Daily Devotional – 9/19/16 “9/19/16 – Oh change … “

Change comes with or without warning and believe this or not, you have to (sometimes) accept it or not. When I say sometimes, I mean that there are times you will have no choice but to choose the change. It’s like death. We have to accept the change that comes with the passing of a loved one, whether we want to or not; it’s a part of life. But when it comes to things like jobs and such, you can make the choice to accept the change by either staying or going; again, your choice. It’s like here at my job, we had a change to our management team. Although I’ve only been in this department for a year, from what I can gather, it is a welcome change. However, I’ve come to realize and understand this … WE can make change hard by complaining and being unacceptable to it. Think about it. A lot of parishioners within a certain place of worship can make the assignment for a new pastor hell (and we know it). It’s because we’ve been accustom to the old pastor who has been there thirty years letting us get our way so when new leadership comes in, we don’t know how to respond. And instead of getting to know him or her, we cause hell, raise hell, sell hell, support hell and sometimes tell them to go to hell. All because WE don’t like it.

But baby, haven’t you realized by now that the world doesn’t revolve around you and your way of thinking? Don’t you understand that with every season, you’ve got to change to accommodate it? Yea, you know this but you’re being stubborn. I mean, you wouldn’t wear summer clothes in the winter neither will you wear winter clothes in the summer. You adapt to the change. So, why is this so hard for Christians? Now, this isn’t just for worship places because it fits your life too because your parenting style changes as your child(ren) grow. Your household changes as things evolve within your life. We even tend to change as life happens. You hair goes from the natural color to gray. You may gain or lose weight. You may hurt a little more than you used too in parts you didn’t even know you had. Your eyesight may require some help and you may not get around as fast as before. But this is all a sign of change. Not bad change but good change. And we have to change with it. Otherwise we stay stuck in a place that no longer fits with where you are. We cannot stay in the same place forever because eventually we’ll have to change. Not because we have too but because we need too. Change, when it comes from a great place, has great outcomes. You simply need to be ready and willing to accept it and this comes by the continual renewing of your mind.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

Pruning

Daily Devotional – 9/14/16 “Love doesn’t hurt!”

Each time I hear news of another woman being murdered by the hands of someone who claimed to have loved them, my heart drops. Every time a child has to watch their mom die, in front of them, my soul aches. With every death, there is a yoke being attached to those left behind. A yoke bonding pain to love.

Love doesn’t hurt.

Sure, love can sometimes take you through trials, put you on a roller coaster ride of emotions or even cause you to do some stupid things; nonetheless, love shouldn’t hurt. Love should never give you the right to take another person’s life. Love shouldn’t give you the right to dictate, “if you can’t have me no one can.” Love isn’t bruises, black eyes, broken bones … love shouldn’t hurt like this and neither should it leave a person damaged or fearful of love.

Bible tells us in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

Yes, I’ve said some things that probably hurt more than words, then I had to learn how to govern my mouth. That started by treating folk how I want to be treated. Please understand, I’ve never been in a physically abusive relationship, so I will NEVER tell someone how to handle theirs. All I can do is imagine the fear running through the head of a mother who’s trying to protect children from the monster daddy becomes. All I can do is imagine how scared she is each time she hears his key in the door. All I can do is imagine the many times she’s replayed her leaving, over and over; only to hear a news story of how the justice system failed someone else, so she unpacks her bags.

Here’s what I can do. Pray without ceasing until God deals with every abuser and there are no more casualties. I can fast until the cycle of abuse is cleansed from bloodline. I can be the listening ear for those who don’t need judgment, but hope. I can be a place of refuge until she decides to leave for good. I can post devotional blogs, like this, with resources to help. Then I continue to pray, hoping they’ll find the strength, courage and stability to get out before it’s too late.

Love doesn’t hurt. Love isn’t fear. Love isn’t tearing me down. Love isn’t control. Love isn’t you forcefully trying to prove you’re a man or a woman. Let’s be clear, abuse goes both ways and this is why we’ve got to educate our children on what real love is and what’s acceptable and unacceptable in a relationship.

Love doesn’t hurt and if you’re in an abusive relationship (emotionally, physically, mentally, verbally, socially or any other), get help. I don’t want to see a hashtag precede your name. I don’t want you to be another statistic. If you need help, contact the local abuse shelter in your area, visit www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233).

Midnight Prayer with Rev. Lakisha

I am in no way affiliated with the companies and websites listed below. I am providing them as a source of help for those who may need it.

If you’re in Memphis, contact Montoyia McGowan, LCSW – https://www.stoppingthechase.com/ | 901.273.3485

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1.800.273.8255

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration – 1.800.662.4357

Find a Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Black Virtual Therapist Directory – https://www.beam.community/bvtn

Therapy for Black Girls – https://therapyforblackgirls.com/

Daily Devotional – 9/13/16 “Pain has a way…”

I’ve been dealing with a pulled muscle or something in my back the last few days and it hurts. Yet while dealing with it, I’ve realized that pain has a way of reminding you that you’re still alive but more importantly, pain lets you know that something is wrong. Think about it. Whenever there is pain, there is an ailment that needs to be dealt with. Rather it be a migraine headache, high blood pressure, heart disease, sinus or even a hang nail, you’ve got to deal with it in order to stop the pain. If you don’t, the pain will increasingly get worse. It’s the same when it comes to physical and mental ailments because pain is associated with it, letting us know something is wrong and it needs to be dealt with. You cannot allow pain to continue without dealing with the cause of it. Yes, you can self-medicate but then what? You can try to cover it up but it’ll still be there. Why? Because you’ve yet to deal with the real source of the pain. It doesn’t matter if you have a high tolerance for pain, it can still bring you to your knees.

Oh but I’ve also found that pain can bring you closer to God. See, it’s when we’re hurting the worst that God’s name slips from our lips. You know it’s true. When our ‘ailment’ begins to be too much, our crying gets louder. When our pain starts to beat us down and interrupting our sleep, our praise becomes real. It’s when it begins to wake you up in the midst of the night that you realize, what you’re doing for the pain is no longer working nor is it strong enough. Pain has that effect. So, whomever you are on today, reading this; you who’ve been in pain too long, you whose pain is getting the best of them, you whose pain is winning at this very moment; you may want to get the doctor on the case. No ma’am, no sir; not the one you have to call for an appointment, fill out paperwork, give them a copy of your insurance card and pay for the diagnosis but I’m talking about THE doctor who has never lost a patient. THE one who diagnoses you right the first time. THE one who can deliver a prescription that’ll work with the first dose. THE doctor Jesus. Aren’t you tired of being in pain? Aren’t you sick of trying to hide your ailment? Aren’t you tired of crying like Jeremiah 15:18, “Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?” Or are you ready to hear God say like Luke 17:19, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well?” It’s your choice?

pain

Daily Devotional – 9/12/16 “It is well!”

Sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on. Sometimes you have to take the L just to keep your mind. Sometimes, you’ve got to walk away with a “It is well,” praise on your lips! See, we’ve been so accustomed to, “After you’ve done all you can do, just stand,” but then what? Yes, you should stand on God’s word but what I love about God, He allows you to take His word with you. This means, stop standing still in places and with people that have yet to yield anything positive. Baby, sometimes you have to release folk and places and while you’re packing say, ‘it is well.’ While you’re pulling out the driveway, say it is well. And even while you’re starting over, say it is well!

Losing friends who I thought had my best interest but turned out to be users – it is well. Moving on from places that stunted my growth – it is well. Doing God’s will despite what you think – it is well. Letting you go even when it hurts – it is well. Walking in my purpose even if I can’t see the way yet – it is well. For the bible says in Psalm 62:5, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”

In other words, what you meant for my bad – it is well. What you say about me, it is well. How you treat me when I was the one who fed you, it is well. When you ignore me after I spent time away from family to be a shoulder for you to cry on, it is well. When you can’t celebrate with me, it is well. Why? Well because my soul finds rest in God. Why? Because God is my hope! Why? Because this world can’t do my any harm. Today, it is well! Tomorrow, it’ll be well!

Daily Devotional – 9/9/16 “Nine – It’s final!”

I shared this on Facebook the other day yet somebody needs to hear it again! September is the 9th month and the biblical meaning of 9 (nine) is divine completeness or conveys the meaning of finality. And it just so happens to be the ninth day of the ninth month so for whomever you are …. STOP trying to revive what you know is already dead! Quit trying to undo what is already final. Yea, I know you don’t understand why the relationship won’t work, it’s dead. You can’t understand why your car keeps breaking down, it’s dead. You can’t make sense of why folk who liked you last week are ignoring your calls today, God is severing some relationships that are sucking the life out of you. Beloved, God has to sometimes shut doors we aren’t willing to close, move folk we claim we can’t live without, reject some stuff we thought was for our good and repossess some stuff that’s hindering us spiritually. It’s for our good and this is why whatever He puts in the final stages THIS MONTH, leave them there. Whatever has left, let them stay gone. Whatever has died, bury it. In other words, stop trying to revive what God has already declared dead! I mean, some of the relationships you’re in have been dead and stinking up your entire life yet you’re still trying to blow breathe into it! That’s like going to a funeral home doing CPR on a body that has been embalmed. It won’t work so chile stop! The only time you try to revive anything is if there is life left in it to possibly survive.

You’ve heard God talking to you. You’ve heard Him tell you to let it go. Why are you being hard-headed? That sickness, disease, addiction, hatred, anger – declare it dead! That relationship that has caused you more tears than joy – declare it dead! Baby, on this ninth day, make it up in your mind that you will no longer live with, ride for, connect too nor tie your soul to anything that is dead! You do know that after God has given you the opportunity to cut away some stuff and you don’t, He’ll prune you and it’ll hurt worse, right? You do understand that when God tells us to move and we don’t, He’ll do it and it’ll make our head spin, right? This is why, child of God, you’ve got to let the dead stay dead and let those who consistently walk out on you stay gone. This is also why we HAVE to allow God to cut away the folk suffocating us, take away some stuff we are starting to idolize and shut some doors that’s putting us in temptation’s way. Why? Because God can’t release new blessings upon us when we’re too bound with old, dead stuff. And God can’t move us into new with old, outdated, nonworking stuff still in the way. God won’t take anything away from us that He hasn’t already prepared to upgrade with something better.

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