In His presence, He is the present

This morning, I woke up to a Merry Christmas text from my father. I responded by saying that "I'm thankful and blessed to be alive . Merry Christmas to you all as well. Christmas is not about sharing gifts, food, or socializing, it's about sharing Christ and offering salvation. I choose to focus on that today and everyday." A thought-provoking conversation with my sister in Christ (birthday twin too) on yesterday reminded me of the goodness of the Lord and how we should share Jesus in conversation today and everyday as we encounter others. This is my 3rd Christmas away from family, so today I choose to sit at the Lord's feet and reverence Him and His glory upon my life.  His mercy and grace have sustained me and there are not enough words to express how grateful I am that He chose to die for my sins. He is Wonderful, Counselor, Provider, Friend, the Prince of Peace. In His presence, He is the present. "Great is Your mercy towards me, Your lovingkindness towards me. Great is Your mercies I see, day after day. Forever faithful towards me, You're always providing for me, great is Your mercy I see, great is Your grace."_Donnie McClurkin.

Amazed by His grace.

Prepare for 2015, The Next Level, Employing the Angelic Realm Workshop

Yesterday, I had an amazing opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by my sister in Christ, Tracey J. Johnson, author of Faith in Business: A Journey into Entrepreneurship and angel business coach. The workshop was entitled, "Prepare for 2015, The Next Level, Employing the Angelic Realm Workshop." It was a very intimate setting among other women of God who are seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs.  As the workshop began, we opened in prayer. I admit, I was dealing with alot over these past few days so the heaviness I was feeling disappeared as we prayed. Each of us stood up and introduced ourselves and our purpose that God has given us in a business.  I was nervous and excited to share what God has birthed within me. Our first exercise was called, " Who Are You?" During this exercise, we wrote on a sheet about our identity(gifts+talents+beliefs), purpose(joy+fulfillment+ others), and destiny(possess+be+do) according to God's will for our lives. We were able to be still before God in our hearts and allow Him to speak to who we are in our writing. We each took turns sharing what was written. It was very interesting to read what was written. Next, Tracey began to explain the importance of writing a list of I AMs which are daily declarations that encourage you to embrace who you are and calling forth truths that speak to your purpose. We got a full understanding of how the spiritual realm works on our behalf when we present our lives, cares, and plans to God, allowing the angels to have charge over us and those areas as Psalm 91 states. Next we moved on to writing down the vision and plan that God has given us for 2015. We then concluded the workshop with a meditation that took us to a place of peace in God's presence. During this time, I envisioned  myself as a star in the dark night sky. It was at that moment, God reminded me that I am a light in the midst of darkness, piercing through areas that need healing within myself and others. Powerful. Another highlight was a moment where Ms. Sidra spoke into my life and she called forth some things that took me by surprise. It was an unforgettable experience where one had to be there, in order to fully understand what transpired. For more info, check out traceyjjohnson.com.

Blessings

Life and Death: Which one will you choose?

One of the hardest and best decisions of my life was leaving an unhealthy environment. I've shared this before in conversation and I would like to share again here. I was raised in an environment where I witnessed verbal, emotional, and physical abuse between my parents and I experienced verbal, emotional, and mental abuse from loved ones. I would later learn that abuse is a common factor within both sides of my family, but no one talked about the effects over the years. From those experiences, I viewed family as the enemy. I didn't trust anyone who shared the same blood as me. What's even sadder is that I was taught to be that way from a young age.  Naturally, writing, music, magazines, and movies became my friends. Even though I accepted Christ at the age of 10, I didn't always draw to Him for inspiration. My inspiration came from my favorite celebrities. In my mind, I believed that since they didn't know me personally, they couldn't hurt me. Sad, right? I had a few people in my life who I associated with, but I only saw them at school so my time alone in my room was great for me. There was no pressure to be something that I wasn't and I felt free. But I was still caged within my surroundings. I truly understood, Maya Angelou's, infamous book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." That's exactly how I felt. Caged with nowhere to go. I use to make jokes with my friends, that I was "Celie" in "The Color Purple",  "Precious", "Antwon Fisher", and so on and so on. I literally saw myself within those characters.

As time went on, I went to college and met people. Being in that environment was even worse because there was no accountability and in my mind I finally had freedom. I made good grades but I still found myself in situations that were no good and I felt that I needed to date someone to feel, "normal". I would later learn that randomly dating someone is so boring. I would rather be courted for a purpose.  Honestly, I've always believed that being "abnormal" is normal, lol (not giving in to peer pressure, being set apart from worldly pleasures, having crazy faith in the unseen, etc).  I  can remember dating briefly in high school but it wasn't anything serious. I took the situation serious, but of course it was all a game to them. I will never forget the words my mother said to me when I was having a bad attitude one day: "If you want attention, you better find it in that boy," That was death to my self-esteem. Words are powerful and it is so important to know your worth as a person. As I look back, I realized that because of what I saw as a child, that's how I viewed relationships. I literally lived out those words that were spoken over me. As a young woman, I had a responsibility to know my worth. Even though I made a decision to leave my family, I still found myself in unhealthy relationships with others. I allowed myself to endure name-calling, false accusations, mind-games, manipulation, and constant disrespect. I even encountered a situation where my privacy was invaded and I became angry and physical with the other person. That's when I became scared. Scared of myself and who I had become. I didn't know who to trust anymore and I was afraid of being an abusive person. I realized that I needed help and that I can't continue to place myself in unhealthy situations. My livelihood and worth are more important than being with people who don't value me as a person. I'm so happy to know Jesus Christ as my Savior. Even though, I didn't always acknowledge Him, He tugged on my heart so many times to remove myself from those situations. Ever since I made that one decision on January 5, 2008, the Lord has been faithful. I admit, it wasn't an easy choice because I struggled with my emotions. But the Lord has kept me through it all. He provided for me when I lacked, allowed Godly relationships to be formed, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and just simply loved me where I was. He continuously loves me unconditionally. As I write this, I feel joy because I made a decision that was best for me, not my mother, father, or anybody else. I loved myself enough to say, "no" and to trust God. Regardless, of where you start, it does not have to be the end. Anyone who is reading this, please get out of those relationships that are causing you pain. Seek help from loved ones. Go to a shelter. Write an escape plan. (I remember writing out where I was going, my important documents, etc.) Love yourself enough to get out!!! Abuse is a topic that we as Christians do not like to discuss, but we need to be more transparent and talk about it. Discussion can be the defining moment for someone's life. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue." Proverbs 18:21. Which one will you choose?



God bless.

September: Month of Divine Elevation

Today is the first day of September. I'm so thankful to have made it to another month. August, the 8th month was the month of new beginnings, new creations, and a new birth. It was a time of preparation, leaving behind the old and bringing forth the new. Now we are in the 9th month, the month of elevation. I love the spiritual meaning behind numbers so here are the following excerpts from a great book that I've been reading, "Biblical Mathematics, Keys to Scripture Numerics: How to Count the Bible" by Evangelist Ed. F. Vallowe: "The number nine speaks of FINALITY or DIVINE COMPLETENESS FROM THE LORD. NINE is the number for the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. NINE comes after EIGHT, which represents the NEW BIRTH. After having a good tree, the next thing to expect is good fruit from that tree. "Make the tree good, and his fruit good." (Matthew 12:33) The good fruit follows as the result of the tree being made good. The tree (man) is made good in the NEW BIRTH. As NINE follows EIGHT, so the good fruit, the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, follows as the result of the NEW BIRTH.

"Paul mentions NINE "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the Fruit of the Spirit is 1. love, 2. joy, 3. peace, 4. longsuffering, 5. gentleness, 6. goodness, 7. faith, 8. meekness, 9. temperance: against such there is no law." In 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 Paul mentions NINE gifts of the Spirit. "For to one is given by the Spirit 1. the word of Wisdom; to another 2. the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another 3. faith by the same Spirit; to another 4. the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another 5. the working of miracles; to another 6. prophecy; to another 7. discerning of spirits; to another 8. diverse kinds of tongues; to another 9. the interpretation of tongues."

"In the law concerning the Sabbath year and what follows, there is both a picture of the NEW BIRTH and also the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. God said to Israel, "When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord. Six years  thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof: but in the seventh year shall be a rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard." (Leviticus 25:2-4) In the same chapter they are told what they should eat in the SEVENTH, EIGHT, and the NINTH years. "And if ye say, What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: then I will command my blessing upon you the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the EIGHTH year, and eat of the fruit until the NINTH year; until her fruit come in ye shall eat of the old store."(verses 20-22).

In this new month, I am embracing and trusting God to elevate me to a new level and dimension in Him. These last few months have been uncomfortable, growing pains. There has been a lot of pruning and purging of old habits. I've had moments of vulnerability and stepping out on faith. Although I've experienced rejection from man, I know that it is in those moments that I've continuously trust God wholeheartedly even when I don't understand. I can recall a friend telling me last year that he had a dream where I informed him that I was pregnant. I was shocked at the revelation in the physical sense but my spirit uttered that I'm pregnant with purpose. These "labor pains" that I'm enduring is causing me to produce a new thing. I'm so excited!! Of course there's going to be some warfare as I go further but it's so worth the joy of walking in my purpose and pleasing the Lord with my obedience. I'm thankful and grateful for this time.




Peace and blessings.

The World Needs Jesus and Love

In the midst of the riots happening in Ferguson, MO, the spiritual persecution overseas, police brutality, etc, I just wanted to share my thoughts. This morning as I was making my way to work I saw a post on facebook that stated the following:

"I am crying for America. The struggle is real for OUR boys... personally feel as though the election of President Obama changed race relations in the USA for the worse. What are your thoughts?" When I read the statement and the question, my response was the following:

"This nation needs Jesus. People are just now standing up and enraged about what's happening. Why didn't more people stand up and fight years ago for education, racism, youth, etc. Why don't we stand up just because we care enough about ourselves? It seems that someone always has to die or endure injustice in order for this nation to pay attention. Sad... #Praying." My response alluded to the fact that we can't place blame on one person when our nation has been suffering for years from senseless crimes, poor job market, racism, etc. Some of these tragedies have been a result of our own fault. It's unfortunate that these events has horrifically accumulated over the years. And yet, we still go back to the same way of treating each other. We still separate ourselves from each other out of fear. We still harm each other with our words and actions. We need to wake up and realize that what we need is Jesus and love. We need to pray for each other and love each other more. 

So as I went about the rest of my day, I came across a post Heather Lindsey wrote on her page. She mentioned the many incidents that have taken place and how the Lord led her to read Hebrews 3 & 4. She mentioned that she kept seeing the words, "don't harden your heart, don't harden your heart" several times in both chapters. Then later on this evening, I tuned in to Girl Talk with my sis Gloria Warren and her monthly study was entitled, "Love Endures All." Basically the Word and the monthly study explained how we must not become bitter and angry in the midst of what's going on.  It's hard to do, but we must pray through the situations that are taking place. It's amazing how I saw several messages throughout the day that were written and spoken in different ways but they all boiled down to two topics, Jesus and love. One thing remains, the Word of God is sovereign and true; the same yesterday, today, and forever.



God bless,
‪

Be encouraged and JUST WRITE

I've recently joined a Writer's Critique Group with my church and every last Thursday of the month, we meet to give feedback, accountability, and encouragement to each other. The name of the group is JUST WRITE and it's been a wonderful experience learning from other writers as well as challenging myself to do more with my writing.  At our last meeting, I was recently given a challenge to use the words JUST WRITE to create affirmations for myself during devotional time as I embark on my writing journey. As I was brainstorming and writing, the process reminded me of when I was a teenager. I would come up with different acronyms and quotes as encouragement to help me remember things. Here are my affirmations I wrote last night:

J.  Jesus is the light, the way, and the truth.
U. Utilize all of your gifts for the Kingdom
S.  Speak over yourself God's truth
T. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
 
W.We are more than conquerors
R. Refresh and renew your mind and spirit in the Word
I.   I am a child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
T.  Telling your story will free others.
E.  Encourage yourself and others. Embrace the pain, accept the process, and evolve in your purpose.


Peace and blessings.

God is the greatest accountant

This is a short and sweet blog post. It's amazing how God uses our daily work/tasks to teach us.  As I'm making my way to work this morning, this thought hits me: God is the greatest accountant I know. He makes sure that my debits (what goes out, negative stuff) and credits (what comes in, positive stuff) are in balance (purged/processed) so that my account (spiritual walk, soul) is completely reconciled (one with Him). Amazing....another teachable moment from God. I love when He speaks to me daily through situations and people. Lesson for today: remove all things that need to be removed and take in all things that are needed so that you can be reconciled back to Christ. Keep your spiritual account current. Don't become spiritually overdrawn.



God bless.

Preparation is key for our next level in Christ

As I began cleaning out my room and other areas of the house today, I sifted through old documents and items, discarding the unnecessary clutter. I began to praise God for clearing out the old and making way for the new. That's what this journey has been for me. Since I was a kid, I've always been nostalgic, collecting souvenirs and cherishing past memories of key moments in my life. I always had a bad habit of holding on to too much unnecessary stuff to the point I was overly cluttered. As I came across certain items, I began to group everything into two categories: 1. Important documents  2. scrapbook material.  I trashed anything that wasn't needed anymore. It's amazing how the simplest tasks we complete daily, weekly, or monthly can minister and check us. As I took a break, I was in my thoughts and it hit me that in order to go to the next level God is taking me, I have to prepare. I've always known this but it was amazing how God reminded me. I have to purge, removing the old, unnecessary things(old habits, old thought process), keeping what is important (faith, positive thinking, endurance, the Word, relationship with Christ) so that I can prepare for the each level God is elevating me to (moving to another dimension mentally and spiritually). Amazing, right? See, the key here is we can't continue to stay stagnant where we are. We have to constantly prepare ourselves, growing and pruning ourselves so we can take on new dimensions. I've had to learn this the hard way. Where we are now is not the final destination. I'm so thankful for this season I'm in and the seasons to come. This season has been a season of stepping out on faith, accountability, endurance, and preparation for what's to come.  I've said it numerous times and I will never get tired of sharing how God is amazing with His love, reproof, and power to transform all situations and circumstances.  Everyday is a new day to learn and embrace God's truth, consistently being better than your former self. Note to Self: Change is the first step, Preparation includes the necessary tests, and Elevation is the miraculous journey that lies ahead.


Peace and blessings,


Kevin Vasser, "Only You Can Deliver" http://youtu.be/K_XU0ZULkzM?list=PLE401A4D06A5B87F4

Healing needs to take place......My reason for writing:-)

I was startled this morning by a dream I had where towards the end, there was an image of me walking in a group of people and all of a sudden I fell to the ground on my knees and I couldn't get up. The pain in my knees was so extreme that I had no choice but to kneel down. After that image, my alarm went off and I was puzzled. As I looked down at my phone, the time was 6:45 and I saw a missed call and text from my coworker. As I read that, I was thinking to myself, "What is going on?" I began to feel a slight pain in my knees which was similar to my dream so I immediately began to pray for my coworker, myself, loved ones, and anyone else that came to mind. I called to check on him and he said that he felt light-headed this morning and he needed to rest. He didn't want to risk fainting at work.  I thought about the image I saw again. Could my dream have been alluding to what was going on with him? Or was it something else?  As I began my morning, I received text messages back to back regarding prayer requests for a few of my church family who were dealing with health issues. When I checked my facebook page this morning, I saw that a friend had lost his father. I just kept seeing things where people were dealing with financial loss, health issues, death, etc. It was heart-wrenching. As I was thinking about the dream I had, I was asking God what did it mean. As I thought about it, all I could think was that I needed to fall on my knees and pray to the point where I couldn't get up anymore. I know it sounds extreme but that's the truth. I need to get back into God's presence more and not let daily routines and tasks carry me away.  I refuse to have another year like 2012 where I was dealing with a lot and not spending time in God's presence.  Healing and restoration needs to take place right now not only for myself but my brothers and sisters.  I believe in the power of prayer and how it can transform situations and circumstances. This statement is for whoever is reading this right now: I don't know about you, but I'm tired of seeing the same things happening over and over again within our families, school systems, job market, etc. Change has to happen now and it comes with prayer and belief. Prayer is communicating with God. Belief is trusting that God will allow the process to unfold in His timing.

 In the midst of everything this morning, I just thanked God for where He has me right now. I know by writing and sharing my trials and triumphs is healing and freeing someone right now. Thank you Lord for giving me a voice to express and words to write. My story continues.....



God bless,

It's Not About Us.....It's About Jesus

As I arose today in preparation for church, I noticed some cuts on my face. My instant thought was, "Uh oh, what devil am I fighting now?" I haven't had cuts on my face since a few months ago. During that time I was in deep prayer and consecration for myself, family members, and a few friends. I can remember since I was a little girl, whenever I would wake up with cuts on my face, I would tell my mom and she would always say that the devil would be bothering me in my sleep.  I didn't understand that statement as a child but although I have had long nails since I was a kid,  I knew I wasn't purposely scratching myself in the face while sleeping. As I grew older, I began to see what she meant in that statement. The further I went in life, the more demons I would have to fight, not for myself but for others. As a friend once said, "With new levels, there are new devils."

So as I made my way to church this morning, I began to ponder on the thought that it's imperative that we know what our gifts are and who we are in Christ so that we are more effective to do what we are called to do. So many times, we look at the tangible things others have and we equate that with success and happiness. I personally believe that, "Success is the positive result of using one's God-given talents to serve others." That quote came to me when I was a teen while watching a program about celebrities and their monetary status. Everyone strives to be wealthy and prosperous but the question remains, what are you doing with that wealth? Are you giving to others?  Teaching others how to be financially-savvy? The first song I heard today during praise and worship was, "Not About Us". I love that song because it blatantly proclaims that this life we live is not about us, it's about living a life that gives glory to Jesus. We should be operating in selflessness with ourselves and our talents. We all have God-given talents that are needed in the Kingdom. The image God gave me this morning was that of a quilt. The body of Christ is a huge quilt of various colors and designs(people). As we add different threads and images(talents), we create patches that keep growing and growing(Kingdom building). The Word brought forth today came from 3 John 1: 8. It reads, "To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth." The message was, "Your gift will make room for you." Simply put, God has given us all gifts and talents. We cannot afford to sit on them and let them waste away. There's room for us in the kingdom. We have to trust God and walk through the door. There has to be an agreement in the spirit that God placed us here for a divine purpose. As we step into our purpose and grow further, attacks will come. As I heard those words, my mind went back to those scratches I saw on my face this morning. I'm being attacked in my flesh because my breakthrough is on its way. This season has been an uncomfortable season in the flesh, constantly fighting and warring daily, but my spirit says yes to the assignment God has on my life. Looking at those scratches on my face is a reminder that the battle I'm fighting is not about me but about Jesus. I am called to serve with my talents and gifts while fighting for the next generation. For a dose of encouragement check out the links to Bishop Noel Jones, "Not About Us" and Shekinah Glory's, "YES" below:


Bishop Noel Jones "Not About Us" http://youtu.be/qn4y1jEM5Fg

Shekinah Glory "YES" http://youtu.be/obIT-By1VOU


God bless,

The Origin of "Lequvia"

This is a random post about the origin of my unique first name. When I was born, my mother decided to name me a unique name because she didn't want me to have an "old-fashioned, country" name like hers and my father's. Throughout my life, my name was spelled "Lequavia" but pronounced Laquivia by my mother. I was told that it was the correct spelling and that the hospital didn't take note, which was typical for children with unique names. In school, my peers called me everything but the pronunciation, lol. It wasn't until I was in my second year of college, I decided to change the spelling back to Lequvia which is on my birth certificate. Before making that change, my school had a free event where students could have a free name certicate done. I was excited to see what it said:

Lequavia, origin: unique, meaning: "divine gift"

Majestic: a person of great luminescence

Personality: she radiates charm and warmth

Genuine: one whose words run deep

Style: a humble champion

Ability: she experiments with new ideas

Character: never impatient with others

Sentiment: will give her all to succeed

Physical: rides on the highest waves

Interesting....fast forward 5 years, I had a great conversation with a church member. He mentioned that he has a software that does name analyses. By that time my name is spelled, Lequvia.  Here's what the analysis says:

Lequvia, origin: individual, meaning: "A Gift of God"

Emotion- is even tempered most of the time.

Honesty- reputation is beyond reproach.

Charisma- barrel of laughs.

Relationships- if you want a best friend then there is none better.

Recreation- likes to visit new places.

Opportunity- career choices are easy.

Personal Profile

You are a good observer, making a mental note of what is said or done; though you might appear to be in a dream, you simply choose not to comment. You are an instinctive helper of others, someone who needs to be of service. You may express this through your job(which may be a vocation), your family life or the way you fill your spare time. As a result, you are usually given plenty of responsibility, although you may take this to extremes at times by becoming too perfectionist or nit-picking. You find it easy to handle money and are especially successful when you're self-employed- you have the requisite stamina and desire to do well. You are loving and need a harmonious relationship, yet you can be intolerant of people who don't measure up to your high standards, not only emotionally but also physically and sartorially.

Again, interesting.....looks like mom and God were up to something. Everything I read is true to who I am today. This is a testament of how names for children is important. My prayer is that God gives me names for my future children that will speak to their character and identity in Him.

God bless

Disciple's Cross

Tomorrow is my 29th birthday and naturally on birthdays, we are sometimes acknowledged for our existence with gifts and celebratory moments.  As I  enter and embrace this last phase of my 20's, I wanted to share the gift of God's truth. As I was looking through my Bible several months ago, I came across two things, a name analysis of my first name(I'll share that in a later post) and an assignment I completed in 2010 for my discipleship class entitled, "Disciple's Cross". Our assignment was to study the scriptures relating to discipleship,creating a teachable diagram of the cross with the focus of sharing what we learned with the class. So as I studied the scriptures and thought about how it applied to my life, I asked God how can I convey discipleship creatively through my point of view. He instantly gave me the image of a butterfly, which made sense to me because I've always used the image as an analogy for my life and walk with Christ. The essence and stages of butterflies represent freedom and when I think of salvation, its being free in Christ.

A butterfly begins its life as a caterpillar, slowly crawling on the earth. Like that caterpillar, we slowly walk the Earth day by day too. In order to reach the end destination(butterfly stage), we have to go through a process. First, we have to make Christ the center of our lives (John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me."-Spend time with the Master.

Next, we study the Word daily. (John 8:31-32, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."_Live in the Word.

The third element is prayer. John 15:7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever  you wish, and it will be given you."_Pray in Faith.

Spending time with the Lord, studying the Word, and praying in faith are the key elements needed to experience a transformation within. Like the butterfly, we have to form a "cocoon", setting ourselves apart, allowing a deeper spiritual process to occur.

After the process, the butterfly is ready to emerge, showcasing its beautiful wings (love & knowledge of Christ). John 13: 34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."_Fellowship with Believers

John 15:8, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."_Witness to the World

John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."_Minister to Others

The love and knowledge of Christ through the Word, prayer, fellowship, and witnessing births ministries: teaching/preaching, worship/intercession, nurture, evangelism, and service.

It is through these ministries
and spiritual disciplines that we begin to master life and prepare for God's use in the Kingdom. Like the caterpillar who goes through a process to become a butterfly, showcasing its beauty to the world, our ultimate goal is to deny ourselves, position ourselves through a process, and sharing Christ to make disciples. This is where true freedom lies. Below is my illustration of the Disciple's Cross.

God bless

Miss me...but let me go (In memory of James Lee Ousley, Jr. 9/17/1936-6/21/2014)

"Miss me...but let me go." These were the last words written at the end of my grandfather's obituary. As I journeyed back home this weekend for my grandfather's homegoing, I was so happy to reconnect and connect with family. The homegoing service for him was so beautiful. We began with a song and we ended with a song. As I viewed my grandfather, I saw a smile on his face. I nodded my head, thinking to myself, "Well done, faithful servant." My grandfather lived a full life, overcoming so much, mainly an incident where he was paralyzed on his right side after being shot by a disgruntled employee. According to my father, he should have died a long time ago, but God kept him. No matter what adversity he faced, he kept going no matter the circumstance.

The word spoken on yesterday, was entitled: "Focus, Faith, and Finish". The pastor spoke of having focus and utilizing faith to finish this race we call life. In order to see God's promise, we have to endure tests and trials to make it to the end. We cannot continue to look at obstacles and adversity with fear and complaints. We must endure every situation that comes our way so we can be seated at the right hand of Christ as we transition. During the reflections time, my cousin Tumetris shared her thoughts. My aunt Josephine's (Tumetris' mother) wish for her 80th birthday was to visit her brother. (Sidenote: my grandfather was the only boy among 6 girls.) My grandfather spent his last moments in Orlando so all of the sisters minus one, my dad, and aunt went to Florida to visit. Tumetris shared that it was a wonderful time because everyone was praying , sharing stories, and just having a good time. She shared that she was continuously praying the day before that the Lord would intervene throughout their visit. She reflected on how one day she asked my grandfather "what does he do when he's alone?" My grandfather responded, "I talk to the Lord." I was so glad to hear that in those moments when he was alone, he talked to the Lord. The funny thing about my grandfather is that when he talked, he talked so I'm pretty sure he and the Lord had a lot to say to each other, lol. Even though, he wasn't submitted to a church home, the important thing was that he had a relationship with Christ.  Whatever situations that took place in his life, he made peace with God and it was his time to go. Yes, it was a somber occasion; hearts were grieved, but my grandfather is in a much better place. The beauty of yesterday was sitting among his sisters and hearing their stories about their time with him and his life.  As I listened, I was able to see where my mannerisms and my personality come from. Whenever I'm with family, I always get a great laugh. Thank you God for answering my prayer: to be closer to my family and for all of us to come together more often. The following is the complete poem from my grandfather's obituary:

When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set on me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room,
why cry for a soul set free.
Miss me a little--but not too long,
and not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we once shared,
miss me--but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take,
and each must go alone.
It's all a part of the Master's plan,
a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart,
go to the friends we know.
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
miss me--but let me go.

I pray that those who are reading this right now, take the time to spend as much time with family, enjoying each moment, no matter the situation.


God bless

Prayer & Writing

In the midst of work and preparing myself for my grandfather's homegoing, I was so glad to have ended my night meeting with the Just Write group. It was our second meeting and I enjoyed conversing and learning more about how prayer is essential in writing. Our guest speaker, Barbara Winters did an excellent job conveying the importance of incorporating prayer daily and seeking spiritual wisdom. My favorite point that was discussed was the use of a dream board/list. I can attest that creating a dream board/list is an effective way to visualize one's ideas. I pray for God's hand to continuously sharpen and stretch me for what's to come. As I journey through writing, I encourage others to be open and #JustWrite!!

God bless

Stay On The Course

From reading this morning's devotional entitled, "Do Not Quit!" to listening to a conference call from my sis in Christ, to reading several quotes and scriptures alluding to the notion of not quitting and finally a heart to heart conversation with my co-worker this evening, God has constantly spoken to my spirit, telling me to not faint and grow weary in well doing. Lord knows I'm in another season of tests and trials. Every second, minute, and hour of the day, it's a constant battle to fight, die to oneself, and fulfill God's purpose in my life. As I grow more in Christ, the battles will not stop. It is a battle that's worth the tears, rejection, tired days, good days, bad days, and in-between days.  Throughout it all I have to remind myself that God's grace is allowing me to get up and continue to serve Him. It's not my strength. He is my strength.  I am nothing without Him. Who am I to forget that? I have to stay on course and focused. He is my Source, Sustainer, and Peace. I can do all things through Him. Phil 4:13. For anybody that is reading this, remember when you are going through a storm in your life, you are "passing through it ", to get to the other side. Pain+Process=Purpose

God bless.

He has His hands on you....

This post is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather, James Ousley 9/17/1936-6/21/2014. As I was leaving work today, I received a voicemail from my father to call him regarding my grandfather. When I heard the tone of my father's voice, I instantly knew in my heart my grandfather passed. The last time my father and I talked, it was on Father's Day. He encouraged me to contact my grandfather's room with a possibility that I might not here him talk because he had been extremely sick. He was right. I called but I didn't get a response so I just prayed for him. The last time I saw my grandfather was on my 27th birthday, July 7, 2012. Lord knows I needed a vacation so I took a week off from work and went to Orlando to visit my bff/sis from college and see my grandfather. Our last visit together before that was Sept.18, 2010, a day after his 75th birthday. He was in good health then but overtime became sick. As a child, I was never around my father's side of the family so it was a blessing to be able to see and spend time with him as an adult. I will never forget sitting and talking to him for almost 2 hours on that day. In that short timeframe, he shared with me so much wisdom from his life and he encouraged me to stay single, lol and work hard for everything that I want. I will always cherish that moment. Seeing him on my birthday was a great time as well. He was so overjoyed to see me again after that last visit. I could tell that he didn't want me to leave. He kept asking me when I would come back. To hear the news today that he's no longer here broke my heart but I know God makes no mistakes. My grandfather experienced a lot of pain and I'm so glad that he's no longer in that place. I have peace and solace that God is using this moment to restore, heal, and draw my family back to each other. The one song that popped in my head was Marvin Sapp, "He has His hands on you." These last few months have been tough and whenever I feel overwhelmed, especially today, I listen to that song. I know God is with me and my family during this situation. I pray that this moment will show us that time is precious. We have to love like Christ and live each day doing His will. With so much going on in the world today, it's imperative that we continue to strive for righteousness. I would write more but I'm gonna take this time and reflect. Below are moments I shared with my grandfather: the first two on the day after his 75th bday, Sept. 18, 2010. The last two were from my last visit with him on my 27th birthday, July 7, 2012.

Love you all,

God bless.

New Season, New Changes

Today is the first day of summer and as usual, I got up to handle some business affairs. As I finished, I ran into a sister that was on my mind recently. It was so refreshing to see her again. God is so awesome because whenever I think of someone, I instantly pray for them and then God allows me to see them physically. We both rejoiced as we embraced and began sharing our trials as well as our triumphs. I knew her from a church I visited occasionally and we shared a great conversation about how things must change for the body of Christ as well as within the church. We both agreed that people need to be focused on being transformed spiritually. Instead, we have people committing themselves to the Lord but not taking the necessary steps to be whole and restored while continuously reading the Word and growing. That's a big problem we're facing today. That's why it's so important to seek God's face everyday and not get caught up in a routine on Sunday. We are the church. We are the ministry. We have to change our mindsets and know who we are in Christ. Just like this new season of summer, the heat is rising. There are tests and different levels we have to face so we need to use this time to focus on where God has us at this point in time, read the Word, pray, and disciple so God can elevate us. As I close, I pray that the body of Christ continues to grow daily with more focus on transformation, healing, restoration, and deliverance.

Thank You Lord for allowing me to fellowship. Prov. 27:17 (As iron  sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.)

God bless.

Obedience: Season of Separation

As I read today's devotional in "Called to Conquer", the key verse, Genesis 12:1 said, "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you." My mind immediately went back to a recent conversation I had with my aunt about how when I moved to Atlanta in 2008, I was still carrying my family's problems and burdens on top of my own burdens. Outside of that, I was trying to build a life for myself and most importantly enjoy life. Not completely separating myself in spirit from my family caused much stress for four years straight. It finally caught up with me in 2012 when I went through a burnt out period. I had several deaths in the family, and stress from school and work. I also experienced a situation the year before that I never dealt with. I never spoke of it, but I believe I went through a depression. I had trouble getting up in the morning for work and everything seemed unreal. Instead of me placing all of my cares in God, I just carried it and threw myself in work and school. My spiritual life was dead. Yeah I was attending church but I wasn't consistently talking to God one on one. It wasn't until God removed those things I was focused on (job, school, friends), that I realized my family and other situations have to be placed in God's hands. He is the only one that can fix those situations. The more I gave Him my stuff, the more I was able to focus and see things clearly. Yes, I love my family, but I love God more and I choose to trust Him during this period of separation. The same thing stands for friendship. So anyone, who is reading this, DO NOT delay your season by holding on to distractions and hindrances. Obey God and step into your Canaan. Enjoy your season of separation.

God bless,

MissQuvi

Give Him glory always

Today was a very tiring work day. Outside of writing, I am a staff accountant and a substitute teacher. Since it's the summer of course, accounting work has been apart of my daily schedule. While I'm working, I listen to a lot of inspiration messages/music which helps me get through a long day. One artist that I love is Mali Music. I first heard him on Kirk Franklin's song, "Give Me" from the "Hello Fear" album.  That's one of my favorite songs I play when I need a boost in the morning to wake up. He was also featured in Deitrick Haddon's, movie "Blessed and Cursed". Anyways, Mali Music is a great artist with a unique sound. I like that he is taking praise and worship to another level. His music has also reached the secular music scene, which is very much needed(that's a discussion for a later post.) One particular song I love is "Yahweh". I love the pure worship for God. He says, "All the glory belongs to You, oh God."  Like I said, today was one of those busy days in the office and once I played that song, it reminded me that even in the midst of my tiredness, frustration, or whatever emotion my flesh is feeling, my spirit says, give Him glory always. Sometimes in the midst of our trials, we get caught up in how everything looks and we forget what God has done for us prior to those moments.  He has kept us, provided for us, protected us, and been everything to us that we didn't even deserve to get. The point I'm making is, whenever you feel discouraged, disappointed, and just plain doubtful on life, just praise God anyway. Give Him glory in all situations. Check out the song here: http://youtu.be/uhFauQ-9nhY



Peace and blessings,

MissQuvi

A fresh start.....Introducing DivineGift317

As one chapter of my life ended today, I decided to unleash the new name of my blog: divinegift317.blogspot.com. For the last 2 years, I was the CEO/Blogger for ROAR, a nonprofit geared towards providing resources to students and community. I enjoyed bringing my inspirational infused blog posts to the forefront. Today, that all ended when I was told that due to funding, I would no longer be needed. I was crushed but the Lord reminded me to step out from behind the scenes and to focus on my personal blog. I've always been a huge supporter of other's dreams. It's time for me to fully live out God's purpose for my life. So I decided to rename my blog from missquvi.BlogSpot.com to DivineGift317.blogspot.com. This name was birthed from an idea God placed on my heart a few times. The name is significant because my first name, "Lequvia" means, "Divine Gift" or "Gift of God". 317 is the exact time I was born; the numbers 3 and 17 in numerology represent divine completeness (Holy Trinity- Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and victory, two things that I strive for daily through the love of Christ. It was very befitting to rename my blog as such for God has given me multiple gifts that I refuse to waste.  After pondering about my abilities, I realized that I am a natural encourager by words. I love positive affirmations and sharing good thoughts, quotes, and life's beauty in words. Most importantly, I love sharing God's truth. I'm so excited for the chance to write and share again. This blog will be my way of helping and healing others by sharing my testimony, positivity, and how God has changed my life. Join me on my journey.
MissQuvi