Are you ready to just let Him handle it?

I think that for me, the biggest thing I want anyone to know and the thing I try to tell myself every time I am dealing with an issue is, God is the one who can fix it. It seems to me that once we finally realize that there is NO issue to big for God, we will be much better off. I told someone the other day that it amazes me that there are so many people in the world that have problems, that think that calling a friend or family member will fix it all and God is the only one who hears our cries and is the only one who knows what to do and how to do it. Not only that, He can hear all of us, ALL at the same time. I have a hard time listening to my three children at once, but not only can HE and does He listen, He helps us all. All we have to do is be willing to share with Him. I mean you might as well, it's not like He doesn't know anyway. Who are we trying to hide from???? I know for me, at one point in my life, I almost felt like I was actually "hiding" from God and HE couldn't see me so I was ok. Funny how your mind works when you do wrong.

Psalms 62:1 - " My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."

I spent some time this past weekend with a really good friend. We are as different as night and day, but those differences make us bond very well and she confided in me some things that have been going on. Now I have said this over and over, I DO NOT profess to know all or ANY answers to situations that come up, but I just try to use what has happened to me to show people that things can and do change. So as she talked to me, I could hear the pain, almost feel it. She had come to a point in her life where although she grew up in church, knows the verses and songs, have heard them all her life, still can't figure out why things are happening like they are. Why she is not getting what she KNOWS is a good thing, and it really is. My comment to her was " are you REALLY talking to God"? I know its been a long time, but are you really talking and waiting for him to answer? Not in YOUR time, because it's never in our time, but in His. I really believe that God allows us to make our own decisions. I mean isn't that why we tend to get in trouble most of the time, doing things OUR way? But when we totally and fully say " God I am giving this to you and I am going to let you handle it however you see fit" and leave it alone, is when we can start to see His plan unfold right before our eyes. I really believe that, I have seen it in my own life. Our 10 or 15 years of pain and suffering in "our" time seems really long, but I don't think God works on that kind of time line.

There is nothing man can tell me, good or bad, that I know God can't go back and change. He sees, and hears and all He is waiting for is us to come to Him openly and honestly asking for help when we need it. He's all you need and as it says in Psalms 62 your soul should find rest in God alone.

This is my all time favorite song we sing in church!! Really!! Every time we sing it I get chills!! In it it says.... "when the oceans rise and thunders roll, I will soar with you above the storm. Father you are king over the flood. I will be still and know you are God." That's what we need to do.. KNOW He is God and no matter what happens, no matter what you think will happen, just chill and talk to Him. He can handle any and EVERYTHING you throw at Him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2swjpTUiPk&feature=related


I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Lord willing, we will talk again soon!

My gray hair

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life" ~ Proverbs 16:31

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted gray hair. Not a strand here and there, but like salt and pepper hair and all of my friends thought I was crazy. But I an remember seeing the African American women with that beautiful hair and loving it. When I hit about 26, I saw my first gray hair and about freaked. I mean I wanted it but not one LONG strand right in the front so hence the coloring started. Since then I have done all kinds of things with my hair, from color, to cutting, to letting it get longer, to going natural, to going back to a relaxer and color last week. Now at 36, I have MORE gray, not completely salt and pepper but the color definitely does not take on the gray...lol

And although the gray hair WILL come with age, alot of other things will to I hope. Knowledge and wisdom for one. Not that I didn't realize how important God was in my life, the older I get though, I realize that God and heaven are way more attractive than anything the world can offer. The older I get, through all the hair dyes, the knowledge I gain in Christ is worth every single gray hair to make me the woman God wants me to be!

I hope you all have a blessed Monday. Love you and until next time, Lord willing....

Thank you!

I love Facebook. It's my way to stay connected to my friends and family that I do not get to see very often. What amazes me about Facebook is how free people are with their words and thoughts and I mean that in a good way. I can remember being in high school and not remember a person talk about God. I mean we all went to Church, that was a given, but to actually talk to someone about God, give advice about it.. well it was almost unheard of. Fast forward almost 20 years and you have Facebook. And it's wonderful. I think every one of my classmates (and family) encourage each other every day. Last night for me was no exception.

I have been in a mood lately, a funk if you will. The holidays are coming up, there are alot of things on my mind surrounding that and just alot of other personal things I am dealing with. and some of it are things that are probably just in my head more so than anything else, but none the less, they are there. I have been praying really hard the last few weeks that whatever it is, God take it away and deal with it. But last night, it got a bit overwhelming and you know how it's those times that no one seems to be around... well I decided to take it to FB... yep, put my business out there and once again my friends and classmates came to my rescue.

See, I know that in times of trouble and need that I can pick up my Bible and God has given me all the things I need to get through anything. Philippians 4:6-8, 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, and Psalm 46:10... I know all I have to do is be still and listen. Know that God is God and He does just what He says He will do, but last night I had to hear it. Physically hear it and God sent that through the form of my friends. I love you all very much, you have no clue what that meant to me and although I had stress last night, some caused by my own mind, some caused by other things, I actually got through last night with no tears.

Pam says all the time, be blessed and BE a blessing... you were definitely mine!

Until next time Lord willing, be safe, show love and compassion and never think the small things don't matter... they really do!

Can I just say

I'm in love .. ain't it grand!! : )

Shaniya Davis

It broke my heart when they announced on the news that the little 5 yr old girl, Shaniya Davis was found dead. To see those precious pictures flash on the news and to think someone had done harm to her, well, I just couldn't imagine. I had seen her father on TV when they realized she was missing and I saw and heard the pain in him. He wanted his little girl back. And then the announcement.... they found her and her mom was in jail for selling her for sex. Even now, it still brings tears to my eyes.

Then this morning, as they were talking about it, her dad, visibly broken up said " This is not how I wanted it to end, but she is with God now and He has bigger plans." All I could do was cry. There is no way I can imagine losing my children, especially that way and then to say what he said. As Christians, that is what we are SUPPOSE to do, but sometimes, honestly it is easier said than done for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 says " For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you a hope and a future."

I don't know why that baby had to suffer like that and Lord knows I hate she had to, but God doesn't lie and we have to believe that there is a reason, there are plans for her family. I don't know what her family believed, but I really believe that Shaniya is with God. No pain, no suffering. Be praying for her family though, her father AND her mother.

I really hope you all have a good day and as bad as this situation is, be reminded that a long life is promised to anyone. We take that for granted sometimes that when we send our children to school, we go to work, that we will all come back to see another day. Do the things you need to do in the moments you have.

I love you all, have a blessed day and Lord willing, we will talk again soon.

So, we have started a new series in church..leadership, and last night we talked about leadership and helping others. I really believe that are lives are to be about just that, finding the needs of others and making sure that if there is anything we can do to help, that we do it. I also know how hard that can be. I mean we see people on the street corners and we are afraid to stop and do something because we never know what they will do right? You don't want to give them money because you don't know how they will spend it. You really don't know them all that well, and why should you stick your nose in their business?

Last night Greg asked us what keeps us from helping others and those were a few of the reasons along with something else I said... people can be draining and take advantage and after all, no one likes to be taken advantage of. Then someone said something that got me thinking..." Jesus didn't say " help one another UNTIL they take advantage of you". He said to help one another. She went on to explain that if we are doing things with the right motives, with the right heart and with nothing on our minds but pleasing God, then the being taken advantage of, the worrying about what if they don't spend the money right, the fear of helping and getting hurt in the process will not be an issue because I really doubt God would ask us to do anything that he knows would harm us. He would be right there with us.

But I also contend this notion. It's not just the people on the streets and the ones you physically notice that need help. There are people closer than you think. They may live next to you, work with you or even attend the same church you do. See it may or may not be about money all of the time. Help comes in all forms and its up to us and Christians to really get to know the people around you. Find out if there are any needs that you may be missing and DO something. Thanks to my daughter, there are some things now that the two of us are able to do and it makes me proud that she is paying attention even when I don't sometimes!

With the holidays coming, I really think now especially time to kinda look around and see what we can do. The economy is not good, people are being laid off left and right and there are alot of people who may want nothing more than for someone just to listen. Make it a goal to really seek and find that person. Pray about it and let God show you what needs to be done.

James 4:17 " Anyone, then who knows the good he ought to be doing and doesn't do it, sins"

What else is there to say?

Happy Birthday Momma!!!

November 12, 1946 in New York City, NY, my momma was born. That would make today her birthday. You know, every year around this time, I start to feel " funny" and I never really figure it out until that day pretty much but I miss her lots. There are pretty much no days that go by that I don't think about her in some way. From the way I cook, the way I raise my children to just looking in the mirror since everyone thinks we were twins or something. lol I even still have times when I ask God " Why" or " Could you not have waited just a little longer" and you know what, I think that's okay, He doesn't mind too much... at least I pray not. But as sad as I get about missing my mom, I can smile a big smile knowing she died doing the things God wanted her to do. That I have no doubt about because I saw it every day of my life. And because she did believe that Jesus was Christ and he died to save this world, I believe John 3:15-16:

" For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that who ever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life in heaven."

I don't know God's thoughts, His complete plan or what really happens after death, but I believe with all of my heart that my mom is with God and I'm going to see her again one day! I love you momma, Happy Birthday!!!!! MUAHHHH!!!!


And to Melanie... once again as I always tell you, you share a really special day with her too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!!

Jessica, I always forget... one day before or after but I know its your day too HAPPY BIRTHDAY, I miss you!!

As always, have a blessed day everyone and Lord willing, we will talk again soon!