Daily Devotional – 5/8/18 “Trust God’s word and way!”

You are being hated on, disliked, unsupported, talked about and lied on; not because of who you are but for what folk see in you that you might not even see in yourself. Beloved look, for the sake of your sanity, I will not sugarcoat this thang but you need to know this. There are some people who will not like you, they will not support what you have to offer (even if it’s free) and neither will they congratulate you. And sure, I can tell you not to feel bad about it but the truth of the matter is, it hurts. You’re saying, “But they don’t know I’m still pinching off the little just to make it,” “But they don’t know the many nights I’ve had pace and pray,” “But they don’t know the days of not having enough for lunch and dinner,” “But they don’t know the times I didn’t think my marriage would make it,” “But they don’t know the many mornings I’ve had to cry in my car or the bathroom at work,” or “But they don’t know the thoughts that will not allow me to sleep.” They don’t know yet they assume. They assume you got it together because you look like it. They assume you got what they need because of the house you live in. They assume you can let them borrow because of the car you drive. Can I be even more real? They assume you’re good because you’re in a ministry position. They assume you don’t have any problems because all your selfies show a smile. They assume you are alright because you’re always upbeat.

They assume because they see the anointing but not the nights you’ve been angry at God. They assume because they see God, all over you, but not the times you’ve asked God to take back His oil. They assume because they see God is preparing you for something but they don’t know the times you’ve wanted to give up. They don’t know you had a meltdown yesterday because you got yourself together and you trust God. They don’t know you have $8 in the bank and four days to payday because you only let them see your trust in God. They don’t know you didn’t sleep well last night due to your worry of the household bills because you only allow them to see your devotion and not the early stages of depression. And I wish I had the right words, scripture or prayer for you. I wish I had the address of a church who could get you what you needed. I wish I knew the antidote to what ails you, the potion to end your pain, the cure to your confusion, the remedy to your rejection, the therapy to stop your toiling or the solution to your suffering. I don’t but I will tell you to, trust God. Simply, trust God’s word and God’s plan. Read Luke 21:10-19 but in verse 14-15 God says, “So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves. For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”

Vacation

Salutations to each of you …

As I embark on the journey to the fabulous age of 41 and 20 years of marriage, my husband and I are taking a ‘VersaryMoon’ (I made that up. Lol)

I will return on Tuesday May 8, 2018.

In the mean time, you are more than welcome to look back over any devotional that has been posted. Or, if you like books, check out my Amazon PAGE for any of my new releases.

Oh, if you want to celebrate with me (birthday and anniversary is May 2), feel free to donate via …

— Cash App – $RevKisha

— PayPal – authorlakisha@gmail.com

— My favorite SHOES 🤗

— Or simply a Happy Birthday/Anniversary.

I appreciate each of you and I look forward to sharing many more blogs with you soon.

God bless.

Vacation

Salutations to each of you …

As I embark on the journey to the fabulous age of 41 and 20 years of marriage, my husband and I are taking a ‘VersaryMoon’ (I made that up. Lol)

I will return on Tuesday May 8, 2018.

In the mean time, you are more than welcome to look back over any devotional that has been posted. Or, if you like books, check out my Amazon PAGE for any of my new releases.

Oh, if you want to celebrate with me (birthday and anniversary is May 2), feel free to donate via …

— Cash App – $RevKisha

— PayPal – authorlakisha@gmail.com

— My favorite SHOES 🤗

— Or simply a Happy Birthday/Anniversary.

I appreciate each of you and I look forward to sharing many more blogs with you soon.

God bless.

Daily Devotional – 4/25/18 “Looking your worth!”

I always hear people say, “When I’m looking my worst is the time people notice me.” You know those times when you don’t have on the fancy clothes, your good wig, nice haircut and face beat. Those times when you are ‘running’ to the store, with your lounging clothes on, is when men want to talk. Or when you haven’t had a haircut but women are noticing you. Well, have you ever stopped to think, this is because they can see the real you and not what you portray? When a man can see you, in your glory and still wants to add to your story; that’s worth talking about. When a woman can see you with your dirty work clothes and hands and she still wants a chance; that’s worth talking about. Don’t misunderstand me. You are real cute with your face beat but who are you at home? Yea, you look real good, sir, in that suit but how do you look in gym shorts and t-shirt? Who are you when you go to bed because that’s who your spouse will see? Just maybe, in Lakisha’s thinking, this is the reason folk want to ‘holler’ at you when you think you look your worst. The fact of the matter is, it has nothing to do with you looking your worst but more about you looking your worth. Your real worth and not the one that can be created with clothes and makeup. The person you are, after you get home and take off your shoes and your bra. The person you are, after you get home and remove your suit and conference room talk. That’s the person people want to see. They want to see your worth and sometimes, that may be when you are looking (in your words) your worst.

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous–how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” – Psalm 139:14-17

Daily Devotional – 4/24/18 “Return on Investment!”

Today is one of those days where the enemy is trying to creep into my thoughts. See, if he gets me to second guess some stuff and worry about some more stuff; he wins. NOT TUH-DAY! What I have come to understand is this, I am not exempt. Yes, I am faithful in my walk with God. I study, pray, go to worship, preach, encourage, give when I don’t have it, go when I don’t feel like it and even pray for people I don’t know but I am NOT exempt. Yes, I am a co-pastor of a church but I also clean that same church after service but I am not exempt. What I am, I am an investor which means I may have to lose in order to win but I am not exempt from the toil. Oh but get this, everything I have had to go through was paying into my investment. Everything I have to go through, it’s paying into my investment because every now and then I get a ROI or a Return on Investment. This means, I get some stuff back for the all the stuff I have had to endure and/or pay out.

In other words …

When I suffer, I am sowing into my savings that pays off in surpluses (an amount of something left over when requirements have been met).

When I am in pain, I am planting into another project that has the potential to provide a profit.

When agony has to be my allowance, I abide because it is making my assets abundant.

When I cry, it’s simply a cost I have to compensate in order to one day get my commission.

So now, instead of wallowing in my pit, I rejoice. Instead of being upset at what I don’t have, at the moment; I rejoice knowing it’ll soon pay off. However, it’ll only pay off if I invest. If that happens to mean days of not having, so be it. If it might mean, nights of crying, so be it. If it means, losing some folk, so be it because I need a ROI and the only way I can get it, I have to first invest. What are you willing to invest in order to get a return? Understand something, it may hurt (on the front end) but it’ll be worth it when it pays off.