Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 1/31/14 “How are you living?”

We’ve got to get back to handling the kingdom’s business. As women, it’s time out for fighting over people and things that don’t belong to us because the only time you fight for something, when it’s yours. If he can’t put a ring on your finger to make you his wife, he isn’t worth fighting over because Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” If she can’t treat you like you’re husband material, she isn’t worth arguing over because 1 Corinthians 11:9, says “For indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake,” and If he or she can’t contribute to the household then they aren’t worth fighting over either because 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” But you know all this don’t you? We’ve got so accustomed to this world that know we post all our business on social media and then got the nerve to be mad when someone says something about you. Oh but let me tell you, you can spend your tax money on whoever you want to because it’s yours. You can date, hook up with and fool around with whomever you choose because it’s your business. However, one thing I must say, YOU BETTER GET IT TOGETHER BEFORE YOUR TIME IS UP! Yea, we are spending way too much time on meaningless mess, foolish fighting, lavish lying, secret spying and blatant backstabbing than working God’s business. So many folks are dying and being killed when they are here at 2PM and gone at 2AM. It’s time out for playing church.

I sometimes wonder what God would say if he walked into our Sunday worship service. I mean, we are raising children who can’t pray because we’re too busy to teach them how. But get this … we teach them that it’s ok to play around with your cellphone during worship service because most times we are playing with ours. We have hell in us all week and then are the first ones shouting when your song is played. You gossip all day Saturday about the “church folk” and then get to church and tell your neighbor that you love them and they can’t do a thing about it. You tipping on Friday night to the motels and clubs and then is the loudest one singing, I love the Lord, He heard my cry! Baby, God isn’t in the midst of your mess! It’s time now to get it together! Live the life worth speaking about so that no one has to stand over your casket and lie about you being a good person because this life you live is the funeral that you’ll one day have. Live your life so that a sinner can see the God in you because sometimes the closest they get to God is through you. I pray that we all be ready when our time comes and even though God promised us 70 and even 80 years, we sometimes don’t make it. You may not have tomorrow to get it right, so start right now because Mark 13:32 says, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Daily Devotional – 1/30/14 “If just for one day!”

If just for one day, you could give up all your troubles, would you? If you didn’t have to worry about this or stress about that, would you give it a try? Then try it, yea, try it; if just for one day. Wake up in the morning without worrying about bills, about what folk are saying about you, how others treat you, your workload or whatever it is that you’re stressing over. Of course, I know that it’s easier said than done but give it a try. Wake up and say, “Lord, whatever I face today I’ll let you handle it,” or “Lord, whenever (not if because God doesn’t work in ifs) you bless me, it’ll be right on time.” Speak the things that you want and make an effort to be happy, if just for one day. Let the stress of this world roll off your body, like the tear drops that are falling; if just for one day.

See, I truly believe that we choose how our day goes, whether it’s happy or sad and we choose how we react to situations, whether good or bad because we set the tone for it. God has given us joy but we allow folk to take it so easily. Yes, you do because you wake up in a good mood but before you make it to work a mean driver has stolen the smile from your face. You walk into work humming and as soon as your coworker sees you, they come with some bad news and now your song is gone. Oh, but if for just one day, take back the joy that is so rightfully yours. No matter how folk look at you, how they make you feel and even what they say; don’t let go of your joy because Nehemiah 8:10 says “for the joy of the LORD is your strength,” yet when you allow folk to take it that’s when you become weak, worn, depressed and torn. Take for instance; you have 4 books propping up a table that you’re using. If for 4 days you remove 1 book, each day, all that remains is a leaning table and what good is it? If you use a chair over and over again, eventually you will wear it out and the springs will push up through the fabric that makes it impossible to sit in, what good is it? Well, it’s the same way with you. If you continue to allow folks to take away the joy that’s propping you up, what will you have to lean on? And if you continue to allow folk to sit all over you, you’ll soon wear out and then what good will you be? What will you be able to do leaned over or worn out? And you know as well as I do that once folk have used you up, they’ll put you on the side of the road just like they do old trash because you’d be no use for them any longer. So, if just for one day, let go of worry and relax in the word, lay the stress down and sleep in the safety of our Savior, forget your faults and fellowship with favor, bury your burdens and blossom in your blessing, move beyond your mistakes and marinate in God’s marvelous mercy and get over your guilt and get into God’s grace. If just for one day, let it go and then deal with tomorrow when it comes!

Author … Living my life in this place!

There’s this song by Tamela Mann called, “This Place” and yesterday was the very first time I had ever heard it but when I tell you that it speaks exactly what my spirit wants to say … You wouldn’t even begin to understand. See, I never thought I’d be here in the place I’m in RIGHT NOW! (Y’all just don’t understand) I never thought I’d be in a place where I’d have folk say they are encouraged by me, ME! I never thought I’d be in a place where I have a devotional blog that gets new followers every day. I never thought I’d be in a place to have 2 books out which means author is now on my resume! I mean, I have folk who know my name and it’s not because I’ve done anything bad. I have folk who call me because they want to know my thoughts. I’ve had my picture on blogs I never thought I’d be on. My name has been written in places I never thought it would be. I never thought I’d be in this place but I’m so glad that I’m, me, Lakisha Dionne Rucker Johnson, called Marcy by family and friend; is in this place. I’m glad that God has seen fit for me to be in this place at this exact moment! Oh, you just don’t understand! No, I’m not perfect but I’ve been positioned with a purpose! No, I’m not faultless but I’m favored for this fight! No, I’m not spotless but I was sanctified for this status. No, I’m not innocent by any means but I was issued instructions that I intend to invest in. No, I’m not afflicted with animosity because I’ve been acquitted and accepted. Oh, in this place! These mere words can’t even begin to describe how I feel …

I thank those of you who support me. I thank those of you who encourage me. I even thank those of you who may not like my work because you push me to work harder to change that! Thank you! Thank you!

Daily Devotional – 1/29/14 “This place!”

You, too, can get to this place because all you have to do is accept Jesus and then allow Him to lead your life. Yea, I know he said he loved you but He can’t love you like God can. Yea, I know she said she was your ride or die but she can’t protect you like God can. Yea, I know momma said she’d always be there but then death showed up but God is always there. Yea, I know folk turned their back on you but God is still here. Folk have talked about you, lied on, threw dirt on your blessings, kicked you while you’re down and even dug holes for you to fall in but in this place all that doesn’t matter. In this place there is peace not pain, healing not hurt, love not lust, faith not fear and strength not strain. In this place God gets your best because you give it. In this place you’re covered by God so your enemies can’t control you. In this place there is living to be done. Yea, you may go a lot of places but you’ve never been here in this place! In this place your worship is welcoming and your service is sincere. This place! Have you arrived there yet? Are you on your way? I can guarantee you’ll never be the same once you arrive in This Place!

Daily Devotional – 1/28/14 “Love me like God does!”

When we wake up in the morning, we sometimes forget to thank God yet He wakes us again the next day. When we’re rushing through our day, we sometimes forget to acknowledge God, yet He still protects us. When we’re having a moment of stupidity doing things we shouldn’t be doing, God is still willing to forgive us, if we ask. When we forget to bless our food before we eat, God still allows it to not harm us and then He still gives us an appetite for more the next time. When we have more bills than money and we worry even though we’re not supposed to, God still sees us through. When folk talk about us and friends walk away, God is still there. When we don’t give Him his due 10%, He still blesses us with an income from somewhere. When we’re too mean to acknowledge him, He still acknowledges us. Even after doing things we shouldn’t do, going places we shouldn’t go and saying things we shouldn’t say; God still sees fit to bless out raggedy selves. Yet, here we are; after we’ve been forgiven, we won’t forgive. After our pasts have been erased, we can’t forget. After we’ve been blessed, we can’t help anybody else. After we’ve been healed and delivered, we won’t tell it. After it’s been given to us, we won’t share it. After we’ve made it to the top, we won’t reach down and pull somebody else up. After we’ve made it over the obstacles that were in our way, we won’t go back for anybody else. After we’ve been picked up and dusted off, we won’t even bend to offer a hand. I mean, here we are living with the activity of our limbs, with not just a portion but with reasonable health and strength, limbs that work when you want them too, organs that still functioning even if you need medical help for them (sometime), a mind that’s still turning, blood that’s still warm and flowing, a place to lay your weary body with a mouth that sometimes speak what it shouldn’t and yet we still can’t love one another. Oh, but you still rep “Christ.” Child please! If God can love us as much as He does much, why can’t we love each other half as much? 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Yea, I know; you don’t have time to deal with other folk’s problems because you’re struggling and can’t seem to find the light at the end of the tunnel but God says, “I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6),” so keep walking until you see it. “Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect. (Romans 12:2)” Yea, death may have let himself into your home so many times lately but God says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28),” so hold on the tears will soon fade away. Yea, you may be waiting for confirmation from God but He says “when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6),” so ask like it’s already done! Let’s get back to loving each other the way we should because time isn’t standing still and death has no respect of person or age.

I may not have the strongest back, but I’ll pull you up when you fall. I may not have all of the answers but I’ll answer when you call. I may not be rich in the world, but if I got it and you need it, I’ll share. If you need a shoulder to cry on, ears to listen and arms to hold you, I’ll be right there. I may not be a perfect Christian because I’m an unfinished work of art so if I do something wrong, charge it to my head and not my heart. But don’t give up on me and I won’t give up on you. Let’s pray this thing out and allow God to see us through.