Lakisha, the Author

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.

Daily Devotional – 5/17/16 “Prepare for the position!”

I am convinced that not everybody has the ability to lead. Yea, I am thoroughly persuaded of this. Look, just because you’ve been called to minister, it doesn’t mean you are called to Pastor. Just because you have a degree behind your name, it doesn’t mean you have what it takes to be a leader. Just because you have the experience, it doesn’t mean you are qualified to be a manager. Being in a leadership position takes a lot more than just the experience on paper, it takes preparation. You have to be able to deal with 100 different types of personalities (especially when some folk have 2-3 themselves). You have to be able to give helpful criticism and not your fleshly thoughts. You have to be able to take yourself out of the equation because it’s not about you, all the time. You have to be able to resolve conflict without it getting blown out of proportion. And most of all, you have to be able to shut up and keep some stuff to yourself! Not everything said to you is repeatable. Not everything shared with you is sharable. Being a leader is much more than having a title. It means you may have some longer days and some hard nights. It means you may get more phone calls and text messages than you like. It means you may have to visit the hospital, checking on folk, more than you’d wish. It means you may have to be the one to deliver bad news. It means you may be the one folk look up to, so you have to govern yourself accordingly. It means, again, it won’t always be about you. Oh, it may not always pay well either. Will you be alright with that?

The bible says in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Beloved, you have to love what you do. Regardless of the pay or even the stress level sometime, you have to want to do it. 1 Timothy 3:1 says, “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.” Now get this, an overseer is defined as a person who supervises others, especially workers. So when I share this scripture, I’m not just speaking in the church. This is why you have to be prepared for the position. Then you have to be careful the role you seek to fill, especially if you aren’t ready because the bible says whoever aspires to be an overseer is yearning for a worthy assignment. But get this … It won’t always seem worth it. Can you handle it? Chile, the worst thing an “overseer” can do is get into a position and then ruin the morale of the people he/she is overseeing. That’s why you have to be respectable (decent), hospitable (friendly), self-controlled (put together), with thick skin, able to teach and teachable. And before you seek a role, look into your spouse to ensure they are able to handle it. Not everyone is capable of handling the role of “First lady/man” or even the role of being married to a leader, no matter the position. It’s hard work that might pay off with man but it’ll definitely pay off with God.

Daily Devotional – 5/16/16 “Do what you can!”

I’ve often wondered, a lot lately, why is it that you can give folks all you have and they still expect more or they aren’t satisfied. Well, as of today, I’ve decided this … I’m only willing to give you what I want and if it’s not enough for you or it’s not to your liking, so be it! See, you can do so much for others that you end up losing yourself and your stuff in the process. I posted on Facebook this morning that all I have to offer ungrateful children, in this place of my life, is the door. I refuse to keep anyone who doesn’t want to be kept (I’m speaking on children). Please understand, I am being transparent because I need you to realize that just because I am a preacher; it’s not all glitz and glamour. We face issues too. Am I ashamed? Not in the least. I refuse to act as if everything is going great in my life. I mean, how can I tell you how to endure through your storm if I never go through mine? Baby, I need prayers just like everybody else but I’ve learned can’t everybody pray for you. Some folk are praying for your defeat. But chile, I’ve seen too many victories. However, I’m not writing this devotional for prayers or pity, but I’m sharing my moment to let you know that you have to get to a point where you give folks what you decide and be okay with it. If it doesn’t fit their liking, so be it. If it’s not what they want, tell them to take it or leave it. If they can’t get with it, offer them the door.

My husband and I have two teenagers who think they can do it better outside our home, so we showed them the door. We’ve worked too hard to give them everything they’ve needed and yet they still yell and scream, it’s not enough. Well baby, I’m tapped out. All I have to offer them now, as they stand on the outside of the door, is Jesus and prayer. And I am alright with it. I always say, I’ll fight for you as long as you fight for yourself but when you start fighting me; I get out of the ring. And you need to do the same thing with whomever you’re consistently trying to please, I know I’m not the only one. You have to stop getting drug through the fire to end up the only one with burns. You’ve got to stop trying to help others fight, especially when you’re the only one that leave with bruises. You’ve got to quit trying to be the knight in shining armor and all you get is arrows through the heart. At some point and time, you’ve got to stop offering them everything or giving them all they asked for and start giving them what you want them to have. If it’s not enough, that’s alright because you’ve done all you can. If it doesn’t meet their approval, cancel it and move on. Do what you can and be good with it!

Daily Devotional – 5/13/16 “Pruning to spring forth!”

In bible study on Wednesday night, one of our associate ministers (who teach agriculture) said something that stuck with me. He said the best time to prune a plant is a month before it springs. And as I was looking into this, research says the best time to prune a plant/tree is when it’s dormant because then it will have an energetic boost of new growth when it’s time to spring forth. Now, dormant means lying asleep or inactive. What does this mean spiritually? Well, some of us have been lying dormant; we’ve been lazy when it comes to the labor, we’ve been asleep on the assignment and sleeping in the spirit and now God is about to prune us. Yea! God is about to trim off the dead things that are attached to us so that a vital improvement of growth can now spring forth within us. God is about to cut away the dead leaves hanging from us so that life can now spring forth. You know the leaves I’m talking about, don’t you? Leaves = liars, exploiters, adversaries, vultures, evildoers and schemers! God is about to prune these no good so and so’s from our midst so that we can now be more productive in our purpose.

How will you know you’re being pruned? It’ll start feeling like all hell is breaking loose around you and you don’t understand why. Folk will start leaving and you can’t explain it. You’ll start losing the feeling to hang out at certain places. You will no longer have the taste for mess. You’ll start feeling better about some folks and some situations. You’ll start loving folk from a distance who mean you no good. But best of all, greater things will begin to spring forth. You’ll be able to see things clearer, doors will start opening, sacrifices you made way back will start paying off, people will start calling your name and you didn’t even think they knew it, your feet will start touching places you’ve never even heard of, you’ll be preaching in places folk said you’d never stand, you’ll start reaping from the harvest you planted years ago and your tears will pay off. Baby, when you allow God to prune you, it’ll be worth it. Because while you’ve been lying dormant, He’s taking this opportunity to now prepare you to burst forward with new ministry ideas, new job prospects, new business plans and greater anointing. This is why Jesus said in John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” God prunes us so that we may spring forth!

I’ll be at … Girls Night Out!

Ladies (and Gents),

I will be a part of this great event on tomorrow night at New Direction Christian Church in Memphis. All of the information is on the picture!

Please share and stop by and see me (and other vendors who will be available), if you can. I will have books available for purchase.

Thanks in Advance
Lakisha