A Set Time for Everything!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “There is a special time for everything.  There is a time for everything that happens under heaven.......”

I know many of you have had an eventful 2014!  Well, I can certainly say that I did.  There were some ups and downs; some good times and some bad times; there were times when I was uncertain and other times where I was undoubtedly sure.  Regardless of what you were up against this past year, I want to encourage you in letting you know that there is a set time for everything that happens (or not) in your life.  If you are anything like me; I like to orchestrate every aspect of my life and when my “plans” do not go accordingly – I at times become discouraged.  It isn’t that I don’t believe that God can and will manifest what He promised but I like to kind of stay in the loop of things.  I know that sounds crazy and none of you are like that but it is my personality and honest truth.   But regardless if my plans or way of doing things don’t pan out exactly the way I thought it would; I do know that there is a set time for everything!

What I have learned over the years is that oftentimes we want certain things to happen in our life according to our plans and in our timing however, God has a completely different timeline already mapped out for us.  If you can only see your life and future the way God sees it; it would blow your mind.  Sometimes, we are so concerned about what didn’t happen 3-5 years ago when God sees us 10-15 years from now.  Trust me; you look better in the future!  While you are waiting to play catch up or thinking about what you have failed at; God is constantly trying to push you ahead.  He is removing people out of your life who no longer belong; He is stripping you of your old ways and behaviors that will only hinder you; He is connecting you with people that will empower, inspire and motivate you to walk in your purpose and He is tugging on you more and more to simply trust Him. 

"A time to Empower - Jill and I at the Women's Power Conference this past Saturday!"

So whatever is happening in your life right now (or not); know that there is a set time for everything!  How can I be so sure? Because the word of God tells us so in the book of Ecclesiastes; Chapter 3 (Read in its entirety).  I often say that everything bad isn’t the devil and everything good isn’t God.  I know we have come accustomed to believing such but I am here to dispel that lie. What I am simply saying is that God does permit certain situations in our life but not to harm us or teach us a lesson.  When God is at work in our life; the outcome is ALWAYS good!  Even though the going through may not look or feel that good.  Romans 8:28 “All things work together for the good of them that love God and are called according to His purpose”.  So if you love God and are called by God; don’t sweat your current situation or past situation for that matter.  If you are waiting for something to unfold or change its course; wait with patience and assurance in knowing that there is a set time for everything! 

                                        ~Treal

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Who Are You Trying to Please, Man or God? Jill’s Story

Since I can remember I had a desire to please God.  I recall the first Sunday in July when I was only nine years old, telling my grandma, who was an Evangelist in the church, that I wanted to be baptized.  I had learned that Baptism was needed for me to be born again and to publicly confess my love and commitment for Jesus so I was “ALL IN”.   

My mom had just not too long before discovered my older sister, Sharron, was pregnant so she thought it was a good idea if she got born again too, along with her boyfriend, and my other two sisters, Karron "Kay Elizabeth" and Montreal "Treal". I continued to have a heart for pursuing the things of God I just did not have the right infrastructure and know how to keep me “on the path of righteousness”.   

When I got in middle school, I started developing and older guys were attracted to me as I was to them especially the cute guys. 

Me After I Refocused on Pleasing God Rather Than Man

To make a long story short, one guy in particular kept hounding me and pursuing me to be his girlfriend.  Being young and naïve, I thought he really liked me and he would one day make me his wife.  I learned that was just MY FANTASY. It turned out that he knew I was a virgin and he wanted to have the honor to take that away from me.  So he put his plan into action telling me that if I loved him, I would make love to him.  I liked hanging out with him but I did not want to have sex with him.  I wanted to remain a virgin until I was married.  But connecting with the wrong guy combined with many of my own insecurities, lead that straight out the door slowly but surely.  Unfortunately if you hang around a person/crowd long enough either you are going to influenced them to go your way, or he/she/they are going to influence you to go their way. This time, I was influenced to go his way.

For this reason, is why God tells us that we should not even sit at the table with the sexual immoral.   1 Corinthians 5: 11  Says "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person."

See some people will tell you, well God interacted with non-believers and sinners. You have to first understand that the above verse is especially talking about association with people who say they are a Christian like you but they do not follow Christ.  (In the old days they called people like this a hypocrite; today we called them Title Christians.)  Because these people will get you side track and pull you farther from God, God instructs us not to associate with these people. Jesus associated himself with these people because He was in a position to save their life both spiritually and physically.

So today if you are in a relationship with a guy or even associating yourself with girlfriends who are pulling you from God, you need to take a DETOUR.  Either they will win you over to do the will of man or either you are going to win them over to do the things of God.  But the reality is the first is more often the case. Yes, you can and should have a salvation conversation with someone but it is not your role nor your responsibility to use your relationship to try to usher someone to Christ.  No ma'am! That is a slippery slope, meaning very dangerous situation. You trying to save the other person can cause you to lose your life, spiritually and/or physically.  God has already made the ultimate sacrifice through giving His son Jesus, the world does not need you to make a sacrifice too.  People will tell you it is required but that is a LIE!

Think about it like this for a moment.  Imagine your friend being in a large hole, that is 50 feet dip and 10 feet wide and you came across this friend and see them down in this hole and you want to help.  Your friend weighs more than you nearly twice as much. Would you take a 50 feet rope and try to pull him from out of the hole?  Hopefully not!  Because your have insufficient rope, strength and the other necessary equipment to safety help your friend.  It is much more likely, you both will end up in the hole then it is you actually pulling him out.  What you should do is call for help!  Turn this problem over to the authorities who have a rope that is long enough, the strength and other resources to safety pull your friend out of this hole and save his life.  If you are dating or associated yourself with people that are not follow Christ, what you can do is turn this person over to "The Authority" Jesus Christ or an authority in your church because they have a rope, the strength and all other resources to save your friend's life!  Learn from me, don't put yourself in a situation you are not equipped to handle or that requires you to sacrifice your soul! Jesus already sacrificed it all!

So when you try to help someone else or  when you are around people who are not passionately pursuing the things of God, you are subjecting yourself to getting seriously injuried.  This person can take you on an unwanted detour and before you know it, you are serving man rather than serving God. 

If it is truly your desire to serve God and NOT man, then you have to align your life with GOD's agenda and not with man's agenda.  

See the Word of God tells us that the heart of a man is wicked.  Folks are looking out for their own interest not yours.  Don't get catch up in the pressure that you have to have sex to keep a man or that you have to do what he wants you to do to secure a relationship with him.  The devil is a LIAR!  You are not required to do anything that does line up with the word of God and if anyone ask you to do so, you need to run! RUN as fast as you can or get off at the next bus stop or immediately, tell the bus driver to stop, you are on the WRONG bus and DETOUR (Go the other way, the road less traveled). 

The Word of God tells you that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. God even know how many hairs on your head! (Matthew 10:30) You are His unique design!

In Romans 12:1-2 Called you to be a living sacrifice, purely and acceptable in His sight.  He even goes on and tell you how; by not conforming to the patterns of this world but being transformed by the renewing of your mind!  So today I urge you to renew your mind from the things of this world and come into the knowledge of the truth through the Word of God.

I did not always knew or understood that I was working to please man but I did it most of my life unconsciously.  It started with the time I described above.  From that experience, it programmed me to the FALSE thinking that I had to give to get, meaning I had to prove myself for love. I found myself doing it over and over again throughout high school and college and then finally the light bulb went off.  I realized in that moment that I was more concern about pleasing Man than about pleasing God.  

I sit and ponder in my one bedroom apartment at the foot of my bed and I wondered how I got to that point. At that moment it was relieved to me that my fear of being rejected or abandoned by man had become greater than my fear of not being accepted by God. After that point, I vowed to God that I would be more concern about pleasing Him and becoming what He had called me to be over my desires of having a man and the desire of man.  Funny thing how after I made a commitment to God, my first true love, how that made room for God to bless me with a man who loved and respected the fact that I was more committed to God then I was to him.

The man I committed to AFTER I committed to God!

I press upon you today, to evaluate your relationships.  Who is winning in your life?  Is it God or man?  

At this point, we are so far beyond whether it is right or whether it is wrong, it is about why you are doing what you are doing.  If it is to please man, take a DETOUR!  If it is to please your flesh, take a DETOUR! If it is just because it makes you "Happy" but it is not God's will for your life, take a DETOUR!  You won’t win!  Be true to your first love, Jesus Christ.  He will accept you as you are and you will NEVER have to worry about not being accepted by a man! You will know that the only opinion that matters is God’s opinion of you! And He accepts you as you are!

P.S. My life story of believing the lies and uncovering the truth through the Word of God is what inspired me to write my book, Be the Best Version of You - Dispelling the lies and Uncovering the Truth where I dispel lies that are told to women about ourselves, sex and relationships, wholeness and happiness, our relationship with Jesus Christ.  The book will be released in January 2015!  You can pre-order your copy by clicking on the image on the left side of this page in the upper left corner or just click here.  Pre-orders are 30% off.  This is my special gift to you during this Christmas season.

P.S.S. Be sure to leave a comment. What was your biggest take away from this blog?  Write below.

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How to Find Your Identity through Christ? | Uncover your Light!!!!

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” Romans 13:12
        

I can remember a time in my spiritual walk when I felt that simply going to church and carrying the title “Christian” was simply enough.  I mean, I made a life changing decision to be "saved" but little did I know or truly understand exactly what that meant.  Growing up in a Christian home; I saw my parents go to church often, pray and read their bible regularly, but I thought that was something older saints did.  Being a new age or contemporary Christian, I didn’t know the grave positive impact those simple things had on the life of a believer!  

I want to talk to you all today about becoming a woman of light!  Some maybe asking, what in the world does that mean?  How can I be a woman of light?  Well, I am glad you either asked or pondered on it because I want to let you in on a little secret.  Being a woman of light is simply, understanding who you are in Christ and willingly and obediently carrying out God’s mission for your life.  Yes, that does mean letting go of some old habits, unhealthy relationships, ungodly or misappropriated ways and much more.  To become a woman of light there are some life changing decisions that you have to make – much like the one that you made when you initially gave your life to God.

I know sacrificing things and people that you are accustomed to doing or having around can be quite difficult.  In fact, it can outright be unbearable if you are not able to readjust and reposition your lives and relationships in a godly fashion.  I am currently reading a book entitled “The People Factor” by Van Moody.  In this book, Moody talks about the purpose of healthy relationships and how at times; letting go or repositioning your place in certain relationships is necessary in order for you to live a God filled life or in other words be woman of light.  I want to challenge you on today to take a glimpse at your life and the relationships you are currently apart of and ask yourself, do these things represent the light of Christ?  Do your decisions and relationships draw you closer to Christ or away from Him?  Do your decisions and relationships represent Christ or the devil and do your decisions and relationships bring out the best in you or the worst out of you?

It is important that you not only answer these questions but answer them honestly and be ready to reposition your place in life and in your current relationships if that is what it takes for you to become a woman of light. I would like to leave you with this.  On your journey of becoming a woman of light, know that you will run into obstacles, face countless challenges and be confronted with all kind of adversity.  Why? Because, the devil does not want you to become a woman of light (to live a God centered life).  He doesn’t mind you declaring that you are saved but when you actually start living a saved life; he can’t stand it.  When you make a conscious decision to put away the deeds (acts) of darkness (the world) and put on the armor of the light (following Christ); the devil knows that you mean business (God’s business that is) – and he will try everything in his limited power to stop you, cause you to be fearful, frustrate you and ultimately destroy you!!  I want to encourage you right here, right now to not only declare your salvation but to make a profound declaration that starting today, your light will no longer be hidden and you will be a woman of light!

 ~Treal

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“Single Like Me”

Fabulous Divas, please help me welcome our guest blogger Demetria Jackson!  Leave comments and questions below!

So I am almost 40 years old and I honestly never thought I would have made 40. Who knew?  Life is basically but a vapor at least that is what the Bible says in James 4:14. We are here for a moment and in that moment we must try to do what God has called and set aside for us to do. We must try to live this God given purpose out and pray that in the process we are living a life pleasing to God. In this journey we come across friends and love ones who lift us up and at other times, sadly to say, people bury us in doubt about who we are, but in this process we will come out either victorious or defeated. No matter where you are in life; old, young or somewhere in between, you have a common desire.  I believe we all have had that common desire to know where that special someone is; that person I am supposed to connect with. Men are looking for their ribs and women are looking for their rib cage. But not many are looking to God.  We are desperate to make a life with someone and we do it by any means necessary. 

Personally I have not had a serious steady relationship in my life.  Now, I am no virgin and my story, or should I say my testimony is very long, and being single never bothered me, but it was my “lot” in life. I accepted my singleness and I try to understand it, as I have always been an introvert. But while sitting in church on one Sunday morning, I felt a strong urge to write a book and to relay a message to the masses. The book is entitled the same as this blog: “Single Like Me!” Not being single and never needing or desiring marriage but “Single Like ME” meaning like Christ, not rushing but waiting on God to prune you into the individual who was ready to be ordained with the title husband or wife. Please note, I believe in marriage and if it is God's will for my life, I would love to be married and experience the ministry of marriage.  But I understand that neither marriage nor dating should be about the guy with the biggest bank account, the guy who falls all over me and makes me feel like I am above the world, nor is it sex or just curing the loneliness.

Marriage or the absence of being single is two hearts that beat as one desiring to grow in God to build a family with the common foundation being Jesus Christ.  Basically this means that you have both been baptized in Jesus name and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost and apart and together have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We are to seek God first and all good things will be added unto us, but we must seek God. So what are you doing during your singleness? How do you wait, when everyone has you convinced that you should already be on spouse number two? 

Just date unsaved people because they have a good heart and good intentions? Ignore warning signs from God and just hope you get it right, never mind the consequences that affect someone else’s immortal soul. 

These are questions I ask myself: Is dinner and a movie worth the blessings of God? While waiting, should I just dance with the devil and hope God’s grace covers me? Single Like Me; I pray will answer all these questions and more as I allow the Holy Ghost to lead me and direct me in writing and completing my book. I pray that in understanding the stages of singleness, it will produce more healthy and lasting marriages that build healthy productive children and a blessed union should Lord tarry.

P.S. Keep your eyes and hears peeled for the release of “Single Like Me”.

Single Like Him,

Demetria Jackson

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