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,

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!

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!

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.

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?

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?

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