Daily Devotional – 1/11/19 “I need closure!”


A lot of times we use the phrase “I need closure,” before we can move on but did you know that some wounds are left open in order to heal? Yea, I thought I’d let you know that sometimes beloved, closure, although it’s what you seek; it may not be what you get. You keep chasing folk trying to get “closure” and instead all you get is chaos, confusion and crying. You remain stagnant because of the need for closure yet those you’re waiting on have moved on. Look, when a wound is infected doctors will sometimes leave it open, in order for it to heal. You know why?


1. Because closing an infected wound makes the infection worse.
2. There isn’t enough “tissue” to close the wound and you run the risk of it reopening.
3. The person, who needs the closure, isn’t healthy enough to withstand the closing.


Closure is sometimes needed, don’t get me wrong, but trying to get healing from the person who left you wounded, don’t always end well because they might not know how to give you what you need. Forgive them, even if you only speak it to the wind and make right the offense you caused. Close the door yourself, you don’t have to wait on anybody else; they might not show up. Close that chapter of your life, you don’t need anyone’s permission; they may never give it. That apology, it may never come and if it doesn’t, don’t allow that to be the reason you don’t live. Stop chasing folk, stop stalking their social media pages, stop looking through old pictures and texts but more importantly; STOP WAITING FOR SOMETHING THAT MAY NEVER COME! You don’t have to have closure to live, laugh, love and be happy, profitable and in your purpose. All you need is God, faith, strength and the determination to get up every morning knowing you are God’s and everything He creates is great!

“Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” – Psalm 34:14

Daily Devotional – 1/9/19 “Sheep and Shepherds”

In this New Year, I pray for people to desire and crave God more. Not just for beneficial reasons but because you love Him and you willingly seek to know Him and do His will. On last night, God was dealing with me on sheep and shepherds. This is a subject I’ve touched on before but whether you know this or not, you as sheep need a shepherd. Here’s where I think the problem is. We go to a church with incorrect thinking of what the pastor’s responsibility is. The pastor is the shepherd and his/her responsibility is to strengthen the weak by providing sound teaching (nourishment), seeking those sheep who have gone astray, bandaging those who have been wounded in the wild and protect the sheep under their care. A shepherd doesn’t have to call you on your birthday, come to your housewarming party and shout you out on social media or respond to all 24 of your inbox/text messages. This is why you, I mean sheep, have to stop being so easily offended when the pastor doesn’t do what you think they should, causing you to run. When you run you, the sheep, leave yourself open to being wounded as prey. Here’s your blessing though. A good shepherd will go look for the one who strays. You want to know why? The shepherd is the one who will bandage your wounds and protect you from the wild because you’ll be too weak to fight on your own.

A good shepherd is one you follow because it’s not his voice you hear but that of God. A good shepherd is willing to stay up at night praying for you because they see a wolf approaching in the spirit that you haven’t seen yet. A good shepherd gives wisdom. But let me ask this … What are you doing as sheep? Are you being led astray because you don’t know the voice of your shepherd? Are you a wild sheep who doesn’t need a shepherd because you never settle down or are you a domestic sheep who requires the care of a shepherd? Are you a wild sheep who search for food, eating and digesting anything or a domestic sheep who is fed by their shepherd, the nourishment needed? Beloved, sheep needs shepherds because a sheep who is not properly cared for tends to carry too much weight which then leads to internal issues that keeps them from growing, infected feet that keeps them from walking, inflamed knees that keeps them from kneeling and the inability to care for the very thing(s) they birth. Sheep need shepherds unless you like being wild and wandering alone but how has that worked for you? It’s not too late, for you can pray like Psalm 119:176, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.”

Daily Devotional – 1/7/19 “Let them talk, you be healed!”

I’ve never been the victim of abuse, sexual or otherwise. I’ve never had to sit across the table from the person who victimized me or hid scars. I’ve never had to deal with folk calling me a liar for telling my story. I’ve never had to look at the eyes of pity from folk who said they cared. I’ve never had phone calls to go unanswered by those who said they’d be there. I’ve never been fearful in my own home and I’ve never been violated but some of you have been and it saddens me how quick folk are to judge and criticize. This is why I had to take a moment to tell those of you who have been abused … don’t let anyone silence your story. I don’t care if it happened 1, 6, 18, 24 or 52 years ago, if you never told anyone before or if your abuser has never been brought to justice; tell your story. You have a right because no one knows the hell you’ve been through, neither how you survived with your mind still intact. Moreover, when you tell your story, you become the defeater and not the defeated. Stop allowing folk who have never walked a foot in your shoes, quiet you. They weren’t there the days and the nights you had to suffer. They aren’t there the nights the nightmares will not let you rest. They are not there when the smell of a familiar cologne can trigger the pain you try to hide. They don’t have to deal with the fear you have, now that you’ve become a parent. They don’t know but they’ll talk. LET THEM! But while they talk, you tell your story and heal. While they talk, you do the work to forgive. While they talk, you do what needs to be done to become whole again. Let them talk, you be healed.

Bible shares in Proverbs 12:19, “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”

Dear God,
I thank you for another chance. Now, I ask for you to rain down strength on all those who have been or are in the midst of abuse. Give them strength to tell their story and not be ashamed but more importantly, give them strength to be healed. Healed from the sleepless nights and the crying days. Healed from the fear of what other thinks and from the judgmental lips and critical eyes of those who don’t know their pain. Heal from thinking they aren’t good enough or that it was their fault. Bind their suicidal thoughts and give them the comfort. Cover and protect their mind, body and soul. God, you have the power and I know you didn’t make us to suffer in silence. Cripple the hands of the abuser and bring swift justice to those who deserve it. By your might God, I pray.
Amen.

Top 100 Authors of 2018

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God gets all the glory as I’m honored to be voted among UBAWA’s Top 100 Authors of 2018, alongside some amazing men and women!

However, I couldn’t have done it without those of you who supports me, prays for me and voted … I APPRECIATE YOU!

🥂Here’s to what 2019 holds for us ❤️

Happy Reading,
Lakisha

Daily Devotional – 1/2/19 “I pray this year…”

Happy New Year! I pray this year is the beginning to being the best of your existence. May you become more faithful to God and His call on your life, find a church home, say yes to God and take the limits off Him, love thyself, end fruitless relationships, remove the fear, take off the glasses of hurt, be healed and made whole, overcome, be set free, find comfort in your grief, refuse to let depression have the last say, deal with the buried anger, apologize for your wrong and make amends, gain the strength to say no, forgive yourself, forgive those who hurt you, stop counting those who don’t support you and appreciate those who do, tap into your courage and strength to love yourself enough to get out of a bad/abusive relationship and learn your worth; secure the bag (bag i.e. money), learn how to manage said bag, become debt free, charge your worth and be okay when ‘they’ decline to pay it, publish the book, get your business license and step out on faith, get that check-up (physically and spiritually), take your medicine, talk to a therapist and own your truth!

I know this is one long run on sentence but in order for this year to be “THE YEAR,” you’ve got to come out some stuff that you’ve become accustomed too. In order for this year to work for you, you’ve got some work to do and it doesn’t start by making resolutions you know you will not keep. In order for things to be different, you have to be because it starts with you. Let go of what you’ve gotten comfortable in, if it doesn’t fit with your purpose. Walk away from what doesn’t have the ability to push you to be better. Yea, it may have been good enough for the old you but it’s time the new you stepped forward. Stop giving yourself away to what used to make you feel good, temporarily. Ladies, stop chasing after a Boaz because some women’s day speaker told you it was the right thing to do and prepare yourself to be a wife and your husband will find you. Men, stop making baby momma’s when God has called you to be a husband, father and head of your household. I pray this year, you change your way of thinking and definitely how you react. Change your expectations and trust the power of God and what He created within you. God made you for a greater purpose. Find it, learn it then faith it. 18, biblically means bondage but 19, biblically means faith. I pray this year … your faith does not fail.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

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