Our Father in Heaven, holy is thy name. God, I come petitioning your throne on a Saturday morning because someone is standing in the need of prayer. Maybe it’s me Lord in need but I come to you praying for that person who paced all night long with their body wracking with pain, for the sleepless mother who wept over the body of their child, for the son or daughter who is laying their parent to rest this morning, for the pastor who has to eulogized yet another member, for the drug addict who was on the verge of overdosing, the alcoholic who almost killed somebody last night, for the wife who is being abused, the child whose being molested, for the family without a place to stay, the child with no food and no help, the father who is contemplating suicide because he can’t provide for his family and the mother who is depressed because she lost her job months ago. God, I’m praying for the healing of the person dealing with any kind of sickness, cancer, chemo, dialysis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell, Trigeminal Neuralgia, heart disease, blood pressure, lupus, prostate cancer or colon cancer. God, I’m praying for those who had a difficult week or even month. I’m praying for those who keep smiling despite the tears that’s filling their eyes. I’m praying for those who always encourage because even they need encouragement sometime. Oh God, somebody is at their wits end and is about to give up, throw in the towel, turn around and go back but I know you’re able to see about them. God, patch the hole in the boat they’re drowning in, give them rest so they can finally get a good night’s sleep, let the call come today with the yes for the job, let the approval come today for the loan they need and let them wake up tomorrow renewed with a mind to go worship with you. God, I ask you to do it now like only you can. Do it now like only you can. Do it right now like only you can because I know you’re a Man of your word and you said you’ll come if I ask so I ask these things of you. Do it Father. In your name I pray. Amen!
Daily Devotional – 9/27/13 “Prayer will fix it!”
Whew Lord! What a morning I’ve had. I got to work and realized that (due to kids) I had chocolate all over my pants which meant I had to go back home. Get home, change clothes and stop by Panera Bread for breakfast. The young lady made my coffee wrong and then she filled it up too far which means I spilled a little getting in the car. I get to the gate, at the job and my badge breaks. Oh, did I mention I ate an entire pecan cinnamon roll on the way to work? Again, I say whew! So, I park and as I am about to get out the car, the song played “Prayer will fix it, yes prayer will fix it!” So, I prayed and I came to realize that stuff happens. Ironic isn’t it based on the last 2 devotionals? Nonetheless, the message is prayer so I stop this morning or afternoon to pray but not just for me but for us.
“Our Father in Heaven whose name is Holy and who’s will shall be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven. Father, as I come petitioning your throne, I must first thank you. Thank you for the storms because they build our strength. Thank you for our pain because it improves our praise. Thank you for our sick days because it makes us appreciate our well ones. Thank you for allowing our good days to overshadow our bad ones. Thank you for the doors that have been shut, the no that have been spoken or the denial we’ve received because afterwards comes the open doors, the yes and the approval. Thank you for what we go through because it makes us grow. Thank you for what we’ve been through because it means we’ve been delivered. Thank you for breaking the chains that had us trapped because it means we’ve been set free. Oh God, somebody is dealing with some pressure that is about to make them give up but I know you are able to send relief. Somebody is dealing with pain they can’t control but I know you are a pain reliever. Somebody is dealing with the death of a loved one, the heartache of someone leaving or the separation from someone they miss but I know you are able to comfort them. God, right now, I come asking you to hear the prayers of your people, deliver those who seek deliverance, provide for those who are suffering, pick up those who have fallen and show yourself to those who seek you. Father, I know you are able to be exactly who we all need at the same time so I ask that you be that for us now. Heal, deliver, set free, stop the tears and hurt, restore joy and hope and give us the strength to endure the test of this world. I trust in you God because I know you to be a man of your word. Do it now God for all of us who need you like only you can. This prayer I submit to you because I know that prayer can fix it every time.
Amen”
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Daily Devotional – 9/26/13 “You aren’t being punished!”
Yea, stuff happens but that doesn’t mean that God is punishing you for something. Oh, you think just because you missed church on Sunday, God is punishing you by letting your tire go flat or because you didn’t say grace before you ate, He is allowing your stomach to hurt or because you didn’t pray, now you can’t sleep; right? Well, God doesn’t work like that. Yes, we are supposed to pray every day but we are also supposed to not lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, judge folk, gossip, idolize material things and kill yet we do. Oh, but God gives us repentance that allows us to be forgiven. This is why 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Yes, there will be times you don’t always act “Christianlike,” you are entitled to a bad moment every now and then but don’t make those times a habit. If you are tired of struggling, getting frustrated sometimes happens, but that makes you human. I know I should quote a bible scripture here to let you know that God is your provider in the time of need but you know that already, so now is the time for me to tell you that it’s alright to have a momentary temper tantrum but then get yourself together. Chile, who isn’t tired of struggling to make the ends meet, tired of working all day and then your check is so small it almost like you are paying them to work, tired of being without, tired of doing without, tired of eating chicken when you want beef, tired of scrapping together a meal when you want to go out to eat, tired of patching up your jeans when you know you need a new pair, tired of getting taps put on your shoes because you can’t get another one; just plain ole tired of being tired? I am but that’s alright and you’ll be alright but don’t think this is God’s way of punishing you. For 1 Peter 4:12-16 (The Message Bible) says, “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
No, you aren’t being punished when you go through yet you are being placed in your predicament to feel the power of the potter who is piecing you back together with patience and passion. No, you aren’t being punished but you’re simply passing through this peculiar place on your way to a perfect palace. No, you aren’t being punished you are simply practicing your praise until it’s time for your proclaimed performance. Oh no, you aren’t being punished but you’re being picked out to be part of the predestined promise of promotion to proudly prove that your purpose is bigger than your problems!
Daily Devotional – 9/25/13 “Stuff happens!”
You woke up this morning, that’s a blessing. You can still use all of your limbs that worked on yesterday, that’s a blessing. You still have your mind, you still got a little sleep and you have a place to call home; that’s a blessing. Yea, I know that you may be going through something and you’re probably sitting there wondering why, why me, why do I have to go through this, or why is this happening to me but you were chosen by God for a time such as this so that’s an even bigger blessing! I get it and trust me I understand how it feels to get paid on Friday and your account will barely break even, the more you do for these ungrateful kids the more they act up or beg and the more you do for your job, the more they act up or beg but get this … Stuff happens. That’s life! What are you going to do about it? Do you sit around sulking, throw a 1 person pity party, whine, cry and throw a tantrum or do you do hold on until your change comes? You have read your bible haven’t you? You do know that everything happens at its due time, don’t you (Ecclesiastes 3)? You understand that we all have a storm to endure, a battle to fight, a cross to bear, a Goliath to defeat, a sickness to go through, debt to overcome, an addiction to break, a break in the rope to reach beyond, a no (sometimes 2) to face, a closed door, lying friends, hating family, a dark path, a test to take and a testimony to make; right? However, yet, but, nonetheless; the bible says in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Now, God promised you a crown of life on the other side but on this side 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” Doesn’t that make you rejoice? It should because after everything you go through there is a yet in between your test and testimony.
I may have cancer yet I will survive. I may have this disease yet I will be healed. I may be without a job yet I’m living. I may be down now yet I will get up. I may not have all I want yet I have all I need. I may be going through yet I don’t look like it! Stop rushing to give up on things! Stop wallowing in self-pity because things aren’t going your way or because you didn’t get the job that you thought had your name all over it. Stuff happens in your life every day. Stuff happened yesterday and will happen tomorrow. What you do when you get knocked down, is pick yourself up, dust off the dirt and keep going. Eventually you’ll stop wobbling and falling, just like a baby that’s learning to walk. It doesn’t matter about the number of times you fall, as long as you get up. The only thing you should be doing on your knees is praying because digging a hole for yourself won’t help. God has made you and He has already destined you for greatness but you’ll have to work for it. Anything worth having is worth working for! Stuff happens, get over it!
Author! That I am …
Never would I have imagined that I would be adding author to my resume! Oh but God had a plan all along and I am grateful for it. See, when I received the phone call that Delphine Publishing was interested in my book, I couldn’t do anything but thank Him. See, it’s not because of me; it’s not about me but it’s about the gift that God has blessed me with. So, yes; Me, little ole me, a nobody by the world’s standards, an African-American, raised in the ghetto by a single mom, counted out as just another statistic, cast down as just another person in this mean world who wasn’t expected to be nothing has exceeded the expectations of many to become an AUTHOR!
I am the newest author of Delphine Publications of Atlanta, GA. One that was founded by another African-American young lady, Tamika Newhouse simply because she didn’t give up. You can visit her website Delphine Publications to see her many works and the works of those under her and become wowed just like I was.
I am a living witness that your goals are attainable if you don’t give up. Don’t ever allow anyone to stop you from dreaming but when you wake up, make that dream into a reality.
Lakisha, the Author 