Daily Devotional – 5/16/17 “Footprints!”

Asia is excited about starting her college journey. She applied and has been accepted to the same school her mom and dad attended. She has already mapped out how the next four years of her life will go based on all the stories she’d heard. When the time comes, she packs up her things and moves into the dorms. School starts and it is much harder than she expected but she presses on because she cannot let her parents down. She tries to join the same sorority as her mom but it doesn’t feel right. She even begins dating this guy who puts her in the mind of her dad but he doesn’t treat her like her dad does her mom. And on top of that, she’s struggling. She’s been walking in the footprints of her parents and by the time she realizes it isn’t actually what she wants, she’s flunking out of school.

Many times we try to walk in the footprints of those who have paved the way for us instead of understanding that we walk because of their footprints. See, I’ve come to realize that if I try to walk in the same footprints of my mama, I will fall over the same things she did. If I try to walk in the same footprints of grandma, I will stumble where she did. If I try to walk in the same footprints of granddaddy, I will hit the same wall, in the same place he did. Why? Well because we are too busy focusing on stepping in their footprints rather than watching where we are going. This is why our logic of thinking has to change. We are not our mothers, our sisters, our aunties or uncles. We are who we are and we have to walk the path designed for us. Another thing, when we attempt to walk the footprints of someone else, we sometimes set ourselves up to attain something not meant for us. Thus leading to fighting a battle we are not equipped for, walking into places we are not ready for and sitting at tables that cannot cater to our taste. Note, there is absolutely nothing wrong with looking up to those before us but don’t limit yourself to being just like them. Do greater works! We walk, today, because of the footprints of those who marched through the hell of yesterday. They left marks in places ‘they’ said we couldn’t go as a guide. Use them!

Daily Devotional – 5/15/17 “Church folk or Christian?”

Just because a person is in church, it does not mean the church is in them. Far too many times people say, “Church folk are the worst,” when the fact of the matter is, church folk are just doing what they are supposed to do.
Why? Well, because there is a difference between church folk and Christians. Why again? Well because dressing up and going to church does not make me a Christian no more than standing in a kitchen makes me a cook or sitting behind the wheel makes you a driver. Being these things are indicative of your actions because people have gotten good at pretending. This is why the bible says you have to test the spirit by the spirit. Knowing this, I wonder how you managed to miss that someone was just a ‘church folk’ and not a Christian unless your spirit isn’t as great as you portray. Maybe it’s because you were looking through eyes of the flesh instead of the spirit or maybe it is because you never tested or looked at all and simply assumed. Either way, it will be alright but do better next time. Oh, and when someone shows you who they truly are, believe them. That way when they show back up saying they’ve changed, you will be ready to test them this time and not just be bamboozled like before.

See, church folk are those who will stand at the altar whispering prayers in your ear but secretly praying for your demise but a Christian is the one who don’t mind warring for your spirit even if it means they’ll be attacked too. Church folk are the ones who can preach you under a pew and keep their mouth on you, all within the same day but a Christian is the one who will preach until you fall out and then preach until you get up. Church folk are those who will smile in your face and sleep with your husband/wife when they know you’re having problems but a Christian will seek to help restore what is broken. Church folk are those who can’t wait to pray with you after they’ve preyed over you all night but a Christian will answer early in the morning to pray before your surgery. Church folk are those who will celebrate you while waiting to stab a knife in your back but a Christian will be the one genuinely happy for your elevation. This is why you have to know the difference. Chile, you would be surprised at the number of times your name comes up in a conversation with SOME church folk, how many times church folk will roll their eyes when they see you coming or even how many of your statuses have been screen shot and shared in group messages by church folk. Beloved, know the difference in order to be effective in dealing with church folk versus a Christian.


“So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.” 1 John 2:24

Daily Devotional – 5/11/17 “Asking for a friend!”

There is so much suicide, division, divorce, severed relationships, hurt and pain. There are strongholds gripping families like never before. Demonic spirits that are smothering the sanctity of worship places. Mental illness that is on the rise and it is taking over generations. And for the sake of “keeping quiet,” we are losing. There are ministry leaders on the verge of suicide, wives at their breaking point, husbands who feel as if they are drowning, daughters who are using sex and sons who use drugs and guns as an escape. There are people in pain and we can no longer sugar coat the situation. It is time we move away from the patty cake preaching and offer the meat of God’s word. Too many Christians are dying due to being malnourished because the church is still feeding milk when their body needs meat. Even a baby gets solid food at six months yet here we are, at age 50 and barely functioning. Yes, milk is good but the protein from meat is important for building bones and muscles, repairing tissues and strengthening the blood. This is why the bible says in Hebrews 5:13-14, “For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

Please understand, we have a responsibility to seek God, study and learn for ourselves but what happens when I need to be around some folk who are going through what I am or when I need to be in the midst of folk who have been in my shoes? Where can I go and get help instead of being hated on because my dress looks better than hers? Where can he go and get delivered instead of being talked about because he looks feminine? Where can families go and worship without folk prying into their business? Where can she go and get help instead of being labeled a church hopper? Beloved, I don’t know about you but I am sick of going to into a place of worship to be healed yet all I hear is “will a man rob God?” I am tired of seeing posts after posts about another person killing themselves because everybody posted “Praying for you,” but nobody actually did. I am tired of hearing the typical scriptures with a different title but same inadequate message. When will we reach that young person whose whole life is social media by way of social media? When will we get out of traditions and into scriptures? When will we stop catering to the hearts and start consecrating the spirit? I’m asking for a friend!

Daily Devotional – 5/10/17 “Go through your storm!”

One day, I was driving home and it was raining heavily, almost to the point of me pulling over but I didn’t. I drove about fifteen minutes only to see, I had driven through the storm. Looking out the rearview mirror, the rain was still coming down behind me but in front of me there was clear skies. I thought about this because what if I would have pulled over? I would have wasted time because all I had to do was keep driving. I just assumed it was raining everywhere but what I hadn’t counted in was the fact the forecast only called for scattered showers. All I saw was the rain produced by storm and I allowed it to rattle me. It didn’t matter that I was in a car, covered from getting wet, I was still worried about the storm. It didn’t matter that I was, for the most part, safe because the storm still scared me. However, had I listened to the forecaster, I would have known better but I thought I could handle it on my own. He said scattered showers, he said the storm wouldn’t be bad, he said you’ll be alright if you focus and keep driving but the fear of the storm had me second guessing my decision.

How many times have we allowed the storms of situations, the rain showers of regrets, the thunder of terror, the lightning of lies or the darkness of depression to keep us from moving? How many times have we pulled over in the midst of a spiritual storm and wasted time when dry land is right on the other side? How much time have we missed because the storm looked like it was bad? How many of you have canceled plans because it looked bad outside, only for the sky to clear? How many of you have gone to sleep because of the threat of bad weather, only to get up the next morning and see that it passed you by? Am I the only one or is there someone else out there just as guilty? Guilty of allowing the storm to snatch your sanity, guilty of letting the rain ruin what you should be reaping, guilty of letting darkness delay your deliverance or guilty of allowing the forecast to forfeit your favor. How many times have we discounted the forecaster (God) when we know His power? For the bible says in Psalm 107:29, “He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.” I don’t know who this is for but the storm you are in will end but until it does, you cannot stop. When Paul and his men were in the midst of the storm, he trusted God’s report by way of the angel and I’ll tell you like Paul said in Acts 27:25, “So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.”

Daily Devotional – 5/9/17 “Does your faith match the favor?”

There used to be a time my faith didn’t match my favor. I would hear God say He’ll provide (favor) but I’ll look at my empty checking account and handle things my way (check advances, not faith). God never allowed us to go to bed hungry (favor) but I’ll look at the empty refrigerator and do things my way (writing a bad check, not faith). God would say, put in the application (favor) and I’ll look at my resume and refuse. This was because my faith was never in line with the favor over my life. Yeah, I knew God had a purpose for me but the pain of poverty wouldn’t let my faith kick in. I knew I was in a place God didn’t sanctify but the sweat of suffering would not let me go. My faith did not match my favor. Then one day, God told me to move. I mean literally move (I’ve shared this before) and we did. In two days our apartment was packed up even though we didn’t have a place to stay. God said trust Him and for the first time, in a long time, I did. I couldn’t see a way but my faith kicked in. I didn’t understand but faith was driving. It did not make sense but faith was the GPS.

I am sharing this again because somebody needs to know this, needs to read this, needs to digest this and needs to trust again. Yes, I know you jumped last time and ended up hurt but this time jump by faith. Yes, I know you applied and was denied but this time apply with faith. Yes, your marriage is not working but this time consult faith. Doctors said one thing but this time try faith. Ma’am, I do not know your situation but how is your faith? Sir, I don’t know your circumstance but how is your faith? Does it match the favor? When God can allow you to make it home safely even though your alcohol level was three times the legal limit, does your faith match the favor? When you still had $3 left until the next payday and you didn’t have to borrow, does your faith match the favor? When your child escaped twenty years in prison, does your faith match the favor? When the job laid you off only to walk through a door of your own business, does your faith match the favor? When your church is still surviving with the 10 faithful members, does your faith match the favor? When you celebrated five years on a job without a high school diploma, does your faith match the favor? Sometimes, beloved, you have to faith it until it comes.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1