I have a friend that has been saying "I'm transforming" for almost a year now. So I asked her, "how much transforming do you plan to do and will I be able to recognize you after all of this transforming?" Her answer was "yes you will be able to recognize me, I'll just be a better me."
Dena being Dena had to go to the dictionary and look up the meaning of transform. Webster's states transform, verb, to change the form or appearance of; 2 to change the condition, nature, or function of. Interesting. So my friend is changing the form or appearance of herself? Maybe she is changing the condition, nature, or function of something?
When I think of transform, I associate it with renewing because my biblical mind kicks in. Webster's define renewing as to make new or fresh again; 2 to reestablish; revive. In the bible Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
When a person makes a decision to transform they want to change something. Does the person want to change the outer condition, nature or is the person looking, attempting to renew their mind? In my opinion I believe a person should renew their mind and the transformation will follow. If you change what is going on in the mind; thoughts coming in and going out, images, sounds, etc, transformation will begin to take place on the outside. People will look at you and know that you are transforming and you will not have to tell them.
I'm excited to know that my friend wants to be a better person. We should all strive for that at all times. I'm also excited to know that my friend recognized that she needed to be a better person. That is the hardest part for a lot of people. What I would like to say is YOU GO GIRL, RENEW YOUR MIND AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW! You will look, feel, act, and be better.
My favorite motto is: If you know better you will do better.
During this holiday season, I pray that we all take some time to look within ourselves and see if some renewing needs to take place. Think about how we can be better not only to ourselves but to others. You will be happy that you did.
Renewing your mind will also free you from bondage that may have held you captive for a long time. Its time to let it all go.
Peace and Blessings
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Goodbye Fear
Hello Fear is the name of Kirk Franklin's latest CD. I was listening to the song titled Hello Fear on the train ride in to work this morning when I had the biggest breakthrough. I have lived a very big portion of my life in fear.
People wouldn't know it by looking at me, but fear has dictated a major part of my every being. It started as a child. My mom would get angry at me for whatever foolish thing I had done and would tell me that I would never be anything and no good like my biological father. Those very hurtful words put fear in me that would last for a very long time. I believed those words!
When things in my life became a little shaky or overwhelming, I would run in fear of failing. When I would become weary, I would give up in fear of pressing on. I experimented with drugs to fit in with certain crowds in fear of being rejected. I gave my body away in fear of not being loved. I stayed on a job I hated because my mama and granny said it was a good job in fear of not disappointing them. I was afraid to start this blog and let my life be a testimony to others to help them in fear of what others would think of me and shun me. Fear, fear, fear.
I'm very happy to say that fear no longer lives inside of me. God has now replaced the fear with love, grace, and mercy. God's word tell me that I can do all things through Christ Jesus that strengthens me. Philipians 4:13 God has me. Even though I walk through a dark valley, I will fear no evil. God has me. God will never leave me or forsake me. God has me. There will be times that I will feel alone, afraid, wonder about the what's next, what ifs, etc, but grace and mercy abounds all the more and erases all the fear. God has me!
I have learned that people act out negatively from fear. They do destructive things to themselves out of fear. Fear is not of God. The only fear we should have is the fear of the Lord and that is a good fear. That fear should be that we reverently, a feeling of deep love & respect, worship the Lord.
Let's put fear behind us. Let's seek God and move forward in a more positive, graceful manner. With fear behind me, I plan to do what I can with what I have to build up the Kingdom. God has me and He can have you to!
May God Continue to Bless Us All!
People wouldn't know it by looking at me, but fear has dictated a major part of my every being. It started as a child. My mom would get angry at me for whatever foolish thing I had done and would tell me that I would never be anything and no good like my biological father. Those very hurtful words put fear in me that would last for a very long time. I believed those words!
When things in my life became a little shaky or overwhelming, I would run in fear of failing. When I would become weary, I would give up in fear of pressing on. I experimented with drugs to fit in with certain crowds in fear of being rejected. I gave my body away in fear of not being loved. I stayed on a job I hated because my mama and granny said it was a good job in fear of not disappointing them. I was afraid to start this blog and let my life be a testimony to others to help them in fear of what others would think of me and shun me. Fear, fear, fear.
I'm very happy to say that fear no longer lives inside of me. God has now replaced the fear with love, grace, and mercy. God's word tell me that I can do all things through Christ Jesus that strengthens me. Philipians 4:13 God has me. Even though I walk through a dark valley, I will fear no evil. God has me. God will never leave me or forsake me. God has me. There will be times that I will feel alone, afraid, wonder about the what's next, what ifs, etc, but grace and mercy abounds all the more and erases all the fear. God has me!
I have learned that people act out negatively from fear. They do destructive things to themselves out of fear. Fear is not of God. The only fear we should have is the fear of the Lord and that is a good fear. That fear should be that we reverently, a feeling of deep love & respect, worship the Lord.
Let's put fear behind us. Let's seek God and move forward in a more positive, graceful manner. With fear behind me, I plan to do what I can with what I have to build up the Kingdom. God has me and He can have you to!
May God Continue to Bless Us All!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Take the focus off self
Yesterday I was having one hell of a day. I'm suffering from serious sinus pressure that has me not wanting to open my eyes, the nonsense on public transportation, work, life, and I could go on and on and on. Let just say by the time I made it home, I was overcooked, overdone, and burnt!
The phone rang, it was my sister-in-law crying out for help. Sigh. I said come on over and in a flash she was there. I listened, she talked. I gave an opinion, she talked. I silently prayed, she talked. By the end I sat wide-eyed, she cried.
Her heart was heavy. Her voice full of weary. A woman at her wits end. I truly understand that feeling. As I sat there listening, praying, talking, I realized something; my problems seemed long gone! WOW! Look at God. At that moment God was using me to help and minister to her and He was helping and ministering to me.
My focus was removed from self and put on someone else. Shouldn't that be one of our main goals? Aren't we called to be servants? How can we effectually serve if the focus is always on self?
Take some time to minister/help someone else and watch God minister/help you in the process; your problems will seem to get smaller and smaller. Take the focus off self for a minute...It really does help!
May God Continue to Bless Us All!
The phone rang, it was my sister-in-law crying out for help. Sigh. I said come on over and in a flash she was there. I listened, she talked. I gave an opinion, she talked. I silently prayed, she talked. By the end I sat wide-eyed, she cried.
Her heart was heavy. Her voice full of weary. A woman at her wits end. I truly understand that feeling. As I sat there listening, praying, talking, I realized something; my problems seemed long gone! WOW! Look at God. At that moment God was using me to help and minister to her and He was helping and ministering to me.
My focus was removed from self and put on someone else. Shouldn't that be one of our main goals? Aren't we called to be servants? How can we effectually serve if the focus is always on self?
Take some time to minister/help someone else and watch God minister/help you in the process; your problems will seem to get smaller and smaller. Take the focus off self for a minute...It really does help!
May God Continue to Bless Us All!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Don't be Boxed In
Just the other day I heard a man very dear to my heart say to me, "Dena stop letting people box you in." What do you mean I asked? He said, "Time after time I hear you speaking of your dreams and places you want to go, but at the same time you say you can't do this or that because someone else is depending on you for this and that and that too. God gave you something to do...DO IT!" Hmmm!
That conversation has not left my heart or mind. At the time, I didn't admit it but now I can say true, so true. Year after year I say what I want to accomplish in that year or some task I would like to start. Then somewhere along the way, things start happening, mostly other people things and I throw the things I want to accomplish on the back burner while helping or should I say enabling someone else with their problem.
Today I have to say stop. I have to stop letting others box me in. I have to go after my dreams. These dreams where given to me for a reason and I surely would hate to see them all go down the drain because I was boxed in.
Don't be boxed in. If God has given you a dream, pray about it, listen to God speak about it and get on your way to living it.
SN: In the conversation with the man, he was not telling me not to help others; he was telling me not to let my dream die in the process of helping others. He also said I can't save everyone but God can!
May God Continue to Bless us All!
That conversation has not left my heart or mind. At the time, I didn't admit it but now I can say true, so true. Year after year I say what I want to accomplish in that year or some task I would like to start. Then somewhere along the way, things start happening, mostly other people things and I throw the things I want to accomplish on the back burner while helping or should I say enabling someone else with their problem.
Today I have to say stop. I have to stop letting others box me in. I have to go after my dreams. These dreams where given to me for a reason and I surely would hate to see them all go down the drain because I was boxed in.
Don't be boxed in. If God has given you a dream, pray about it, listen to God speak about it and get on your way to living it.
SN: In the conversation with the man, he was not telling me not to help others; he was telling me not to let my dream die in the process of helping others. He also said I can't save everyone but God can!
May God Continue to Bless us All!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Nerves
June 22nd is quickly approaching. That is the day of my back surgery. All days have been fine for me until, WAM, BAM this morning. I don't know what happened, I don't know why it is happening now but I am a bundle of nerves. Fear has set in.
As I type this my fingers are shaking and my stomach is rumbling. I'm truly praying that it is the three (3) cups of coffee I have had this morning. Lord Jesus please let that be it!
Now where did this fear come from is my question? I wasn't afraid when I made the decision to go through with the surgery? All I could focus on was getting better and stopping the pain that has encompassed me years.
Me and my prayer warriors(I have a team of prayer warriors that get down with it) have prayed over the doctor and the entire staff at the hospital; I believe in the power of prayer so that shouldn't be the source of my fear.
I have asked God to remove all negativity and naysayers from my atmosphere; there have been some that had nothing good to say...geesh. So what is wrong with my nerves???? Is this normal? Sometimes I wonder if I'm normal but that is another blog..hahahaha
So, my HALO (Humble and Loving Others) family, help me! Help me to answer these questions. My mind wondered to the famous quote given by FD Roosevelt during his inaugural speech...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Then the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, 2 Timothy 1:7; For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of sound mind.
Pray for the sister(me) whose mind is in a thousand places this morning. Be Blessed and may God continue to Bless us all.
As I type this my fingers are shaking and my stomach is rumbling. I'm truly praying that it is the three (3) cups of coffee I have had this morning. Lord Jesus please let that be it!
Now where did this fear come from is my question? I wasn't afraid when I made the decision to go through with the surgery? All I could focus on was getting better and stopping the pain that has encompassed me years.
Me and my prayer warriors(I have a team of prayer warriors that get down with it) have prayed over the doctor and the entire staff at the hospital; I believe in the power of prayer so that shouldn't be the source of my fear.
I have asked God to remove all negativity and naysayers from my atmosphere; there have been some that had nothing good to say...geesh. So what is wrong with my nerves???? Is this normal? Sometimes I wonder if I'm normal but that is another blog..hahahaha
So, my HALO (Humble and Loving Others) family, help me! Help me to answer these questions. My mind wondered to the famous quote given by FD Roosevelt during his inaugural speech...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Then the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, 2 Timothy 1:7; For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of sound mind.
Pray for the sister(me) whose mind is in a thousand places this morning. Be Blessed and may God continue to Bless us all.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Friends
I have gone through my share of friends in my lifetime. Some have stuck around for the long haul, some left as soon as the heat got turned up but through it all I have learned that a girl need friends. Not just any friend but a Real friend.
Friends should first of all show their self friendly before being a friend. You have to know how to treat others if you want to get the same in return. I do my best to be good to others because I know that I will need someone to be good to me.
I have friends that are trustworthy and geniune. I have friends that I can call on and say, "girl we need to pray now!" and just like that we are praying. I have friends that I can call and say, "I need to scream" and just like that they are listening to me scream. Yes, indeed, friends are needed.
A friend can be your sister, mother, aunt, co-worker, daughter, or whoever you have formed that bond with. In a lot of cases it can be a man. I do have some good male friends as well, but a lot of times they don't soothe me like my girl friends can.
Then you have those "bad" friends that are just there dumping whatever unhealthy nonsense they can dump. Those are the ones that should be weeded out of your life. If that friendship is not a healthy one (even healthy ones have problems but not deadly, poisonous problems) then weed it right on out of your life. One thing I have learned is that people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Everyone is not meant to be there forever wrecking havoc.
I thank God for teaching me the real meaning of being a friend and placing the right friends in my life. If I didn't have these friends, who could I scream, cry, and laugh with all in the same conversation. Thank you friends.
What about you? Do you have healthy friends? Are you showing yourself friendly? Or just maybe its time to do some weeding so you can move on to more healthier enjoyment.
May God continue to bless us all!
Friends should first of all show their self friendly before being a friend. You have to know how to treat others if you want to get the same in return. I do my best to be good to others because I know that I will need someone to be good to me.
I have friends that are trustworthy and geniune. I have friends that I can call on and say, "girl we need to pray now!" and just like that we are praying. I have friends that I can call and say, "I need to scream" and just like that they are listening to me scream. Yes, indeed, friends are needed.
A friend can be your sister, mother, aunt, co-worker, daughter, or whoever you have formed that bond with. In a lot of cases it can be a man. I do have some good male friends as well, but a lot of times they don't soothe me like my girl friends can.
Then you have those "bad" friends that are just there dumping whatever unhealthy nonsense they can dump. Those are the ones that should be weeded out of your life. If that friendship is not a healthy one (even healthy ones have problems but not deadly, poisonous problems) then weed it right on out of your life. One thing I have learned is that people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Everyone is not meant to be there forever wrecking havoc.
I thank God for teaching me the real meaning of being a friend and placing the right friends in my life. If I didn't have these friends, who could I scream, cry, and laugh with all in the same conversation. Thank you friends.
What about you? Do you have healthy friends? Are you showing yourself friendly? Or just maybe its time to do some weeding so you can move on to more healthier enjoyment.
May God continue to bless us all!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Journey to a better back
Soon I will be having back surgery. I have had problems with my back for a long time now and it is time. I plan to blog about this journey because everyday seems to bring on something new.
This past Saturday, after being off my meds for one day, the pain hit me so hard I wanted to cut my right leg off. All I could do was walk and pray, pray and walk. (I have to be off the pain meds for 2 weeks prior to surgery. This will decrease the risk of bleeding or something like that I am not the doctor just following orders.)
Anywhoo, on Saturday I realized that this 2 week journey without pain meds will surely make me rely on God. I'm sure to be having many conversations with Him about me and how He can take this pain from me. I also believe this will be a great time for me to really get this listening for Gods voice mastered. (See prior blog)
So knowing that God is going to get the glory out of all of this is making me feel better already. Stay tuned.
May God continue to bless us all!
This past Saturday, after being off my meds for one day, the pain hit me so hard I wanted to cut my right leg off. All I could do was walk and pray, pray and walk. (I have to be off the pain meds for 2 weeks prior to surgery. This will decrease the risk of bleeding or something like that I am not the doctor just following orders.)
Anywhoo, on Saturday I realized that this 2 week journey without pain meds will surely make me rely on God. I'm sure to be having many conversations with Him about me and how He can take this pain from me. I also believe this will be a great time for me to really get this listening for Gods voice mastered. (See prior blog)
So knowing that God is going to get the glory out of all of this is making me feel better already. Stay tuned.
May God continue to bless us all!
Listening
As a family we have a women's bible study. For the next couple of months we will be studying from a book written by Priscilla Shirer titled Discerning the Voice of God How to Recognize when God Speaks.
When my aunt presented this book to us, I was like okay I got this. This will be easy. NOT! Listening is an art. Listening is something we have to really concentrate on.
What I have found out is that during the time I am suppose to be quiet and listening, my mind is racing with a thousand thoughts and those thoughts are not God. I have a tendency to sit quiet, but I don't make my mind be quiet. I let it go on and on and on. All kinds of things be rushing through my mind and I would at times forget what I was suppose to be doing...Listening!
As a young girl I would argue a lot with my mother. She would say, "Dena you don't listen." Of course, I would shout back that I do and that she just don't understand. I really just had to have the last word but that's another story. As I have grown, I now know that "Dena just didn't listen!"
God can speak to us in so many ways. It can be the mother talking to the child. It can be the soft whisper of the bird chirping. It can be the calming feeling in your spirit. We just have to listen and receive. Learning to block everything out can be hard. It started out being a really difficult thing for me but as the days go on it is getting easier. Hearing God speak to you is a wonderful, wonderful feeling. It can bring a feeling to you that surely will leave you feeling glorious!
Are you listening or are you just sitting there? Open up your ears, turn off the outside for a few minutes and listen. You may be surprised by what you hear!
May God continue to bless us.
When my aunt presented this book to us, I was like okay I got this. This will be easy. NOT! Listening is an art. Listening is something we have to really concentrate on.
What I have found out is that during the time I am suppose to be quiet and listening, my mind is racing with a thousand thoughts and those thoughts are not God. I have a tendency to sit quiet, but I don't make my mind be quiet. I let it go on and on and on. All kinds of things be rushing through my mind and I would at times forget what I was suppose to be doing...Listening!
As a young girl I would argue a lot with my mother. She would say, "Dena you don't listen." Of course, I would shout back that I do and that she just don't understand. I really just had to have the last word but that's another story. As I have grown, I now know that "Dena just didn't listen!"
God can speak to us in so many ways. It can be the mother talking to the child. It can be the soft whisper of the bird chirping. It can be the calming feeling in your spirit. We just have to listen and receive. Learning to block everything out can be hard. It started out being a really difficult thing for me but as the days go on it is getting easier. Hearing God speak to you is a wonderful, wonderful feeling. It can bring a feeling to you that surely will leave you feeling glorious!
Are you listening or are you just sitting there? Open up your ears, turn off the outside for a few minutes and listen. You may be surprised by what you hear!
May God continue to bless us.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sometimes I want to go back
I was outside taking my 15 walk break from work. I walked under a tree that smelled and looked just like a tree we had in our yard on Marfa Ave. I could have sat down right there, stayed all day, and reminisced.
That tree and smell made me think about how I miss being a kid. It made me think about my mama washing the clothes every day before she woke me and made me hang them out on the line. My sisters where spared this chore because they were so young and by the time they got old enough, daddy had already bought a dryer to go with the washer...lucky devils. Oh how I hated my mama for waking me up to put our panties out on that line for the world to see! Now I wish I could go back.
That tree made me think about the silly jokes that the Powell brothers used to tell and I would laugh until my sides hurt. I thought about how Kendra and I would play hopscotch into the wee hours of the night not worrying about if someone would come by and snatch us up. We were safe on Marfa Ave. Trust someone was watching us...they were watching us for good not to harm us.
That tree made me think about family. On Marfa Ave, we were a family. It didn't matter that we didn't have the same blood running in our veins, we had love for each other that no one could touch. Now I really wish I could go back. Neighbors don't have that love anymore. Everyone stay to themselves afraid of what will be done or said. On Marfa we didn't care, everything was our business because we were a family.
I wanna go back so I can have more of Ms. Mitchell's tea cakes. I wanna go back so I can go to church more with the Powells and listen to Terry jam my favorite song in his Mustang. I wanna go back so I can hang out more clothes with my mama because now I know that was some mother and daughter time. I just wanna go back!
Whatever memories you have hidden in your heart, hold dear to them. Maybe one day you will see and smell a tree that reminds you of them days and make you want to go back for it is good to smile on those sweet memories.
May God continue to Bless us all.
That tree and smell made me think about how I miss being a kid. It made me think about my mama washing the clothes every day before she woke me and made me hang them out on the line. My sisters where spared this chore because they were so young and by the time they got old enough, daddy had already bought a dryer to go with the washer...lucky devils. Oh how I hated my mama for waking me up to put our panties out on that line for the world to see! Now I wish I could go back.
That tree made me think about the silly jokes that the Powell brothers used to tell and I would laugh until my sides hurt. I thought about how Kendra and I would play hopscotch into the wee hours of the night not worrying about if someone would come by and snatch us up. We were safe on Marfa Ave. Trust someone was watching us...they were watching us for good not to harm us.
That tree made me think about family. On Marfa Ave, we were a family. It didn't matter that we didn't have the same blood running in our veins, we had love for each other that no one could touch. Now I really wish I could go back. Neighbors don't have that love anymore. Everyone stay to themselves afraid of what will be done or said. On Marfa we didn't care, everything was our business because we were a family.
I wanna go back so I can have more of Ms. Mitchell's tea cakes. I wanna go back so I can go to church more with the Powells and listen to Terry jam my favorite song in his Mustang. I wanna go back so I can hang out more clothes with my mama because now I know that was some mother and daughter time. I just wanna go back!
Whatever memories you have hidden in your heart, hold dear to them. Maybe one day you will see and smell a tree that reminds you of them days and make you want to go back for it is good to smile on those sweet memories.
May God continue to Bless us all.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
What do you want to leave behind?
Do you want to lead an effective life? Do you want to live a productive life; or do you just want to get by with the bare minimums? Maybe you just want to get by. How do your want to be remembered? What do you want to leave behind for others to cherish?
In my quiet time, I read in 2 Peter 1:5-8, that adding certain things to your life will make you a productive, effective person. Adding things like goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly/sisterly kindness, and love will make us better individuals, and therefore, we will be better to others.
I have challenged myself to take some time and search for these wonderful qualities in me. Yes, I have a lot of work to do, but I am up for the challenge. Self-control is probably the hardest for me. When I want chocolate, I want it. When I want a cocktail after a long day, I want it. When I want to be lazy instead of doing the many other things I know I need to be doing, umm well, lazy usually wins! So when I make those choices, am I being productive; NO, effective; NO! Therefore I better get busy and work on adding those things to my life.
I want to be remembered as being a woman that spreads knowledge, love, godliness, and kindness with perseverance and self-control. What about you? What do you want to leave behind?
May God Bless us all!
In my quiet time, I read in 2 Peter 1:5-8, that adding certain things to your life will make you a productive, effective person. Adding things like goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly/sisterly kindness, and love will make us better individuals, and therefore, we will be better to others.
I have challenged myself to take some time and search for these wonderful qualities in me. Yes, I have a lot of work to do, but I am up for the challenge. Self-control is probably the hardest for me. When I want chocolate, I want it. When I want a cocktail after a long day, I want it. When I want to be lazy instead of doing the many other things I know I need to be doing, umm well, lazy usually wins! So when I make those choices, am I being productive; NO, effective; NO! Therefore I better get busy and work on adding those things to my life.
I want to be remembered as being a woman that spreads knowledge, love, godliness, and kindness with perseverance and self-control. What about you? What do you want to leave behind?
May God Bless us all!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Manipulative
This word is heavy on my spirit this morning. It seems that all week I have been talking to others that have been dealing with others and their manipulative ways.
Dictionary.com describes manipulative as influencing or attempting to influence the behavior or emotions of others for one’s own purposes. Hmm mmm thats heavy right there.
Now for me, I take the manipulative person to be a deceiver; a person that is attempting to lead someone in the wrong direction. The Bible has many, and I do mean many, verses on deceive, being deceived, and how to not be deceived.
The first verse that hit me this morning when talking to a young lady about the person she is dealing with was Ephesians 5: 6a; Let no one deceive you with empty words. Empty words meaning those words hold no ground against what God has said. I went on to tell her to pray and learn to listen to God and He will surely tell her if the words coming from the other person are empty. When you have the Word in you, I promise you can stand on those Words and the manipulative person can't win.
We also have to pray for the manipulator because those are some ugly ways to have. Those ways really lead to destruction. It may be good to them for a while, but in the end there is no good in that.
So for all that are dealing with some manipulative, deceiving people today put that Word in you, put on the Whole Armor and Stand!
Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers and may God Bless us all!
Dictionary.com describes manipulative as influencing or attempting to influence the behavior or emotions of others for one’s own purposes. Hmm mmm thats heavy right there.
Now for me, I take the manipulative person to be a deceiver; a person that is attempting to lead someone in the wrong direction. The Bible has many, and I do mean many, verses on deceive, being deceived, and how to not be deceived.
The first verse that hit me this morning when talking to a young lady about the person she is dealing with was Ephesians 5: 6a; Let no one deceive you with empty words. Empty words meaning those words hold no ground against what God has said. I went on to tell her to pray and learn to listen to God and He will surely tell her if the words coming from the other person are empty. When you have the Word in you, I promise you can stand on those Words and the manipulative person can't win.
We also have to pray for the manipulator because those are some ugly ways to have. Those ways really lead to destruction. It may be good to them for a while, but in the end there is no good in that.
So for all that are dealing with some manipulative, deceiving people today put that Word in you, put on the Whole Armor and Stand!
Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers and may God Bless us all!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Your Story
Last night I got a text from a lady friend that has been following my blog. She wanted to thank me for the words she read and that she wants to grow spiritually. WOW, I am so excited to be helping someone. I am so excited to be doing what I know God called me to do. And most importantly, I am delighted to hear that someone WANTS to grow spiritually! What wonderful news that is.
There was a time, years ago, that my mother would always say to me; "Dena you have a story to tell. The things you have gone through is to help someone else. Dena listen to me, you have a story to tell and I hope you tell it before I die." I would just look at her and think, un huh I'm not putting all my dirt out there for the world to see and talk about me. Nope not going to do it.
Well God has been nudging me about this issue for a very long time. The more I would talk/help someone, the more I realized that I was actually using my story/life to get the points across. Therefore, I was actually telling my story. And I didn't care what that person would say as long as I was helping. Interesting.
We all have a story to tell. Mine may be a little more traumatic than yours and it may not be. The point is we all have a story that could help someone. Don't be ashamed of your trials and tribulations for it is there that we grow. I love this scripture,
There was a time, years ago, that my mother would always say to me; "Dena you have a story to tell. The things you have gone through is to help someone else. Dena listen to me, you have a story to tell and I hope you tell it before I die." I would just look at her and think, un huh I'm not putting all my dirt out there for the world to see and talk about me. Nope not going to do it.
Well God has been nudging me about this issue for a very long time. The more I would talk/help someone, the more I realized that I was actually using my story/life to get the points across. Therefore, I was actually telling my story. And I didn't care what that person would say as long as I was helping. Interesting.
We all have a story to tell. Mine may be a little more traumatic than yours and it may not be. The point is we all have a story that could help someone. Don't be ashamed of your trials and tribulations for it is there that we grow. I love this scripture,
Philippians 3:14 NIV
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I tell myself that I have to keep pressing, no matter what comes my way, I have to keep pressing. If what I go through is to help someone else then that is my PRESSING ON process so Press on girl, Press on!
So don't shove those stories into the closet of shame; share them and be amazed by the people you touch.
Heavenly Father Thank you and Bless us all!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Ain't it funny?!
I got a call from my mom this morning iquiring about a day procedure I'm having next week on my back. She wanted to know the time so she can request to be off from work. See, this procedure will require me to have 24 hour care afterwards as I must lay down the entire time except to potty and eat.
When I hung up the phone with my mom I got a little sad. I said Lord, I should have a husband to help me in times like this! My mother, sister, or aunt (who have all volunteered to step in and who all have husbands to tend to by the way) should not have to alter their plans to babysit me. Ain't it funny when we tell the Lord what we SHOULD have at that given moment?
At that moment, something struck me...its called the Holy Spirit. This is what the Spirit said to me..."LaDena you had a husband. Times got a little rough with you and your husband and you rushed to kick him to the curb. You never went to the Father for help. You chose to listen to your friends instead of trusting in the Almighty One. Therefore, you had to be taught a lesson." Then I cried.
Ain't it funny how God can give us something then we don't appreciate it, don't treat it well, don't love it properly, only to have it snatched away. Then days, months, years later we go to telling God what we SHOULD have when all we can do now is rest and wait in the power of the Father.
I thank you God for maturing me to see the funny in my past...Lord help us all!
When I hung up the phone with my mom I got a little sad. I said Lord, I should have a husband to help me in times like this! My mother, sister, or aunt (who have all volunteered to step in and who all have husbands to tend to by the way) should not have to alter their plans to babysit me. Ain't it funny when we tell the Lord what we SHOULD have at that given moment?
At that moment, something struck me...its called the Holy Spirit. This is what the Spirit said to me..."LaDena you had a husband. Times got a little rough with you and your husband and you rushed to kick him to the curb. You never went to the Father for help. You chose to listen to your friends instead of trusting in the Almighty One. Therefore, you had to be taught a lesson." Then I cried.
Ain't it funny how God can give us something then we don't appreciate it, don't treat it well, don't love it properly, only to have it snatched away. Then days, months, years later we go to telling God what we SHOULD have when all we can do now is rest and wait in the power of the Father.
I thank you God for maturing me to see the funny in my past...Lord help us all!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Being Prepared
What really prepares you for what life will bring & offer? Is it the family environment you were reared in? Is it the education you received? Is it the social culture you hung in?
In my life, I have had to pull from all of these. There were times when family values pulled me through. Having to remember that I was taught morals & values; that I was taught to put & keep God first; and that I do have a choice in life, its up to me which way I want to go.
Then there is education. Education has proved to be very vital in everything In do. Without it, I just don't see individuals going very far in today's life. I stress to my kids daily...please, please get an education especially higher education.
Now my social culture taught me what I call "street sense." Yeah baby, I have that street knowledge that has helped me to survive on the rough streets of South Oak Cliff, Texas. This street knowledge has powered me to teach my kids some things that structured education just can't give them. With my social culture knowledge, I know I can make it through these tough economic times with some cutbacks and some parties in the living room instead of going out. See in my social culture we have been "making" it for so long that some of the things we are going through now is just another day and as a family we pull together. Like my good ole Uncle Buster would say, "If we can't do anything else, we gone eat!" Praise God for that.
So what prepares you for life? Are you ready?
I thank my family, teachers, pastors, & friends for helping to prepare me.
In my life, I have had to pull from all of these. There were times when family values pulled me through. Having to remember that I was taught morals & values; that I was taught to put & keep God first; and that I do have a choice in life, its up to me which way I want to go.
Then there is education. Education has proved to be very vital in everything In do. Without it, I just don't see individuals going very far in today's life. I stress to my kids daily...please, please get an education especially higher education.
Now my social culture taught me what I call "street sense." Yeah baby, I have that street knowledge that has helped me to survive on the rough streets of South Oak Cliff, Texas. This street knowledge has powered me to teach my kids some things that structured education just can't give them. With my social culture knowledge, I know I can make it through these tough economic times with some cutbacks and some parties in the living room instead of going out. See in my social culture we have been "making" it for so long that some of the things we are going through now is just another day and as a family we pull together. Like my good ole Uncle Buster would say, "If we can't do anything else, we gone eat!" Praise God for that.
So what prepares you for life? Are you ready?
I thank my family, teachers, pastors, & friends for helping to prepare me.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wisdom, the good land
Dictionary.com defines wisdom as the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
The last couple of days I have been all up and through the book of Proverbs reading on wisdom. Standing in the bathroom mirror I noticed some gray hair, lots of them. So I wonder to myself am I getting wise or wiser? That is what they say gray hair means...right?
Proverbs 2:20-22 says 20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it. biblegateway.com
After reading this I begin to question myself (I do that a lot). Do I want good wisdom, God fearing wisdom, so I can walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of righteous? Do I want to live in THAT land; you know that land where all will be good, peaceful, and happy? Or do I want to be cut off from THAT land?
I know for sure I want to live in THAT land. I know for sure I want the paths of righteous. I know for sure that I want to live upright and keep the paths of righteous. Therefore, I know for certain that I have to gain this good God fearing wisdom that is talked about in Proverbs 2. This wisdom will teach me what is fair and just. It will teach me how to treat others as well as how to treat myself. So even if it brings gray hair, in my heart I know this wisdom will take me a long righteous way in a world that seems to be going the wrong way!
What about you? Do you want Wisdom, the good land?
The last couple of days I have been all up and through the book of Proverbs reading on wisdom. Standing in the bathroom mirror I noticed some gray hair, lots of them. So I wonder to myself am I getting wise or wiser? That is what they say gray hair means...right?
Proverbs 2:20-22 says 20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it. biblegateway.com
After reading this I begin to question myself (I do that a lot). Do I want good wisdom, God fearing wisdom, so I can walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of righteous? Do I want to live in THAT land; you know that land where all will be good, peaceful, and happy? Or do I want to be cut off from THAT land?
I know for sure I want to live in THAT land. I know for sure I want the paths of righteous. I know for sure that I want to live upright and keep the paths of righteous. Therefore, I know for certain that I have to gain this good God fearing wisdom that is talked about in Proverbs 2. This wisdom will teach me what is fair and just. It will teach me how to treat others as well as how to treat myself. So even if it brings gray hair, in my heart I know this wisdom will take me a long righteous way in a world that seems to be going the wrong way!
What about you? Do you want Wisdom, the good land?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Tears
I was once told that tears are to cleanse the soul. You cry for the born and the dead. You cry for the newlywed and the newly divorced. You cry for the lost and those found. You cry for the happy and the sad. Cry, cry, cry!
In the last couple of months, it seems that crying has been a normal part of my life. Things were up one minute and to the ground the next. Oh my what was going on? I would sit in my car before starting it up and cry, cry, cry then begin my day. Once home in the evenings, I would sit on the toilet and cry, cry, cry. Now after all this crying my soul should be the cleanest soul on Earth!
Just yesterday I wanted to let out a big ole storm of tears, but OMG nothing would come out. My insides were rattling, my core shaken but no tears. Where are the tears now? Am I all cried out? Am I so clean that I can't cry when I want to? I even pleaded with myself, "Would you just cry and get it over with!" But no tears.
Oh well, I know they will come when needed the most. I am not afraid of crying. I am not afraid of cleaning my soul....are you?
In the last couple of months, it seems that crying has been a normal part of my life. Things were up one minute and to the ground the next. Oh my what was going on? I would sit in my car before starting it up and cry, cry, cry then begin my day. Once home in the evenings, I would sit on the toilet and cry, cry, cry. Now after all this crying my soul should be the cleanest soul on Earth!
Just yesterday I wanted to let out a big ole storm of tears, but OMG nothing would come out. My insides were rattling, my core shaken but no tears. Where are the tears now? Am I all cried out? Am I so clean that I can't cry when I want to? I even pleaded with myself, "Would you just cry and get it over with!" But no tears.
Oh well, I know they will come when needed the most. I am not afraid of crying. I am not afraid of cleaning my soul....are you?
Saturday, April 2, 2011
New to this
I am new to blogging but there is a lot that I have to say. This will not be for controversial things, or maybe it will be. I just want to express myself and the everyday things I go through that others may be going through as well. So as I take this day to day, sit back, read, relate, and respond.
Second, I must let you know that HALO stands for Humble and Loving Others. Over the years I have been humbled in more ways than one and I want to share that love with others. Enjoy...muuaah
Sunni Dai
Second, I must let you know that HALO stands for Humble and Loving Others. Over the years I have been humbled in more ways than one and I want to share that love with others. Enjoy...muuaah
Sunni Dai
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