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!

Daily Devotional – 1/24/14 “Look at you!”

It’s Friday and someone is mad because your check is gone and you just got paid. You’re so mad that you probably haven’t even thanked God for waking your ungrateful butt up when it isn’t His fault your account was overdrawn. You knew you didn’t have it when you spent it but now God gets short changed again. Oh, but I wonder how we would really be if God blessed us based on our service. Most of our names would probably be on a headstone in somebody’s cemetery, on the surgery list at somebody’s hospital, on the warden’s list of inmates in somebody’s jail or on an intake list for somebody’s rehab but look at you, looking like you’re looking. Folk could see you struggling to make ends meet but instead they see you. Folk could see the tear stains on your face but they see you smiling instead. Folk could see you flinching in pain but instead they see you pushing on. Folk could see you heartbroken by the hurt you’ve endured but they see you healing. Yea, folk could see the mistakes you made years ago, last month or even last night but all they see is who God allows them to see, so why are you complaining when you could be looking worse? You could look like the crack head you should have been or you could look like the alcoholic folk said you’d be but look at you. You could look like the abuse he put your through or you could look like all the hell you’ve walked through but look at you. You could look like the sickness you’re wrestling with or the unemployment you’ve dealt with but look at you. You could look like the nobody statistics said you’d mostly likely be but look at you. You could look like the grief others are feeling yet death keeps passing your home but look at you. You could look like the mother who is burying her only child but look at you. You could look like the man who has to sleep on the streets but look at you. You could look like the husband after finding his healthy wife dead but look at you. You could look like the wife whose husband was killed because someone else was driving drunk but look at you. You could look like the parents who received an eviction notice this morning but look at you.

Things could be worse but watch God. Things should be worse but watch God work. If it depended on man, things would be worse but watch God work this. Oh, if it depended on some of our own family and friends things will be worse but watch God work this thang. Yea, if it was up to us and our service to a Man who has been nothing but great, things ought to be worse but watch God work this thang out! Not only will God work this thang out but He works it out in our favor, EVERY TIME! Oh, but we got the nerve, the audacity, the guts and the gall to act like we’re entitled to every blessing we received. Baby, you better open your eyes and see that it’s isn’t about us yet God makes it look like it every time we open our eyes to see another day. So, look at you looking like you’re looking because from where I’m sitting, it’s looking pretty doggone good!