Straight to the point!

      For every success I've had, there's been 4 to 5 failures in my life, some of which are my fault. I am fully aware of the grace, mercy, and favor that God has placed upon me. I  know that God placed me where I am today. I also understand that I have a purpose in life and it may not be what I want, but it's what needs to be done and I embrace that. Anything in life that is worth it, is hard work. I am to break generational curses of broken marriages and broken homes. I am focused on being a great father. In a world where wrong is right and right is wrong, its easy to try to fit in. I do not like to fit in (Romans 12:2). In the end who are we really trying to impress? The only person we need to impress is Jesus.
K.K

So Thankful!

I thank God every day for all my blessings because when I listen to the stories of others, I can almost NEVER relate. I've had very few and not so serious traumatic experiences, but most of my life has been fun!

I have a wonderful family that I adore and recently God blessed me with the man that would make me the happiest for the rest of my life.

God blessed me with the independence to make a way for myself at a very young age.

God blessed me with the determination to make goals and achieve them.

God blessed me with the organizational skills to be successful in my endeavors.

God blessed me with the "gift of gab" to develop long lasting relationships.

And God blessed me with LOVE. It's all around me and it protects me from the perils of the world.

Amen!

J.S

Living for the Lord

About two years ago, I came to a point in my life where I just did not know what I was living for. I was unhappy, stressed out and full of worry. My brother began to spiral out of control and getting into trouble. He had people wanting to kill him and he was fighting all the time. Everyday was a waiting game; I always expected something to happen. I would be so scared and literally sick to my stomach with worry. I had no one I could turn to or tell my problems to. One day, I was watching a preacher on television and this preacher looked directly into the camera and asked, " How are you living?" It was within that moment that I looked at my life and cried. I cried out to God and asked for His help. I did not want to be depressed, live in fear or be worried anymore. From that moment on, I decided I would give my life back to Christ. I always believed in God but not like I do now. I believe and trust in Him for everything in my life. I no longer live in fear or worry because I have Christ and He fights my battles for me. Each day, I plea the blood over my brother’s life and leave him in God's hands. It is now that I know God has my back and He will never leave or forsake me. I love God. I want to obey and live for Him each and everyday. He holds my today and my tomorrow. When people see me, I want them to see His light shining. I want to live and serve Him in everything that I do and give Him all the glory and the praise.

IAJ

God's Love

Some years ago, I met an individual. When we started out, we were just friends, strictly platonic. As time moved on, we became close and eventually expressed our feelings for each other. We spent time together, knew each other’s families, and although we were young, we seemed to genuinely love each other. Sounds perfect right? Well not exactly...

After months into our “situation”, I started seeing a side of him that I didn’t like. He neglected me often, spent a lot of his time with other females, and began abusing me psychologically and emotionally. Some people seem to think that physical abuse is the worst kind of abuse because you can see physical scars, however, internal damage, damage that one cannot see with the naked eye, can be just as detrimental.

During the abuse, I prayed to God that he would change the guy’s heart and allow him to see that I was a good woman. I asked God to make him love and respect me in the ways that I truly loved and respected him. I tried to give the “situation” some time, hoping that things would change. I sought out advice from close friends and talked to God about it often, because I really believed in us and I thought he did too.

 I often blamed myself and continued to sacrifice and compromise during this time, even though the other individual refused to do the same for me. After a while, I started to believe that God was punishing me and that this was my fate. I couldn’t stop loving someone who couldn’t care less about me and it was pure torture. As the years went on, I continued accepting the hurt, pain and sorrow.  One day, when I was finally made aware of his infidelities, I was ready to end my life. I did not want to suffer anymore. I began feeling like I wasn’t good enough and that I didn’t deserve to live. I truly wanted to die because I felt as though death would free me and that I wouldn’t have to hurt anymore. I also began to feel as though everyone else around me thought of me in the same ways in which he did. I distrusted everyone, believing that they would hurt me just like he did. Finally, I had an emotional breakdown. I did, spoke, felt and thought in ways that I should not have. I was a shell of the woman that I used to be. I didn’t even know who I was anymore, but maybe that was a good thing...

God has a way of allowing certain situations to occur in our lives to bring us closer to Him (this is called the Permissible Will of God). Before this whole ordeal, I had a love for God but I did not have a relationship with Him. I believed that He existed, but my faith wavered.  I said I was a Christian, but did many things that were hypocritical to that notion. It took this “situation” and almost losing my life to make me realize that God is real. He wants the best for me, but He is not going to force me to follow Him. Until I allowed Him to take complete control of my life, I was Satan’s puppet.

He is also a wise God. He never gave me what I prayed for: to be in a relationship with that guy. Why? Because, God doesn’t make mistakes and He knew that this guy was no good for me and would never really love me. Why would God intentionally give me something that would cause me so much harm? I’m glad that He didn’t answer my prayers. I’m glad that those days are over. I may not be perfect now, but I have definitely come a long way from those dark, lonely and depressing nights.            

I now have a new vision on life. I am focused on strengthening my relationship with God and serving him wholeheartedly in any way that He wants me to.  The bible says that you cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24 and Luke 16:13) and from experience, I have learned that I cannot and will not serve man and God, so I made up my mind to serve God only. I am thankful to God for deliverance and I am also thankful that He has forgiven me. I was so caught up in one thing that I neglected God and it took for me to hit rock bottom to realize that I needed to change my life and give it all to God.                             

                  

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”  Isaiah 43:18 and 19.

Leave the past in the past. Don’t focus on where you came from; Concentrate on where you’re going. God will provide if you trust Him.                                                                                                      SC
         

Finding My Way

I want to first start by saying I grew up in the church. My life took an awful turn when my grandmother (the one who introduced me to God) passed. I didn't understand why God had taken her from me knowing the extent of my love for her. I suffered many years cursing God for everything that had taken place after that. At the age of 17 I met my first "real" boyfriend and felt God had blessed me despite my blasphemous attitude. Needless to say, I was in an abusive relationship, on the verge of death 3 times. I suffered deep depression at the hands of my family and boyfriend. All the while, I felt a pulling on my spirit a yearning for a familiar sense of peace. God had never left my side. He was the one carrying me all along. I am crying as I write this because His mercy is just so incomprehensible. I didn't understand why he continued to love me despite my unloving character. I wound up having a baby with that boyfriend which caused a drastic change in my attitude and life. I was so appreciative for the tribulations because God was molding me for my now husband. He is a God fearing man and a wonderful father. I can't explain the joy that I have now. I have a wonderful family who loves to serve God and prays together. I know there will be trials to come but God has grounded me in such a way that I know we will be able to endure the storms. That is why every chance that I get I lift God's name and proclaim his glory because it is He and He alone that is worthy to be praised. He knows all and sees all and He pruned me into a wonderful person to carry out His will and I trust Him wholeheartedly.
ERB

I Surrender All

My testimony is about how I decided to give my all to Christ.  

      A few years ago, I decided to live on my own because I thought I had all the answers to life's questions. I turned my back on my God and followed my own desires. For four years, I indulged in every earthly pleasure imaginable. While doing this, God kept begging me to turn my life around and come back to Him. He tried to show me that even though Satan was making things look like fun, I was really just hurting myself. I closed my ears to everything  God was trying to reveal to me and decided to continue with following the path that Satan had made so attractive to me. After a while, things didn't seem so great anymore and I started moving on a downward spiral. The things that Satan makes so attractive to you are really things that he has set to be your down fall.  And boy did I fall!!! You may not know this but sometimes, God lets us experience the pain that comes with falling flat on our face because after all His attempts to talk to us with our refusal to listen, pain is the only way that we will learn.  He does not want us to go through this and it hurts Him to see us in pain more than it hurts us, however, it is the only way that we will turn around and call on His name and started to depend on and serve HIM. 

    When I fell, and lost everything that I had (My girlfriend, car, apartment, job, bank account, etc), I thought that it would be better for me to die than to continue living. I felt that without those material things, my life had no purpose. I asked myself, "why am I on this earth?" I even thought of suicide, but thankfully, before I came to that conclusion, I decided to seek God first.  I prayed to God and said "If you give purpose to my life, I will do whatever it is that you want me to do and go wherever it is that you send me." Literally the next day, God gave me to tools to begin building the ministry that I now have (which gives great purpose to my life) and it is solely dedicated  to serving him. Now, here I am, two years later, still  honoring my commitment by going all over the country and talking to all who want to hear about whatever message it is that God has given to me.  I thank God for being faithful and merciful to me.

A.R

What If?

Whether it is the popular televangelist or the average church experience, God is commonly presented as the "Cosmic Santa Claus" Apparently if I need a bigger house, more money, even more money, or better health, God can solve it. While this is very true and there are those who have experienced this, there are also those that do not gain any of these things. 

Because these things are promoted so much, the danger is that one can become so discouraged and even lose faith in God's existence because their 'needs' are apparently not being met.

Does God want to give me good things? I believe that answer is yes. But there is something that He wants us to have far more than the other things. That thing is his own presence living in us.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. -John15:4-5

When we accept the merits of Christ, believing that his work of dying for our wrongs has granted us access to eternal life with God, He personally lives within us and guides us just as He did with his disciples on earth(John14:16-19) 

Yes God desires our good health and as a loving creator, it's logical that he wants us to be satisfied financially...

but what if these things do not happen?

What if your health does not get better though you pray constantly?

What if you seem to be persecuted more and more each day?

What if you never get the new house on the hill?

What if the dream husband/wife does not come?

Though God CAN do all these things and he does take care of the needs.(not always the wants) the question is "Will I forget God if these things are not met in my life"

Here is an example from one of my favorite Christian theologians, Paul.

 ...in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine owncountrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. - 2Corinthians11:23-30

Why did Paul glory in his weaknesses? The answer can be found in the next chapter.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2Corinthians12:7-9

He realized that though God can give him things, he would rather have his abiding presence and live in the "power of Christ"
On your journey in life, seek out who God is first rather than material things which you cannot even take with you out of this life. For Heaven is not just things, Heaven is the experience with a person.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." - Matthew6:25,33
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. - John14:1-3

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. - Psalm73:25-26


M.O

Right On Time

God seems to answer your prayers just as you feel like you're down to your last piece of deciding a move to make. I left a job of 3 years to seek other means of employment elsewhere where I could feel as if I belonged or there was opportunity for advancement. The following job I took only lasted me a month before I decided to move on to continue searching elsewhere. In the middle of searching I also considered moving back to NJ in my dads home to sorta start over fresh and work on starting over, and the job I wanted and applied for contacted me to provide me with an orientation but it ended up being phone tag which became discouraging.I decided to pray to God to assist me with deciding on whether to move to NJ or have one of the jobs I applied for contact me or even have my PT job contact me with available hours. Sure enough the job I wanted and currently holding contacted me the next day AND my PT job at the time contacted me to request I help out with hours. Soooo, in a nutshell, God may not always do the things that you may want of Him, but He surely is an on time God because He was just on time for me!

C.P

So When they Had Dined...

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” John 21:15

When I read this verse, I feel as if Jesus is speaking directly to me. I can hear His voice in my heart, “Monique, do you love me more than these?” As Jesus was speaking with Peter, “these” referred to the surrounding disciples. But for me, it means a multitude of things. The most important- my plans. My life was laid out perfectly….or so I thought. Words of wisdom: “Perfect” plans are imperfect if not planned by the perfect God. Everything I desired so dearly began to dim as I drew closer to God. Plans like vacationing every six months, having my junk food night every Friday, getting a better car, “just because” shopping sprees and the ultimate- “living up” the single life until God sent me my husband (who was sure to be here by age 25). All these things began to disappear as God began to reveal things to me about my character and showed me that I wasn’t as ready for heaven as I claimed to be. Just like Peter, I had been denying Christ. No, it was not verbal like Peter, but it was even more dangerous-it was by the choices that I made. I almost wish that it was verbal. You see, when you deny Christ verbally, at least you can hear yourself and you might just realize your sin. Look at Peter, “And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.” Mark 14:72. But when making lifestyle choices, the days go by, the weeks go by, the months go by and if those decisions are not chastened, they quickly become habits and it seems “right.” But there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12).

And so just like Peter, Christ reinstated me as one of His disciples, and He commissions me “Feed my lambs.” My life is no longer my own. It is in the hands of Christ and where He bids me I will follow. One way to test the sincerity of your relationship with Christ is identifying yourself with His plans. Christ’s purpose in coming to earth was to seek and save the lost. Are you united with Christ on this plan? Life is much more than yourself. If you truly have the love of Christ in your hearts, it will be a priority to seek and save the lost. This is my purpose now. To go out and seek the ones who have not experienced Christ or to bring back those who have fallen away. What good is my life if I have not led even one person to Christ? And on the other end, what good is it in leading “x” amount of people to Christ knowing that I could have led more? At times it gets weary, at times I feel like giving up, but it is in those times that Christ gives me His strength and encourages me to go on-for the race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure until the end. So, if I am asked to speak, if someone needs a prayer, if someone needs a sounding board, if someone needs s pounding board, if someone needs anything that will in turn lead them to the love of Christ, and I am able to give it….I give it.

So my commission to readers. If you have fallen away or never experienced Jesus, hearken to the voice of Christ that beckons you, “Lovest thou me more than these?” And if you are sure in your salvation, congratulations! I look forward to seeing you in heaven. But more importantly, I look forward to seeing who you brought with you…..hearken to the voice of Christ that bids, “Feed my lambs.”

M.S