Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Comparison Day

Some people call this Valentine’s Day! Some people jokingly call it Single’s Awareness Day! But, if we’re not careful it will become “Comparison Day” where we spend more time wishing for what we see than appreciating what is right before our eyes. It is so easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves with other people… We compare our friends to other peoples’ friends. We compare our car to others’ car. We compare our house. Our relationship. Our marriage. Our job. Our hair. Our clothes. Our ________ (you fill in the blank). You name it and we compare it! (Especially as women!!!) We compare what we see… but we don’t compare the struggle to get what we see. You don’t know what they had to go through (or still have to go through) to get and keep what they have!

Comparison so often leads us to discontentment and discouragement… especially when we look around at what other people have and we make THEIR LIVES THE STANDARD by which we choose to live! But, the truth of the matter is that life is NOT one size fits all…. People in the world can measure what fits their life by looking at each other, but, in the body of Christ, we must fix our eyes on Jesus! Jesus is the standard. Jesus determines what fits our life and what fits our future! When we are pressured to meet other’s expectations, we have to keep in mind that we are governed by a wholeeee nother set of standards. Say to them, “one size fits y’all…” but not ALL!!!

Galatians 1:10 says, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

No more comparison. Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Xoxo.

RLB

"The World is Ever Changing..."

I have fond memories of the song “Order My Steps.” As a youth praise dancer, we used to dance to this song. And I remember that the Mass Choir would sing it often… and Ms. Ojetta would flawlessly hit every note every time. One of my favorite lines of this song came to mind today in my quiet time when I starting meditating on Hebrews 13:8 that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” My favorite line in that whole song is “The world is ever changing, but YOU are still the same!”

Things are always changing. Attitudes. Gas prices. Emotions. Friendships. Relationships. Dress sizes. Hair styles.

Always changing… and while those changes may not be that serious, sometimes change can be. Change like a diagnosis. A verdict. A foreclosure. A job loss. Or the loss of a loved one… These changes can be easy for some and traumatic for others. But, I stand encouraged and hoping to encourage you that even as things around us change, Jesus Christ is the same and He will not change. One song writer says, “There is no shadow of turning with thee.”

If Jesus doesn’t change, then

1) His love is unfailing – He will never get tired of loving you!
2) His faithfulness is unwavering – there’s nothing that would change God’s commitment to love and pursue His children!
3) His promises are unending – credit decisions expire, store sales will end, but God’s promises never do… if He said it, He’ll do it! There’s no expiration date on God’s promises. J

We can remain confident in God’s love, faithfulness and promises to keep us as we ride the waves of life.

Ricki

Blessed Art Thou Among Women

Today, I was reading Luke 1 and I was encouraged by Mary’s encounter with the Angel. She was in a very peculiar situation but the angel visited her and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

I know it’s not Christmas season, but I think we can all be encouraged by this passage 365 days of the year... God thought enough of Mary to send an angel to her with a message. Despite the persecution she would face for being unwed and pregnant, despite what people would say about how God was using her, despite how she may have felt about it, three things were certain for her and are certain for us today:

1. You are highly favored.

2. The Lord IS with you.

3. You are blessed among women.

Sometimes God’s blessings look funny to other people. Sometimes God wants to use us to do things that we’d rather NOT do… But, there’s no place we’d really rather be than in His will for our lives.

I challenge you today to let Him bless you today. And don’t worry about what anybody has to say about it.

Forever yours in Christ,

Minister Ricki

December’s Don’t-Do List

As we move into the holiday season AND transition into 2018, here are some things that you MUST NOT DO!!! Please govern yourselves accordingly...

1) Don’t compare your life to others... This is the wonderful time of year where we find friends are getting booed up, engaged, making pregnancy announcements, going on exciting adventures, and buying or getting fancy gifts for the Holidays. Meanwhile, we’re still trying to figure out what’s the next step, who is the boo, whether or not this is the one, or why there is none… THAT’S FINE! Don’t compare your life to others’ this holiday season. What God has for you is yours so celebrate them while it’s their turn… because your time is coming in due season! And comparison breeds contempt.

2) Don’t be discouraged about what didn’t happen in 2017… It is okay to be disappointed. We make plans and set goals for the purpose of reaching them. But, for whatever reason that doesn’t always happen. And it is easy for that disappointment from a situation to turn into discouragement about where you are in life. But be encouraged, all things work together for the good of them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose. It will all work out... even if it didn't work out how you planned.

3) Don’t be angry about what did happen in 2017… We’ve all been there. And a lot of us are STILL there. While there are some things that we wanted to happen that didn’t, there are also things that did happen that we didn’t plan or want to! But, we’re going to leave that anger, that hurt, that bitterness, that guilt, that frustration... allll that right in 2017 where it belongs. That break up, that unwise purchase, that opportunity you passed up, that loss, that mistake, that accident, that bad decision. Yep, we're leaving it. Do not allow anger to become weight you care into the new year.

4) Don’t dig yourself into debt trying to keep up with the Jones’s… Jesus Christ, (the savior of the world), and His birth is the reason for the Christmas season. While it is nice to spend time with family and loved ones, our society has made it so that much of this season is commercialism. Don’t spend money you don’t have on people who are not even being celebrated on December 25^th. I’m not saying don’t buy any gifts. I’m not saying you shouldn’t receive gifts. But, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself and go into debt trying to impress anybody—family included.

5) Don’t take unapproved baggage into 2018… if you have ever been on a plane, you know for a fact that while you can take luggage to your destination, there are weight restrictions that apply! You can usually check one bag in, but it can’t be over a certain weight AND extra check bags will probably cost you. You can usually take one carryon bag and one personal item on the flight and those, too, have size and weight restrictions. Imagine a flight where passengers were given was no limit to what they could bring… that plane would probably to weighed down and not able to leave the tarmac. If you remember nothing else, remember this: just because you think you need it, if God has said leave it, LEAVE IT‼! The restrictions are for your protection. The more baggage you take into this next season, the more you will be weighed down, slowing down your take off—DELAYING your destiny! And honey, ain’t nobody got time to be delayed from reaching their purpose‼! Especially not due to overloaded baggage.

Happy December!

PS: It's been a while since I've posted. Bear with me. I still love ya!

Why are you praying?

There are situations in our lives that arise and we find ourselves at the end of our rope.

Then we decide to pray.

A little backwards, but a lot of times, that's exactly how it happens. We don't pray until we get tired. We don't pray until we feel overwhelmed. We don't pray until we can't figure it out on our own.

My cat ran away. I was upset because 5 days went by and I had not heard from her. An acquaintance of mine found a kitten that looks similar to my cat and bought her for me. But, my roommate and I had not lost faith that our cat (KiKi) was going to come home. So, we sat down the night we brought the kitten (BeBe) home and prayed over her. (Yes, I prayed over my kitten!) And we also prayed for the Lord to keep KiKi safe until she returned home.

An hour later KiKi is downstairs meow-ing for us to let her back in. We were so excited. I was a little surprised. At the fact that she came home? At the fact that it happened soon after we prayed? At the fact that once again God answered my prayers? All of the above.

Then the Lord asked me these questions, so I feel led to ask each of you:

WHY ARE YOU PRAYING?

ARE YOU PRAYING OUT OF OBLIGATION OR EXPECTATION?

Ouch! Are you praying because you know that you should probably pray about it? Or are you praying because you know beyond any doubt that God can fix this situation?

Are you praying because you know that's what Christians should do? Or are you praying because your faith is bigger than your fear of the situation?

Are you praying because it's the last option? Or are you praying because you know for sure that it is the best option?

Why. Are. You. Praying?

James 4:2-3 tells us, "You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives."

So what are your motives? Are you just checking something off of your list? Are you praying just to be able to say that you prayed about it?

Don't come to God praying simply because you feel obligated to. Yes, commitment is a good thing. And many times, it is our commitment and obligation to please God that keeps us from giving in to our flesh and our desires... That is discipline.

However, when you kneel down to pray, ask yourself this: Why am I praying? Is it because you feel like you have to? Or is it because you trust and believe God is able? Is it because you have faith in Him, even faith the size of a mustard seed? Are you praying because you trust God to answer your prayers? Are you praying out of expectation or is it just obligation?

Do you trust me?

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1

What promise has God made you?

Maybe He promised you that He would save your children.

Maybe He promised you that He would send your spouse.

Maybe He promised to provide in the midst of your financial hardships.

When God makes us a promise it seems as if something happens to make it seem impossible. A financial setback that puts you in an even deeper hole. A broken relationship with that person you just knew you were going to marry. A call from the jailhouse saying that your child was just arrested...

Again I ask, "What promise has God made you?"

This week, the Lord promised me that this would be the last week I'd have to worry about my upcoming mission's trip... I believed Him. But, it was a foggy kind of belief. I was then told my our mission's leader that I needed $600 more than I thought. Within 48 hours, I raised a significant amount of that!!!

It has been an emotional roller coaster. A faith roller coaster.

It's in these moments that we remember those promises people made and failed to keep.

We remember all the people we thought we needed to make it happen.

We remember the plans that fell through...

And after we stress and worry and fuss and cry... That's usually when we remember God!

God didn't need you to make it happen. He just wanted to use you to make it happen. God didn't need you to choose the people that were going to bless you. He just wanted you to receive His blessings from who ever and whenever He allowed it!!! God didn't need you to make plans. He just wanted you to follow His plans!!!

Faith is assurance of what you don't see... Don't be discouraged if you don't see it! Just step back and watch God do what you can't even imagine!!! He is able.

God bless.

I have a thing about colors...

I remember when I was growing up and my clothes were pretty... basic. I never really had my own style. Well, my style was whatever mom could afford or fit me from hand-me-downs. I usually didn't think much of it. I was just grateful for clothes to wear... I remember having one pair of jeans that I'd wear all week long and pray that none of my classmates noticed. There were some times that I would need or want to wear a certain thing and wouldn't have it. For example, my friends would say, "Lets all wear red tomorrow." But, I didn't have a red shirt. Or, they'd say, "We're all wearing our boots tomorrow." But, I didn't always have a pair of boots to wear.

I was perfectly content with what I had until I was somehow reminded of what I didn't have.

Today, I took a look at the last few selfies I posted and found myself so overwhelmingly grateful for the ability to actually have my own style. I have a thing about animal print and colors... I love colors. I even have my closet color coordinated because I own such a wide variety of colorful clothes. But, for a season of my life, my closet was filled with clothes that we're fancy or colorful or cute. Then the Lord sent an angel to me who took me shopping clothes for me all throughout high school... whatever I needed and wanted, she made sure I had. It was nothing short of a miracle.

Until I became of age and was working enough to be able to start getting things for myself, the Lord really provided! And would you believe that He is still providing today? There are still people now who see something, think of me, and buy it...

And I always remember the days that I didn't have nice things... I am so grateful.

No matter where you find yourself in this, just thank God for where you're headed. Better days are coming. How you start doesn't have to be how you finish. The same God that provided for me then will definitely keep providing for me!

Scriptures to meditate on:

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." -Zechariah 4:10

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him..." -Matthew 6:8

"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus..." Philippians 1:6

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you for where I started and the ability to look back and see just far how you have brought me. Thank you for your faithfulness. And for loving me enough to provide for me even when I didn't know to ask! When I look at where I want to be and realize that I'm not there yet, don't allow me to be in despair. Remind me that you're still faithful and you're not finished with me. In Jesus name, Amen."