Daily Devotional – 9/27/18 “I almost missed it!”

This past weekend I attended a Women’s Retreat called, “Loving Me Again” (#LMA2018) facilitated by Lisa Knowles-Smith of the Brown Singers. If you are from Memphis, then you know who Lisa is and if you are not, Google her and allow her music to bless you. Initially, I was only going as a vendor (to sell books) but what I didn’t know, God had other plans and His plan was being set into motion way before we even got to Atlanta. See, I was going to sell books but God was sending me to change hearts. I was going to gain new readers but God was sending me to gain new souls and I almost missed it. No, you do not understand. I literally, paid for the vendor spot on the very last day because I did not want to spend money and not make any, never realizing this was bigger than me, all along. Y’all, I got to sit on a panel with Lisa Knowles-Smith and Tammi Haddon and it wasn’t planned. I got to meet women from different states, backgrounds and careers, I got the chance to encourage women and I sold some books. God was shifting me and I almost missed it because I was basing this event on what had happened in the past.

I was hesitant because I have been to, more than a few events, spent money to travel etc., and not made a dime. Those past events almost made me miss this event. How many of you have missed a blessing because it reminded you of something that happened before and the memories were not good? How many times have you missed the help, you needed, because you based it on history? How many times have you missed the relief, you sought after, because it looked like rebuke? How many times have you willingly forfeited the very thing needed to shift you because it reminded you of the thing that suffered you? While I was on the panel, one topic kept coming up. It was forgiving and forgetting. If you have been following my blogs, you know that I believe you cannot forgive without forgetting but here is what I need you to understand. When I say forget, I do not mean erasing it from your memory (we do not possess that power) but I mean remember it differently. In other words, you cannot forget the abuse you suffered but forgive then remember that you survived what he/she tried to do to you. I need you to remember that what they tried did not win. I need you to remember that what bruised you didn’t burden you but it birthed in you the boldness to build when you should be broken. Do not miss your opportunity, this time because of what it looks like. Trust that God has it already worked out in your favor. Psalm 40:5, “Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.”