Daily Devotional – 1/29/14 “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 …

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.

VIP Sunday with A Secret Worth Keeping

I wanted to share with you, a few pictures from the VIP Sunday event I attended on Sunday, January 26, 2014. The event was held at B.A.M’z Boutique in Memphis and it was great. I had the chance to sell a few books, meet some new people and most of all SHOP! If you’re in the Memphis area, stop by B.A.M’z Boutique for all your accessory needs! They are located at 6647 Winchester RD in Memphis, TN. They can also be reached at 901.590.0125.

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Daily Devotional – 1/27/14 “Be grateful for the crumbs!”

I was reminded, on yesterday, of a devotional I did some time ago that was titled, “Just give me the crumbs” and for some reason it was on my mind once again. In Luke 16 beginning at the 16th verse, it talks about this rich man who lived lavishly, dressed in the finest clothes and even ate the best food yet every day he passed by this beggar name Lazarus, who was laid at the gate of his house. Now get this, Lazarus was a beggar but he only asked him for the crumbs from his table yet each time, the rich man passed him by and all Lazarus needed was a few morsels of the food they were probably throwing out to the dogs anyway yet the rich man ignored him day after day. Then one day, Lazarus and the rich man died and because the rich man had already had his reward here on earth, he was destined to hell; oh but because Lazarus was who he was, going through what he had to go through; he was destined to glory. The rich man, now, in agonizing pain in the pits of hell looks up to see Lazarus and Abraham off in the distance. He then begs Abraham to let Lazarus dip his finger in cool water so that he could cool his tongue. Yea, the same rich man who wouldn’t even give the crumbs from his table is now in need from the poor man he ignored. Isn’t that something? The rich man even asked if Lazarus could go back and warn his brothers who were living the same way yet Abraham answered in Luke 16:29, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.” Please don’t get it twisted, being rich or poor doesn’t finalize your flight plan in the end but it’s your heart that determines your destination.

All I am trying to get you to understand from this today is, be grateful for the crumbs you have. Even if what you have isn’t what you want, be grateful for it. Even if your checking account is low, be grateful for it. Even if your refrigerator is barely full, be grateful for it. Simply put, be grateful for your crumbs because while you are busy trying to store up everything here the bible says in, Luke 6:24, “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” See, while you are so busy, down here, trying to build up your riches; you are missing the message of the Messiah. While you’re being stingy and won’t help anybody, you’re only placing stumbling blocks in your own way. While you’re being selfish with the blessings God has already given you, you’re blocking any new ones from ever being seen. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work to be debt free, have money in the bank for the things you want and need, be able to go where you want, do what you want to do but what I am saying is, don’t get to high that you start looking down at folk, walking pass folk who ask you for help or even broadcast it when you do because it’s then that you’ve decided your own fate. Being rich doesn’t make you better than the next person, your heart does. You don’t have to give your all to show God that you’re worthy but sometimes all someone needs is the crumbs that you’re about to throw away anyhow because although the crumbs may not be much to you, they are a whole lot more to someone who receives them. Be grateful for the crumbs!

VIP Sunday with A Secret Worth Keeping

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I have the honor and privilege to share A Secret Worth Keeping with all of the VIPs of BAM’z Boutique in Memphis, TN on their “VIP Sunday” The event will be Sunday, January 26, 2014 from 1pm to 5pm.

BAM’clusively at B.A.M.’z Boutique – 6647 Winchester Rd. ( next to World Overcomers ) – (901) 590-0125

I will be reading an exerpt from the book as well as selling and signing copies. If you have a book you would like to have signed, please bring it with you! Come out and share and shop the fantastic sales BAM’s Boutique will have.

I look forward to seeing all of you!