From Glory to Glory

God gave me a word last week about Valley Experiences, I had to come to the understanding that there are periods in life that we would encounter ups and downs. There are seasons in life where we will experience the Mountaintop experiences and in direct opposite to those times, we will go through  valley experiences. I know that those moments are some of the most painful but I also know that everything has a time limit and an expiration date. I pray everyday asking God, in my most annoying child voice, Are we done yet? But I get no response it seems. I cry out wanting my life to be turned right side up again, where everything is well with me and well with the world. Ah, but I am still going through this process...Travelling a path to God knows where. I don't get a preview of my life story or the flight plan for my life. So, I am left to operate in faith and trust blindly. The path though the valley is filled with twists and turns and the path seems neverending but I must go th...

I'm almost there but not quite... I know that the Christian thing to do when an offence is committed is to forgive and even better train your mind to forget. I was sure that I could have done the forgiveness thing as usual because I prided myself that I was so quick to forgive because of the many times I did without a problem. But my last test I failed miserably. I would say that I would  be the first who forgave those who hurt me but this last time, I struggled immensely. Someone says you must choose to forgive because it frees you. I am sure that they are right but this go around it was not a textbook quick example, I was living the real thing and I realized it was hard to forgive the offender and forget the nature of the offence. I was served a punishment that I did not deserve and I was confused on why one blow was not enough that I had to receive another blow that definitely nearly caused me to lose my sense of stability. For my reality was, I forgave before and was ...

Some 17 years ago, I heard these words, You're pregnant! I hung my head down in shame, and my heartbeat increased steadily and then set loose as a horse racing around a track. I know, I heard those words but I was in disbelief, so much so, I wanted it to be a dream. So, at the moment, I was faced with being Single, unmarried at 20 and unprepared to be anyone's mother. I was not ready to bring a child in the world and I was afraid of what would have been ahead for me. I sought every option possible but eventually decided that I would walk this road ahead and alone and so, on August 9, 1996, at about 5:40 am or thereafter, I bought a 6lbs, 4 ounces baby boy into the world! At 21, I became a mother. I had to decide that I had a life to be responsible for, and at first it was not easy but I had no choice. I was determined that I would love my child and be the best mother I could be to him. He was active, he was daring and bold and filled with neverending energy. That was then ...

Permission Granted...I Choose Me ! Ever since, I knew myself, I always wanted to a part of the team. I wanted to be liked and accepted by my friends and family. I craved approval from my family which I thought would have been easy enough to get, but found it the most difficult. I thought that they would be the ones quickest to love me and accept me totally and completely. However, my life was not that way. I was the poster girl for rejection. I was always the one giving, caring, sharing and putting the blame on me and never getting any returns on my investment. Hmmmm... I wondered why I did that? Did I not love myself enough? If my past would talk, it would say out loud...not clearly enough! I did for most people, what most people would not do for me. I was the friend until the end. I was the one who would be anxious to go all out for them and pick up the tab, by the gifts, and simply show a deep concern about their life problems. But I realized that the more I gave of myself...

Are we happy with the reflection that we see staring back at us from our mirror? Or do we struggle with appreciating and accepting us for who we are? Sometimes are minds play tricks on us, in one instance we are confident and strong and full of life and a force to reckon with. However, when we look closer, we see an image of a weak, frail individual who is scarier than a church mouse. Many of us, if we are honest struggle with our own self image and self perception. We need not go any further than what others may think about us because we have so many self defeating thoughts and images about ourselves. We are not what we see, rather we are more of what we think we are! What we think we are, often becomes our reality. People, see what we want them to see. We have our act down to a science. We make ourselves appear larger, stronger, bolder and more daring like the world is our stage. Yet, behind close doors we struggle with loving ourselves and accepting who we are. We pollu...

I don't know why I stayed... DON'T SETTLE...WALK AWAY! Maybe, I thought that I had to learn how to stay because usually I am the first to walk away without reasons. I don't know why I put up for all those years with evasiveness, excuses, and the ability to deflect a point-on question, although, I was wise enough to know at the time, something just was not right. However, I stayed, telling myself, I needed to give more, give the benefit of the doubt, nobody's perfect and yet it is true that nobody's perfect including me...but I deserved more and I deserved better. Yes, I felt the vibes, the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and even the warning signs as they came intermittently, but I wanted to fight for what I believe was love... I am smiling now because I agree with the person that wrote that saying, " Love is blind." It's a wonder many people say, "You cannot teach an old dog, new tricks", and you cannot change an indi...

Real Ministry Opportunities are waiting on YOU! Sometimes, we miss moments in services and our ministry meetings to do the very act of ministry.  Last night at Women's Ministry, I spoke about the need for ministry, less agendas and programs, foregoing at times all the formal stuff and allowing for real ministry. We have to meet people where they are at and take them where God wants them to be.  I recently learned that, this is a new definition of ministry, simply, meeting the people in the place of their need and taking them to where God will direct us to take them. I shared in my address, how we have perfected church; we give the right hand of fellowship, the nice smiles, waves and the good Christian hugs. We also spend a moment to say how are you, but never wait for a response. We miss moments of ministry because we fail to discern moments when someone may need a word, prayer or an act of kindness. We have people coming to church going through the motion and have wo...