Merry Christmas

Christmas holds as many meanings as the stars that our eyes see

To some it's snowmen and gingerbread houses

To others it's icicles and garland wrapped around a Christmas tree

Down south, where I'm from, it's sunny days with just a hint of cold air

Ham, turkey, and barbecue are but a few of the foods there

Are deviled eggs and crab legs, fried chicken, roasted duck, and cane burgers too

We always have cakes, pies, and cookies

But Christmas isn't just about the food

It's card games, bounce houses, and football games shared with family members

from destinations far and wide

It's a hundred or so people on my uncle's front lawn

plus his neighbors wishing we would be quiet

We take so many pictures

1st the kids, then the cousins, and the grands

We all huddle up around each other

cracking jokes until we can barely stand

Around about this time, the DJ begins to spin

Name that tune is a popular game on Christmas

because of the money you win

The dance contest is also always a trip

My aunt Tina does the two-step with her daughters

and occasionally the dip

She usually spends a lot of time dancing throughout the day

Her moves and the smile she greets each person with

adds a certain warmth to the day

But I tell you even these things are not what completes Christmas for me

Besides this year I'm miles away

and I didn't even buy a tree

But I did spend time remembering all the years past

Waking up to Cookie's homemade breakfast

or sitting around with my sister's having a blast

I thought about my grandparents Evora, Ellease, Sarah, Pop and Mr. Boy

But most of all I thought about Jesus

for He is our Joy

He is the reason for each memory that I've shared with you today

Because without Him I wouldn't be here

And that's all I have time to say

Adayinthelife:-)

Rejoice! A Child is Born... BUT No Men Are Allowed

Over the years, I have gone to my fair share of baby showers. Each of them had lots of gifts, food, games and of course women. Female family and friends gathered to celebrate a child being born. We talked, laughed, and had a good time. At the end of each of these events, someone looked at the number of gifts received and declared the event was a success. We had, in our estimation, done all that needed to be done to prepare for the child that was to be born.

What is really interesting is the missing ingredient in all of these celebrations was the same. We had all of the trappings of a good baby shower, but we were missing out on a few wise men.

The original wise men are described as a group of men who travelled to Bethlehem from the far east. They were not summoned to Bethlehem by a paper invitation or card greeting. These men were moved by the spirit of God to go to celebrate the birth of the Messiah.

Matthew 2:11 (NLT) says,

They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The wise men gave us so much to consider when a child is born, but it seems we have forgotten everything except the giving of gifts. We declare that baby showers are for gifts and have serious attitudes with any guest who arrives without one. We forget that the child being born is the actual gift.

The wise men arrived to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to worship Him. Their purpose for traveling was not to give gifts but to be in the presence of God's gift.

We also say things like "baby showers are for women. What would a man do at a baby shower?" This line of thought is out of order. As followers of Christ, His life is our example. His story included the gathering of men to celebrate His birth. How then can Christian families exclude men from a child being born?

Adayinthelife:-)

Accept Me As I Am

Romans 14:1 NIV

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

One of the most memorable scenes from the movie New Jack City is the moment where Nino pulls a gun on Gee Money. With tears in his eyes, Gee Money asks him repeatedly "Am I my brother's keeper?" Nino responds "yes I am" just as he shoots the man that had once been bonded to him like a brother. Nino killed his brother because he couldn't accept his betrayal. He could not accept that Gee Money had failed to live up to his expectations. Killing him was Nino's way of saying I reject you. I cannot live with you as you are.

Many of us cried for Gee Money because it was a pivotal point in the movie. How many of us realized that scene was simply a Hollywood depiction of the bible story of Cain and Abel? Cain's jealousy and rejection of his brother is one of history's first recordings of betrayal. It is one of the first examples of what happens when we cannot accept people for who they are. Cain could not accept the good that was in his brother.

Genesis 4:6-7 NIV

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain was angry. Nino was disappointed. The result was the same. A life was lost because feelings dictated actions. Feelings got in the way of understanding. Feelings got in the way of accepting the triumphs and the failures of a person that God said love.

We cannot accept anyone without first loving them. I don't mean this love that the world is accustomed to that is based on deeds and feelings. I mean the love that God gives freely. The love that comes from being spiritually in tune with the ways and the will of God. The love that begins when we open ourselves to God and accept Him as He is. For accepting God is step one on the path to accepting others.

Adayinthelife:-)

Cleaning House

Matthew 23:25-26 NIV

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

When I was in high school, my father demanded that our house remain clean at all times. We dusted, vacuumed, and mopped so much you could eat off the floor.  It was so extreme that we had plastic runners on the floor protecting parts of the carpet. All visitors were instructed to only walk on the areas that were covered.

I was trained to keep daddy's house clean come what may. At first, my friends balked at me for yelling at them about not walking on the floor or sitting on the bed. It didn't matter though. I knew Herbert Lee didn't play. He expected the house to be spotless so I did what I had to to keep it that way.

I didn't realize then that my natural father and my spiritual father had the same thoughts about how to keep a house. My dad wanted me to keep his house clean just like my Father wanted me to keep His house, my body, clean.

Sadly I did not. I allowed the house my Father gave me to live in to accumulate dirt while I meticulously attended to the house my dad chose for us to live in. I scrubbed and cleaned. Dusted and vacuumed. Not once did I open the windows of my Father's house. Not once did I air out the dirt that I was pushing around from one room to the next.

My daddy's house always looked clean because my Father's house, my body, was the dirt warehouse. All of the grime resided on the inside of me. And though I spent all of those years cleaning up the dirt in my daddy's house, I hadn't bothered to lift a finger to clean my Father's. I hadn't bothered to remain faithful to God.


I used my mouth to curse, to gossip, and to lie. I prayed, but my thoughts were so divided between my wants and God's desires. I used my daddy's house to pollute my Father's temple. I stayed up late reading romance novels or watching R rated movies because they contained sex, but scarcely would my eyes connect with the bible. But there I was, polishing furniture until it shined. So proud that I'd made my dad happy and kept the house clean. My dad was beaming and my Father was weeping because I understood the principle, but missed the real lesson about cleaning house.


1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Adayinthelife:-)

He Has Made Me Glad

Psalm 100:4 reads:

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

This verse was used in one of my favorite songs This Is The Day. The lyrics are:

"I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart;
I will enter His courts with praise.
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice for He has made me glad."

Within these lyrics we find the words thanksgiving, praise, and glad. I point them out for their significance.

The first line says I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. In this verse we see action. We are walking into the gates of heaven to meet God with thanksgiving in our hearts. This means that thanks must continuously be present. The bible tells us in Matthew 24:36 NIV

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Because we don't know the moment that God will call, each one of our moments must reflect sincere thanks to God. The second line, I will enter his courts with praise echoes the first.  Psalms 34:1 KJV says

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Continually looks like 24 hours a day 365 days a year of praises being sent up to God.

Let's look at the last two lines of the song, "I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad." The bible tells us in

Psalms 92:4 NIV

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord ; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

Our rejoicing and gladness is due to the amazing works of God, His allowing us to live, His providing for our needs, and His being gracious and merciful enough to have made provision for us to spend eternity in His presence. We should begin each day with the declaration thank You Lord for waking me and live each day honoring the gift. My takeaway point is simply if you are faced with a moment of sadness say to yourself I will rejoice for with His holy hands God chose to make me.

Adayinthelife:-)

What Are You Thankful For?

As children we were taught to say thank you when someone presented you with a gift or did something nice for you. We would get into trouble if we were caught receiving without speaking the necessary words of thanks.

"Tell her thank you" was something I heard more than I cared to. Don't get me wrong, there is something to be said about the tendency to speak words of appreciation. But shouldn't the emphasis actually be on being thankful? How many times have you said thank you without any appreciation at all?

I can tell you that I do it a lot. I say thank you without a thought because those words were a part of good teaching not because I am always appreciative of what has been offered. I do it most often with people, but I've also done it with God. I've said thank you Lord for saving me and followed it up with longing thoughts for my former life. I've said thank you Lord for my life and drove recklessly in my car in what seemed like an effort to loose it. Then there are the many times in the sanctuary where someone said to the congregation "tell the Lord thank you". Of course I obediently did without any thought whatsoever about what I was thanking God for.

I moved my lips because I was told to and I didn't want to be the person who did not speak. Now I wonder would it not have been better for me to be quiet. Should I have taken a moment to think about what I was thankful for? I just told you that I say it without meaning it. So, would it have hurt to really think about what I valued, what I appreciated, and what I was speaking thanks over?

Giving thanks should be genuine not a part of a routine learned in childhood or a call and response offered in the sanctuary. The question I'm asking myself now is how do I get to the place where I know the difference?

Adayinthelife:-)

Husbands, Wives, and Marriage

"I, (name), take you, (name), to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife), my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

These words are said at weddings to state one's commitment to marriage. They are uttered with tears, smiles, and a joy known only by those who are fortunate to recite them. Unfortunately, they are forgotten when he/she does not meet some standard of excellence that we adopt based on what our friends, family, or favorite star says. We decide that the person we promised to love unconditionally is no longer what we want. We deserve better. We deserve more. We deserve to be happy. We are so caught up in the ways that he/she is no longer good enough that we forget that at I do the two who existed became one.

If both people approached the marriage as their own words stated and as God intended, there would be no reason for divorce. Simply, if a wife had in her spirit that the person she was bashing was herself then she would alter her language, reevaluate her actions, and fight to preserve the relationship. If a husband had in his spirit that the person he was hurting was himself he would find ways to live peacefully, shift his priorities, and fight to preserve the relationship.

How awesome would it be for both parties to understand the meaning behind
Genesis 2:23 KJV

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

God intended for the two to exist in harmony. If we look to scripture
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV states

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

It is so important to apply this scripture to your marriage daily. Applying this would make the challenges in the marriage that much easier to face. He is looking to the interests of his wife. She is looking to the interests of her husband. They are united in the quest to sustain the marriage. They are united in the quest to honor God.

Adayinthelife :-)

You Didn't Have To Be What He Called You

The very first time I remember someone saying to me "oh what you saved and sanctified now huh" was about 8 years ago. A part of me didn't want to bear the weight of words meant to separate me from our friendship. The other part of me didn't even know what those words meant. I had heard them all my life, but that day they were thrown at me like an accusation and I was not guilty.

I had rededicated my life to God. I had begun the journey to right living. But I was not what he called me. I was not sanctified. Or was I? Was I some holy roller who thought that I was better than him? Had I become the person who looked down on others because they were not doing what I thought was right? The answer is flatly no. I had not become his image of a holy roller and I didn't have enough foresight to look down on anyone. But, I was sanctified.

I was sanctified because God allowed me to be reconciled to Him. I was sanctified because God decided to use me as one of His messengers. It was not by my design, but His. The path that I was on was not my desire or choosing, but my friend had decided salvation was a way to put me down.

I never imagined that trying to live right would mean that I was labeled. After a while, I started to accept it. I started to act like he was not good enough because he wasn't a Christian. He drank, smoked, and spent every weekend in the club. During this time, I was always ready with a list of things he could do to live right. I had a million ways to fix him, but I never approached him with the love of God. I never approached him with kindness. It was always with disdain and a holier than thou attitude. It didn't occur to me that I couldn't fix him. All of my ideas were great, but not a one mattered because I was not God. I had no real insight into the plan for his life. All I had was an excuse not to focus on my own.


Adayinthelife:-)

Lukewarm

Mark 11:22 NIV

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

I absolutely love the phrase say what you mean and mean what you say. In certain times in my life, I have lived by it. I would quote it to someone whose actions didn't line up with what their words indicated they would or would not do. I would say it as a warning to my students before allowing them to answer one of my pointed questions.

"Do not waste your breath with what you think I want to hear. Say what you mean and you better mean what you say." In those moments, I turned on my best angry teacher look and dared them to say something that had no weight. I know that this technique was effective. Many a confession came tumbling out shortly thereafter. But, I never thought to look in the mirror and say it to myself.

I am very good at expressing how things should be, but what happens when my own words don't hold meaning for me? I have encountered this in the past two weeks. I've shared stories about how God has helped me to overcome one obstacle after the other. They were all true stories. The problem is I no longer believed them.

I no longer believed that I was an overcomer even though that's exactly what I said I was. My words sounded like someone who was on fire for the Lord, but the power in their declaration fizzled before the words left my mouth and reached my own ears. I knew that God was indeed a deliverer, but I allowed my own shortcomings to infiltrate the message. I had also forgotten that delivering the message that God will deliver you was fuel for my faith and not just a series of words for my friends.

In those moments, my words sizzled like chicken in a hot frying pan. The problem was I had turned down the stove. I had shifted into the realm of the lukewarm Christian. You know the one who is neither hot or cold. The one who  lines up with God when things are going good, but turns a blind eye to Jesus when serving is too hard or inconvenient. I never thought it would be me, but facing the fact that it was helped me to repent and refocus.

Revelation 3:16 NIV

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Adayinthelife:-)

Are Your Words Tearing Down Your House?

Just be a man about it is what she said to her husband one fall day.
The words she said in haste would cost more than she wanted to pay.

It began with her acting like he was important only on days she would choose.
Then there were the words she never thought she'd use.

She called him names in anger. Deadbeat, cheater, and dog is what she said.
Speaking to one girlfriend and then the next talking out of the side of her head.

I can't stand his lying. He ain't nothing but a lowlife.
I can't believe I had a baby with that loser. He's the worse thing in my life.

Why did you let me talk to him? He's nothing but a mama's boy.
Won't take out the trash or nothing and he don't even have a car.

What would he know about talking to the kids? I told them to ignore him.
Why would they need to listen to him anyways? With no job he can't support them.

For hours she talked until she felt she was through.
Along the way her girlfriend listened and her kids did too.

They heard the way she spoke about their father and wondered to themselves
Why their mama never told anybody about the ways that he helped.

He taught them to ride their bikes, tie their shoes, the answer to 2+2
He even stayed up to tell them bible stories when mama was at school.

He told them about Joseph, Mary, and their son.
They liked hearing about Jesus because dad said he was the One.

Dad told them to try to live like Jesus because that is how he lived.
But mama said dad was no good not even for the kids.

Her words like angry missiles were tearing through the house.
She didn't know he heard them too and was planning to move out.

The note that he left for her crushed her to the core
I am a man he said, but I can't take this anymore.

You berate me, disrespect me, and dishonor my God
I am leaving this marriage. You can have the house

But my children belong to the Lord
Being a man means I cannot leave without them.


Proverbs 14:1 NIV

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Adayinthelife :-)

Learn to Lead

"Do better" I hear my mom say
but what does her better look like?

Does better mean that I keep my curfew?
Or maybe better means to stay home on school nights.

"Do better because you know better" is what I hear.
She's not showing me what's better only constantly yelling in my ear.

"Act like you've got some sense. You know what I told you to do."
But mama, I say, I've learned from watching you.

YOU know better mama, but you do exactly as you please.
Expecting different from me means that YOU have to learn to lead.


***Children know what we say, but they also see what we do. :-) ******

Adayinthelife:-)

When You Know Better, You Do the Same Things

I remember the time that I threw a party to celebrate God coming through for me with an apartment and a job. I was so excited about this party because a few of my friends were coming from out of town and I had invited a pretty large group of friends that were already in the city. Preparations were in full swing when I realized that we didn't have enough alcohol. I was just about ready to panic, but one of my friends went out and picked up extra bottles of vodka so that we would not run out.

The party went over without a hitch. We ate, drank, and were very merry. This party would have just been a part of a memory if it had not been for what happened after. The next day I invited a few of the party goers to church. The response that I received was the same. "Why would I go to church with you when the church folks were the drunkest ones at the party?"

I attempted to persuade them, but each person shut me down with the same response. At first I was angry. How dare they just decide they will not go to church with me because people were drinking. Who exactly did they think they were? I was so indignant that I began to talk about how they were going straight to hell for turning down an invitation to fellowship with God. I didn't have my epiphany moment until months later.

I was the one in the wrong. I was the one who told all my friends that I had given my life to God. I was the one who threw a party under the guise of it being for God when in all actuality it was about me and my friends hanging out and getting drunk. I was the one who dressed up like a Christian, talked liked a Christian, and lived the same life I'd been living before. I was the one who knew better but still continued to do the same thing.

Owning the fact that I was to blame meant I had to also own that I had not actually given anything to God. I had a religious experience, but I had done nothing to foster a real relationship. You see a real relationship with God will cause you to want to keep company that looks, talks, and acts like Him. But first, I had to learn how to be the company that I was seeking.

Proverbs 13:20 NIV

Walk with the wise and become wise,

    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Adayinthelife:-)

Where Does God Fit Into Halloween?

3 John 1:11 NIV

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

We see in 3 John 1:11 we are instructed to not imitate what is evil, but instead to imitate what is good. Imitate means to follow as a model. So do not follow or model evil. This is a simple enough directive because as children we are taught the difference between good and evil.

In my house, witches, ghosts, goblins, vampires and mummies were evil. We knew that these things were all a part of a culture that we could not participate in. That is until Halloween rolled around. I never thought anything about the mixed message and my mentioning it now is not a slight to my parents. This is about making sure that what we stand for as Christians and what we teach children lines up always with the word of God.

We look first at witches. A witch is a woman claiming or believed to have magical powers and practice sorcery. A witch is also a believer or follower of Wicca.

Where does God fit into dressing in the costume of a witch? The bible says in

Exodus 20:3 KJV

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

A Christian who is a true believer and follower of God cannot imitate or model themselves after someone who believes and follows a religion built on the practice of magic and sorcery. Doing so places your allegiance and that of the child you have dressed as a witch with one who is not the one true God.

This leads me to ghosts and mummies. I will address them together because they are both symbols of the dead. Ghost is defined as the spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to appear in bodily likeness to living persons or to haunt former habitats. A secondary definition for ghost is a demon or spirit. A mummy is the dead body of a human or animal that has been embalmed and prepared for burial.

Why would a Christian imitate a ghost or a mummy for Halloween? We are to be imitators of Christ Jesus who came that we might have life. Christians are to be filled with the spirit of the Lord almighty. His spirit will cause you to want to look, think, and act like Him. His spirit will lead you to worship and praise not creating scary noises and frightening images. Where does God fit into celebrating Halloween?

I follow ghosts and mummies with vampires and werewolves, who because of movies like Twilight, are more popular than ever. A vampire is a corpse supposed, in European folklore, to leave its grave at night to drink the blood of the living by biting their necks with long pointed canine teeth.

A secondary definition is a small bat that feeds on the blood of mammals or birds

Imitating a vampire blatantly disrespects Jesus. A key aspect of the Christian faith is Jesus's death and resurrection. We remember that He is the sacrifice for our sins. His blood was shed that we might live and have the opportunity to be reunited with God. So how can we profess to live and believe that and dress up like a vampire? How can we spend time and energy making sure our fake blood is carefully applied when we are to daily remember Jesus's blood sacrifice? Where does God fit into celebrating Halloween?

I know that there are parents who would not dress their child as one of these things. I know also that there are adults that would not dress this way either. But, I say to you no costume that you can buy, borrow or make will line up with the word of the Lord. There is only one way to dress up and please God. 

If we look to Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

This is the the only way a Christian should dress up. Now I know that Halloween not just costumes. So for your dessert, I'll give you just a taste about pumpkins and candy.

As for pumpkins, use them as God intended. To eat. Scripture tells us in

Exodus 20:4 KJV

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Carving pumpkins to celebrate Halloween goes against this commandment. Why would God tell us not to do something, but okay it for Halloween? 

Finally, I know that we think we have to give candy. We say I hear you on the costumes, I'm going to bake a pie with that pumpkin, but certainly there is no harm in giving the children a little something sweet to eat. I wholeheartedly agree, but let me tell you the best kind of sweet treat.

Psalm 19:9-10 NIV reads in part

The decrees (or words) of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.

So sisters and brothers this Halloween freely give the word of the Lord. It is the sweetest treat you can eat.

Adayinthelife:-)

Coming Out of the Dark

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 NIV

Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”    And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

I had this great concept for my post today but then I got sidetracked because someone unfriended me on Facebook. I will admit to spending about 20 minutes trying to figure out who it was. Who decided to unfriend me on Facebook????

Well, I couldn't figure it out so I'm forced to explain why it's so important in the first place. I was unfriended right after I posted about Halloween. Math is not my subject, but l can put 2 and 2 together. The person found my post offensive. It was so divisive that I receive the dreaded unfriend. Guess what? I'm okay with that.

You see the bible tells me to come out from among them and be separate. It tells me to not be yoked with unbelievers so if my posting what thus saith the Lord means we cannot be friends. Okay.

Halloween has become sacred. It is the treasured holiday of both saint and sinner. So beloved is Halloween that Christians search high and low for creative ways to participate without looking like they believe in Halloween. The common phrase is "we're having a fall festival" or " we're just having some neighborhood kids come to a party at the house". Come out from among them says the Lord our God.

He tells us in 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

A chosen people does not look for ways to fit in with the world. A holy nation has to stand out. Happy Halloween is not declaring the praises of God and He is the light.

I wasted enough of my days in darkness. I cannot pretend that Halloween lines up with living a life for God. I cannot pretend celebrating it does not distinguish my light.

I urge you Christians, atheists, sinners, saints to stop disconnecting from the Truth and get connected with the Light.

Adayinthelife :-)

Love Is Still Missing

People hang on to relationships that are not meant to be out of greed. Greed is an intense and selfish desire for something. The woman who spends time with a man that she does not want is greedy. The man who refuses to let go of his ex is the same. Each will say I love too much to leave. Remaining in a relationship that God did not ordain is not out of love. It is indicative of  what happens in the cycle of greed.

One bad relationship leads you to believe that you will never have a successful one. You find yourself wondering why am I with this person or we just can't seem to get along. The fighting and arguing begins to take a toll. You know without a doubt this is not the person that God has chosen to be your spouse. So you decide to breakup. But, instead of letting go and allowing yourself to heal, you hold on tighter. You continue to call even though you know the relationship is not going anywhere. You go to dinner, stop by the house, and eventually you're back having sex. All the while, you are dating someone else. You may be hopeful or even a little invested in the relationship, but still you hang on to your ex. The fear of never having someone to love you consumes you until you begin to think that "having" two people in your life means that you are in fact loved.

You find ways to split your time with one and then the other. All the while you brag to your friends about how they are both so into you and you have them exactly where you want them. Truth is you are so empty. There is a gaping whole where you pretend all of their love resides. You do your best to fill it with more dates, more phone calls, more sex. But nothing seems to work. No amount of things can make up for the love that you truly yearn for. When its all said and done love is still missing, but greed never left.

Adayinthelife:-)

The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh is Weak...

King David allowed his flesh to pull him into an adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Their affair is one that is often referenced because of the great lengths he went to to ensure that his flesh was satisfied. He slept with her with no regard for her position as wife to Uriah. He slept with her with no regard to his commitment to God. 

David's sexual sin was no different from yours or mine. Sex with Bathsheba was what he wanted. And thus, it is what he did. But he didn't stop there. He went beyond the fulfillment of a one night stand. He went beyond the scope of a summer affair. David satisfied his flesh when he slept with her, but he satisfied his God when he made her his wife.

The bible states in 1 Corinthians 7:9 NIV

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Now many will ask are you suggesting that everyone who sleeps together should get married? In short, yes. This is because the bible tells us that sex should precede marriage. The bible also tells us that for every temptation there is a way out. If we are provided with an alternative and we reject it, should we not be responsible for doing what is right? Right in the time of Jacob was that if you slept with her, she was then your wife. Right in the time of David meant that if you slept with her, she became your wife the queen.

Right in 2013 seems to mean if you sleep with her, it's then on to the next. Or if you sleep with her, ask God for forgiveness, and sleep with her again.

Jesus said

Matthew 24:35 NIV

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Is not the bible the word of  God? One of the most quoted passages in scripture states that he who finds a wife finds a good thing and finds favor with God. As Christians, if we choose to submit our flesh to sexual temptation, shouldn't we also choose to follow the word of God?

Hebrews 13:4 NIV

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Adayinthelife:-)

In The Day That You Seek Him

Have you ever found yourself sitting on the sidelines of life? Maybe you were the star football player who was benched after losing favor with the head coach. Or the straight A student who couldn't earn a good grade with the new teacher. Perhaps you were the president of the company who was ousted in a corporate takeover. In my case, I was the one who was so depressed that I forgot how to function.

I dropped out of college despite being on scholarship. I quit my job. I did nothing except sit around day in and day out waiting for something to happen.
In many ways, I was like the man who sat for years by the pool at Bethesda. The bible says in   John 5:2-7 NIV

Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”    “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

This man sat year after year for 38 years knowing that if he could make it into the pool his life would change.

I did the same thing. I knew that if I would move that my life would change. I knew that if I picked myself up and asked God for help that He would hear me. But, I didn't. I didn't because every time I thought about where I was in life I allowed what everyone else was doing to hold me back. They graduated first so I might as well sit here. Sit and wait for someone to trouble the waters.

Well I thank God for releasing me from that. I thank God that He allowed me to see that if I took one step toward Him, He would take an even bigger one towards me. His word tells us that when we seek Him, He will be found. My advice to you is to get up and start looking for Jesus. That's the only way to find your help.

Adayinthelife:-)

I'm So Glad He Changed Me

God Don't Like Ugly
So for a long time He didn't like me

My mouth was so terrible
That it masked my inner beauty

I would say whatever came to mind
It didn't matter how crude

Cursing and shooting birds at people
And basically living life with a bad attitude

But it wore me out
Being on the defensive all the time

I couldn't remember what I was mad about no matter how hard I tried

One night I cried out to God and asked for my release
No more of this nonsense
Lord please grant me peace

He heard me and responded
By changing my entire life

Curse words hurt my ears now
And I can't stand to fight

My old habits are foreign to me
I can't believe the person I used to be
Thank you God for changing me
now it's you that they see.

Adayinthelife:-)

That Was Easy - Getting Rid of Ugly Behavior

Did you hear, there was a girl who was so scandalous that she married her sister's husband.  But that's not half as bad as the time when one brother killed the other because he was jealous. Then there was the man who had the audacity to have a man killed just to cover up the fact that he slept with his wife.

In case you didn't know, what I just shared wasn't ripped from the headlines of the local paper. It was straight from the bible. Jacob married Rachel even though he was already her sister Leah's husband. Cain killed his brother Able. And King David had Bathsheba's husband Uriah killed. Each of these stories represented something that the Lord hates.

Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT

There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.

Jacob sowed discord between families by marrying two sisters. Cain shed innocent blood when he murdered Able. David lied, plotted evil, killed the innocent, and sowed discord when he tried to hide his affair with Bathsheba by killing her husband Uriah.

But I tell you none of these deeds went unnoticed because God does not like ugly. For a time Rachel was barren and the Lord allowed Leah to have sons one of which would be the earthly lineage of Jesus. Cain was cursed and cast out for his act against his brother. David and Bathsheba lost the child that resulted from their affair.

God found no pleasure in their actions so each lost something. I believe each of them also learned something. God would not allow their selfish acts to prevail. He pushed the restart button and made them start from scratch. Not one of us wants to experience the reality of loss when God pushes restart. So grab the that was easy button and push it yourself.

Adayinthelife:-)

Are You Willing To Wait?

Genesis 18:11-14 KJV

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

The story of Abraham and Sarah is one that is usually looked at from the perspective of the promise that God made to Abraham. Sarah is referenced, but only once have I heard someone expand on her experience. The title of that message was Sometimes You Have to Laugh to Keep From Crying.

God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. What did that promise mean to Sarah? Most messages separate them, but as husband and wife they are one. If a promise was made to one, that promise had the same power for the other.

God's promise meant that Sarah, who no doubt had resigned herself to never being a mother, would be the mother of nations. Unfortunately, Sarah didn't know how to hear that. She also didn't know how to wait. Sarah heard the promise, doubted, and took matters into her own hands.

It's so easy to say oh I would've believed the promise. I would have waited. I can't say I would have. I may have looked at my 90 year old self and saw impossibility. I may have done just like Sarah.

I might have acted like God spoke only to my husband and not the flesh of MY flesh. God spoke to Abraham but His promise was for Abraham & Sarah. The fulfillment of the promise required them to do 3 things: believe God, submit to His will, and wait. God is going to keep His promise to you. The questions are do you believe Him? Are you operating in His will? And are you willing to wait?

Adayinthelife:-)

Through His Eyes

He saw the best in me
when the rest were so focused on trying to use my yesterdays to get me down
they tried and tried but no matter what they said I would not turn around

God told me to never look back
look forward to Him
look to the sky and that is where I would find my help

His words
His confidence
His Faith and His love for me
are the things that helped me to find myself

Not the self you see
but the self that was actually He
His spirit that lived in me the entire time

So glad I put my stuff to the side
To allow Him to be my guide
My Daddy, Leader, Healer, Protector
The Love of my Life

He is the best
And if you cannot attest
to this
now is the best
Time
to open up your heart
And let the God in you
Be found

Adayinthelife:-)

He Saw The Best In Me

Jeremiah 31:3 NIV

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.


I thought about what I wanted to share this week. The story of Hosea and Gomer crossed my mind more than once. He saw the best in his wife despite the fact that she was a prostitute. I thought about King David and how God saw the best in him regardless of adultery and his life as a man of war. I thought also of Judas and how Jesus walked with him, talked with him, and even honored him by washing his feet. There were so many easy choices before me. How could I speak on the example that had happened to me?

It began when I decided to force him not to like me. I sat there thinking to myself "he is not who I thought he was. I have to get out of this date."

As I sat thinking of retreat because the person in front of me didn't match the image in my head, he just kept smiling. So I started talking. I told him every wrong thing that I had ever done. I didn't stop for commentary, questions, or air. I just kept talking because I wanted him to know that I was horrid. I wanted him to know that I was not worthy of that moment of his time.

He never tried to stop me or interrupt the barrage of information that kept flying at him. When I could not recall anything else (I had shared all the way back to the age of 15), I stopped talking and looked at him. On his face was the same smile that greeted me a couple of hours before. "Well, we all have a past." He said these words so matter of factly that I forgot what my purpose was.

He just kept smiling and proceeded to tell me that none of those things mattered because they were not who I was. They were just an amusing list of things that I'd done. I was annoyed because I had no idea why he was so calm. I couldn't fathom why he was still smiling and not the least bit phased by a word I said. But now I know that he saw the best in me. He opened his ears, listened to my truth, and decided to allow his eyes to look past Candy and rest on God.

Adayinthelife:-)

Who Are You Responsible For?

Mark 16:15 KJV

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Have you ever considered the fact that you are responsible for someone's life? I am not referring only to those who may have children. I am speaking collectively to each and every person who hears or reads this. I am speaking to young and old. I am speaking to males and females. You are responsible for someone else's life.

Some of you may be wondering how or what on earth is she talking about? Well, it's quite simple actually. You are responsible to spread God's word. You are responsible to serve Him with your life. If we look to the scripture,

Joshua 24:14 KJV reads (in part)

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and truth...

This scripture tells us to serve God. A part of that service includes telling others about who He is. Before Jesus left His disciples for the final time, He said

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

This was the mandate that he gave to them. This is also what He expects of me and you. He expects us to not only embrace His words, but to boldly share them with others. I know that many rely on the pastor or other leaders to share the word. It is their responsibility, but that does not excuse you.

There are people that God has assigned to be in your life, to cross your path, or just to approach you. These are the people that you are responsible for. You are required to tell them that Jesus lived. You are responsible to tell them that He died. You are responsible to tell them that He longs to be in a relationship with them.

There is no time to put it off until next week. No time to gather your thoughts and decide what the appropriate thing is to say. If you miss the opportunity to share Jesus with them in the moment, they may never know Him. Not knowing Him will cost them their life.

Adayinthelife:-)

Look Up

Psalms 121:1 KJV

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.


I remember a time some years ago when me and a friend of mine used to race each other to see who would call first after bible study or church. We would sit on the phone for hours and give each other a review of the sermon, the singing, and all the ways God moved in the service. We always spoke in a way that was positive and uplifting.

When our conversation would end, I would write about the service or call and share what happened in both services with a friend. In those days evangelism was easy. We didn't meet a person who we wouldn't share the word with. In those days it was the norm to find both of us with guests in church services. We wanted them to share in the joy that we were experiencing.

About five years ago, the conversations changed. All of a sudden the choir was off key, the music was too loud, and the sermon was just ok. Things that hadn't bothered us before began to shape our conversations. We were united in our unhappiness and because we each had the other we made one happily miserable pair.

I say happily miserable because Satan certainly rejoiced at the fact that he had both of us tearing down our help. How could he not be happy with changing our testimony? How could he not be happy that we had lost sight of the big picture? We had compartmentalized worship into things that man could do to tickle our fancy.

As time marched on, there were glimpses of the way we were. We would read a passage of scripture, have some new revelation, or experience with God. But we continued to cheat ourselves of what had us so happy in the first place. We forgot simply to focus on God. When we were so happy in the beginning, we never focused on the delivery of the pastor or the melody of the song. We spent hours and hours focused on the word. The word God sent in the beginning is the same word that He spoke to Moses, to Noah, to David, and to her and I. It did not change and cause us to be unhappy. Our line of sight changed. Misery remains only until we remember to look up.

Adayinthelife:-)

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Tomorrow is not promised
So choose to love today

There is no time to sit and ponder
The words you have to say

I love you is not hard
In word, thought, or deed

Speak up, act, do it now
This is a word that you must heed

It is not like an empty promise
That comes packaged just the right way

No, this is a solemn vow
So hear me when I say

Take the time to seek God's face
And confess all your wrongs

Ask Him to forgive you
For hiding from Him for so long

Approach Him with a pure heart
Allow the Father to see

The bruised and broken parts of you
That are hidden just beneath

The surface does not matter
No time for words for show

Cry out to Him in earnest
Because if it's fake, He'll know

He'll spit you out in disgust
And then you'll cry and weep

About the time you missed out
On giving Him your soul to keep

You'll beg Him to reconsider
Making hell your home

But He will just remind you
That you ran from Him for so long

I'll get it right when I'm older
I'm too young to give up my partying ways

When I'm 30 or maybe 40
Yeah, that's when I'll get saved

By then I'll have it all out of my system
And I can find myself a good church

I'll be like my grandma and them old ladies
That make the third row their perch

I will tithe and give my offering
I'll have good money by then that I can pay

I heard the sermon about you were soon to come
But I thought I would be okay

This is what He will let you hear
Your very own words will pick you apart

There will be no tears in heaven
So the Father won't even let you start

He will sit you there to listen
To the words you used to say

And when it's all over
He will say choose ye this day

I hope you make the right choice
I sincerely do

For tomorrow is not promised
To me or to you.

Adayinthelife:-)

Every Prayer Counts

Adayinthelife:-)

A Child's Heart

Isaiah 54:13 KJV

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord ; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

This was one of the first prayers that I ever learned. I am not ashamed to say that I sometimes still say this prayer when I go to bed. To some it may seem simple. To me it is a reminder of a young girl who first learned to believe. Memories of a time when all I knew was to pray.

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my grandma and my great-grandma. I had nosebleeds quite often. Each time I had one, grandma would read to me from the bible and pray. If I was sad, great-grandma would tell me to pray. If I didn'tlike something, they both said pray. For every situation that presented itself in my young life, I was instructed to pray.

Sometimes when I asked too many questions my grandma would say "child I don't know". Instead of feeling defeated, I would talk to God. I figured if grandma didn't know surely God did. In those days my thoughts were overwhelming. I was only around 8 when it first started.The year that my grandma died was around the same time I started to wonder about everything. She was gone so I prayed.

"Will my cousin come to live with us? What do You think about my sister having a baby? Do drug dealers go to heaven? Will my friends and family fall in love with Jesus? Will my dad find time to see me? Why are there so many people living on the streets? Why can I see things in my dreams?"

These were the questions that guided many of my prayers. Some of these questions still make appearances on my prayer list now. I still lay in bed wondering about the things that shape the world and the things that shape my life. My curiosity still leads me to sometimes ask too many questions. This is why I still talk to God.

Adayinthelife:-)

UNCONQUERED

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 KJV

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Visitors to Florida State University's football stadium are greeted by an amazing statue of Chief Osceola and Renegade. The statue is beautiful all by itself, but what has always stood out for me was the word engraved across its base. UNCONQUERED

Unconquered means undefeated in battle or victorious. It's easy to understand why so many FSU fans love this statue. Our team, like the Seminole Indians the statue pays homage to, is unconquered. Many of our opponents would argue this and say "but we beat y'all last year ". I smile and reply, "that's right. But we are still unconquered. We are still victorious. We will see what happens when we play." As a fan, victory remains the focus regardless of the what happens during the game.

1st Quarter ~ FSU down by 10. Fan says "we might be down, but it's still early".
2nd Quarter ~ FSU down by 24. Fan says "they beat us up good this half, but I promise you we gone get it right".
3rd Quarter ~ FSU still down by 24. Fan says "I'm not worried. We got this."
4th Quarter ~ FSU loses 44-20. Fan says "Can't nobody beat us I don't care what the score say. We got y'all next year."

The game just ended in a loss, but Seminole fans still speak victory. Isn't it funny how the fan embraces what the Christian does not? Christians say "we are conquerors. No weapon formed against us shall prosper." But the minute we suffer a loss we walk with heads hung in defeat saying "Lord why have You forsaken me?" We forget how steadfast we are as football fans.

Christians live with conquerors on the tongue. But fans live life with unconquered firmly rooted in their spirit. They know that regardless of who comes up against the team (be it Gator, Hurricane, or Bull), the battle will not end until the result is victory. Along the way games might be lost, but the Seminoles will never surrender. The Seminoles are the only U.S. tribe to be unconquered. Christians, the Lord says SO ARE YOU. It's time to engrave unconquered in your spirit.

Adayinthelife:-)

Trouble Don't Last Always

Adayinthelife:-)

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Genesis 9:12-15 NIV

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

Somewhere in this great big world a rain cloud is forming. A little girl is sitting at her window upset that the rain has come to steal her fun away. Her mother runs from the car with a bag of groceries cursing because getting wet is just the latest thing to go wrong in a pretty crappy day. She overslept that morning, missed a meeting with her new boss, and now here comes the rain. It might not be so bad if her life wasn't in as much turmoil as the clouds that covered the sky in black and grey.

Her husband seemed to be uninterested in spending time with her, making love to her, even talking to her was the last thing he did with his day. Their daughter had been acting out for weeks and she was sure her long hours at work were to blame. But there was nothing she could do. Her job was on the line and the family has more debts than she can manage. Why she wondered, did God have to send the rain?

She hadn't thought about praying or talking to God in so long. There was so much going on, yet she didn't have a lot to say. Every night she would lie in bed wondering when the storm would pass. When would somewhere over the rainbow be more than a childhood song she used to sing? When would the sun shine on her life again?

This mother could be any one of us. She is so focused on the storm, the rain, the troubles in her life. A part of her remembers that she should talk to God, but she doesn't. She walks in the rain cursing it. But it was sent to restore. She stumbles through her life unwilling to place her relationship with her daughter over her quest to keep things. Her marriage is falling apart, yet she has not looked inward or upward. She has only looked outward at her husband to place blame. She has forgotten for better or for worse just as she discarded the reason for the rain.

God sends the storm and the rain to wash away what should not be, to restore what has wilted, and to remember the covenant He made. Besides, if you're looking forward to somewhere over the rainbow, you must remember you cannot have a rainbow without rain.

Adayinthelife:-)

A Chorus of Boos

1 Samuel 15:22-24 KJV
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord , he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord , and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."

When the Lord speaks, we have a choice to obey or not. His words are always direct and free from the snare of confusion. But we are like Saul. We fear the words and the wrath of people. The Lord says "go and sin no more". But your friend says "girl you can still drink and Jesus know you have needs. He didn't mean you couldn't get none". The fear of ridicule and rejection is so great that we sit down to drink, lay down with this man or that, and act like we are not openly in rebellion against God. We say I love the Lord. I'm not against Him while willfully breaking marriage covenants and destroying people with negative missiles from our uncontrolled tongues.

But this is not stubbornness right? This is just living the life. Hanging with friends and doing what we've always done. We only live once and we have to do all that we can....

The Lord has no interest in you maintaining what you've always done. He says humble yourselves. He says exalt others above yourselves. He says forgive and you shall be forgiven. His words are restorative and they bring peace. His words are a sweet string of melodies that our stubbornness allows to be drowned out by a chorus of boos. Challenge yourselves to obey God regardless of what people say. Challenge yourselves to submit to His will and not what it looks like everyone else is doing. Ultimately stubborn begins and ends with you.

Adayinthelife:-)

Are You Positioned For Success?

Luke 10:38-42 NIV
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This account is brief, but it gives such a powerful message. As you are positioning yourself for success, don't be so busy with things that you miss out on God. Martha's argument is one that surely many of us would make. I am preparing for Jesus and I need help. That sounds good, reasonable, and fair. I am confident that Martha said it with an air of self satisfaction. Look at ME Jesus, I'm working while she just sits.

Martha made the mistake that so many Christians make. We fail to see the value in someone else's position. Martha thought that being upright, moving about, and making preparations was the best position for success. From her viewpoint, Mary would gain nothing from sitting at the feet of Jesus. Clearly Martha was not familiar with the story of Ruth and how her elevation came only once she positioned herself at Boaz's feet. (Read the book of Ruth for this enlightening story.)

Martha was also guilty of having lost focus. She thought that success would be measured by whether or not the tasks that she'd set her mind upon would be pleasing to those in her presence. The true measure of success for Martha and for us all is whether or not we have opened our hearts to receive the gift of life from Jesus. Mary understood this and positioned herself accordingly. Ask yourself does my position mirror Mary's or Martha's?
Adayinthelife:-)

I Am Cory Monteith

I am Cory Monteith because I battle with addiction too.
Like many addicts I do a great job of hiding my addiction to food.

Many who see me look at me and would never know.
I hide it so well under the choice of my clothes.

Food isn't something that they would talk about me for if I died.
Food isn't drugs or alcohol, though both are things I've tried.

Food wouldn't cause people to post hateful things like its good that I'm gone.
Food, the thing that killed me, would flood my family's homes.

There would be chickens and hams, along with a mouth watering assortment of dessert treats.
My family would cry, laugh, and talk about how I loved to eat.

No one would talk about stints in rehab.
Since food is my addiction they wouldn't know the failures I've had.

My mother would be able to mourn me in peace.
Unlike the family of Cory Monteith.

We are all addicted to something be it drugs, food, alcohol, work even love
My hope is that Cory made peace with the man above.

I cannot ridicule or bash him because I've been honest with me.
My addiction to food could very well kill me.

Adayinthelife:-)

His Favor Is Free

"He loved me when I didn't know how to love my self."

We live in a time where we are taught to withhold our feelings until the other person shares theirs. Choose someone who loves you more than you love them is one of the things that is passed down from generation to generation. I always thought that last tidbit was crazy until I thought about how it should be applied. We can all choose someone who loves us more than we love them. All we have to do is choose Jesus.

Think about it. Each of us is searching or has searched for someone who would place us above all others. He/She would show us the type of love and attention that we only imagined. Each day would be a new day filled with promise and hope. Home would be some magnificent place that everyone looked at with envy. If this were not the case we wouldn't have sayings like keeping up with the Jones's. We certainly wouldn't have a generation of people consumed by so much debt. From hair weaves, to fancy cars, and breast implants, America is full of people desperately seeking favor.

But we are not looking in the right place. If we look to His word, we will find declaration after declaration of God's freely given favor.

Psalms 23:6 KJV -

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.


Jeremiah 29:11 KJV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.


Jeremiah 33:3 KJV

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.


Psalms 103:19 KJV

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.


These verses are only a small sample of God reaching out to us. He knows that we will cheat on Him with the love we have for our mate. He knows that we will push Him to the side for work or leisure or just because we've had a long day and need some me time. He knows it and still with open arms He says

Matthew 11:28 KJV

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.


His desire is to give you the type of favor that is not only free but can only be described as unfair.

Adayinthelife:-)

Pizza, Food For The Soul

It is no secret that pizza is my favorite food. I could live happily eating pizza every single day. Pizza is great homemade, store bought, and delivered. I have had pizza that I didn't prefer, but I've yet to encounter one that I won't eat. The thing that I love about pizza is that there are so many different varieties that even if I ate it everyday the meal wouldn't be the same. As a matter of fact, even if I ate a slice from the same pepperoni pizza everyday, it would still taste new. There would still be something in the ingredients that popped out. Consuming pizza is just that kind of experience for me. It remains the same, but is ever changing.

Well guess what, pizza is just like the word of God. I can live happily eating it everyday. The Word of God is great everywhere. You can consume it in the sanctuary, over the internet, and even via phone every Wednesday and Sunday night with Sunday Morning Breakfast :-). Regardless of where you are, the Word of God is one satisfying meal.

Like pizza, the Word also comes in many different varieties. There's King James (the pepperoni of bibles), the New International Version, and The Message to name a few. Each version, like the different books of the bible,  provides its own flavor to please different pallets.  If you are craving a Pizza Hut style pizza, try opening the King James version and feasting on Genesis or maybe Psalms. In the mood for Domino's? Sit down with Daniel or perhaps even Matthew. If you are in search of a jazzier flavor, dive into the Message and enjoy John or Acts. My point is if you treat the word of God like your favorite meal the one that you just can't live without your spirit will continuously be fed. The presentation may vary just like Papa John's, Domino's, or Pizza Hut. But the Word, the food for your soul, will always be the same.

Adayinthelife:-)

It's Alright To Walk Away

I had a conversation with one of my brothers last night. The conversation was refreshing and a little nostalgic all at once. While we were talking, I found myself wishing that we could bottle up the conversation and drink from its sweetness on another day. He reminded me of home in a way that only he could.

It was weird thinking of home in the way that we shaped it.We have both had individual journeys that have caused home to mean different things over the years. But, last night home was more than the boundaries of a physical location. Home was two people with hopes and dreams for a future that is not confined to the home of our youth. We were able to look back and appreciate why we've worked so hard to move forward. We were able to laugh and lament, pause and reflect on how our journey would have been different without God.

I have turned over in my mind one of the things that we talked about. It was the struggle to walk away from all that you've ever known. We both have taken steps to do that. We both have had different things springing up in the road like misplaced pillars determined to block our path. I wanted to tell him, it's alright to walk away. It's alright to go off and be a lawyer, professor, or whatsoever God places on your heart. It's alright to dream dreams and raise a family that steps outside of the box and breaks generational curses. It's alright to make new friends. Doing so does not erase the love you have for the old ones. I wanted to say all of these things, but for once I just enjoyed the moment.

Adayinthelife:-)

Fit To Serve

Have you ever found yourself in the center of an amazing workout? You are 30 minutes in, breathing at an increased pace, and sweating just enough to let you know you're working hard, but can still turn it up a notch. The soft thump of your heart begins to play a song that drowns out the song being played on your IPod. A momentary glance at your reflection in the mirror elicits a bright smile and you think "looking good girl. He's going to be so impressed." That thought causes you to work a little harder, ignore the rumble of your stomach, and the burn of your legs. This is your body, but keeping it tight for him is the single most powerful motivator. Until.... He no longer pays any attention to how you look or better yet he leaves. His departure signals the end of long hours at the gym, light dinners, and overall healthy meals. You notice that you've gained a couple of pounds, but do nothing to curb it. You once ate to live, but now you live to eat.

Fitness goals are made for so many different reasons. The scenario I just shared is only one. When I consider the Christian purpose, I wonder how being physically fit could ever take a backseat. God has called us all to serve and do all that we can to spread His word. Service includes being mindful of what goes in our bodies and being in good physical health. When I neglect my body by eating poorly or choosing to not exercise, I neglect the responsibility of service that God has placed in all of our hands. I jeopardize the life that God has set before me. I jeopardize my relationship with Him. I become one that has to lament about my health instead of being in a prayer circle crying out to God for the health of others. My careless treatment of my body causes the focus to be on me instead of on God. Ultimately, if I am not physically fit, then I am not fit to serve. Please take your time pondering that.

Adayinthelife:-)

I Am Not Ashamed

Hebrews 10:23 KJV
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

I am an empty vessel waiting to be
filled but so afraid to truly
be poured out
or poured over
my spirit wrestles daily with my flesh

I am a healed body 
completely whole now
but when the lights go out
There is still the glow from both scars and wounds

I am a Christian
Sold out
but I can't seem to get my soul out
from under the weight of my own rules

I am a fighter but right now
Right seems wrong to me 
And anyhow
no one can understand what I'm going through

I am afraid to be free
Wondering how could Jesus let me 
Walk around with his name as my badge when

I am stumbling
Can't stop
Walking upright then I drop
All the salvation it looked like I had..... But

I am scratching, clawing
kicking, screaming LORD HELP ME
I can't go back to where I began

I am a Christian
I am
And on His word I will stand
Lord don't let go of my hand
You are all that I've got... And

I am NOT ashamed
no I am not
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Like Bad Boy I can't stop
SpreadinYour Holy name....for
I AM NOT ASHAMED!

Adayinthelife:-)

Erase It

Forget about yesterday....

I had the opportunity to talk with a 7 year old today about what we should do with mistakes. He said to me "yesterday was bad and I didn't do nothing right". I asked him what made him think like that. He said "you remember I just kept making mistakes". The look on his face was sad like he wanted to cry about it. I said to him here's what we're going to do. We're going to forget about it. He said, "but how? You know I didn't do good." I looked around the room for some visual that could help me. My eyes landed on a whiteboard eraser. I told him we can't do anything about what went wrong yesterday so let's just erase it like it never happened. He sat up straight in his chair and began to smile. "Are you serious? We get to erase it?" Yes, I replied. We already have.

To see him smile after was priceless. At 7 he had already learned that mistakes stick with you. They follow you around and cause stress long after they have been committed. The thing is, and this is no deep revelation, they don't have to. No one is exempt from making a mistake. Things happen sometimes in an instant. At others, the offense is a tad bit more calculated. Either way, when mistakes happen we have to do two things. 1. Own that it happened. 2. Erase it from our existence. These two are both important, but I must wager that the second is more so because it is linked to forgiveness. It was evident to me that the little boy hadn't forgiven himself for what happened. He hadn't taken the time to throw his mistakes away. There is nothing gained by forgiving others and continuing to punish yourself when you make a mistake. Own it, erase it, and move forward with your day.

Adayinthelife:-)

I'm A Witness

Did you ever pause to think about how God connects people? This past week one thing after the other made me think about it. A classmate posted a message on Godly marriage that I was able to share with others. The way that it touched people left me just thanking Him for His foresight. God put her and I together and it seemed to be about school. Truly it is all about Him.

Today I witnessed just how intricate God's plans for us are. I woke up this morning and went to meet the neighbors of my friend Elaine. They are a husband and wife who are expecting their first child in the coming weeks. Elaine suggested Mr. Ian as one of the father's that the ministry would surprise with gifts. I wanted to introduce myself to them before the ministry team showed up with father's day gifts. Mr. Ian and his wife were just finishing breakfast, but they welcomed me into their home as if I was a long lost friend. At that time, I thought that Mr. Ian was a little tired because he looked down. I kept my stay brief and promised to return with the ministry team and gifts in tow.

When we arrived with the gifts, he and his wife went from sad faces to beaming with joy. The smiles just went on forever. Mr. Ian said "you don't know what this means to me. Yesterday I lost my father." Finally, I understood that he had not been just a little tired.  I offered my condolences as he continued to thank us for thinking of him especially at this time. He is mourning his father, but there was such joy on his face.

We left shortly after. I drove to Walmart lost in a totally different thought and then God reminded me that I had just been a part of His perfect plan. Before I fell in love and moved to Louisiana, God had Mr. Ian in mind. God knew the day that his father would be called. God knew that the ministry would reach out to father's on father's day. God knew that Elaine and I would meet, become classmates, neighbors, and finally friends. He placed the two of us together so that she could connect me with Mr. Ian and I could be a part of what put his mind back on God. The bible says blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Today God sent comfort to Mr. Ian. I am so thankful that He allowed me to be there to witness it.

Adayinthelife:-)

Herbie Man Is The Man

Honestly, it would be easier for me to write a book about what he means to me
Each page would be filled with words, but only a few would be able to
Read between the lines and see just how much my daddy loves me
Book one or maybe book two could be the one about how
I've always felt like he was the one who held each of my dreams
Each of my fears, each of my triumphs

More than an encourager, he listens when I am hurting
And laughs with me when the mood calls for it
No one in the world can love me like you do

Is how Ms. Anita Baker said it
She must have been singing about my dad

The early morning calls to start my day
Hours and hours on the job to make sure my life was ok
Each time I think of how he put his life on the line for

Me... Daddy, daddy, daddy it all
Amazes me.
No one in the world could love me like my daddy G-O-D!

***For those who don't know, Herbie man is my earthly father. I wanted to honor him and daddy God:-)*****

Adayinthelife:-)

4 Me

Sometimes I write and it is for other people. This is just for me. Just for me to think out some thoughts in poetic form.

The quietness that surrounds me
Would be greater if I heard the bird's song
If I heard the caterpillar's legs crawling across the leaves

The quietness would be better if it
Surrounded me like a blanket does on a cold morning

It would be better as a symphony
That provided the backing to an amazing movie

I love the way a movie score takes you through
Scene by scene...

Each song helps drive the story
I Still Believe is playing for me
Followed by the simplicity of Who Could Imagine a King?

Jamie Foxx is bringing tears to me
Singing I Wish You Were Here so sweetly

Agnes, Evora, Pop, and Ellease
Grandaddy "boy" sitting next to me

"I wish you were here
To see the things I've done
I wish you were here"

Adayinthelife:-)

Weeping May Endure For A Night....

2 Samuel 19:4 KJV
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

King David was no stranger to loss. He was a warrior that routinely went to battle. But, his familiarity with loss did not alter the sense of anguish he felt at the death of his son Absalom. He wept openly for him even though his son brought shame upon his house. He wept openly for him even though Absalom sought to take his life.

David behaved as most of us would have had we lost a child. He allowed everyone to see how the loss affected him. He gave himself completely over to weeping and mourning. He forgot about the circumstances that altered his relationship with Absalom and remembered how much he loved him. David's grief was effortless and genuine. 

It is interesting how easy it is to weep. I wish it were the same with joy. We say weeping may endure for a night as freely as amen. This piece of scripture has become a stamp of approval for public spectacles. Go ahead and cry, mourn, and persevere through the trial is the thought. Sit in front of everyone as David did and let it all out.

"BUT JOY" are the words we should focus on. If we are to learn anything from the scripture, we will do exactly what the word but does in a sentence. We will negate "weeping may endure for a night" from our go to vocabulary and focus all of our energy on "joy cometh in the morning". Joy cometh in the morning means every single day that you rise, you should do so with the expectation of joy. Joy should flow down through the cracks of every conversation, every gesture, and every smile. It should be so much a part of who you are that you forget those words that once preceded....BUT JOY!

***Additional reference - Psalms 30:5*****

Adayinthelife:-)