THAT POWER

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to share something with you that I've been pondering since last last week.  Be Encouraged!

On last Tuesday, my mom had to speak at her church and she expounded on the topic purity and not just purity in a sexual context, though it included that, but it was also about purity of the heart and of the mind and everything that we do and operate in.  She spoke about how when we walk in this purity our life becomes a magnet for attracting the unsaved, attracting the right relationships and allows us to operate in the full power that's within us through the Holy Spirit.  You know, that Power that when we speak and declare a thing it shall be done. That power, that when you lay hands on the sick they shall recover.  That power to resist the temptations of this world, that POWER….

I don’t know about you but, for many years a part of my heart has really desired to see God’s miracles performed, instantly, in a setting where the power/faith of God is fully active in the lives of the saints that were gathered together.  It takes much dedication and effort on our part but it’s totally possible otherwise HE wouldn't have said it in Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

So in our daily walk with Christ lets continue to grow in allowing our hearts, our minds, our actions, our thoughts, our everything be guided by the Holy Spirit, so that every word and every promise of God for our life is manifested.  When we do, there will be nothing left on the table because we will surely consume all that he has prepared for us. IT’S TIME TO FEAST.

Let’s Get IT!!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Until next time be blessed and continue to be a blessing.

Samiyyah W.

L.I.S.T.E.N. UP!

 It's Who I Am and Perfecting to Represent read on....

Last Saturday, was the start or should I say the outwardly manifestation of what I know God is doing internally in me.  On that day I attended my church's leadership summit and it was an amazing time of fellowship, sharing, opening up, breaking barriers and great teaching.  I had the pleasure of sitting at a table with a group of amazing, beautiful and encouraging women who pushed me to share a part of me with them and the entire leadership, which now compels me to be that much more accountable to my personal and spiritual development.

What I shared that day was something birthed from an assignment that my friend and I set out to do regarding our finances. The assignment was to write down the core values of our life - the things that were most important to us- and once we had the final list those things would help us to govern how our finances are spent and would also help us make those challenging decisions life will always require us to make, at some point.

On June 1, 2013, I sat at my kitchen table determined to complete this assignment. I started by throwing words on a paper that represented who I am, what I like to do and what is important to me; Christ, Family, Finances, Travel, Invest in others, Serve others. On from there I tried to come up with an acronym that represented all of these words which would be a reminder for me to continue to be a representation of that in the earth.  A few minutes passed and I couldn't find the one word to bring it all together but then it hit me, the holy spirit stepped in the room - you  know the phrase the light bulb just went off well that's really what happens to the believer when HE shows up.  :) Okay, so HE shows up and I realized I forgot to add the word LISTEN to my list.  Why listen, well because it's something that I discovered, over the past few years, that I'd rather do than to always be the one heard - that's the introverted part of me.  It doesn't just require me to listen to your speech but to your actions.  In listening you come to know so much about a person outside of the words their actually speaking.   So listen is added to the sheet of paper in front of me and then the process of me breaking that word down began to flow freely.

As you read a part of me be blessed and encouraged to begin/continue to operate from the place of your God given core.

The Core of Who I AM and What I Do is to L.I.S.T.E.N:

to be Led by the word of God

to Invest and Impart in others; spiritually, financially and relationally

to Serve with the love of Christ

to Teach by letting my life, in Christ, be the example

to Encourage and Empower our Youth of today

to Never be afraid to venture into the unknown and explore the impossible

Inspired on June 1, 2013 6:33pm

Until next time be blessed and continue to be a blessing.

Samiyyah W.

A Successful Relationship = The Right Person & The Right Time

Hello Everyone,

Today's post comes from a young lady whom I've had the pleasure of spending a week with in Haiti, during our mission trip two weeks ago.  She recently shared a post during our weekly devotionals and it simply blew me away.  These were her thoughts, and might I add very powerful thoughts, that I simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to share it with you.  For me, these words really hit me at the core.  See, I can pin point when I'm emotionally unavailable for a "serious relationship" but, never in a million years would I have thought there was a possibility that I could be emotionally unavailable for ONE that unconditionally loves me!  WOW!  

With that being said, please read on to explore the thoughts and encouraging words pondered by my sister friend in Christ, Sabine S.  

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Hello Beautifulssss,

"Being in a successful relationship boils down to two things- the right person and the right time. 

For the person to seem right in your eye would mean that there is attraction and the law of attraction means that like attracts like. So for example, I get along with you because I like something about you, I like something that you do, or that you emulate.  So technically, if we have God, we have found the right person and any time is always a good time to meet God and we like what He stands for, so then why does it sometimes feel like our relationship with Him is not successful or may not appear that we even have one? Are we not the right person? Are we not right for each other? Evidence shows that He thinks we are the right person because He wants to be with us, called us by name and knows if, when and where a strand of hair is missing.  So what’s the problem?

I have also learned that sometimes you can find the right person at the right time but you; you are in the wrong time because you are emotionally unavailable. Could it be that our relationship with God doesn’t look or feel successful because we are emotionally unavailable? Being emotionally unavailable means you will attract who or what is also unavailable. Like attracts like after all. Who are we attracting instead then?  Hmm? It's definitely not God when we are not worshipping. It can’t be God when we are not forgiving. It can’t be God when we are not caring, loving, helping...etc. So if you want a relationship with God, you can’t be emotionally unavailable, you can’t stop worshipping, praising or stop wanting to be in His presence. I mean, would you want to date someone who’s not giving you the time of day? Doesn’t even send you a simple hello text or call?  Only squeezes you in when his schedule is convenient to do so? Doesn’t that put you at the bottom of his priority list? God is available 24/7. I’m just saying. The person who cares always wants to see you, wants to hear your voice, your thoughts, how your day went…God wants a hello.

So this supposedly right person can come into your life and say I will never leave or hurt you and then he does just the opposite.  Then you begin to feel betrayed and you’re on your caution move for possible future relationships, if you even care to be in one.  However, with God, you don’t have to think about will the next god do the same because there is no other like HIM, no guy, no god, none!! There will be no other after Him. Do you understand that? That is solid guarantee and He Himself has promised to never leave nor forsake you. You don't have to read His mind or figure it out, He tells you straight up-I WANT YOU AND HAVE DIED FOR YOU. I want who I want, if only he or she would want me back in return…You have to feel wanted in order for the relationship to be successful. God wants you!

So when you have someone and you’re confident that he will not leave, you tackle your relationship issues or drama without thinking aw man, we’re breaking up. Instead, you look at everything like it’s just a phase, a moment of trials because in the end you know that the love you have for each other runs deep and there's no storm that can sink the ship that you have built.  So perhaps, if we first allow that same attitude/conviction to be present in our relationship with God, our self-esteem would sky rocket and we then begin to brag about having a Man that aims to please, provide, take care, handle and meet all of our needs and then some. God wants to be bragged about by you.

So let us seek ways to bring more success in our relationship with God and put a smile on His face. After all, what’s a successful relationship when you can’t bring the best out of each other?  God wants a worship smile.

Love ya,

Dazz

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Until next time be blessed,

Samiyyah W.

Are You Positioned to Receive What You Ask of HIM?

This morning, as I sat in my room, I heard my mom repeatedly asked (just three times) to borrow one of my scarves.  The final time she asked I got up put the scarf over the rail, ready to drop it down to her, and I called out here you go.  Her response was "ok I’m coming" and I replied you kept asking for the scarf but you’re not even there to catch it -of course I said it in a nice way.  It was at that very moment “the light bulb” came on.  We as people tend to ask God for a lot of “stuff”.  Some of the stuff we haven’t even positioned ourselves to receive it.  Let’s take these few scenarios as an example:

God give me a house - but then we haven’t positioned ourselves financially to sustain the house and still be able to LIVE comfortably.

God give me a husband – but we haven’t come close to mastering how to take care and nurture with HIS love, the relationships that God has placed in our lives.

God give me a job where I earn more money – but we haven’t mastered how to properly allocate and live off of our current resources.

Now I’m not saying don’t ask God for “stuff”, because I do believe in HIS favor and I do know that regardless of any situation HE is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all.  However, I am saying that in our asking for the stuff; let us not forget to ask God to show us how to prepare ourselves to receive our answered prayers. 

I heard a quote earlier this year from one of my financial mentors, Dave Ramsey, and it has really stuck with me and I just want to share with you to encourage you that when you think your prayers haven’t been answered ponder this “Gods not going to curse you by giving you something that you don't have the character to handle". Then turn around and ask for God’s wisdom and how you can do your part to position yourself to receive.  I’m reminded of two scriptures, the first is  Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.   The second is Matthew 6:15 (MSG) If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.

Until next time, peace and blessings always!

Samiyyah W.

That PLACE....I've been there

I've been at that place where I devalued myself, because of the "love" I had for another, seemed to be greater than anything else.

I've been to that place where all I wanted was that "someone" to LOVE me as much as I loved them.

I've been at that place where I did things; drink, have sex before marriage, etc, just to make up for the emptiness that came with; low self-esteem, not feeling valued, not....

I've been at that place of isolation and in near site was the ABSENT voice of close friends to bring about encouragement.

I've been at that place when I've felt it would be much easier to end it all then to deal with the season of pain.

I've been at that place when I felt, "I JUST DIDN'T FIT".

I've been at that place when I felt, I'm ONLY wanted because of what I could do or give to another. A place where my own safety and well-being took the back seat to appease another.

I've been at that place when all that I wanted was to have a great relationship with my dad; to even feel the loving embrace of my sisters arms was an unfamiliar place.

That place that made me question, at times, is God even there.

I'VE-BEEN-THERE and now I look back and I thank God that he placed in me that fight to never give up.

See, had I given up I would've never discovered this place called Value. The place where I appreciate the awkwardness, the beauty, the uniqueness, the strength, the determination and the fearlessness of WHO I AM.

Had I given up, I would've never learned what it means to endure the storm until the sun shines again or how to ride the waves until HE speaks to the raging waters, peace be still. I was frequently reminded of a Psalm (30:5), weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.

Had I given up, I wouldn't have discovered the transformation of the things, after, that were present before the storm.

Most importantly, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to discover this amazing spirit of unfailing love, peace, patience, joy and victory. That spirit that was always ready to full me up, so that every empty area in me exists no more. Oh how I'm so ever grateful to my Lord for HIS forever renewing mercies and unfailing grace.

In no way is everything perfect in my life, but I've learned and continue to learn how to "SURF"- riding the waves until the end.

Having discovered that my life isn't only valuable to me, but to HIS Kingdom.  There's PLENTY of work to be done, so please be encouraged and know that your DESTINY is WORTH the FIGHT.

Soar like an Eagle,

S.A.W

Working Out Your Own Soul Salvation

I haven't posted in years lol I must get back to it, starting today.

So just recently, I was listening to one of Joyce Myers podcast and she mentioned how if we avoide dealing with our soul, the root of our emotions the place where our pain lives, our hurt, etc; the words that we speak may cause pain rather than encourage one who hears.

When she said that I just kept meditating on it. I pictured like a pyramid and since I love food, I pictured the process of marinating a piece of chicken (as if I'm a cooker lol) You fill a bowl with your special sauce, then you put the pieces of chicken in the bowl to marinate. for a few hours or a day. Then you begin the process of cooking the chicken. The longer you let the chicken marinate the more flavorful it will be when its all done. The savory juicy taste of that chicken is satifiying to the soul and we would say it "HITS THE SPOT" :)

So it is! You invite Christ into your life and the moment you do you are filled with HIS spirit. U soak up on the word of God and when you allow that word to cook in your life, your soul becomes free, free of pain, free of heartache, free of whatever is not suppose to be there and full of what is.... So now when you speak you speak from a place of healing, a place of joy and a place of peace and so now U become that person that's ready to encourage the next.

This my friend was a revelation, for me today of HIS word "...working out your own salvation...". Philippians 2:12

YOU gotta work it out, and remember not to forget HIM as the helper.
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Working it out....

God Bless and continue to be a blessing...


-S
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"LIFE IS TO BE LIVED ABUNDANTLY ALWAYS"

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Loving You

For many this may seem to come easy, for many this is done through a journey of repeated heartaches, being abandoned, low self esteem, etc.

No matter what scenerio you find yourself in, what road you journey along You owe it to yourself to experience what it's like to love You, to embrace You, to celebrate You even if no one else does.

What perfect way to come to understand what Love is and what Love looks like other than looking at the one who is Agape Love, the one who first Loved us before even the foundations of this world, the one who loves us despite our hangups and mishaps, the one who is always ready to shower us with his presence. The one who understands when no one else understands. He is OH so awesome and OH so amazing.

For me I don't think this came for me until after my college years. Wow!, how many years I wasted, yet, I must say each moment played a significant role in who I am today. Would I change somethings, most definitely. Nontheless, I am owe so grateful for the grace and mercies of God and his promise that "All things work together for the good of them that Love the Lord and are called according to his purpose"


So if you haven't yet discovered what its like to love yourself, always remember you owe it to yourself to come and finally experience the Love that God has so freely shown you. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton son .for you to live and have everlasting life, if only you would believe and call upon his name, Jesus."

Let's make 2009 be our year of walking along that PATH of truly loving ourselves, first.

May your day be blessed and may continue to desire to be a blessing!

S.A.W.
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"LIFE IS TO BE LIVED ABUNDANTLY ALWAYS"

Sent via my BlackBerry Device