His Beloved

                                              It was a beautiful Saturday in South Georgia. I happened to find myself at a store I enjoy browsing through from time to time. I happened to find myself in the coffee cup section of housewares. Let me just begin by saying this particular brand of coffee mug has been a mainstay in my ministry for a long time now. I love to give away coffee mugs to people. Equally, I love to receive coffee mugs. I pray for the person who gave me the mug each time I drink from it. Some mugs have a certain feeling they give off. You know, some days I feel like a dainty cup on a pedestal that boasts reds and blues in floral print. Other days I need a monochromatic stoneware mug that screams- I will slay the devil today, in my pjs, and will do this feeling chic. Thank you Joanna Gaines for your Hearth and Hand with magnolia line of stoneware mugs...

      There is something both crippling and comforting about the presence of a shadow. As a child, a shadow in the night would have the astonishing ability to keep me from getting out of the bed for a drink of water, or a trip to the bathroom. As an adult with children, a shadow will now cause me to spring to my feet in defense each time one of my children call.  Shadows lurk everywhere at various times of the day throughout our lives. Keep in mind that in order for there to be a shadow there must be some opaque object blocking the rays of light. The light rays go past the edges of the object and make what we call a shadow. But shadows can be a place where we dwell far too often and sometimes for too long. Have you ever felt like you weren't walking in the fullness of the calling God has placed on your life? A good hard check will usually reveal the reason why you have found yourself in this place.  In my own life I walk in the shadows of pain and trauma on...

 Have you ever craved the space to be able to say all of those things that you have rehearsed in your mind? The things you should've said. What about the things you really meant, but maybe didn't articulate correctly? Or the dogmatic opinion you held on something that really offended someone? Reality is, we don't always get a do-over. Sometimes we are left to deal with the deafening silence of all of the said, and unsaid things that caused a shift in our normal. That is the hardest silence, really. The one where everything has been said. I have been on a trip in my prayer life; making a correction of errors that I may not get the chance to make right this side of eternity. My prayer remains that my words never caused one to turn away from the faith because of my ignorance or my inconsiderate lack of care in how what I said came across. In my college speech class, my professor was always reiterating the fact that communication lies not in what I say, but in what the hearer p...

It has been a long week. My days have been so uncharacteristically slow, unhurried, and void of our usual ministry activities. I make it a priority to thank the Lord daily for the ministry He allows us to engage in. I don't ever want to be sitting idle because there is no one to minister to. This week I found myself reminiscing and recollecting my thoughts, grumbles perhaps, and prior days where I was simply exhausted in service. I took some time to thank the Lord all over again for the places He's opened doors for us to minister, and for the people He is allowing us to journey with. This week my sweet daughter and I took the day to bake treats, and share them in the community. Selfishly, this was so that we could lay eyes on some of those in the community that we just wanted to make sure were doing well. We laughed, made a mess, and got such a blessing at the homes we visited. We didn't go many places, (don't worry, we distanced socially), because we used all ...

Please listen to the song above before you read. You owe it to yourself to take a few minutes. You won't regret it. Go ahead. You need to hear the lyrics to understand my point. As I sit here listening to the lyrics of this song, this anthem, this cry of praise, I am quieted in my spirit. There are some key phrases and words used in this song that absolutely still me. If you have been to my blog before, you are aware that music is my love language. I can place my hand on my chest, close my eyes, and just escape to that place. In that place, He meets me there. It is intimate and personal and it is real. I love real. Right now, the world is waiting, watching, and looking to media outlets for updates and guidance in regard to the obvious. The world is in a state of worry, panic, and quickly headed toward pandemonium. What about you? Are you fearful or confident in God's hand of control in what happens? For a few minutes, let's you and me talk about something else th...

I am afraid that this post is going to be one of deep transparency. Proceed with caution. Sometimes life happens and we self-protect by putting up walls and pretending things don't really exist. In steps reality. Let me rewind for a minute. There was a time in my life when God brought a beautiful gift that needed me as much as I needed it. At the time, we don't always see a gift for what it is because when inconvenience happens, and disappointment comes, we are inclined to view the gift as a burden. I am sure that you can relate as this post gets way too close to home for many of you reading. There is a place in our lives where God doesn't see our ability, capability, or resources as the reason He brings the trial or the blessing. He brings them because He has a plan for it and He simply desires to use our slain vessels to accomplish His purposes. Never confuse the two. Never tell yourself that God brought me this task because I am something wonderful. Never let...

I'm not very courageous, not really. I do not like confrontation. It makes me feel a physical sickness in my whole being. Usually, when the matter I'm having to confront comes into view, I am left standing there dumbfounded with my mouth hanging wide open in amazement saying in my head, "who says that!" Later, I'm usually saying, "I should've said this or that." I would prefer to just be still until the storm passes by. Boldness on the other hand, I try really hard to be that every day. I am learning that you cannot have boldness without courage riding shotgun. Much like salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, oil and vinegar. They complement each other.  The one without the other is still useful, but when combined, we get the full experience. Not all people we minister to are open to see the scripture as God wrote it and intends for it to be understood. Not all who we share the love of God with will be open to accepting His way for the...