Temple Church is in our last week of fasting. From September 23 to September 30, 2024, we are fasting to break the fear of giving and the bondage of debt.
It is our prayer that through our giving, we break the curse of debt over our lives and our lineage. Therefore, we are asking you to join with us by selecting an amount you’ll set aside per day to give or a flat amount. You can choose to take the money from your daily cup of coffee, pack of cigarettes, fast food meal, pair of shoes, a drink, etc or vow a certain amount. It’s YOUR choice.
Whatever amount, we are asking you to give it as an offering to our church, Temple Church.
The amount you decide can be given on the first Sunday in October, or you can send it whenever you choose.
They defamed your name. They broke your heart. They hurt you. They took advantage of you. They ghosted you. You lost some stuff. They took some stuff. They didn’t support you. They didn’t show up for you. Business failed. They fired you. The school didn’t work out. Relationship ended. Car repossessed. They filed the eviction. They cut off your assistance. They mistreated you. They wouldn’t pay you your worth. They questioned your anointing. They mishandled your gifts. They misappropriated your time.
IT WAS PART OF GOD’S PLAN!
Otherwise, you never would have let go. You would have never walked in your purpose. You never would have gotten up. You would have never tried. You never would have been able to step into where you are. You never would have moved. You never would have stepped out on faith.
HAD IT NOT BEEN PART OF GOD’S PLAN!
So, stop being held hostage by what they did or didn’t do, said or didn’t say. Stop being angry over who didn’t show up. It is all a part of God’s plan.
I don’t know who lied to you, broke you, damaged you, took advantage of you, hurt you, abused you, left you, or abandoned you … but doggone it, it’s time you healed.
Yes, the divorce hurt. Yes, their death stung. Yes, you didn’t think they’d be the ones to do this to you. Yes, I know it hurts, but you’ve got to come to terms with it and get up. As hard as it will be, you HAVE to get up or you might not survive.
Get up, even through tears. Get up, even if they’ve yet to apologize. Get up, even if you still have questions. Get up, even if you’re still hurt. Get up, and forgive them. Get up, and forgive you.
I put a comma after get up because I need you to get up, pause, and then take action. Baby, they may have done all the things listed above and then some. They may have tried to tamper with your joy, peace, and mind, but you’re reading this. That means you’re alive, and can see, read, and comprehend.
And because you have life, you also have hope! Pause then take action. Get up and take your life back!
Even if it’s not today, try again tomorrow until you’re fully standing FOR YOU!
It wasn’t cute either. Instead, it was the crying, arms wrapped around your body, trying to catch your breath, I’m tired and I can’t do this on my own anymore kind of yes. See, I was outside of God’s will. Yes, I was going to church and was very good at religion. I’d gotten that thang down and was great at pretending, but I was tore up and suffering with no real relationship with God.
And I was tired. Tired of ignoring His call when He’d wake me up in the middle of the night and interrupt my day. Tired of struggling, financially, and being in over our heads. Tired of the check advances, title loan, bankruptcies, and paying every bill late.
Then on 8/28/14, I stopped running and gave God my yes.
I remember it, vividly! Standing in the last bathroom stall at work silently screaming YES GOD, OKAY YES! Understand, saying yes doesn’t magically erase everything, but it sets you on the path to purpose. When I said yes, it restored what I didn’t know was broken and it stitched what I couldn’t see was bleeding. I stood apologizing to God for all the time I wasted only to realize, had God given me destiny then, I would have messed it up.
This is why I’m grateful for all I/we’ve been through. It made me stronger. I’ve shared this before, but that day, back in 2014, our entire life shifted. God told me it was time to move, and He meant that weekend. Here’s what faith looks like. WE DID! We moved even though we had no clue where we were going. My husband probably thought I was crazy, but he trusted my OBEDIENCE in God because he’d seen me struggling. So, we packed up over Labor Day weekend, 2014, put our stuff in storage, and moved. 3 months later, we rented a house in Southaven. Get this … we didn’t pay a bill late.
But here’s the shout. It was with the SAME MONEY! The money didn’t change, but our mindset did.
Has it always been good? No. Has it always been easy? No. Has it always been fair? No, but it has been all God. It’s been ten years + one day later and I’m still saying yes. Now, I get to say it as a whole pastor of a church. Wow. #thankyouGod
P.S. This tattoo, on my wrist, is purposely of the day after the yes, when God began shifting my life for His purpose.
