​Our Scripture for today: “But as for me, the nearness of God is my Good; I have made the Lord God my refuge; that I may tell of all your works.” (Psalm 73:28)
How do you feel about your life today? Are you living every day with enthusiasm and excitement? Do you love what you’re doing? Are you motivated every single moment? Are you looking forward to what’s coming up next? Are you living your best life in Christ? If your answer to any of the above is a no, maybe or not sure, that means you’re not living your life to the fullest. Now, the million dollar question: Why settle for anything less than what God has ordained for you? You deserve nothing but the best!
 Over the past 15 years, I’ve been practicing living every day to the fullest; bursting with joy, passion and steadiness. My friend, it’s a marvelous and incredible experience that I want you to experience too. Here’s a list of 20 things God gave me to make my life more fulfilling and productive:
1.  Learned to live everyday on a fresh start. I made a decision to not be held back by what happened yesterday, the day before, the week before, the year before, and so on.
2.  Learned to be true to who I was. I stopped trying to please other people or be someone else. I realized it’s better to be an original version of myself than an exact duplicate of someone else.
3.  Quit complaining. I stopped whining about my problems and started working on them instead.
4.  Started being proactive.  I Stopped waiting for others around me to do something and took action myself instead.
5.  Started focusing on what vs. how.  I began focusing on WHAT God wanted first, before I thought about HOW to do it. Anything is possible, as long as you set your mind, heart and soul to it.
6.  Started to create my own opportunities. I realized I couldn’t sit around and wait for opportunities to drop in my life. I had to come into alignment with God’s plan, then get out there and create my own opportunities. Doing so is much more empowering.
7.  Made a decision to be committed to my growth. I developed a discipline prayer life. I study the Word consistently. And I spend lots of time learning from my spiritual mentors.
8. After discovering my calling, I made a decision to live in alignment with purpose.
9. I began to hold myself to the highest standard. Every one of us has our own set of ethics, principles and moral codes that we live true to. I totally submit to the word of God and I allow the Holy Spirit to police all my activities.
10. I stopped putting my life on hold. Are you putting any part of your life on hold?  What is one area of your life you have been putting off/avoiding/ denying?  I suggest you uncover it and start working on it.
11. I stopped doing things for the sake of doing them. I started evaluating what I was doing, and now I only do it if there is meaning behind them. I stopped being afraid to quit the things that didn’t serve God’s purpose for my life.
12. I started doing some of the things I love. I realized life is too precious to spend it doing anything else. I devote my time and energy on things that brings glory and honor to God; in turn I have found total fulfillment and happiness.
13. I learn from criticism. I learned to be open to criticism but not be affected by it. I had to accept that criticism is meant to help me be a better person.
14. I had to practice being positive.  I was taking an enrichment course and the facilitator asked, “Is this glass half empty or half full?” He said, “How about neither?  “Actually it’s all full.” Then he explained that the bottom half is water, the top half is air. It’s all a matter of perception. Take on empowering perceptions, not those that bind you. If you can see the positive sides of everything, you’ll be able to live a much richer life than others.  Purge unnecessary negativity from your life.”
15. I had to LET GO of my unhappy past. That meant past grievances, heartbreaks, sadness, disappointment, etc. 
16. I had to forgive those who may have done me wrong in the past. Lewis B. Smedes said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize it was you.”
17. I had to let go of attachments. I had to tell myself, “Don’t fixate yourself with a certain status, fame, wealth or material possessions.”   You see, these are temporary and will ultimately disappear. Focus on growing in God and living your ordained life to the fullest instead.
18. One of the hardest was letting go of relationships that did not serve God’s purpose for my life. That meant negative people, dishonest people, people who didn’t respect me, people who were overly critical and relationships that prevented me from growing.
19. I began to spend more time with people who empowered me. I started hanging out with people who I am compatible with, like-minded people, people who are positive, successful, strong achievers and positive for my growth. According to research, you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.  
20. I review my life. I set aside time every week to assess how I’m doing with my goals and my life. I review my purpose once every 3-6 months so I’ll know I’m on the right path.
I hope this morning’s letter helps you get on track to living a healthy, godly, fulfilled life!
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, help me to seek you daily on how to walk out Your plan for my life. Also help me to never grow content in my longing for You. In Jesus name I pray, amen!”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Live life to the fullest because you only get to live it once!”

​Our Scripture for today: “The Lord is your keeper.” (Psalm 121:5a)
For some odd reason, during my prayer time, I became so focused on my language. I’m always careful how I talk to others around me. I want to make sure that my conversation never comes across as arrogant or super spiritual. I need my conversations to be seasoned with grace and reflect godly humility. But, when it comes to talking with The Father I usually let it all hang out; the gripes, the hurts, the betrayals, etc. Strangely, thismorning, I found myself immersed in a cautious conversation with the Lord. It was as if EVERY word I spoke had meaning and consequence. It wasn’t like God was waiting for me to finish my prayer and then address it as a whole; it was a spotlight on every word.
Do you know our language influences thought and action? The words we use to describe things—to ourselves and others—affect how we and they think and act. Well, be assured, our language matters in our prayer time too! You see, there is more to our language than strict grammar and spelling. There is a real power to it. Our language dances with our imaginations. It creates an incredible range of emotions and feelings, which quite often make the difference between us loving our lives and sabotaging it. Think about this for a moment: What was the most beautiful thing someone has ever said to you? Take a second and revisit that experience… What do you see? How do you feel? It could have been just one sentence, one single sentence that changed you for a moment, or maybe even a lifetime.
Listen, the words we speak to other people and the thoughts we hear in our minds, add up and create our personal stories. Those stories eventually shape and create our realities. Words to stories…..stories to realities. My friend, this is the power of language. Would you believe that the words you use actually determine whether you succeed or not? Language shapes how we experience the world. Sometimes take a few minutes and just listen to the conversations around you. Count how often you hear the following words: but, want, should, hope, try. I did this experiment in a workshop I attended and got startling results. It wasn’t just the frequency at which these words came up, it was the context of the words created and the mindset that they put me in that literally determined whether I took any action—and what action I took. 
Here are five of the actual phrases I find myself using throughout my day; and how the Word of God helps me to retract counter-productive statements:
1. I would love to BUT ________ Read Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
2. I WANT to ___________ Read Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
3. I SHOULD __________ Read Proverbs 17:27, “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”
4. I HOPE __________ Read Proverbs 17:28, “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.”
5. I’ll TRY to _________Read Proverbs 18:20, “From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.”
Notice that every one of these phrases is passive. These statements are self-defeating. They take the accountability out of my hands and fling it into the stratosphere. Also, notice that these are all potential actions that go undone and hence, have no positive impact on the success of my dreams or ministry.
For example: Replace “want” with “am.” “Want” tends to be a passive word. Wanting doesn’t make anything happen. Consider using a verb. Instead of saying, “I want to,” you can say, “I am.” Simply changing “want” to “am” puts you more in control of the outcome. Replace “try” with “will.” The word “try” is another weak and slippery word. To say that you will “try to” gets you off the hook. Saying “I will” leaves no wiggle room about what is going to happen or who is going to make it happen. Replace “should” with “will.” Just like “try,” “should” is a weasel word and is best refuted with a strong action word like “will.”  Replace “hope” with “intend.” Hope can go either way.  Hope without action will leave you empty handed. Instead of hoping things fall into place, intend for things to fall into place!
Over the years I’ve learned the words we use can change our outlook and perspective on a situation. When we use words that are passive and weak, we will perceive our situations more negatively. When we use active, powerful and dynamic words, we will perceive ourselves as more powerful over our situations. I challenge you to simply stop yourself if you’ve made a weak statement and restate your thoughts using more powerful language. When you do, you’ll find that your whole perspective and demeanor will change.
Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have provided Your Word to meditate on that I may prosper and succeed in all I do.  When I don’t know what to say, please send Your word to bring light and understanding.  Lord, instruct and guide my speech according to Your Word, and let me not turn aside to the left or to the right. In Jesus mighty name I pray, amen!”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Words are free; it’s how you use them that are costly!”
FYI: Don’t mix your words with your mood, you can change your mood, but you can’t take back your words!

One of the most liberating revelations I received from the Lord was when He made it clear that He does not look upon trouble as we do. Where we see stress He sees opportunities. Where we see crisis, He sees growth and betterment. God's purpose in times of crisis and trouble is to teach us precious lessons. They are intended to educate, and build us up. And when we learn from them and ride out these storms of life, we will see the great promise fulfilled. We need to see the joy and opportunities through times of problems. Because we will learn that there is a sweet and wonderful joy we can have here too. We do not have to wait until Heaven. We can learn to make our life joy filled by seizing the crisis and growing from it; and becoming the person that we are capable of being for our benefit and His glory. So when God tests us, or bad stuff happens, we need to see it as a time to learn and to trust Him by changing what is wrong while putting His promises in our hearts and feet. And when it is over we can look back and see that our trials have been necessary. We are better, He is glorified!
 I do not like going through trials, for many years I would try my hardest to get out of a trial. And then be thankful that it was over. But they kept happening and happening, so I had to rethink my strategy from my purpose to what has revealed in His Word. And that is to recognize the crisis as a challenge from God to learn valuable lessons to make me grow in maturity and strength. And then I was receiving a better blessing than I ever had before. As stated in 1 Chron. 4:9-10, as the ministry He entrusted me with grew and grew. I can praise His name in deep suffering and delight in the blessings. And when those storms of trials and crisis come, I'm prepared, because I now see them as opportunities to gain more strength and maturity, and even obtaining a larger measure of Divine grace. Thus our adversity can and will become our tools to grow and learn to be our best for His highest. So things that are seemingly against us, He will turn around in His time and way. We have to get out of His way and allow Christ to work. And this is how we become more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
To be a content Christian and happy with life, I learned we need to see life as a series of problem solving and learning opportunities. Because the problems we face will either overwhelm and overpower us or grow and develop us. Thus, the path of joy is determined by how we respond to them. Unfortunately, most people (including Christians) will fail to see God's hand in their life. Choosing instead to focus on their problem and allowing it to take over their lives. I believe wholeheartedly God wants to use our problems for good, to make us better and stronger for our personal development and in turn for us to be able to help others in their lives. Unexpected crises are a part of life, they are like storms. At this very moment you are in one of three storm categories; either you just came out of a one, or you are in one right now, or you are headed into one. Such as it is with crises, they cannot be escaped, even if you hide in the storm shelter it is still there pounding away! Thus we need to learn how to prepare and ride them out.
As with crises, we must learn to prepare and ride them out by learning and maturing from them. Sometimes God needs to slap us in the face to wake us up. Without such wakeup calls we will blindly fall onto the wrong path that leads to greater disappointment and ruin. We will not see it coming, because our will is in the way of His. But know this, God is there leading and protecting us, even when we do not see Him! And be warned if your will is in the way of His, He will light a fire under you to get you moving! Problems will point us in a right direction if we surrender our will over to His. His love is there to motivate us and change us into the best path and plan, much better than we could ever come up with! Whoa……. Is God trying to get your attention?
 Problems are the main ingredients for us to build character. The key to these building materials is that they need to be used in the right way to be able to fit and function correctly. And that right way is how we respond and learn. God is far more interested in our character than our comfort.  The only two things we will take into eternity, is relationships and character. Romans 5:3-4 says, "We can rejoice when we run into problems ...they help us learn to be patient and patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady." God has big plans for us, if we are willing to submit to His rule in our lives—if we come to understand the purpose for problems, and grow through God's own correction and pruning, asking Him to empower us through His Holy Spirit. We will stumble and suffer in life. We will have problems, as long as we are in the flesh. But God tells us to face our trials and difficulties positively. In the end, it is not the setbacks that He is most concerned about. It is how well we bounce back!
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, strengthen me with the power of Your Spirit that my attitude and outlook may develop, and my way of looking may become more like yours. Teach me how to transform the difficulties that come my way into opportunities for personal growth and service to others. In Jesus’ Name Amen!”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently!”

Do you ever feel your life is out of control—out of balance? As a child of God, we must take time from our busyness to set our priorities in order. I had to learn life is a gift and should be lived well. Of course, we all have emergencies where we burn the candle at both ends, but this should not be the norm or soon there will be no candle left to burn ha ha! That candle is the spirit within us that inspires us and propels us into forward motion. The darkness refers to our confusion, hesitation, frustration, or anything that would put out the light within us, as life has been known to do. Finding balance in life applies to all age groups, as the principles remain the same. It is essential to keep the most important things on the top of the list and to allow proper time for these things so one does not burn out, become frazzled.
Have you ever felt that events in your life were dizzily spinning out of control, causing you to “lose your balance”? To speak of balance means to be poised, have stability, and a steadiness. Related words are moderation and temperate. Moderation is to be reasonable, sensible, Judicious and temperate. Moderation is closely associated with the word temperate. Temperate means: pleasant (not angry), calm (not upset), self-controlled (governing our appetites, time, thoughts, etc.), controlled (not out of control), peaceable (living within the boundaries of God’s laws), and composed (not frantic). In I Corinthians 9:25 Paul compares temperance to a race. He says, “Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” Verses 26 and 27 speak of the discipline required. “I therefore run, not as uncertainty; so I fight, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.”
Temperance is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Fruit means there is growth. We may not have it right now, but we can grow it in Jesus’ name. We can become that person we desire to be. The apostle Peter gives instructions in 2 Peter 1:5 to help us in this endeavor. He says it is a process of addition. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.” He continues that to knowledge we should add temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; to brotherly kindness, charity. He sums it up with this promise in II Peter 1:10: “Wherefore, the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” I personally believe this Scripture indicates that we did not initially have these things, but we are going to add to what we do have……..which is faith.
Finding balance is about finding order, planning well, and then executing the plan. And, yes, even handling emergencies that occur frequently. A balanced person has a plan and knows where they’re going. They do not just beat the air but works faithfully each day at keeping their priorities. Our priorities should include God being first, and then prioritizing family, time for self, others, responsibilities, jobs, etc. They plan their work; then they work their plan! The most obvious is; a constant relationship with Jesus Christ is essential for any person to be balanced. As our first priority, this colors everything else we do. We should find time each day to spend moments in prayer with the One who calms spirits, who heals broken hearts, who gives inspiration, direction, and strength for the tasks that await us. Praise God! Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteous, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Each of us has the same amount of time. It is how we spend our time that makes the difference. We need to be good stewards of our time. Everymorning after prayer I take a moment to write down what I feel is the highest priorities in my life for the day; then I seek God on how to fulfill each item on my list. You see, stress is a part of each of our lives. It is very real. If you’ll notice, stress has a familiar pattern: worry, strain, and nervous tension accompanied with a frenzy of rush and hurry. It is a feeling of having too much to do, too many problems, feeling driven and distraught. Stress causes us to become mentally and emotionally upset. We are out of balance! Handling stress is finding balance in our life. Guess what? Jesus gave the secret over two thousand years ago in Matthew 6:25-26, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” I believe the Lord is saying, “Don’t worry or be full of anxiety. RELAX! Let Me help you with the unknown and with the cares of life.”
 Listen, people can be demanding of us. Schedules become jammed, tension becomes the norm, and we take on too much with too little time to do it. Many of us are “givers.” We give and give, even when our strength is depleted and we feel drained. We just keep saying, “Yes, I’ll do it,” all the while our spirit is crying out for some rest. How do we say no? It is very simple. JUST SAY NO! CHOOSE this day to seek God first, and I promise He will help you as you listen quietly to the great plans He has for your life. He will teach you how to balance all things well!
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, help me each day to have balance in my life. When I allow life’s activities, stresses, and worries to get me off balance, may I hear Your gentle voice reminding me of what is most important. Let me never forget that my relationship with You is my first priority. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!”
One Simple Nugget: “Focus on being productive instead of busy!”
 

​Have you ever felt forgotten by God? You prayed, but God didn’t answer. You read the Bible, but it didn’t speak to you. The trials in your life made you think that God went on vacation and forgot about you and your problems. Maybe you’re there right now. You need assurance that God hasn’t forgotten you. Well, thankfully, God never abandons His children! I was scanning the Scriptures and Noah came to mind. Noah may have felt like that after being on the ark for a while. The whole world had been destroyed by the flood. The rain had beat down in fast-moving water upon that lonely ark for 40 days and nights. Finally, the rain stopped and I imagined the only sound was that of the water sloshing against the sides of the ark. Noah probably expected to hear from the Lord about then. But if God spoke to Noah, the Bible doesn’t report it. When God finally speaks to Noah again, telling him to come off the ark it was in Genesis 8:15, the impression I get is that He hadn’t spoken since the last time recorded in the text, over a year before, when He told Noah to get on board in 7:1.
Check out this powerful opening in Genesis 8:1: “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark.” Wow…….soooooo powerful!!!! Not just Noah, but the animals! It reminds me of Jesus’ words that the Heavenly Father’s eyes are on each sparrow, so you know that He cares for you. And while the Lord remembered Noah, we see Noah waiting patiently and obediently in the ark until God tells him to go out. Then Noah offered a sacrifice to the Lord. So the two themes of Genesis 8 are that God remembers Noah and Noah remembers God. This statement is heavy and important so let me break it down for you. When the text says, “God remembered Noah,” it does not imply that somehow He got busy with other things and Noah slipped from His mind for a while. Rather, in the Bible the word is used often of God in the sense of God taking action on His promises. When God was about to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:29, He “remembered Abraham” and spared Lot on his behalf. When Rachel wanted to bear children, but could not, we read in Genesis 30:22 that “God remembered Rachel” and she conceived. When Israel was in bondage in Egypt, we read in Exodus 2:24 that “God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” In every case, notice the idea is the same: God remembers in the sense of taking action on His promises!
Often when God is silent in our lives, it’s because He wants to bring us into a situation where He makes ALL THINGS NEW.  Sometimes He has to destroy the old before He can remake the new. But we can count on His faithfulness during the silence, knowing that He has saved us in the past, He has promised to preserve us in the future, and He is providing for us in the present. Hallelujah! Praise God! The hardest lesson for me to learn was; God shapes us by making us learn to wait on Him. After a year in a crowded, dark, smelly ark, Noah must have had a bad case of cabin fever ha ha. But we find him patiently and obediently waiting for the Lord to give the word. Notice, God didn’t dry up the water instantly, but used the wind and other natural processes. It took time. My friend, that’s usually how God works!
Follow the pattern between God and Noah. Finally Noah sent out a raven. Ravens will alight on anything, no matter how foul. Perhaps it landed on carcasses floating on the water, and fed off them, but it never returned to the ark. Next Noah released the dove. Doves want a clean, dry place to land. Not finding such a place, the dove returned. Noah kept waiting. Seven days later, he tried again. This time the dove returned with an olive leaf. Noah waited seven more days. This time the dove did not return. Still Noah waited. In the 601st year of his life, on the first day of the first month, the water was dried up (8:13). Still Noah waited. Finally, on the 27th day of the second month, God told Noah to disembark (8:14-16). Only then did Noah leave the ark. God had shut Noah in; God must bring Noah out by His command. Noah kept waiting on God even when God was apparently silent. Obedience during the silent times is the best guarantee that you’ll obey God in those critical moments which determine the course of your life. If God has shut you in to some difficulty, PLEASE wait patiently and obediently upon Him to bring you out in His way and time.
I am literally shedding tears as I close this letter because of what I see in this story. Noah got off the ark and offered a sacrifice to the Lord. You see,Noah’s sacrifice showed that he still must approach God through shed blood. Noah wasn’t presuming on some new privileged relationship with God since he had survived the flood. He still knew himself to be a sinner, and he offered sacrifices as the only way he could approach a Holy God. Noah’s sacrifice also was an expression of gratitude for God’s salvation. Noah knew his own heart. There was no reason God should have spared him, but He did. And so Noah expressed his thankfulness with this sacrifice. WE must also guard against thankless hearts by regularly setting aside time in our busy schedules to remember the Lord and the great salvation He has granted us. Since God in faithfulness has remembered us, we by faith must remember Him!
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, I ask for courage and strength to stand in difficult times. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit that I might resist any temptations in the ordinary circumstances of my daily life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”
 
One Simple Nugget:  “Patience is passion tamed!”

​Our Scripture for today: “He is on the path of life who heeds instructions, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.” (Proverbs 10:17)
Do you know that Life is a sequence of problem-solving opportunities? The complications we face will either defeat us or advance us - contingent on how we respond to them. Unfortunately, most of us miss the mark when it comes to seeing how God wants to use problems for good in our lives. We react irrationally and resent our problems rather than pausing to think through what benefit they might bring. God use problems to navigate us.Sometimes God must light a fire under us to get us moving. Think about it, problems often puts us on a new course and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways. Proverbs 20:30 validates this: “Stripes that wound scour away evil, and strokes reach the innermost parts.”
God also uses problems to inspect us. I read somewhere that, “People are like teabags if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water!”  That’s funny…but true! Has God ever tried your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? James 1:2-3 tells us, “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.” We all can agree that God uses problems to correct us. Let’s be honest, some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. I remember my mama telling me not to climb trees while wearing a dress. Well, I didn’t see a problem with it! Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that if you are high up in a tree with a dress on, EVERYBODY can see your unmentionable ha ha. Yes, it was after that embarrassing moment I gained the name “Granny Panty Annie.” You better believe I found a new hobby after that humiliating escapade.
 Psalm 119:71 says, ‘It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statues.” God uses problems to protect us. A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents us from being harmed by something more serious. I remember someone telling me about a friend who was fired for refusing to do something unethical that her boss asked her to do. Her unemployment was a problem - but it saved her from being convicted and sent to prison when her boss actions were uncovered. Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” God uses problems to perfect us.  Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in our character than our comfort.  Our relationship to God and our character are the only two things we’re going to take with us into eternity. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We can rejoice when we run into problems they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”
 My friend, God is at work in our lives - even when we do not recognize it or understand it. But it's much easier and profitable when we cooperate with Him! Listen, if we can discover meaning in even the most ugly and painful of our circumstances, we can fortify ourselves with purpose to go on living. Peter said Christians should expect tough pressures and problems in life. The purpose, he wrote, is for the “proof” (purification) of our Christian Faith. Peter illustrates by the picture of gold being purified by fire. The idea, then, is that when Christians collide with problems, figure your way through, look to and trust God as you wade through to the other side of victory, and your faith in a loving heavenly Father will be extremely stronger.  Even though present problems hurt, God still loves us, and wants a closer, trusting relationship with us. The ultimate end is a better understanding, contentment, meaning, and coping strategies in this life.
 Just be assured, God has not abandoned us, but is teaching us. Another powerful principle is patience. Staying power….endurance!! It is easy to give up when things begin to fall apart. Please Don’t! Anyone can give up. But, the winners in life keep going. After all, when Deontae Wilder gets hit, he doesn’t stop in the ring and start crying! Nope! He keeps going, and hits back even harder. Now, sometimes we may need to step back awhile, rest, recuperate, then get up and back into the struggle of life. We may need to make adjustments. Setbacks happen. Plans and hopes can be wiped out like a landslide crushing everything in its path. We stop and reassess our situation.  Measure how our faith has grown. Figure out a way around our obstacles, and lay down fresh plans based on our new situation, resources, opportunities, and what we have learned from God. Remember, anybody can quit. But, we are not just anybody. Christians are somebody.  We are a child of God, and the object of His loving grace. We are not defeated. Hallelujah! Praise God! 
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that many of my issues are beyond my ability to control, but nothing is impossible for You. Lord, help me to view every problem, obstacle or setback as an opportunity to strengthen my trust in You and to grow in righteousness. I know as I stay in Your presence and focus on Your greatness my troubles will shrink to proper proportion. In Jesus name I pray amen!”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” Robert Schuller
FYI: Refuse to live backwards, see every day as a new chapter!

How do you see yourself? Pause for a moment and think about it. What thoughts have you had about yourself today? In a perfect world what would you love to be, have, or do? What is your soul aching for? Do you remember the last time you had fun in your life? Do you remember when things felt easy and in the flow? What has helped you find yourself when you were feeling lost? I know the answer to these questions may be hard to put into words; but I ask them because so many of us find ourselves basing our self-worth on how others see us and on our accomplishments, feeling shame from our past, defining our value based on our looks, or setting unrealistic standards for ourselves.
In this morning’s letter I want to challenge you.  Give yourself some time and space to get away from the expectations, the conversations, the noise, the media, and the pressure. Take some time each day to go before the Lord and listen for His voice. Every person needs time alone, whether they're introverted or extroverted, single or in a relationship, young or old. Privacy is time for rejuvenation and God-talk, for utter peace and for realizing that purposeful "loneliness" is not a bad place to be but rather a liberating part of your overall existence.
 It's very important to forget about what everyone else thinks because you cannot please everyone. And while you might not want to disappoint the people close to you, they should want you to be happy. As long as you continue to exist just to fulfill other people's ideas of who you should be you'll never know who you really are. A quote by Raymond Hull: "He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away."  It’s ok to ask, “Who am I?" This question is not static. It should be one you continue to ask yourself throughout your life. A healthy person continues to reinvent themselves throughout their life. By asking this question regularly, it updates your understanding of who you are and how you change.
 Instead of answering who you think you ought to be, keep it focused on who you actually are, because in all likelihood that's a very good answer! Even though I practice this religiously, finding yourself is a journey, not a destination. A lot of it is trial and error; but that's the price you pay in return for the satisfaction you receive: More often than not, you hit a bump in the road, and sometimes you fall flat on your face. Be prepared to understand and accept that this is a part of the process, and commit to getting right back up and starting over. It’s not going to be easy — it never has been for anybody — but if you learn to see that as a chance to prove how much you want to find yourself, then you'll find fulfillment and security in your pursuit.  I have discovered when you know who you are; most people will respect you more and treat you better.
In order to be the most valuable person to the world around us, we have to first know who we are, what we value and, in effect, what we have to offer. This personal journey is one every individual will benefit from taking. It is a process that involves breaking down – shedding layers that do not serve us in our lives and don’t reflect who we really are. Yet, it also involves a tremendous act of building up – recognizing who we want to be and passionately going about fulfilling our unique destiny – whatever that may be. It’s a matter of recognizing our personal power, yet being open and vulnerable to our experiences. It isn’t something to fear or avoid, criticizing ourselves along the way, but rather something to seek out with the curiosity and compassion we would have toward a fascinating new friend.
In order to uncover who we are and why we act the way we do, we have to know our own story. Being brave and willing to explore our past is an important stepping stone on the road to understanding ourselves and becoming who we want to be. My research has shown that it isn’t just the things that happened to us that define who we become, but how much we’ve made sense of what’s happened to us. Unresolved traumas from our history inform the ways we act today. Painful early life experiences often determine how we define and defend ourselves. In short, they bend us out of shape, influencing our behavior in ways in which we are hardly aware. We should always be willing to look at the source of our most self-limiting or self-destructive tendencies. When we try to cover up or hide from our past experiences, we can feel lost and like we don’t really know ourselves. I know I’ve said a lot already, but you must understand unequivocally that TRUE identity is found in Jesus Christ. It is rooted in His freedom-giving mercy. Our TRUE identity is that of a child of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Our spiritual inheritance is one of forgiveness, an intimate relationship with Jesus, and hope of spending all eternity enjoying fellowship with God. It is this truth that gives us unconditional love, intimacy, security and hope. And it is not based on our identity, but on what God has already accomplished at the cross. We need to take our lives back from trying to live up to these distorted beliefs and line our thinking up with the way God views us. Remember, God created us, and He can give us profound insight into ourselves.
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, thank you for the truth of Your word in Psalm 139. Help me to embrace your prearranged destiny for my life.  In the name of Jesus, Amen”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Be yourself. Nobody is better qualified!”

​How do you see yourself? Pause for a moment and think about it. What thoughts have you had about yourself today? In a perfect world what would you love to be, have, or do? What is your soul aching for? Do you remember the last time you had fun in your life? Do you remember when things felt easy and in the flow? What has helped you find yourself when you were feeling lost? I know the answer to these questions may be hard to put into words; but I ask them because so many of us find ourselves basing our self-worth on how others see us and on our accomplishments, feeling shame from our past, defining our value based on our looks, or setting unrealistic standards for ourselves.
In this morning’s letter I want to challenge you.  Give yourself some time and space to get away from the expectations, the conversations, the noise, the media, and the pressure. Take some time each day to go before the Lord and listen for His voice. Every person needs time alone, whether they're introverted or extroverted, single or in a relationship, young or old. Privacy is time for rejuvenation and God-talk, for utter peace and for realizing that purposeful "loneliness" is not a bad place to be but rather a liberating part of your overall existence.
 It's very important to forget about what everyone else thinks because you cannot please everyone. And while you might not want to disappoint the people close to you, they should want you to be happy. As long as you continue to exist just to fulfill other people's ideas of who you should be you'll never know who you really are. A quote by Raymond Hull: "He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away."  It’s ok to ask, “Who am I?" This question is not static. It should be one you continue to ask yourself throughout your life. A healthy person continues to reinvent themselves throughout their life. By asking this question regularly, it updates your understanding of who you are and how you change.
 Instead of answering who you think you ought to be, keep it focused on who you actually are, because in all likelihood that's a very good answer! Even though I practice this religiously, finding yourself is a journey, not a destination. A lot of it is trial and error; but that's the price you pay in return for the satisfaction you receive: More often than not, you hit a bump in the road, and sometimes you fall flat on your face. Be prepared to understand and accept that this is a part of the process, and commit to getting right back up and starting over. It’s not going to be easy — it never has been for anybody — but if you learn to see that as a chance to prove how much you want to find yourself, then you'll find fulfillment and security in your pursuit.  I have discovered when you know who you are; most people will respect you more and treat you better.
In order to be the most valuable person to the world around us, we have to first know who we are, what we value and, in effect, what we have to offer. This personal journey is one every individual will benefit from taking. It is a process that involves breaking down – shedding layers that do not serve us in our lives and don’t reflect who we really are. Yet, it also involves a tremendous act of building up – recognizing who we want to be and passionately going about fulfilling our unique destiny – whatever that may be. It’s a matter of recognizing our personal power, yet being open and vulnerable to our experiences. It isn’t something to fear or avoid, criticizing ourselves along the way, but rather something to seek out with the curiosity and compassion we would have toward a fascinating new friend.
In order to uncover who we are and why we act the way we do, we have to know our own story. Being brave and willing to explore our past is an important stepping stone on the road to understanding ourselves and becoming who we want to be. My research has shown that it isn’t just the things that happened to us that define who we become, but how much we’ve made sense of what’s happened to us. Unresolved traumas from our history inform the ways we act today. Painful early life experiences often determine how we define and defend ourselves. In short, they bend us out of shape, influencing our behavior in ways in which we are hardly aware. We should always be willing to look at the source of our most self-limiting or self-destructive tendencies. When we try to cover up or hide from our past experiences, we can feel lost and like we don’t really know ourselves. I know I’ve said a lot already, but you must understand unequivocally that TRUE identity is found in Jesus Christ. It is rooted in His freedom-giving mercy. Our TRUE identity is that of a child of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Our spiritual inheritance is one of forgiveness, an intimate relationship with Jesus, and hope of spending all eternity enjoying fellowship with God. It is this truth that gives us unconditional love, intimacy, security and hope. And it is not based on our identity, but on what God has already accomplished at the cross. We need to take our lives back from trying to live up to these distorted beliefs and line our thinking up with the way God views us. Remember, God created us, and He can give us profound insight into ourselves.
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, thank you for the truth of Your word in Psalm 139. Help me to embrace your prearranged destiny for my life.  In the name of Jesus, Amen”
 
One Simple Nugget: “Be yourself. Nobody is better qualified!”

​Do you know transition is inevitable? I know, we hear this all the time and strive to take it to heart, yet often our hearts still cling to the familiar and try to find comfort in what we know. Am I right? The wonderful thing about transition is: OPPORTUNITIES are BIRTHED in the raw and inconvenient moments of each shifting in our life. You see, as the winds of change blow, we can’t cling to a specific idea or position. The most valuable lesson I learned was God’s abundant grace will meet us in our times of transition; and we must humbly and wholly rely on Him to fill our inadequacies and inabilities.
Transition means change. It indicates that there is something to leave behind and something to look forward to. I don’t mind saying….TRANSITION can be a time of frustration and waiting. It may also be a period of grieving for that which we leave behind.  When we do not see the future clearly, our faith is being challenged and our trust in God tested. The good news is; God is FOR us and WITH us. He knows the future and has already mapped out and lined up what needs to take place in order for us to reach our destination.
If you really think about, you’ll see that God gives us time to ADJUST and RELEASE the past. For example: When Jesus told His disciples that He would be leaving them, their hearts were troubled. (John 14:1) After the emotional lows and highs of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He gave His followers 40 more days of personal fellowship with Him. This time enabled them to adjust so they could release their expectations of the past and to embrace God’s agenda. I love the way Jesus intimately ushered them into their next dimension. Notice in Matthew 28, during the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension, He spent time communing with His followers over meals and at appointed places.
Transition is preparation for the NEW THING God is doing in our lives. Therefore, it is vital to seek God diligently through His word during transition.God’s word will make known to us the necessary steps of action we need in order to help us move forward. Psalms 16:11 says that “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore,” and 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the Godly may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Let’s be honest, in the midst of our transition, we may question God’s plan and wish we could gain wisdom to understand. Proverbs simplifies that for us. It tells us that to find wisdom, we must first FEAR the LORD. The writer of Proverbs is speaking to his son and telling him to trust in God. The passage does not tell us how God will direct our paths, but it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and HE WILL make your path straight.”
Most times when we approach God, we want Him to give us a clear picture of what our lives should be and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this expectation, except God tells us like He told Abraham in Genesis 12, to “Go to a land I will show you (Not a land I have shown you). In Matthew 4:19He told His disciples, “Follow ME and I WILL make you fishers of men.” (Not I have made you fishers of men) the picture actually becomes clearer as we obey and follow.
There are MANY REASONS as to why we miss God in transitions: lack of trust, lack of faith, fear of the unknown, the list is endless. But is it really worth it to miss God in His transitions of our lives because of our own insecurities towards Him, not so much the situation? I believe it is worth the risk to go for it with God and not be afraid of the transitions because God's transitions always leads to transformation. Are you in the midst of a transition and wondering, “What is God’s will?” Are you trusting that God’s will is better than any plan you can imagine, or are you trusting in yourself? Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you a hope and an expected end.”
 My friend, trust me, I know transition can be unsettling.  It might even be scary, sometimes. It all feels tenuous and unstable.  I’m telling you all of this so you’ll see that I’m in the boat with you.  I understand that transition can be a difficult season in our lives - I understand it because I’m living it right alongside you. During this season of our lives we are challenged to trust God with our whole heart. We can’t do what God has called us to do by relying on our strength.  We need God and the resources He’s given us to help us transition.
Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, I pray for all my Morning Encouragement Friends.  Give every person that is experiencing transition in their lives, the courage to embrace change and walk into their divine destiny.  Father we release our fear and our mundane routine and we take hold of the power You’ve given us through your word and your precious son Jesus Christ.  I decree and declare that as we trust You through transition that You will release provision for our next level.  In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
 
One Simple Nugget: “Honor the space between no longer and not yet.”

​Do you know facing reality can be very challenging? There have been times in my life when I tried to avoid certain responsibilities or challenges.  Funny thing though, avoiding a problem does not solve it but almost always makes it worse.  You think I’d learn!  Well, actually over the years I’ve gotten a little better ha ha. When you face a challenge, God is demanding of you to step forth.  You must go beyond the dim, ashy place of your mourning, self-depreciation, self-pity, guilt, and fear to face squarely the task God has given you. Take a moment to think about the things God has called you to do.  Big or small, it doesn’t matter.  I find it helpful to write this stuff down in my Life Planner (this planner is the most precious gift I’ve ever received!!!)  It helps me get a grip on my life.  And it’s kind of like writing a letter to God. In fact, after I’ve written it down, I write the sentence, “How do You want me to do this, God?” or “Show me what to do first, God.”  Then I get quiet and listen.  And I write down whatever comes to me.  I make sure it lines up with God’s Word, and if it does I do what God tells me.  I know that might sound a little strange, but it works for me! God always give me the courage and the strength to fulfill the task.
Now, how recently has it been since you complained about a problem you were encountering? Since God clearly promises pure joy to His children; why are so many Christians unhappy, disgruntled, and some downright ugly? What would need to change in YOUR life for you to be able to say, “My life is full of pure joy?” God’s path to pure joy is spelled out in James 1:2-4. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I memorized these verses over 25 years ago, but as I looked at these verses recently I saw a new insight. The path to pure joy is not having problems; the path to God’s pure joy is when you face your problems. Many people live with the false belief that if they had less problems, or if they had no problems—that is the path to pure joy. But this clearly contradicts the simple truth of God’s word.
 What are some typical responses to problems?
a. We ignore them
b. We deny them
c. We run from them
d. We rationalize them
e. We blame them on someone else
f. We pray and ask God to take the problems away.
Do any of these fit you? Guess what? Our obsession with getting rid of the problem may cause us to miss what God wants us to learn. We blame it on the devil, failing to see God’s hand in it, not seizing this as an opportunity to draw closer to God and experience His pure joy. Hold up! Before you write me off and say, “Dorothy, you obviously don’t know about the problems I’m facing,” look with me at what James says about how to experience God’s pure joy. James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Every test, temptation, or trial is an opportunity to use God’s faith……..HIS MIGHTY POWER! When I put God’s power to the test, has HE ever failed me? NEVER!
One reason I can have joy when I face my problems is that His power will see me through. If we are honest, many of us are afraid to face our problems. We reason, “My problems cause me pain. Facing my problems will only increase the pain, so the best solution is to run from my problems.” That was the logic that I lived by for years. Truthfully, once I began facing my problems, I did encounter pain. But then I experienced God’s help and healing!!! Let’s be clear, James 1:2 tells us what we are to do, “consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds.” But it does not give a detailed strategy on how to experience this pure joy. We need to look beyond this verse in James for that help. James 1:3 gives a key part of the “how to” answer. Facing these problems is really a testing of my faith. These problems provide me the opportunity to learn how to use God’s faith—His power—in facing these problems. God’s power is real and more than adequate. Our role is to prove to ourselves that we can effectively handle God’s power in the context of the problem.
 The apostle Paul talks of another kind of trial he faced as a missionary. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul pleads with God for deliverance. God answers Paul in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” The revelation from God to Paul contains an awesome promise, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” God’s great power is available to help us deal “perfectly” with whatever test comes our way………especially when we are weak! So how does Paul respond to God’s answer when pleading for God to take away this problem? Paul says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul’s response shows that he chose to be happy even when the trial remained in his life. Paul’s joy is not based on problems; his focus is to delight on how God’s power can work in his life. Praise God!
Let’s pray:  “Heavenly Father, give me a desire to please You.  Fill my mind with thoughts of Your Love, so that I may grow in Your Wisdom, in Jesus’ Name Amen!”
One Simple Nugget: “Adversity introduces a man to himself!” H.L. Mencken