that is holy (set apart) because the God we serve is holy. But because we were born into sin, we all fall short at some point and time, and sometimes it’s more than once. I’ll be the first to admit that I have fallen more than once, and we all do because we are human which shows us that we need God in every area of our lives.

When we mess up, we typically tend to feel a lot of guilt and shame because we’ve disappointed God and let ourselves down. James 4:9 tells us that sinners should “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” That scripture there, lets us know that it’s okay to express deep heartfelt sorrow for what we have done. Those feelings are used by the Holy Spirit to convict us of whatever sin we have committed and it should motivate us to do something about it.

The good thing is that even when we mess up, God still loves us the same, He forgives, and He does not condemn. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I’m speaking from personal experience here because there have been many times where I’ve messed up and would feel so ashamed that I did not want to get back back in front of God because I felt unworthy. As I’ve grown more spiritually, I’ve learned that the enemy will play tricks with your mind and allow you to believe that you cannot move forward and God will not accept you with open arms. But I’ve learned that if I confess my sins and repent with a sincere heart, that God will forgive me and forget what wrong I did. The slate is wiped clean and we are able to press on and move forward.

So I encourage you to keep going and continue to press into God even more when you have messed up. It’s by His grace that we are able to have relationship with Him and through correction He teaches and guides us. The Lord can still use you, even when you have messed up, just look at Moses who was a murderer, Noah who was a drunk, Adam who couldn’t resist peer pressure, Jacob who was a manipulator, and the list goes on.

God is a God who enjoys relationship and wants to have one with you. So whatever is holding you back, and wherever you have messed up, turn back to God and allow His grace and forgiveness to flow into you.

Stay blessed y'all!

GOD'S TIMING IS THE RIGHT TIMING

One of the hardest things to do is be patient and trust God’s timing, especially when we live in a time where everything happens fast and waiting is frowned upon. When you look at social media, no one talks about the struggle of things, having to wait longer than expected, so on and so forth. But I am here to tell you that when you wait on God it’s so worth it. I’ll share a bit of my story with you to put things in a deeper perspective for you.

When I first moved to Nashville I did not have a car, but at that time it wasn’t a bad thing because I was living on campus and if I needed a ride, I would catch one with a friend. When I moved off campus I still did not have a car and at that time I definitely could not afford one because I was moving into my very first apartment. Again during that time, it wasn’t a bad thing because I stayed in a central place where I could catch the bus back and forth to work and home ( funny thing is, there was a bus stop right in front of my apartment, so can we talk about God’s favor) . Now don’t get me wrong, there were times when things were rough because I would be standing outside waiting on the bus in thirty degree weather, I was always sick, I would be on the bus late at night, walking to get groceries, and the list goes on. I would pray for a car, but realistically I could not afford one.

Riding the bus was literally apart of my daily routine and there were plenty of times when I got frustrated with the process simply because I was looking at my current situation. Having to ask for rides on top of getting Lyft and Uber every day became draining because they received so much of my money I could’ve been a brand ambassador. Overall it was a lot for me but I kept pressing on. I started working two full time jobs to try and save for a car and it was all finally coming together, so I thought.

After saving some money up, I finally had a down payment ready and I found a car that I liked at CarMax. I put my payment down and they let me know when my car would be ready to pick up. When that day came, the car was actually stuck and they could not get it out of the vending machine. Each day I would call and there was still no progress with getting the car down. So due to their lack of communication I asked for my money back and decided I did not want to proceed with the purchase. I thought I saw a little glimmer of hope but that was quickly shut down, however we have to learn how to be thankful for the things that don’t work out. To my surprise one day I was overlooking the paperwork from the car dealership and noticed that I would have been paying them back double the amount of the car (I had to finance it). When I saw that, I was so grateful because that would have put me in a serious financial bind.

Fast forward to January 2020, I got my very first car which I absolutely love and I thank God daily for it. I had been without a car for about a little over six years but I could not see what God was doing. I got the car after I secured a higher paying job, I did not have to put anything down, and I walked off the lot with my blue Hyuandi Sonata GLS. You cannot tell me that God is not concerned about his children. Everything happened strategically in God’s timing. Had it happened a minuted before, I would have run into many problems I’m sure.

I got my car in January and Covid-19 showed up around late February early March. I’m not sure if it’s registering for you yet, so I’ll wait.

God knew that this pandemic was coming and that I would need a car to minimize getting sick from riding the bus daily and other things. God allowed every thing to work out for my good and it feels good to know God will block us from the things we truly want because He sees what we need in His timing.

I say all of that to say, His timing is so much better than ours, and if you want to make him laugh tell him your plans. Whatever you are waiting on, wait with expectancy and believe it’s on the way.

Stay Blessed!

DIVINE PURPOSE

Hello all and welcome back!

With every thing that is going on in the world right now, a lot of us have more time on our hands to reflect over our life and situations we’ve been through. I know for myself this has been one thing I’ve been doing and its all starting to make sense now.

In the past when I would go through things, I didn’t fully understand why those were my experiences, and often times I would think why me, and why is my journey a little bit harder, but I learned that God allows good things to develop slowly.

Every thing we go through is for a special purpose and plan so God will get all the glory and His will be done. So I’m here to encourage you that no matter what your life looks like or what you are going through, it will always come back around full circle. What God starts, he will finish it out to the very end.

That job you had that dealt with impatient people was teaching you patience, when you didn’t have anyone to call God was teaching you how to depend on Him, when you got fired from that job He was teaching you how to trust in Him further to provide, the rocky relationship with family, whatever it may be.

God uses all men greatly, but He prepares us greatly too. You have to be willing to endure the greatness of God’s preparation.

Stay the course! It’s turning around for you!

WON'T HE DO IT

Hey everyone welcome back to Chasing After Zion! I’m so excited to share this post with you all and I pray it will encourage you and touch you in any way you need it to.

These past few weeks have been rough and I have been seeking a lot of clarification about things and it wasn’t until today that everything began to click. I literally had to stop and have a moment, because I was in awe of how good God is. And when I say moment, I’m being calm about it lol because honestly, I cut up in my apartment.

When I got out of the shower today, a gospel song came on as I began to wash my face. I was staring in the mirror and began to think about my new job and the children I work with. Something stopped me and told me to go look at my vision board for 2019, and right in the middle was something I had been praying about which said, “find a job that allows me to work with children”. I began to chuckle for a minute because I realized that I now have the job I’ve prayed for, and although I have my vision board posted in a place where I see it every day, my vision had been clouded something serious during the past few weeks.

Circumstances arose where I needed to find another job and during the process of everything, I had forgot about wanting to work somewhere I was passionate about. I was thinking about survival so my passion went out of the door. As things began to unfold, for the life of me I could not understand what was going on, I was discouraged and hurt.

But today, I began to realize why everything happened the way it did. God was literally going before me and opening doors that I did not know about or could see. If my last job hadn’t taken a turn, I would not have been blessed with the opportunity I have now.

I’m saying all this to say that the Lord hears our prayers and he is allowing things to happen at a specific time for a special purpose. He is aware of everything that will happen in our lives, and he’s already prepared for when they come. Even in my unbelief, he was still working on my behalf and setting me up for something great. He continues to remain faithful when we are faithless and he sees us. He is with us every step of the way even when you cannot feel him.

It’s amazing to know that we serve a God as such. He knows the number of every single hair follicle on your head, so what makes you think he does not know what you need, or care about what’s going on in your life?

Just as he is working in my life, I believe he will do the same for you! Trust him and allow him to be God. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

“Forever God is faithful ”

HILLS & VALLEYS

 How many of you have ever felt like what you’re going through was unbearable? You didn’t have the words to pray to the Lord, you didn’t want to or couldn’t open your bible?

If you have said yes to yourself, I want to let you know that you are not by yourself. I’ve experienced it in the past, went through this not too long ago, and that feeling will come again in the future. But we can rest assure that God is always in the midst, and He is with us everywhere we go.

Often times, when we experience difficulty, loss, heart break, or anything that causes conflict within us we forget who we belong to while we’re going through. Recently, I had a setback and it took me off guard completely. I was hurt, confused, and in awe because I was not prepared for this to come. Everything in me shut down and all of my emotions rushed from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head, and it was too much for me to handle at that time.

In the midst of me trying to wrap my head around things and figure out my next move I became very overwhelmed and I allowed fear to creep in. Everything I knew about God before went out the window and all that I have been brought through went with it as well. But luckily I was reminded to read Joshua 1:9 which reads “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV).

Nothing that we go through is unbeknownst to the Father. When life takes a turn unexpectedly, He already saw it coming and is already going before you making things right. Hills and valleys are a part of life, but with each one, we are being pruned and we grow in faith and in areas God wants to stretch us. So do not fret or worry when difficulty arises, because God is the same God he was back then, He is today, and will forever be.

Remember life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon!

“When I’m walking through the valley I know I am not alone”