A Nugget of Encouragement

There was a time I thought about giving up on writing books. Early in my career, and even a few months back. (Just being honest.) You spend so much time crafting a story. You spend more on editing, book covers, graphics, advertising, marketing, and don’t even talk about traveling for events.

Then, after all you put out, sometimes you don’t see a return on your investment.

What do you do? You keep writing. You keep investing. You keep showing up. You keep posting. You keep praying. You keep trusting. You keep believing in your gifts.

What you don’t do. Don’t compromise. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t stop believing. Don’t stop trusting and praying.

Because one of these days, the seeds sown will have no choice but to return a plentiful harvest. When it does, you can testify, “I almost gave up, but God wouldn’t let me.”

Here’s the encouragement to myself, but I’ll let you in on it.

“Girl, you can’t quit. Somebody needs access to the gifts within you amd if you quit they might not try.”

With God

God will indeed put more on you than you can bear! Why? Because it proves His strength through you and your faith in Him.

prove
verb
3rd person present: proves
demonstrate the truth or existence of (something) by evidence or argument.

The something is God and His word in Second Corinthians 12:9, “And he (God) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

How else can the strength of God be tested if we are never weak? How can we know God is strength if we never have anything heavy for Him to help us carry? Beloved, God isn’t giving you more than you can bear as punishment. He gives it because He knows you can handle it when you allow Him to help you.

Then, when asked, “How are you making it?” You can declare with your chest and head held high, “With God!”

So, if you need to know how to handle the heaviness of life. Here’s the answer. Trust God by trying Him and believing He’ll do what He promises in His word.

We’re Number 21!!!

Y’all …. Guess what? Okay, I’ll tell you.

This devotional blog has been chosen as one Feedspot Blog Reader Top 60 Devotional Blogs!! 🥳

I got a badge too!!

And I’m Number 21!! Yasss hunny!!

Man!! 🥹 Even when you don’t think someone is watching, someone is watching.

Thank you! To each of you who’ve been with me for one day, six months, three years or since the beginning. THANK YOU!

I may not post every day. Sometimes, there are weeks since my last posting, but know I’m here to stay. As long as God gives me a message to share, I will share.

To see your girl among some amazing bloggers, click here.

And again thank you. I count this as such an honor.

It Matters Who You Marry

People often ask my husband, “How is it like living with a preacher/pastor?” He always got this question, especially right after I accepted my call to ministry. I guess folk expected our life to dry up or something. Yes, I changed. I had to because I couldn’t stay the same, but I didn’t stop being Willie’s wife and he didn’t stop being him. We simply began becoming who God always intended us to be. Also, he was aware of my call and acceptance.

However, the biggest reason things work for us is because we trust and believe God. A God who created us for His planned purpose which means He also knows who our spouse will be to handle it. If we allow Him to lead us to the one of our destiny.

Therefore, we must be careful about who we attach our spirits to. Everybody isn’t capable of being a spouse to God’s servant. Child, there will be times when the warfare is heavy, the darkness is darker than usual, the struggle is real, the work is long and tedious, the money isn’t good, and the phone calls won’t stop. There will be days you’ll have to cover your spouse in prayer because he/she is being preyed on. Nights you’ll have to endure their silence because of all he/she is fighting spiritually and most times it’s on behalf of others. Times when vacations and date nights will be rescheduled and Saturdays are spent preparing for Sunday instead of Netflix and chilling. The list can go on.

Baby, it’s more than dressing the part. You have to carry your part. Who wants to fight spiritually and then come home to fight in the flesh with somebody you lay next to every night? This is why you must be sure your person is also God’s person because you can’t love God and they don’t. That’s like buying an electric car and expecting to fill up at Mapco. IT WILL NOT WORK! And please for the love of God, stop thinking you can change them when it took God changing you.

To sum it up …. It matters who you marry.

Wait

Let me share this again!

Here it is, Valentine’s Eve. The stores are filled with baskets, teddy bears, candy-shaped hearts, balloons, chocolates, and cards of love. Flower shops and jewelry stores are overflowing. Restaurants have double-stocked for the crowds. Yet, the sad reality is, that some of you haven’t felt loved in a long time. It’s not that you haven’t tried, but you find yourself on the receiving end of hurt. You’ve fasted and prayed but still feeling fatigued and passed over. You’ve tried the relationship thing, sometimes giving the same person chance after chance, and in return, nothing.

Right now, you’re probably looking at a text or inbox from somebody in your past and you’re contemplating answering because you’re longing for love. Sis, before you make a rash decision to accept the gift, respond to the “Happy Valentine’s Day. You know I’ve never stopped loving you,” or the “Hey big head,” text or reopen the door to your past; stop and think. Before you get under the influence of sex, drugs, alcohol, flesh, and/or lust because you’re horny, hungry, and longing for something, anything; stop and think.

How did they handle you, the last time? If it left you with unhappy tears, anger, depression, and acting out. If you had to detox, repair, and start over. If you had to pray for God to sever the tie … don’t you dare go back.

You owe YOU more than that. Even for Valentine’s Day.