Hebrew Boys Faith

Listen I don't know about you, but the weight of waiting has been heavy on me lately. The wait of waiting on the unanswered prayers and deepest cries of my heart desires. I was talking to my mentor about how I was feeling and how the weight of waiting was turning into depression. I found myself paralyzed and lame in the thoughts of my wait. After telling me the feelings I felt were ok my mentor hit me with a question that hurt me and arrested me at the same time. She said "Shawndrika,  what if what you have been waiting on never manifest in the earth? Will you respond with the faith of the 3 Hebrew boys...Even if He doesn't do it we still know He can?" (Daniel 3:17-18) I looked at her crazy as tears fell from my eyes to know this statement of faith could be my reality. Though I felt broken at the thought of this reality, the Holy Spirit arrested me at the same time. He reminded me that when the 3 Hebrew boys made that statement it wasn't  from a place of doubt or hopelessness but, from a place of true surrendering. They were saying to Daddy even if we don't see you manifest the situation in our favor like we want you to, you will still come through and get the glory out of  our lives. That's the key...Daddy getting the glory!! What you are praying and waiting for may not manifest or come in the package you want, however, if you surrender it to Daddy...it will manifest His glory in your life and draw you closer to Him. I hope this word and revelation reminds you that the wait is worth it! Remember the weight is there for you to surrender not to hold.

Prayer: Daddy we thank you that even in our heaviest moments you wait for us to surrender that you may get the glory out of our lives. We yield to your will today as we wait for you to manifest your glory. We take heart that what we are waiting on may not come in the package we want or the time we think we want it, however, it will come on time and work in our favor. In Jesus Name. AMEN!

Emotional Seeds : The Corona Edition

This virus called Corona has truly turned our world upside down. It has no target audience, no cultural difference, no area of focus, and no economic status. When I tell you that we were and are in this together we are. We have seen many die, however, we have also seen many recoveries from this virus as well. We currently live in the unknown as many states slowly begin to open back up and try to create a sense of normalcy. We live now in a world where we have distanced ourselves to save lives, however, this same distance is causing others to die internal with the results of external symptoms. With all that being said I want to challenge us to do something that was placed on my heart to do during this time of famine and uncertainties.

During my meditation time this past week, I found myself asking the question I feel all believers have been asking... GOD, how do we end this? What do we need to do to get back to a place of normalcy? I am sure like me and others you have struggled with the inability to gather at your local church and fellowship with fellow believers, or perhaps during this time you desire to have that fellowship because you want a better relationship with GOD. There are so many things that we need answers to and have questions about. Let's go back to what I was talking about... During my meditation time with GOD, He told me that so many people are sowing financial seeds (which is a good thing if you have it to sow. I truly encourage you to sow in this area, especially during a time of famine), however, one seed that we have yet to really address that is need during this time of famine... (Let me pause and tell you why it's a time of famine. It is a time of famine because we are lacking the natural resources and flow of those resources to meet the needs of the people... hence why states are trying to open up that the flow of some economic wealth can come into the state and country. This is the reason I am saying this is a time of famine. Things that were once easy to obtain. (tissue, paper towels, Clorox, Lysol, etc. are no longer easy to obtain) ) Ok, no more interruptions back to the reason behind this blog. (this is why I have to start blogging more...lol) GOD told me that in this season we have to sow emotional seeds. Now I know you are wonder....What are emotional seeds? Emotional seeds are: love, joy, and peace... A.K.A. some of the fruits of the spirit. These seeds are seeds that will not only produce great fruit in the lives of others but also produce great fruit in your life. The fruit of favor, blessings, wisdom, peace, and love. See during a time of famine, no one is looking for a harvest. They are looking for produce. They want the end results, not the seeds.  So, this means that no one will mess with the soil of your seeds. No one will uproot it or cause it to die before it produces your fruit. In summary... "This is the best time to plant seeds, no one will be able to taint it." 

My challenge to you today as we continue to find a new norm during and after this virus is to plant some emotional seeds. The need for their fruit will be in demand and is in demand as you read this. People need the connection of the human touch. However, due to the season that we are in, that same touch that use to heal now kills. Now we have to find a way to produce the same results in a new way and that's through sowing emotional seeds. Now I forgot to tell you how you sow these seeds. You sow them through text messages of encouragement, zoom video calls of listening, phone calls of support and love, letters of hope, and laughter of memories. Listening we have enough bad news to deal with, it's time that we pursue the heart of Daddy's joy in this season.

Prayer: Daddy, thank you for the opportunity to sow emotional seeds into people that I am connected to and even strangers. I understand that we are living in a time of famine and uncertainty and the best thing I can do is make myself available to you. Daddy, help me be the best seed sower during this time of famine. Let me be bold enough to love hard, become grateful in all things, and check on those I think are strong. Daddy, help me be open to accept emotional seeds as I sow them. Help me to maintain balance and never pour out on empty. In Jesus Name AMEN!

I really hope this blog blesses you during these uncertain times. Please know that your physical and your mental health is truly important. If you feel like you need help in the areas of your mental health. Please text the word Villiage to 205-660-0376, to be connected to a mental health expert. This is the perfect time to get everything you put off in order. #noexcuses #mentalhealthawarenessmonth

New Starts Here

Hey Readers!! I know... I know... It's been a minute! I know I promised to do better, but life!!! I know.. No excuses and honestly there aren't any. But, guess what?!? 2020 will soon be here and I will try this again. However, I am not waiting until 2020 to get here to start my new start. My new starts here today!!! Yes, today! Let me catch you all up on the great things that I have already started that will be incorporated into my 2020. I have started #squadgoals which is a group of women that I not only send encouraging messages to but also keep me accountable and consistent. Then, there is #dearfuturehusband365 with a brand new look and content. Last but not least DDC (Daddy Daughter Conversations). I figured out a way to share new content and be consistent. I am excited and it starts tomorrow. So get ready for great messages and an awesome year!

Prayer:  Daddy, as we continue to finish the things of this year, help us prepare for our next. Let us not get content in waiting on a new year to arrive before we put new year things into action. Let us put into action our new year things now. Remind us that our new starts here. Herewith, an open mind, heart, and faith to trust you more by losing control more often. In Jesus Name. Amen!

I Expect The New Now

DDC Readers,

We are weeks away from 2019 and I am still trying to get into 2018. I know that's bad, but I still feel like Daddy has something that He needs to do in 2018. With everything going on in the world, I really feel like He is waiting for someone to expect something from Him without waiting for the new year to arrive. I am that someone. In a message that I ministered at my church, I told the people that we get so caught up in waiting for the words "Happy New Year", that we missed the newness that Daddy is doing in our present. I love how he put it in Isaiah 43:18-19 (I am paraphrasing) He says. "forget all that I have done because I am doing a new thing"... Then He asked the question, "Don't you see it"? So let me go back, to give you the background of what is going on before we get to verses 18 and 19. So, in verses, 1-17 Daddy is telling the children or Israel what He has done for them, what they have done to Him, and the consequences of their actions. In other words, He is listing the history of their relationship with each other. By verse 18, He tells them to not dwell on the past because, in verse 19,  He is about to show them something new. From verse 19 until the end of the chapter He speaks of the new things that He is going to do and how they should be in a place of expecting, preparing, and experiencing the new now.

That's where I am when I say I am trying to get into 2018. I want to leave the first part of 2018 behind and enjoy the new that Daddy is doing now. I want to be in a place where I am not stuck on what He did that I miss what He is doing. But, can I be honest that's where a lot of us are. We love the fact that we have a track record with Daddy, but we forget that He is just like the energizer bunny... "He keeps going and going".  I know you are wondering... What's the moral of this blog? Well, good Question... The Moral of this blog is this: Dwelling on what He did will place us in three positions: 1) The looking back position. Looking back causes paralyzation. Genesis 19:26 we see that Lot's wife turn into a pillar of salt when she looked back. Which resulted in her being paralyzed in that position for life. 2) The Reminder position. This position tells us to remember what GOD has done but never expecting Him to do anything else. That's why in Isiaih 43:19 He says, "Do you not see it"? which brings me to the last position 3) The blind position. There are times where we can be so blinded by the new that we can't see the now. When it comes to this position I am reminded of Sarah and Abraham.  How when Sarah got the word that they would be pregnant and it did not happen when she wanted it too, she took matters into her own hands and created something new.  But, she missed the opportunity to trust Daddy and  His timing. Had Sarah not been so blinded by timing then she would have enjoyed the process of the new.

Prayer:  Daddy, thank you that you allow us the opportunity to enjoy the new things that you are doing in our lives. We pray that you will help us to never look back on your past track record with us that we aren't able to move forward in what you doing through, too, and for us. We pray that you will help us to remember that you do something new daily and we can't get stuck on yesterday's new in our now. We pray that you will help us to wait and enjoy the process of the now, that we don't become blinded by the new things we are expected from you later. In JESUS Name...AMEN!!


P.S.  I flunked #bloglikecrazy2018. Between motivation and schedule, it was not going to work. But guess what? It taught me that I need to pass myself and maybe even start my blogs in October and have them ready in November... I don't know but it was fun while it lasted. Maybe next year!