5 Things Mankind Needs to Overcome

The more I think about it, evolving as a world is not as difficult as it sometimes seems to be.

You see, if we as individuals could overcome these 5 things, the world would be a much better place.

Now, it might not happen in our lifetime, but with steadfast commitment and hard work, it can happen.

#1: Ego

If we all could just get free from that pesky ego, we could get some things done.

Pride really does hinder your progress in life.

Humility takes you farther than pride ever will.

#2: Judgment

It is amazing how when you stop judging yourself so harshly things change.

It is also important to note that the way we judge others affects them.

If we could all learn to navigate through our interactions with more compassion, grace, discernment, and empathy, you just never know what we can achieve.

#3: Perfection

That monster perfection has knocked down many dreamers.

It can stop you from trying to do anything at all.

Perfection is nothing more than a fantasy while here on earth.

We can’t achieve it on this side of heaven.

When we choose progress over perfection and learn to accept ourselves and others for where we are, it makes a huge difference.

#4: People Pleasing

This is one of the hardest habits to kick.

However, it is also one of the most exhausting habits to maintain.

When you let go of worrying what others think about you and the decisions that you make, it is easier to enjoy life.

You can’t please everybody.

At the end of the day, God’s approval is all you need.

#5: Fear of Failure

This is one of those things that I am sure has topped everyone’s list of things to overcome at one point or another.

Fear is like perfection’s cousin in that sometimes you feel like it is easier to not even try than to risk failure.

But failure teaches you things that winning can’t.

You learn trial and error.

You learn how to process and accept rejection.

But you cannot learn any of these lessons if you don’t even try to attempt anything.

I am learning that I would rather take the educated risk and see what happens than to let fear stop me from experiencing true joy.

There is joy to be found in trying to do something new.

It can be scary, but it is worth it for the memories.

To sum it up, all of these things are monumental hurdles to overcome, and for some of us, it will take a while to conquer these things, but we are worth the effort sisters and brothers.

A Psalm for Every Circumstance

In my study of the bible, I have come to realize that there is truly a psalm for every circumstance you might find yourself in.

For the sake of this blog post, I will focus on 4 emotions that you might experience at any given time.

Feeling Distant From God?

Meditate on Psalm 34:18

There are so many moments in life when it can be easy to assume that God has forgotten you and that He has left you.

This verse always assures me that our heavenly father wants to be near us, and He went to great lengths to do so by sending His only son to die for our sins. He loves us that much.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Meditate on Psalm 23:2

God is aware of our needs. He is attentive and always helps us to arrive at a place of rest when we need it.

The key here is to accept what God is telling you to do.

Sometimes it can be hard to surrender to God’s will.

But peace is always the result when you let go and let God.

Feeling Grateful?

Meditate on Psalm 100:4

Whenever I read this verse, it makes me realize that when God does something good in our lives, we need to have an attitude of gratitude.

Think about it, when someone does something nice for you, what do you do?

Most likely, you would say thank you or write a thank you note.

In this note, you would express your happiness and appreciation for what they have done.

It is the same way with God.

So, when good things happen, don’t stop at being excited about it.

Let your excitement turn into outward praise and gratitude to God.

Feeling Depressed?

Meditate on Psalm 40:1-3

There are seasons in life where you might feel just like David did.

As you can see from this passage, God is perfectly fine with you expressing how you feel.

But I love that God won’t leave you in the pit forever.

He will lift you out of the pit and steady you.

Then He doesn’t just stop there; He will take it a step further and put a new song in your heart!

God will get glory out of this experience you are in.

People who see your testimony will learn to trust and respect God for themselves.

So even though the season you are in may seem pointless and dark, just know that God will not leave you.

God will make a way for you to get out of that pit.

So, whatever you are going through, know that you can pray or recite these psalms and so many more and allow them to soothe your soul.

Comment below with your favorite psalm and why. I can’t wait to hear your responses!

Embracing the Truth About Your Life’s Impact

Purpose & legacy.

These are two words that drive us to pursue our passions and to do meaningful work during our lifetimes.

But if you are like most people, you have probably asked yourself at some point, does what I do actually matter?

The frustrating and somewhat mysterious part about purpose and legacy is that you may not know the impact of your life while you are in the land of the living.

There are some things that you set out to do that may not bear fruit in your lifetime.

For instance, you might have a goal of spreading kindness throughout the world.

But there is no way to really measure just how long it would take to see kindness prevail in the world.

However, this reality should not discourage us from trying to pursue missions like these.

If you could just shift one person’s perspective and cause them to see the value of being kind, then your work was worthwhile.

So, while it may be tempting to look to the unknown future and lose hope about the impact of your life’s work, whatever that cause may be, you have to keep going.

Future generations of people you may never meet will benefit from your willingness to keep going despite the odds and the obstacles.

You serve a purpose.

You are necessary and what you contribute to the world does make a difference.

Take comfort in this gentle reminder today.

Revelations About Faith Part 2

The more that I get to know God, the more I realize the reality of John 15:5 and Acts 17:28.

I am learning to embrace the necessity of depending on God more than I ever have before.

The season of life that I find myself in has made it so clear that without God, I cannot get through my day.

Without God, I can’t be kind and loving towards the people in my life.

Without God, I don’t have the wisdom, insight, and strategy I need to navigate life successfully.

Where I fall short, God bridges the gap.

When I forget who I am and how I should do things, the Holy Spirit reminds me.

When I am in a dilemma, I find myself thinking about how Jesus operated.

He wasn’t rushed, frazzled, or in a frenzy.

He spoke with intentionality.

He was focused on His mission.

He spoke with truth, grace, compassion, and love.

He knew when to rest and when to work.

He prayed to God even though He is God!

Jesus truly is the blueprint for life and without the blueprint, the foundation of your life just won’t be secure.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 
-Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV)

The sooner we arrive at the moment where we embrace this truth, the better our lives will be.

How to Combat a Scarcity/Abandonment Mindset

Sometimes even with the best life circumstances, you can have a scarcity/abandonment mindset.

You might worry that there won’t be enough of some resource that you have need of.

So that causes you to hoard it and hold on to it tightly.

In addition to that, you might fear that if you get close to people, you will lose them.

I pair these two together because I believe at the root, they both have in common the fear of loss.

Now to be fair, loss is a part of life. It may not be a catastrophic loss, but there are moments throughout your lifetime where you may lose something or someone.

In my experience, the fear of loss is what causes you to cling to people or things.

Due to fear of abandonment, you might have a hard time maintaining healthy relationships because you fear losing someone if you get close to them.

So how can we combat these two issues??

The key to addressing these issues is to trust that God is your provider and remember that He promised never to leave you or forsake you.

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

.... For God has said,
“I will never fail you.

    I will never abandon you.
-Hebrews 13:5b (NLT)

Bottom Line? 

The people in this world may disappoint you.

The people in this world may leave you when you need them the most.

However, you have to keep reminding yourself of God’s character and His nature.

You have to believe that God, the blesser doesn’t run out of blessings.

Man’s favor and resources are limited.

But God’s favor and resources are unlimited.

You have to understand that God not only makes promises, but He keeps them.

He won’t let us down.

He won’t leave us ever.

He means what He says.

You can stand on His word.

You can rest assured that whether you are in need of His provision or His constant friendship, He will come through.

4 Reasons to Pray

As a believer in God, there is really no such thing as a bad time to pray.

You can never have too much prayer really in today’s world.

But here are four situations when you should definitely have a talk with God.

When You are Worried

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

–Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

This passage of scripture always puts my heart at ease. This really says it all.

When Your Spirit Is Not Right

Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.

–Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

Now there are just some days in life when you are not feeling your best and it takes every fiber of your being to do what you know you need to do. Pray this simple but profound prayer and ask God for the strength to do what’s right and keep living the right way.

For Your Family and Friends Just Because

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

–Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

–1st Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

In this world we live in today, you truly have to keep bombarding heaven with prayers on behalf of everyone you love. You just never know what someone is going through. Some people may not even tell you that they are going through something. I like to say pray just in case. It can’t hurt!

If you don’t know what to pray, praying the scriptures is always a great option. You are literally praying God’s word back to Him. Lately, I have gotten into the habit of simply saying, Lord, let your will be done.

May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.

–Matthew 6:10 (NLT)

Up until recently, that was a scary thing to say. But when anxiety and fear try to creep in, I counter those thoughts with the following scripture.

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

-Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

When I think of God’s will for us, it is similar to how your parents always have your best interest at heart (if you were fortunate to have good parents that is).

God does not want to see you hurt or in pain.

He is not some tyrant in the sky plotting an evil plan against you.

What grieves you grieves Him as well.

Sometimes His will may not seem like the best plan for us initially.

But in due season, we will come to see that everything will work out. Even if nothing went how we expected it to go.

You see, that’s what I love about prayer.

Prayer establishes intimacy between you and God. It softens your heart in the midst of tough circumstances.

You can’t stay worried, bitter, or hold malice in your heart for too long when you are in constant communication with God.

You may start out feeling those things, but over time, with consistency, prayer is a practice that transforms you from the inside out.

Now, there may be someone reading this who says, I am all prayed out. I am worn and weary. I don’t have the strength to pray any more.

To you I say, God knew that we would sometimes be at a loss for words and have trouble.

So, the Holy Spirit fills in the gap and prays with and for us where we fall short.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

–Romans 8:26-27 (NLT)

So, wherever you find yourself on the spectrum of prayer today, whether you are wordless, worn, weary, much to say, or somewhere in between, God hears you. Take solace in that truth today.

The Beauty of God’s Knowledge

So lately I have been thinking a lot about Psalm 139.

If you have never read it before, here it is!

The idea that God knows everything is called omniscience.

At first, this concept can be a little frightening to be honest.

But the more you get to know God, it becomes comforting.

I like that nothing takes God by surprise or catches Him off guard.

Psalm 139 is my favorite by far because of the emphasis on how God knows everything.

However, I also enjoy those moments when God (or Jesus) will ask people a question that He already knows the answer to. Here are a few of my favorites:

Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

–Genesis 3:9 (NLT)

 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

–Genesis 4:9a (NLT)

 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

-John 21:15-17 (NLT)

Now someone might read this post and say if God knows everything, why pray?

My answer would be that regardless of the fact that He knows everything, God still wants to hear from His child.

Never hesitate to come to Him and confess your thoughts, fears, and concerns.

Someone else might read this and ask if God knows everything, why does He allow certain things to happen? Jesus gives a great answer in John chapter 9.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.  “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 

–John 9:1-3 (NLT)

God knows that He will get glory from the adversity that we sometimes go through in life.

However, He is not a cruel Father. He doesn’t take delight in our suffering. There is always a purpose behind what we go through.

For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
 For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow.

–Lamentations 3:31-33 (NLT)

So, remember, there may be tough seasons in this life, and sometimes it may seem as if our prayers go unanswered, but trust that our all-knowing God is working out the situation. Take comfort in this.

The God of Even Though and Even Now

We serve an even though and an even now God. (Psalm 23:4; John 11:21-22)

Valleys are not the end of your story. You don’t have to fear them. God is with you even though you have to walk through some tough things.

Dead things can have new life. You may think your dream is over, but God can breathe new life into it and revive it!

Keep the faith in the valley and know that God can turn things around in an instant.

He did it for David and He did it for Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus.

Our God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Hope this is an encouragement to you.

I would love to hear from you in the comments. Has there ever been a time when you were in the valley, but you felt God’s nearness? Or have you ever felt that there was no hope for a situation, but you saw God bring it back to life?

Revelations About Faith

So lately, I have been thinking a lot about prayer.

When you end a prayer to God, you usually say, In Jesus’ Name.

It occurred to me that I spend the majority of my time praying to God but what about Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

As a result, I have come to the conclusion that in order to get closer and experience more intimacy with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I need to address my prayers to them more often.

They are a part of the trinity: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I have been out here neglecting them in prayer and bible study and that is what makes me feel somewhat distant.

There is so much power available to me through Jesus and the Holy Spirit that I am leaving on the table so to speak.

I liken this concept to the idea of having three children but only loving and giving most of my attention to one of them.

Then wondering why there is no bond.

In order for my faith to grow, I have to change and adjust my strategy.

Another step I am going to take is to study more about Jesus and the Holy Spirit by using the word of God, bible-based devotions on the You version Bible App and watching sermons that are biblically sound.

Just like in a human relationship where you take the time to observe, study, and pay attention to the characteristics and the nature of the people in your life, you must do the same when it comes to getting closer to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

When you get to know someone (in this case Jesus and the Holy Spirit) it cultivates intimacy.

Intimacy leads to greater levels of trust and faith.

You will find it hard to trust someone you do not know well.

So, the journey continues my friends.

P.S.: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!!

#1: Stay tuned for a special book review podcast series on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit over the next few months! Click the Google Podcasts Link on the right-hand side of this page to tune in to these episodes! If you miss it, I will be uploading the episodes to my YouTube podcast tab as well so don’t worry.

#2: Check out this amazing conversation I had on the Life Is Podcast with my sister in Christ Charfaye Lynn, by the clicking where it says here below!

Hey yall! I am pleased to share this amazing conversation with you that I had with my sister in Christ, Charfaye Lynn, Host of the Life Is Podcast. Please check it out and share with a friend if it blessed you! Click here to tune in!

3 Gentle Reminders for the Hard Seasons

If there is anybody we should feel comfortable to be ourselves with, it is God. He is an all-knowing Father. Nothing you could ever tell Him would catch Him by surprise. He can handle whatever it is that you are feeling. So, let it out. He is concerned about you, and He loves you.

When you are in the middle of a trial, it can be hard to see any possible benefit of that situation. It is in those moments however, that we have to trust that God has already seen the whole story and He knows exactly what we need to navigate this life and reach our destiny.

Sometimes we feel like we are too far gone for God’s grace to be available to us. Here is your gentle reminder for the week. You can always come back to God.

We all have those hard seasons that seem endless.

It is in those moments we have to go down memory lane with God.

The only way to get through this life and maintain our peace is to constantly remind ourselves of who God is and what He is capable of doing in our lives.

I hope these were helpful!

Peace & Blessings!