Birthday Behavior

Hello Readers!!!

I know, I know!!! I haven't posted in two weeks!! But, can I be honest I haven't had the energy and know how to post, what you need in order to be in encouraged. So, I had to get my life and pray about what I needed to share with you.

So, today is a special day. I didn't want to release this blog on Tuesday as usual because I wanted you to be a part of my birthday celebration. Yes, today is my birthday and I am super excited about it. Every year for the last 6 years I have always been in a funk when it is time for my birthday countdown. I would find myself comparing where I should be to where I am. I would think about all that I lost. My areas of lack. My areas of fear and frustration. Anything negative, I thought about it as my birthday approached. But, this year was different I don't know what happened or when it happened. (That's usually how Daddy works. He will shift you and transition into your next without you  being fully aware of the shift or the transition).

Today is not your usual blog.  It is a blog filled with revelation and insight. One to encourage you to enjoy life in spite of! This blog is to bring you more aware of what is going on with you. What Daddy wants to do through you. How you can live the abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10

Let's get started!!!

As I prepared for today I decided to do three things. 1. Reflect. Not on what I wanted and needed. Not on what I did not have. But, reflect on the fact that I did not look like what I had been through. I start to look at pictures from the last 6 years. I saw how I lost and gain weight. I saw how my mask sometimes showed, but no one confronted me about it. I saw how I pushed through despite feeling like life was not even worth living. 2. Realize. I came to the realization that who I am will never be who everyone needed me to be. I will not be able to please everyone, fit there mode, or even be accepted by everyone. Last 3. Revelation. I got the revelation that I have not lived up to my full potential. That I have allowed myself to become complacent, fearful, and doubtful. I found myself comparing myself to people I thought I wanted to be, instead of asking Daddy what He needed me to be.

Through these decisions, five things were birth out of me. 1. Concentration. I realize that I need to focus on what is in front of me. Learn from what is behind me. Prepare for what is ahead of me.  By doing these things I will be able to be productive. 2. Consistent. When you create a routine that works keep working it. Keep building on it. Having foundation is the key to success and consistency is the cornerstone. Daddy is consistent, and because we are made in His image we must be the same. 3. Courage. You must be bold enough to think outside your box. To be in a position where you are willing to say "Yes," in spite of the test. Your "Yes", can't be compromised due to your discomfort. Which brings me to the fourth thing...4. Comfort. You must become comfortable being uncomfortable. See the more you get used to being uncomfortable the more you get shifted and transited into your next. Last but not least 5. Completion. This one is hard because I am so goal oriented that I felt like this referred to my assignment and not me as a person. But, this completion is about being whole. It's about realizing that what you thought you needed was not what you really needed. It's about being ok with you despite your flaws. It's the summary of everything I have discussed with you so far.

So, I am sure you are wondering how can all this information help you out. What can you do with this information? Simple. Use it. Look and see what you need to work on in the three decisions. What decisions do you need to make that you haven't made? What decisions do you need to re-evaluate? The five things birth out of me... Well, those or my tools, revelations, elements of life. They are the things that I need for this next chapter. They can be some or all that you need in your current journey.

Today, I challenge you to use my birthday to create a new year for you. No, not a new you, a new year. We are always waiting for January 1 for us to start all over. But, the reality is, our new year starts every time we open our eyes and breathe the breath of life.

Prayer: Daddy, we thank you for this moment. The moment to breathe, your breath of life. The moment to really get somethings straight in our lives. We thank you for the ability to point out the things we need to deal with. The thing that we need to evaluate and make decisions about in our lives. We realize we do not have time to waste, and we must stay in tune with you. Thank you for your guidance through your Holy Spirit. This moment could not be productive without your Holy Spirit. In JESUS name! AMEN!

An Excused Yes

Today's blog is about to challenge your YES!

This past Sunday my pastor talked about Moses and the excuses he made when he said yes to Daddy.  Let me give you a summarization of this story so you can be brought up to speed for those that aren't familiar with the story.  Ok, so Moses was saved by his mother during a time where the Pharaoh was trying to kill all the Israelite boys. He grew up in the house of Pharaoh, killed a man, ran away, and met his real family, and this is where our story picks up. Moses is with his people minding his own business when Daddy tells him that he will be the one that approaches Pharaoh. Daddy tells him that he will tell Pharaoh  " to let His people go". Well, Moses response to this prestige opportunity is one I think most of us do when Daddy tells us we are going to do something great in the earth...The of  (drum roll please)... The excuse. Yep, that's right the excuse. 

We will give Daddy a, yes, but somehow, someway we end up finding an excuse on why we aren't capable. In Moses' case, his was the inability to speak with clarity. He said in Exodus 4:10-14:

10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you.  (NIV)

10 Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”11-12 God said, “And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn’t it I, God? So, get going. I’ll be right there with you—with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.”13 He said, “Oh, Master, please! Send somebody else!”14-17 God got angry with Moses: “Don’t you have a brother, Aaron the Levite? He’s good with words, I know he is. He speaks very well. In fact, at this very moment, he’s on his way to meet you. When he sees you he’s going to be glad. You’ll speak to him and tell him what to say. I’ll be right there with you as you speak and with him as he speaks, teaching you step by step. He will speak to the people for you. He’ll act as your mouth, but you’ll decide what comes out of it. Now take this staff in your hand; you’ll use it to do the signs.” (Message)

So in both versions of this scripture, we see five things that happen when it comes to Moses' excused yes. 1. Moses questions Daddy. He even goes to the point where he begs Daddy not to give him the assignment. Now, Moses' begging confused me. Because in Chapter 3 (Read it for yourself) he had an intimate encourage with Daddy that literally caused a shift in his life. But, now at this moment, he is questioning the assignment. Is that not how some of us are. We have an awesome encounter with Daddy. I mean it is a life-changing moment. Yet here we are moments later, questioning Daddy's request of us saying yes to the assignment that He called us to. 2. Moses was quick to point out his unequipped ways. He reminded GOD that he was not able to complete the assignment, due to the fact that he did not have the equipment to do so. But, I love Daddy's response... He told Moses that He would go with him. He reminded Moses how was the creator of all things and the same thing that made Moses unequipped He would equip. But, just like some of us Moses told Daddy that was good enough. Let me take a sidebar here and say this... There is nothing Daddy can't offer that is not good enough. Daddy's presence is more than enough!! If we become comfortable with Him, then, we can become comfortable with the things that He calls us to. Back to the points. 3. We see the grace of Daddy. Daddy got mad that Moses clearly told Him that His presence was not good enough for him to complete the assignment. Daddy is so great to us! Because even in his anger He graces us with His love and comfort. Which brings me to point 4. Daddy did not agree with Moses excuse, but he did understand that he needed comfort. Instead of giving him a way of escape He equipped Moses with another tool...his brother Aaron. Another sidebar: Daddy will make sure that you have no excuses to completing the assignment. You can tell him what you lack and He will create the equipment to meet the need. 5. I love how Daddy still told Moses, (summary) "Even though you have your brother to speak for you, he can't speak unless you open your mouth." Last sidebar: Even when Daddy provides you with the equipment to complete the assignment it will not work until you do your part.

 So, what's the moral of this blog? No matter how many excuses you give Daddy, He will always equip you to complete the assignment. But, He will make sure you work so you can see the potential that is in you. He will make sure that you conquer that which was once an excuse. Daddy will make your excuse your GOD testimony

Prayer: Daddy, thank you that no matter how unequipped we feel, you are waiting and able to provide us with the tools we need to complete the assignments.  Daddy, help us to understand that what we see as an excuse is actually an opportunity for you to get the glory. Thank you that where we are weak your strength will make us strong. In JESUS name! Amen