"He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matthew 11:15)

I decided to write this blog because it's been something on my mind for quite some time. Last week I was in a friend's car and she stated to me "So you don't listen to any R&B or anything". And I replied, "No". She said "Oh I don't think I can do that". I was like well at first it was a challenge. I was one of those people who believed there wasn't anything wrong with R&B music as long as their wasn't any cursing. Haha little did I know that the Holy Spirit was going to put me in my place. A few years back my sisters in Christ (NAL) showed me a video called "The Truth About/Behind Hip Hop".

"Are you listening to me? Really listening?" (Msg. Bible) Matt.11:15

or

"It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom. (The Msg. Bible) - Gal. 5:19-21

- To Be Continued...

Lord Help Me to be PATIENT!

When I was in Undergrad I kept telling myself, "I can't wait to graduate so I can move on with my life". This statement resonates in mind everyday. It's so funny how you think you know what you want but really you don't. I was like Lord I will follow you as long as I don't have to stay here in Gainesville. Hahaha how dare I tell God that? I have been home for 2 months and it has been an adventure. I have been applying for jobs, looking into grad schools, and trying to keep myself from being IDLE! Boy has the Lord revealed some things to me..He is doing some major house cleaning in my life. I am reminded by His Word: "Isaiah 40" (Definitely renews me)

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart;I have overcome the world." John 16:33

I read this article and I wanted to share it...By: Young Women For Christ

Fix Your eyes on Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.


"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us"

We have so many "witnesses" that have gone on before us, so many men and women of faith. These are the examples the Lord has given us to follow, just look at the list in Heb 11. Adam, Abel, Sarah, Abraham . . .

"Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us"

Can you run a race well when you have a bunch of suitcases and bags to carry? No, of course not! Now, what are these encumbrances? They are the things we stress and worry about. They are the things Jesus wants to carry for us!
The sin, now this is not the fun part. Sin is so yucky and terrible, I just hate when I sin! We all sin, all those people in Hebrews 11 sinned! So, since we can't be perfect, is there any reason to try? Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! May it NEVER be!! We have to lay aside our wants and desires and choose to follow the Lord. This can be a hard thing, even and especially during our Walk! Satan just loves to creep up on us and tempt us and before we know it we've fallen once again! Thank goodness for God's love and grace!

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"

Run with endurance, this is another tough thing! Jesus has given each of us a race to run. Each of our races are different, this means that we cannot compare our race with others. I know that as one of 5 pastor's daughters my life is a lot different from others. I don't have as much time to do things that I want to do, but this is the race God has set before me. Sometimes its really hard to run it! I get tired of being flexible and going here and there, but God reminds me once again how much I need Him! I am not running alone, none of us are. We have the creator of the world running beside us and he is willing to carry us when we can't go on!

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith"

In order to run and run well, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. There are so many things that can take our gaze off Jesus! People, circumstances, but as Peter learned, it is when you take you eyes off Jesus that you sink! In all that we do no matter the circumstances, good or bad, we need to keep our eyes focused on Him who knows all things!(Proverbs 4:25-27) Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.If we fix our eyes on Jesus, he will make straight the way we are to go.

"Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Jesus has endured the cross for us! We are the joy set before him! He went through so much pain and shame, for us! Think about it, Jesus, the SON of GOD came to EARTH as a MAN and was crucified as a CRIMINAL!! What a humbling experience! We often don't recognize how much shame He went through for us! But now, now He is seated at God's right hand! And He continually intercedes on our behalf!

"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

We are to remember what Christ did for us so that we will be able to carry on! When we see how much God has given for our salvation, our problems and our worries shrink into nothingness! So, let us not grow weary!

~Caleine "Perseverance" Ajusma [Keep pushing the Cross]

Women: Be the Kind of Friend You Want to Have

Friendship is a gift all women need, during every stage of their lives. Friends who share life's experiences -- from the joys to the sorrows - help each other live the abundant life God wants for them. But friendships can often be challenging to navigate. Friends can bless each other, but they can wound each other, too.

The good news is that you can enjoy strong friendships if you're intentional about being the kind of friend you want others to be for you. Here's how you can be a good friend:

Avoid competition. Your friendships should be places of safe refuge, which they can't be if they're tainted by competitive attitudes between you and your friends. Competing with each other (about who has the best body or home, who wins the best man or job, etc.) leads to fear that will make it difficult for you all to freely share ideas, successes, or disappointments with each other. Lurking behind the desire to compete with other women is often a need to feel valuable. Pray for God to give you the confidence you need to derive your sense of worth from Him alone. Remind yourself that you're valuable because God made you in His image and deeply loves you.

Avoid gossip. Resist the temptation to gossip about any other women to your friends, or to gossip about your friends to others. Ask God to give you the strength to keep personal information private and the courage to speak out against gossip when others are engaging in it. Do all you can to protect other women's reputations and build bonds of trust with your friends.

Confront wisely. When one of your friends is in trouble, try to respond wisely, without resorting to the unhealthy extremes of either doing too much (such as giving unsolicited advice or too much criticism) or too little (refraining from getting involved at all). Pray about the destructive decisions you observe your friend making, and ask God to guide you to confront your friend in just the right way. Keep in mind that when Jesus spoke with people who were making destructive choices, He simply asked them questions that would bring truths buried deep in their souls to the forefront of their minds. Consider asking your friend specific questions designed to remind her of what she already knows is true and to motivate her to act on that truth.

Forgive. You must forgive friends who have hurt or offended you for your relationships with them - and with God - to be healthy. God calls you to forgive others because He has forgiven you. You can count on Him to help you through the forgiveness process every step of the way. Choosing to forgive is the only way that you can love your friends as God wants you to love them.

*Taken from Cross Walk Devotionals