In four days …

In four days, I’m stepping out on faith and out of my comfort zone to do something God gave me last year. I’m hosting my very first ministerial event called Surviving Me. If you follow me on social media then you’ve seen the posts, but I wanted to share it here, for two reasons. One, so you’ll know and two, to encourage somebody to trust God and do it. Yes, it may be scary but if He gave you the plans; He’ll also provide the people, place, provisions, protection and peace.

See, I never had intentions of doing this because Surviving Me was only a scene in my book Broken but then I started getting messages about it and God wouldn’t leave me alone. I wrote it on a sticky note and pinned it to the wall in my Prayer Room and left it. God was still tugging at my heart, so I told Him, if this is meant, you make the way. Be careful what you tell God (LOL).

A little about Surviving Me. God and I are calling this, A Night of Worship: Divorce Edition because it’s designed almost like a divorce trial where we, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, prayer, song and God’s word; will divorce everything that causes us to abandon or abort our purpose. It is our prayer, that through this service, we divorce flesh and marry spirit. We divorce anger, bitterness, low self-esteem etc. to become who God has called us to be. Because let’s face it, sometimes, we’re our own worst enemy.

For this night, there is no cost and no registration fee; only a night of worship. There will be three speakers. Rev. LoTarsha Dillard, Arbeny Hunter and myself. There will also be prayer, praise and worship, a welcome and solo. I’ve scheduled two hours but fully intending to allow God to have total control.

Am I nervous? Yes, but not fearful because God gave me the vision and I trust Him enough to go forth, believing He’s going to see it through. I believe He’s going to prick the hearts of those who need to be in attendance and even those who He’ll send to sow into it. In other words, I’M BELIEVING and TRUSTING GOD. Y’all, I never want to be in the spotlight, but I know this event is not about me. It’s for some young lady who will be in the midst. It’s for somebody’s sister who is on the verge of giving up, but they won’t because their sister will come home telling them about #SurvivingMe. It’s for a mother, pastor, preacher, first lady, teacher, CEO, educator, guidance counselor, therapist, janitorial worker, warehouse worker, forklift driver, business owner, author, nurse, doctor, fire fighter, EMT, pilot, manager, etc. who feels hopeless, lost and their faith is falling.

Together, we’re SURVIVING ME!

If you’re in Memphis or surrounding areas, join us. If you are unable to attend, please send your prayers and if you would like to sow a seed, you may do so via cashapp ($RevKisha) or paypal.me/authorlakisha. If you’d like to order a Surviving Me Journal, click here or for any questions, you may reach me at authorlakisha@gmail.com.

Trust God. I did and in four days …

Luke 1:45, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Daily Devotional – 2/4/2020 “In four days …”

In four days, I’m stepping out on faith and out of my comfort zone to do something God gave me last year. I’m hosting my very first ministerial event called Surviving Me. If you follow me on social media then you’ve seen the posts, but I wanted to share it here, on the blog for two reasons. One, so you’ll know and two, to encourage somebody to trust God and do it. Yes, it may be scary but if He gave you the plans; He’ll also provide the people, place, provisions, protection and peace.

See, I never had intentions of doing this because Surviving Me was only a scene in my book Broken but then I started getting messages about it and God wouldn’t leave me alone. I wrote it on a sticky note and pinned it to the wall in my Prayer Room and left it. God was still tugging at my heart, so I told Him, if this is meant, you make the way. Be careful what you tell God (LOL).

A little about Surviving Me. God and I are calling this, A Night of Worship: Divorce Edition because it’s designed almost like a divorce trial where we, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, prayer, song and God’s word; will divorce everything that causes us to abandon or abort our purpose. It is our prayer, that through this service, we divorce flesh and marry spirit. We divorce anger, bitterness, low self-esteem etc. to become who God has called us to be. Because let’s face it, sometimes, we’re our own worst enemy.

For this night, there is no cost and no registration fee; only a night of worship. There will be three speakers. Rev. LoTarsha Dillard, Arbeny Hunter and myself. There will also be prayer, praise and worship, a welcome and solo. I’ve scheduled two hours but fully intending to allow God to have total control.

Am I nervous? Yes, but not fearful because God gave me the vision and I trust Him enough to go forth, believing He’s going to see it through. I believe He’s going to prick the hearts of those who need to be in attendance and even those who He’ll send to sow into it. In other words, I’M BELIEVING and TRUSTING GOD. Y’all, I never want to be in the spotlight, but I know this event is not about me. It’s for some young lady who will be in the midst. It’s for somebody’s sister who is on the verge of giving up, but they won’t because their sister will come home telling them about #SurvivingMe. It’s for a mother, pastor, preacher, first lady, teacher, CEO, educator, guidance counselor, therapist, janitorial worker, warehouse worker, forklift driver, business owner, author, nurse, doctor, fire fighter, EMT, pilot, manager, etc. who feels hopeless, lost and their faith is falling.

Together, we’re SURVIVING ME!

If you’re in Memphis or surrounding areas, join us. If you are unable to attend, please send your prayers and if you would like to sow a seed, you may do so via cashapp ($RevKisha) or paypal.me/authorlakisha. If you’d like to order a Surviving Me Journal, click here or for any questions, you may reach me at authorlakisha@gmail.com.

Trust God. I did and in four days …

Luke 1:45, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Daily Devotional – January 27, 2020 “What’s the answer?”

When tragedy happens, it is during this time we tend to question things. It’s a natural reaction when we don’t understand why certain things happen. One moment you’re celebrating birth and the next, death. One moment you’re happy and the next, tears won’t stop. One moment you’re going about your day and the next, sickness shifts what you know to be normal. One minute you’re driving to work and the next, your car is being slammed by somebody who ran the light. One moment you’re making plans for tomorrow and the next, funeral arrangements. One moment you’re in a helicopter headed about your normal business and the next, you’re gone.

Why do things happen?

I wish I had the answer but here’s what I know, sometimes things happen. Sometimes, the test will be positive for cancer. Sometimes, your womb will be shut. Sometimes, the pain won’t stop. Sometimes, your heart will be broken. Sometimes, the business will fail. Sometimes, you might lose your job. Sometimes, your organs may not function well. Sometimes, family will get sick. Sometimes, the house will be foreclosed, or car repossessed. Sometimes, the accident couldn’t have been prevented. Sometimes, death will darken your door. Sometimes, it looks like evil is winning.

And although we may never understand, bible shares in James 5:13, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” What’s the answer? PRAYER. Even in the hardest, darkest and toughest moments that cannot be explained; PRAY. Even in the moments when tears won’t stop, and words escape you, allow God to hear your heart. When it feels as though you won’t survive the pain, pray. When confusion is invading your thoughts, pray. When you’re angry, pray. “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (Ephesians 6:18.)

Dear God,
We may not understand why things happen, but we won’t lose hope. God, the pain feels unbearable, the questions seem never ending and confusion is present; but we call out to you. Help us, God that we don’t perish by misunderstanding, yet we hold tightly to hope. Help us, God that we do not sin in the midst of pain. Help us, God that we do not turn from you, in the moments of anger. Help us, God to pray. Send God, people who can pray for those who can’t pray for themselves. Surround those who are fighting sickness, temptations, grief and confusion with intercessors who will cry loud. Help right now that we don’t lose our way. We need you, God and we’ll trust you. Amen.

Daily Devotional – January 22, 2020 “Prayer”

Our Father,

God, as I come petitioning your throne, I first thank you. Thank you, God, for another day, for keeping grace and sustaining mercy, for forgiveness and repentance and for protection and provision. Now Father, I need your ear to attend to the cries of our land and your hand to rest upon your children. God, I feel like Solomon when he prayed at the dedication of the temple. For he said in Second Chronicles 6:19, “Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you.” Here am I, oh God, pleading for you to hear my prayer and plea. I may not be outside or within a temple but hear me from where I am because we need you.

When innocent babies are being gunned down in our city, we need you. When homicide rates are on the rise, we need you. When uplifting each other is being replaced with bullying, we need you. When worship places are no longer following your word, we need you. When prophets, prophetess, intercessors and healers are quiet; we need you. When your people are being led astray because they won’t study and pray, we need you. When we complain more than we cry loud, we need you. When abuse, anger, bitterness, selfish actions, suicidal thoughts and sin are overshadowing our thoughts and service, we need you.

Father forgive us. Forgive us of our sins. Forgive us for taking you for granted and hear our pleas. Forgive us, oh God and don’t allow your wrath to burn against us. Forgive us and heal the land. I know things happen, evil is present, and we sometimes must endure but your word says, if I pray and ask in faith, it shall be. God, comfort the brokenhearted and the grieving families. God be a present help for those who are sick. God, rescue those who are lost. God, protect those who are in the cold without shelter. God, stop the senseless murders, protect our children and bring swift judgment to those responsible.

Father, my list of asks could go on and on, like that of Solomon but you know the cry of my heart and mouth. So, all I’ll ask is for you to read the prayer within the beats of my heart and tears that I shed. We need you, God to let the manifestation of your power be seen. Raise up a people who will lay down on their face for an entire nation. Raise up a people who will fast to see your glory touch their city. Raise up a people who aren’t ashamed to pray, even in hostile environments knowing you’ll show up. Start with me, God. Use me, in thy service for I’m willing and I believe.

By faith,
Amen.

Daily Devotional – January 15, 2020 “Dead battery!”

Last night, while watching the show #TheResident, there was a scene with a lady who had a device called a ventricular assist device (medical definition – an electromechanical device for assisting cardiac circulation, which is used either to partially or to completely replace the function of a failing heart), a device she’d had for five years. She shows up at the clinic, miles away from their home and over 3 hours away from a hospital and her battery starts to beep and she’d left the replacement ones at home. The problem, if the battery died so would she. The doctors make plans to meet someone with a battery, but it was going to take one and a half hours to get to them. One the ride over, she realizes she may not make it, so she tells her sister all the things she needs her to know, writing passwords and stuff (starring death in the face does that, why can’t we do this anyway but that’s another topic).

If you haven’t watched this episode, stop reading.

They make it to the meeting place and the battery is not there. They begin to tell her what to expect, in dying. She’s okay with it. The doctors walk away, leaving her with her sister to die peacefully and when the battery dies, SHE DOESN’T! See, the machine that had been placed within her to assist her heart, healed her heart but the only way she was able to know this, the battery had to die. The machine that she’d been carrying around for over 5 years had healed her heart and she was still depending on it because she thought it was the only way for her to live.

Why am I sharing this? For somebody who has been carrying around people and things you think you can’t live without. Baby, the only reason you think this is because the battery hasn’t died yet. Yeah, it’s beeped a few times, but you never let it die. Therefore, some of y’all are hanging on to dead relationships, sent to assist you and not keep you but because it’s comfortable, you don’t know if you’ll survive without it. You don’t want to get that divorce because you’re still on your spouse’s insurance and you don’t think you’ll be able to make it without it. That place of ministry, God sent you there for them to assist you, not keep you but you’re afraid of stepping into your calling. That job, it wasn’t meant to be long term but you’re fearful, so God is allowing things to happen because It’s the only way for you to get serious about your purpose.

In the literary world, right now, some authors have lost catalogues of work. I don’t know the full story and I won’t speculate but I’m throwing this in for them. Just maybe God allowed your battery to die (the publishing stuff) to thrust you into the place already prepared that you couldn’t see due to the comfortability. God says, that place was only meant to assist you, not keep you. The battery died, YOU DIDN’T!

Your battery, that thing you’re comfortable with that’s keeping you out of your place, your destiny, your purpose and doing God’s business is dying BUT YOU WON’T. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it hurts. Yes, you don’t know what’s on the other side but trust God. Stop making plans for the funeral, it’s not your time. Stop preparing to die when God says this is your time to live. That thing, it prepared you, but it must die for you to know you can make it without it. Thank it for the assistance and then let it go.

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:14-15