Fully Loaded

Psalms 68:19 ~ Blessed by the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Today as I thought about what to write in this post, I was stumped because I felt empty. I felt that there was nothing that I could say to you that would be of encouragement. For the past two weeks, I have been running on overdrive and depleting my resources and time with the Lord. Like a chicken with her head cut off I was running from this thing to that thing and I had not stopped to rest or refresh. I had not focused on what the will of the Lord was for me. I had not tapped in. So I pushed the stop button and started to reflect.

Once I got myself back on track, I realized that it was the Lord who was sustaining me in the times that I felt depleted. His benefits were renewed everyday, it was just how I was choosing to utilize them. As I looked at myself naturally, I realized that I was mimicking the natural, spiritually. For example, I had not gone to the doctor in quite some time. Praise the Lord, I have not been sick or even felt ill. Yet I had not taken the time to care about me and to just get a checkup. However, I still have benefits. I still have vision and dental too. I have choices to maintain my health. It is totally up to me how I use them.

Every morning my health insurance provider places my name on a list that assures that I will be covered that day. I don't have to call and ask, it is automatically done. And even though I don't use them every day I am still covered. If I choose not to use them, that is totally up to me. This is like my spiritual walk. Everyday the Lord's mercies are new, I can use them or not use them. Everyday, He provides me with blessings which cannot be counted or told, I can use them or not use them. Everyday, He refreshes my soul, I can rest in it or run out of it. Everyday, He gives me wisdom, I can use it or ignore it. And so on.

Today in my thoughts of depletion, I came across this scripture that reminded me that I am fully loaded everyday. I have everything I need to get through the day, it is just how I choose to use the day. It is how I choose to use my benefits. It is who I depend on to help me make it through.

In the next few weeks, I plan to get my plan in order. I have made my doctor's appointments and I have also released some things so that I can spend more time with the Lord. I am making full use of my benefits that He has for me and I am using them wisely.

It is so important for me to focus on the plan that He has for me and to stay in His will. With all of the things I want to accomplish, it is more important for me to know that He is with me and replenishing my supply everyday.

We all have natural benefits that are renewed: daily, weekly, monthly and yearly but only He can replenish our souls on a daily basis.

What I realize is that when I feel most empty, that is a prime time for my refreshing. And I also recognize that the only thing I should be loaded down/up with is His benefits. I pray the same for you.

Keep Walking,

Mi Vida

(Shoes reflect Choices)

Live In The Now!

This weekend I went to celebrate the birthday of a woman that has become very dear to me. She turned 60 years young. During the beautiful celebration the guest of honor made a statement that resonated with me. She said that after all of the battles, trials and ordeals she has had to face, she chooses to, "Live in the Now!" Although she wouldn't trade any of the experiences because they have made her who she is, she is so glad to say that they are well behind her.

I couldn't agree with her more. Each one of us has had hurdles, obstacles and stumblingblocks in our way but it is how we choose to deal with each one of them, overcome them and conquer them is all that matters. The positive piece that we take from them is how we really grow. It is the measuring rod we should use to see our personal growth.

More than not, many of us rehearse, replay and recount all of the things that have happened to us without gleaning the lesson or message that the Lord has for us. I have found that instead of deflecting the fiery darts, we wear them as badges of honor. "Look how many times I have been hurt", "Look at what a trooper I am", "Look at how many time I have forgiven". I don't believe that this is what the Lord would want for us to use to gain souls for Him. While they are definitely real to us, they do not define us. They design us. They mold us and shape us into better people. Like I have said many times before, "I haven't forgot but I do forgive." This is monumental for me.

Even in my current life there are hurts, hurdles and obstacles that try to hinder me from growing in Him. I am well pleased to know that I am learning how to sort through the situation and glean out all of the things that will be beneficial for me, while still using the hurt(s) wisely to teach me how to love. I am learning to admit when I am wrong and stand strong when I am right. I have learned to good in the midst of bad and to fight in faith. (A~men)

The greatest lesson that the Lord has ever taught us is to love. Love unconditionally, seperate the sin from the sinner. I am too sure that if He were to examine me today, I would fall horribly short of the mark. I have found that I don't always use wisdom to win. I am sometimes too judgmental and I am not very forgiving. But don't count me out, I am working on it. I am learning not to gage people by what I see on the surface but to dig deeper. I am uprooting some roots within me so I am not haunted by my past deeds.

All weekend, I kept saying, "I am in the NOW moment." I don't want to think about the past. I don't care what happened yesterday. I am working on changing me today. This weekend really made me look within me and think about my next big Birthday. Will my love for others be so full that it overflows and you can actually feel it? Will people drive hundreds of miles to see me and celebrate my life? Will the room permeate with the well wishes and good memories of who I had become? Or will I be in a room full of people, yet all alone? Don't misunderstand, this is not about followers or friends, it is about loving you so hard that I don't have to speak a word for you to know it. That is the type of friend I want to be. That is the type of sister I want to be. That is the human I want to be.

I am going into the "NOW" and I am taking you with me.

Keep Walking,

MiVida es de oro!

My Life is Golden!

Shoes by Prada, y'all

Forgiving

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

I admit it. I am guilty...of not forgiving.

I recently replayed some events in my life (Mi Vida) and I realized that in my heart that I had not been very forgiving. The very fact that upon recollection, I could feel the hurt, showed that I had not let go of that thing. I had not truly forgiven. The intensity of the hurt may have lessened but it was not fully forgiven.

I began to search within me to find out why I felt like I did. There is an old saying that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." With that in my mind, I have often shut out things and people who have resembled the hurt I once experienced.

What am I saying? Because of my past, I know the behaviors of certain kinds of people. So when I see those behaviors exhibited in others I know what I am dealing with. If they are unhealthy, I shut them out. But is that what the Lord did for us? Did He not teach us and love us into His arms? Did He shut out the publican or sinner? Did He not say live peaceably with all men? Just asking? The Lord never turned His back on us but loved us while we were yet sinners. WOW!

In our lives people will traverse through that will do things to us that rub us the wrong way. I am not suggesting that we just allow anyone or anything to abuse our love and compassion. I am just saying that after it is said and done, no matter how difficult, FORGIVE. You don't have to forget even though that's good, but you must forgive. Let it Go. If we are not trying to help them, let's not hold them in judgment, condemnation or unforgiveness.

Again I say I am guilty. In the first week of my quiet time, the Lord showed me that I am guilty of it and it has to change. Even when I have been lied upon, I can't be upset with the person that lied, but I can be upset with the father of lies. When I have been accused, I can be upset with the accuser of the brethern. When I have been devoured, I can be upset with the true devourer. And so on.

In this life we all will have some damaging, hurtful and exasperating situations but the goal is to learn from them and move on. The goal is to forgive as even more than we have been forgiven.

As I thought back, I can recall people who have hurt me beyond measure. These hurts were in areas that were lacking in my life. And while I underwent some very drastic experiences, they have only been character builders for me.

I am constantly learning to let some things go. I am learning to be quiet and still. I am learning that your issues will not be my issues. I am learning that God is not pleased with my unforgiveness.

So today I am releasing the hurts and letting go of things that were done before June 8, 2009 and beyond. It may still surface every now and then, but I refuse to let the root continue to grow. I am finding that I want people to forgive me when I am wrong (and that happens often), so I have to forgive them for sometimes they no not what they do.

With that said....

Keep Walking In Faith,

MiVida

Fear and Faith

Today I saw a billboard at a local church. It read: "Fear Knocked, Faith Answered and No one was there."

Whoever wrote this quote or expressed these words have had adequate amounts of both fear and faith to know that fear is only an adversary of illusion and faith although not seen faith is always there.

Fear is deceptive. I have often felt fear in the midst of some major trials. I have given fear so much power that I felt powerless and that nothing could rescue me. Fear is usually summed up in the acronym F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real).

Fear is lead into our hearts by doubt. And doubt is the parent of fear. Doubt always uses fear to mislead us into believing that what we see is real. That it is truth and that we are captive to it. I have witnessed the defeat of many because of something they saw, heard or thought. They have doubted themselves out of their destiny. Fear is like a vice grip. One small turn and the pressure is intensified.

When I saw this billboard, I knew instantly that the Lord was speaking to me. I have to let faith answer the door for me. Do you remember the childhood game called Ding-Dong Ditch? It's a game where the prankster rings the door bell and the unsuspecting person goes to answer, but before the door is answered, the prankster runs. When the prankster knows you have fallen for it, they try time and again to get you to answer the door. You become easy prey.

Finally you get smart and do one of three things: ignore the bell (hard to do for responsible adults), tell someone else to answer or catch them before they do it again.

This is where I think faith wants us all to be because we have options.

1) Ignore doubt: How? There are certain things that are confirmed within us by God. When we are sure, we can ignore anything that comes to defeat our Faith in God's plan.

2) Send Faith: When faith answers the door, you are sure that whatever fear brings, it is no match for the one at the door. Faith moves mountains and increases as we use it. Faith is a catalyst for us to fight against anything that will stand in our way. Faith is the substance that we are made of, we can call on faith to be the answer(er).

3) Catch Doubt in the Act: Don't allow fear and doubt to keep pecking at the door. Don't dwell on the negative doubts that we all have but me must catch those doubts in the act. Open the door before doubt has a chance to knock and say, "If God be for me, who can be against?", "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.", "No weapon formed against me shall proper..." Use the Word of God as a positive force against the negativity of doubt.

I truly loved the thought of this billboard and pray that the words of encouragement keep coming. Now I know that when fear knocks, I am going to send Faith to answer but I believe that no one will be there.

Keep Walking in Faith, with those heels on!

MiVida

Shoes by Dolce & Gabbana