In 2012, after I’d been penning devotionals to this blog, God gave me the authority to create a printed devotional titled Doses of Devotion. It was my very first Christian Devotional and I am very proud of it. I believe it, like the many fiction books God and I have created, has helped many.
On last week God said it was time for it to be revised. The name is still the same but the content is different. In this revision, I’ve included prescriptions of Faith, Strength, Courage and Obedience for those times you need something a doctor can’t give.
I recognized the need for the revision because my work in ministry has changed and so has my writing. This is something I can’t take credit for because it’s been ALL GOD. You know what I say, “It isn’t just writing, it’s ministry,” because it is.
And it is my prayer, through this devotional, you’ll find the strength to press on because it could be the right Doses of Devotion to urge you to try again. Below, for an inside look, download the first 15 pages of the devotional and if desire the full book, the link is included.
For those of you who want to bypass the sample, you can get your ebook version HERE for $2 or download it with Kindle Unlimited. Paperbacks will be available by Wednesday.
As I humbly petition your throne, I come submitted to your authority asking your will to be done. God, give us bread to fill us, provisions to sustain us, power to resist the enemy and he’ll flee and strength not to fall into temptations. God, by your power, deliver us from evil and give us the words and voice to forgive others so that you forgive us. God, yours is the kingdom we seek, and this is why we ask you to destroy whatever keeps us from it.
Then God, thank you for healing, providing, protecting and shielding us. Thank you for never being too far away that our cries cannot pierce your ears and your hands not reach us. Thank you for even being a silent Father those times you have to let us fall and then thank you for picking us up. And while I have your ear, will you heal and restore our land. I know we aren’t perfect, but will you go into every city, town and country and heal.
God, will you calm anxiety, wipe tears of fear and comfort those who are grieving. God, will you keep us close to you and allow us to abide in your shadow because you are our refuge and strength. Surely, you’ll deliver us from the noose of the wicked, this deadly plague called Covid-19 and the demonic pestilence of racism. Surely, you can cover us because your faithfulness is our shield and protection and we shall not fear.
And I still pray, that no man or woman will succumb to sin, fall into depression, be anxious, commit suicide, be bound by fear, devoured by mental illness, hunger, thirst, become homeless nor sick. I still pray for us to trust, seek, hear, feel, taste, pray, tithe and devote ourselves to you, God. Keep protecting the essential workers and healing those who are sick. Today God, we’re still praying, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
When a woman is in labor, there’s pain during delivery and all she wants is that thang out of her and quick, playa!
Yet, here’s what I learned. You can’t push simply because you want it out. In order to reduce the decelerations of the baby’s heartbeat and to promote a more safer delivery, it’s better for mother to push when she feels the urge.
What are you getting at Pastor?
Some of y’all are in spiritual labor and the pain is heightened, contractions coming every 3 to 5 minutes, lasting 45-90 seconds; you’re crying, snotting, screaming and acting silly because you want this thang out. However, you need to wait. Why? Well, pushing is most effective when the mother feels the urge to push.
Some of you are pushing and your cervix ain’t even dilated yet or the “baby” (fruit of your labor) is crowning and the perineum needs to stretch gradually. Keep on pushing when it’s not time, and you might tear some stuff up that has the potential to cause more pain that could have been avoided.
I know you’re ready for it, get into position, but push when you feel the urge, not for urgency.
“Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb? ” says your God.” — Isaiah 66:9 NKJV
Imagine waking up one day different. You can’t explain it, but something just isn’t right. One minute you’re happy and the next sad. One moment you’re loving and the next angry. The voices you hear, the different moods you experience and the sad looks in people’s eyes makes you wonder if you’re losing your mind.
For Savannah Graft, she’s been dealt some heavy blows in her lifetime, but has managed to overcome them. Now, happily married to her husband, Pastor Shane Graft, mother to Kennedi and Baby Shane, First Lady of Victory Temple and the owner of SG Graphics; life is good.
Until one morning, she woke up different. She isn’t herself, yet she can’t see it. She recognizes something is wrong, but she can’t explain it. All she knows and continually says, I’m not crazy. Truthfully, she isn’t she’s depressed.
In this book, we begin a conversation to peel back the layers of postpartum depression, in the home and in the church. Although this is a work of fiction, every day somebody is dealing with the effects of mental illness and depression. In the church they tell you to pray and fast more. In the world, people say you’ll be okay, but how do they know.
Read Savannah’s story to see if she finally admits to needing help or will she continually hide from fear of herself, judgment or ridicule.
You will get tired! I don’t mean physically and mentally, but spiritually. See, if you’re a true Christian, a blood bought believer, righteously redeemed reaper, a shouting sower, a Heaven bound helper who doesn’t mind dipping into the valleys and shouting from the mountaintops that God is your choice; then you will get tired on this Christian journey. Doing the work of the Lord is longsuffering, but it’s what you’ve been called to do. However, stop saying you’ll sleep when you’re dead. Baby, there’s a blessing in resting.
In Mark 6:31, after the disciples came back to Jesus to tell Him all they’d done, He didn’t say good, now get back to work. He told them, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because He knew there was still work ahead. In fact, they didn’t even get the chance to rest. Bible says, folk saw them leaving and followed and Jesus had to end up feeding them with two sardines and five pieces of hot water cornbread. Nonetheless, Jesus knew the value in resting.
Giving our body rest revitalizes us with strength we didn’t even know we were lacking. When you allow your brain to rest, it’s giving it time to rejuvenate itself and also time not to cause further damage. I don’t know if you know this or not but being tired and burned out leaves room for you to make mistakes that could be detrimental to you and your well being.
Some of you, you need to rest. Maybe the mistakes you’re making is because you’re tired. Stop trying to do everything. Quit acting like you can never say no, take a day off, go on vacation or whatever. Baby, you better rest. I know you’re trying to build a business, get out of debt, grow your brand, etc. but what good is it if you’re dead? Yeah, we’ll remember you but um, dats it! Rest so you can be the best you, your mind can be clearer to hear from God, your ideas are fresh, and you’re re-energized to keep pressing.
Bible shares in Exodus 20:8-11, “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”
Question, when is your Sabbath? In other words, when do you rest, reset and recharge? If God can do it, certainly you can too.
Lakisha, the Author 