Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 5/25/16 “Let us pray…”

Our Father, whose name is Holy and worthy to be praised; I come petitioning your throne today, thanking you for everything. God, I know sometimes we aren’t worthy of asking yet you still provide; you still forgive us and still bless us in spite of and for that I say thank you. Thank you for loving us even when we are too selfish to love others. Thank you for covering us even in the midst of our mess. Thank you God for paying a debt that we’d never be able to repay. Now, as I come before you; I come not only for me but for that mother who doesn’t think you’re hearing her prayer; for that daddy whose been away from you too long and afraid to call your name, for that sister who’s in pain and can’t get a word out, for that brother who’s struggling just to live, for that pastor who feels like he/she is doing what they can and it’s still not working and for the person who’s contemplating suicide because it hurts too much to live. God, I come asking that your will for us on Earth be done as it is in Heaven. I come asking you to give us today, the daily bread we need to strengthen our weak places. Then, oh God forgive us. Forgive us for the daily sins that keeps us from being like you. Forgive us for the faults we so blindly hold on too. Forgive us for the hate that we’ve carried for years and forgive us for the debt that is consuming our lives. Forgive us, Father. And don’t allow us to fall into temptation, for you are our shield of protection. Deliver us from the hands, mouths and arms of the evil ones who have us trapped by fear and lies. Set us free from the things that keep us from you. Destroy chains of circumstances, bondage of burdens, handcuffs of hatred, shackles of self-doubt and governing generational curses. Cast out sickness and disease, sexual and spousal abuse and addictions. You said, if your people who are called by your name would humble themselves, seek your face and turn from their wicked ways; you’d come and see about us; well, here am I oh God, asking you to come and see about your children. Our cities need you, the killings have to stop, the police brutality and killings have to cease, the burying of our children; it has to end. We need you Father, for yours is the kingdom and you are the power and the glory; forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

Daily Devotional – 5/24/16 “Smile anyway!”

When you pass me by and you see a smile, it doesn’t necessarily mean everything is going great in my life. My smile simply means, in spite of the circumstance and regardless of my situation, I’ll yet trust God. This smile you see, the positive things I post and the encouragement I give means that I’m blessed in the face of the situation. This smile is hiding a multitude of things and that’s because even though I may be going through, God is still keeping me. This is why you can’t judge a person based on what they look like. I can bet that if you stopped at a local chemo or dialysis treatment facility, most of the patients don’t look sick. If you were to speak to half of the people who park in a handicap space; most of them don’t look like they’re dealing with chronic pain either. Just because someone looks healthy, it doesn’t mean they are. Although you can’t see a person’s tear stains, it doesn’t mean they didn’t spend all night crying but it could mean they’ve found someone to dry them. Even if you can’t hear it in their voice, it doesn’t mean a person hasn’t been hurt; it could mean they’ve connected to someone who can take their pain away. While you can’t see someone’s past, it doesn’t mean they aren’t affected by it but it could mean they’ve hooked up with the best past eraser. Just because I don’t look like the hell I’ve been through, it simply means I have access to the best plastic surgeon there is and He reconstructed me well. Yea, I sometimes have to go through remodeling but just pardon my dust!

Beloved, I don’t know about you but the enemy shows up and when he’s lost before, he comes back harder the next time yet stand like Job. Yea, the fire is hot but God is the flame resistant covering, money can’t buy and He won’t allow you to be burned. Yea, the tests are hard but we’ve been granted use of the ultimate teacher who’ll give us what we need. So it doesn’t matter what the world does, what people say, how folk treat you; all that really matters is how you come out. Chile, we may go through the storm of hell and come out looking like a wet dog but all that matters to God is that we endured and pressed our way through for He’ll reward our effort. This is why we have to push through the tough moments, stand while being hit on every side, smile in the face of the adversary, hold on to the rope and don’t let go and refuse to jump off of give up cliff. God is the reason we rejoice in the midst of chaos. So, if you happen to be going through, smile anyway! When the tears flow, smile knowing they’ll have to soon end! When the pain come, praise knowing it won’t always be there! When your legs get tired, stop and catch your breath knowing God will give you strength to walk on! When your heart is hurting, help somebody because you’ll heal in the midst! When folk walk out on you, shut the door and dance knowing they didn’t mean you any good anyway! And when it seems like you’ve done all you can do, pray on knowing that God will answer your call! Smile through it, even if it hurts because it’ll confuse the enemy

Daily Devotional – 5/23/16 “It cost more to settle!”

Why are you settling? Don’t you know you are worthy of more? If not, then you need to start, today; at this very moment getting to know your worth. Stop settling for the first man or woman who tells you you’re cute/handsome. You ought to know this about yourself. Get through the sweet talk and search their heart. Overlook the batting of those fake lashes or the suave debonair of how he looks in a suit and find out if they can meet the need of being your helpmate. Quit settling for the first church you worship with simply because you enjoyed the service, that day, when you should ensure this is the place of worship where you fit and one that meets your spiritual needs. Stop settling for the first loan offer they give when you should be negotiating what fits your needs and your budget. Look, man or woman of God; you’ve been given everything you need to know your worth. How do I know? Well, God made you in His image and He’s appointed you an heir to His kingdom. This alone ought to increase your value! The bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people–none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.” Verse 11 says (This is the part where you shout), “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Chile, stop allowing folks to pay a thrift store price for you when you’ve been washed in the blood and are now valued at more than money can buy. Stop selling yourself for clearance prices that any ole body can afford when you should be put up for the one who is meant for you. For when this happens, the one you’re meant for won’t have to buy you anyway because you’ll willing offer yourself to him. You’ve got to stop settling! Ladies, stop settling because he drives a fancy car only to find out he isn’t even worth what it cost to fill it up with gas. Men, stop settling because you see the coke bottle shape only to later find out it was that good girdle that gave you the look you wanted and she isn’t worth the cost of it. When you begin to settle for anything, you lose your value and it’s then you’ll sell yourself to the one willing to pay for what you have to offer. But beloved, you’ve got to get to a place where you know and realize that you’re worth more than a $15 steak dinner, a paid cell phone bill or material stuff. Stop settling for what looks good at the moment because it won’t last. Get to know your self-worth in order to then be able to teach the little people you’re raising theirs. Because when you settle it leads to suffering oh but when you don’t, you satisfy the Savior by submitting to Him which then allows you to secure somebody who is spiritual enough to meet the standards of God’s will for your life. Stop settling!

Daily Devotional – 5/19/16 “God said it that settles it!”

Why do you need validation on what God has already promised you? Why do you need to call somebody to make sure the blessing you just received is real and it’s yours? If God sent it or said it, that should settle it! Why do you need the added blessing of Pooh nem to believe it? The first thing you post is, “I can’t believe the blessing I just got,” why not? Or you calling folk with, “Girl, you wouldn’t believe how God is working in my life,” why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t I believe that God has cured your sickness, vacated the death sentence man gave, dropped the charges, enlarged your territory, sent your husband, allowed your vision to go forth, impregnated you with purpose, dried your tears, calmed your fears and blew your mind? Why shouldn’t I believe that? Beloved, I know what God can do so every time He shows up, I am persuaded to believe Him. Why? Because He’s never let me down before. You got the nerve to be shocked when God has allowed you to make it until payday with $8 and half tank of gas. You’re blown away at the fact that you got the job you’ve been praying for. You’re amazed that you made it through the storm, survived when others didn’t and made it when you know you shouldn’t but why, tho? You know the power God possess and you ought to know the power He’s placed within you.

And while you’re calling folk, some of them don’t want to see you prosper no way and they will mess around and talk you out of your blessing. You call to tell them about the job offer and they say it’s too good to be true. You tell them about the car you were just approved for and they say the interest rate too high. You share with them the blessing of your new house and they start bad mouthing the neighborhood. They find out you’ve joined a new church and they start telling you stuff that happened there ten years ago. Let them find out you pay your tithes, go to Sunday school and bible study and support the vision of the pastor and they’ll start badmouthing him/her. And don’t let them see a change in you, they’ll assume it’s for your new boo and not you. Lose some weight and they’ll say stuff like, “You lost too much weight, you don’t look right.” Try to better yourself and they’ll start with, “You think you better than everybody else.” Do anything better today than you did yesterday and folk will start whispering your name. This is why you shouldn’t need your blessing validated by folk. If God has trusted you with it, you ought to trust yourself with it. Stop listening to everybody who says, “God told me to tell you,” especially if you don’t know the God they are serving. This is why 1 John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, stop believing every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” While you are waiting on them to validate your blessing, you may want to check the source of their strength because it may shock you. Trust God and take Him at His word because it never goes out void.

Daily Devotional – 5/18/16 “The hand you’ve been dealt!”

When you’re playing cards, no matter what type, you’re dealt a hand to play. No one knows what you have but you. Now you have the option to do one of two things, play the hand you’ve been dealt or throw it in. If you decide to play it and you’re a true player of the game, you’ll put your game face on. What is a game face? Well, it’s the face that make folk think you have a better hand than you do. It’s the face that looks at your partner and silently asks them the question, “You got this, right?” It’s the face you have to portray in order to throw off the other players. And it’s the face you make that allows you to trash talk your opponent even though you know it’s a possibility you may lose. So, what are you going to do? Yea, you can throw the cards in but then you’ll be forfeiting your chance to possibly win. After all, you don’t know what your partner has in his hands. Yes, you can throw the cards in but then you would have given the opponent the upper hand. So, I ask again, what are you going to do? Are you going to play the cards you’ve been dealt or are you contemplating throwing them in?

Think about it for a moment because someone is sitting, right now, in a place looking at the cards life has dealt you. You’re trying to figure out if you can make it work or will it be better to just throw it all in. You’re looking at the fact that your children are acting like strangers, you’re on the verge of losing your job if you miss one more day, the bank is calling because you’ve been overdrawn too long, the title loan place is calling your family and friends, you can’t get any more check advances and at this moment, it looks better to just throw in the towel. And you can but why do that when you haven’t even looked up at your partner who may just have what you need. Why are you considering throwing in the hand when you haven’t even allowed your partner a say in the matter? Yes, it may look all bad and you don’t know how you can possibly win with this hand but have you checked with your partner? You do know, He’s never lost a game; don’t you? Chile, He’s the champ when it comes to winning; why won’t you try Him? When will you say like Psalm 31:14-15, “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, “You are my God?” My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.” When will you put your game face on and trash talk your enemy? When will you put your game face on and tap into the strength you’ve been given? Understand this, your partner has what you need to win but He needs you to play the hand. Oh, it might get down to the last few minutes but trust your partner. Will you? Beloved, don’t give up at this point in the game because if you do what you can, the God we serve will do what we can’t.