Why is Life so Hard?

Okay people. I’m going to put it out there. “Why is life hard?” There, I said it! Come on! Don’t act like you’ve never said that before or thought it. I’ve heard people go so far to say, “Why are we here if this is all there is to it. There has to be a better way!”


Of course there is a better way. In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (NIV). In that HE is saying that HE knows that sin makes life hard. We are shaped in sin. Sin is a part of our everyday life therefore life is not going to always be easy. Yes, some days are better than others, but while we are in this flesh, we are sinners. Yes, we repent, but we are still shaped in sin. Romans 7:20 (amplified) explains “Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it [it is not myself that acts], but the SIN [principle] which dwells WITHIN me [[c]fixed and operating in my soul]. The good news is that when we are in Christ, HE bears the sin thus making our burdens easier. HE alone is the one that can save us. HE doesn’t say that we won’t have burdens and that as Christians, we are exempt. He is saying that our burdens are lighter and we can rest in HIM.

Have you ever seen a yoke? A yoke is a shaped wooden CROSSpiece bound to the necks of a pair of oxen or horses. It is held on the animals' necks. It transmits force between the animals' shoulders making it easier to carry a load. Imagine that you are going through a tough trial and you are all alone. You are trying to carry this heavy burden on your shoulders and the more you try to walk the heavier it gets until you are almost crawling on the ground. THEN you call on JESUS and you become yoked with HIM. He is strong and equipped. He picks up the burden you are carrying and walks beside you. Did you just feel that relief!! The awe in knowing that HE cares enough about you to carry you! The burden just got easier. Once again, it didn’t go away but now you can rest in HIM. That’s incredible news.

I leave you with this. One of my favorite songs is “Stand” by Donnie McClurkin. In it he says, after you’ve prayed and cried and have done all that you can, you just STAND. I know that I can Stand up and strong when I am yoked to Jesus. HE is there to dust my knees off, STAND me up and allow me to push forward. That is my prayer for you today, STAND, in Jesus’ name… Amen!

Warning! Self Esteem killer on the loose!

“My self esteem is shot!” Wow! How painful! The very core of someone’s being has been damaged. It has been torn apart by the enemy as he roams to and fro, seeking to destroy anything that is good. It’s time to fight!

SHOT!

To hear that someone has been shot brings to mind a painful scene. The first thing we ask is if they are okay? We wonder if they are severely injured or near death. SHOT! It’s a scary thought, a scary thing to hear about. Yes, we hear about someone getting shot on the news all of the time. It’s become a standard part of life. Crimes are reported every day. We can become de-sensitized to it until we hear about someone that we know. Then it becomes personal.

CALL 911

We should feel the same way, when we hear that someone’s self esteem has been tattered, torn or possibly destroyed. It’s serious. Immediate aid is needed. The same special care should be taken. We should ask, if they are okay. We should ask how badly they are injured and pray with them to assist them in healing. They may not be dead physically, but what about spiritually or mentally. We should care. We have to care and we have to act quickly to as in any 911 situation. We have to minimize the damage as soon as possible.

FIGHTING FOR VICTORY!

How do we react you may ask. We have to fight. We have to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) Gird ourselves up! Pull out our swords (the word) and fight! Don’t cower. That’s what the enemy wants us to do. He wants us to be fearful, hide and slink into a corner defeated. Once he senses that we are weak, he will send out all kinds of attacks because he senses a victory. Once again, he is a confused. We are God’s chosen children. We have to face him head on and call him out for the liar that he is. Speak it out loud! “I am God’s child! I am chosen! God carefully put me together and personally planned my life and my purpose! I will carry it out! HE has promises for my life! The war is already won and I am a winner, a winner in HIM, in Jesus name.. Amen!!

HEALED

Don’t you feel better??? Whew, I do! Just speaking the word back to HIM makes HIM smile. HE is ready and willing to come to our defense. The WORD causes the enemy to flee!

A friend of mine shared a word with us at practice tonight. He said that he’d heard someone say, that “God honors HIS word over HIS name!” HIS WORD! All of HIS promises are YES and I believe it and receive it! IN HIM we ARE healed! Confidence is restored! Worth intact! HEALED!

Hurdles-How I Got Over!

Hurdles- How I got over!!


Have you ever run hurdles? It’s all about skill, timing and mindset. When I was growing up, I had the skill. I could run and I was fast. My 9th grade gym teacher recognized this and asked me to run track. One of the events that she wanted me to participate in was the hurdles. She figured a cheerleader that could run would be a perfect combination. The training began with timing. She had me count out the steps between the hurdles to teach me the rhythm. Then a problem presented itself. I didn’t have the mindset. Seeing those hurdles placed in front of me seemed like a daunting task. How in the world was I going to do this? Keep in mind, I liked to excel at everything that I did and this was not coming easily. I knew that in order to get to the finish line, I had to clear them. If my timing was off, I would either fall or knock the hurdles down. A misstep could actually cause me to lose the race! More about this later…

PERCEPTION VS REALITY

Those hurdles looked like HUGE obstacles to me. It was the perception. Just as in life, if we allow our hurdles to scare us, we are already defeated. We can easily psyche ourselves out of running. Every step toward them may cause us to pause, stop or turn around. We begin to tell ourselves that there is no way we will ever be able to get over the hurdle. What do we do then? Give up and quit! Defeated!

On the other hand, there is another choice. We can choose to face the hurdle head on! Instead of a defeatist attitude, we can choose to win. Our hurdles are not insurmountable. The hurdle event in track and field is defined as a sport where the sprinter runs over the hurdle or barrier. RUN over the barrier!! That’s right. The barriers are there but it is expected that we RUN OVER THEM! That’s good to me people. If it was an impossible task then there would be no need for the sport. That’s the same for you and me. Barriers may be in front of us. The hurdles may appear monumental BUT with faith in GOD all things are possible. With perseverance and HIS help, all things can be won! We can clear those hurdles. When we cross the finish line and look back and see how we got over, we can see why the barriers were there. There to show us that we can do it. There to teach a lesson and growth. Showing us that we CAN push forward!

I AM A WINNER

Back in the 9th grade, the hurdles won. I let them defeat me. I gave up and moved onto to something else. Although, I gave up, I learned a valuable lesson from that experience. I learned that I should have stuck with it. I shouldn’t have let the fear of failing get in my way. I learned that although I was intimidated by the task, it was only my perception. It wasn’t real. I have taken that lesson and used it in life. Used it to remind me to push forward, even when I don’t feel like it! Push forward, even when I don’t want to because the end result will be oh so sweet! We can win the race! We are victorious and we are winners! In Jesus name, AMEN!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

What do you do when your GPS fails?

OK!! It’s dark and I don’t see well at night. Add in the maddening circles in DC and what do you have? A MESS! The GPS kept saying take the 4th exit… in the circle? What in the world does that mean? There are no exits in the circle!! SO….I ended up on the wrong narrow street with snow mounds EVERYWHERE! UGH! UGH! People say that your character can be judged based on how you untangle Christmas lights. I say, watch how people act when they are lost. LOL I finally asked a cab driver and you would have thought I’d cussed at him. He said “The hotel is right up the street!” He was pointing at a wall!!!! I said, “Up the street where?”..….determined to find my way. He sort of mellowed out and was more specific. I thanked him in my southern manner. I’m sure he was thinking… tourist! I didn’t care; I just wanted to get to where I was supposed to be. (SMILE)

That’s how life is. We all want to get to where we are supposed to be. We know when we are lost and we feel so disjointed. We get anxious. All of us react differently to that lost feeling. Some people stop and focus. Some people ask others what to do. And some people call on JESUS!! Can you guess what I was doing last night? You got it… I was calling on Jesus!! HE is ALWAYS the answer! Although HE didn’t audibly say, “GIGI!!! TURN RIGHT AT THE NEXT CORNER!!” I firmly believe the cabby was in the right place at the right time so that I could ask for directions! There is always a ram in the bush, when your faith rests with HIM.

Next time your GPS keeps saying “You are now off course! You are now off course!” Take a deep breath, pull over, refocus and say a prayer! You’ll find your way in HIM, in that you can depend.


Genesis 22:13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

Y Choices

Y Choices!


The letter Y is an interesting letter. As the yield sign forms the top of the Y reminding us to slow down and proceed with caution, the letter Y also symbolizes a fork in the road. It is a defining moment. It is a point in the whirling vortex that we call life, where things seem to stop. We yield to let others pass as we make a choice. It is essentially the stopping point where a decision HAS to be made. Some say, “I WON’T make a decision, I will just stay here and do nothing.” That in itself is a choice. The other options are to go left, right or turn back, but either way a decision is made.

WHY:

Often times at the Y, we ask that question. WHY? Why is this happening to me? Why do I have to choose? We choose because God gave us freewill. Yes it would be easier to allow others to make the decisions for us, but would that make you happy with the end result? Yes, you could then blame someone else for your emptiness but essentially you chose to allow someone else to choose.



Choices:

Some choices are harder than others. They are life altering. “Should I further my education? Should I stay in a loveless relationship? Am I ready to get married, have a child? Should I buy a new house or car? These are only questions I’ve had in my past. What are yours? To me, these are choices that should not be made in haste. In an effort to move on you may peer left then quickly left, seeking the answer. You think that you know but you’re unsure. You know the way that you have already come, so there is no reason to turn back! What do you do?



CONFER:

This is the instance where you should confer with the ultimate consultant. HE gives us freewill, but HE also will provide the answers… IF we ask. The word says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33.” We are to go to HIM in prayer, read HIS word and trust HIM for the answer. You may have to wait for the answer, but remember, it’s when we make rash decisions that we choose the wrong roads and end up at yet another Y.

My Answer:

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It is a time of repentance, confession and reflection as we approach the Holy Celebration of the Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – Easter. I beseech you to take this time to meditate and consult HIM, trust HIM. I personally had a Deja vu moment this morning. I saw a door that I had seen in a dreams years before. It was God’s way of letting me know that I am where I am supposed to be, at this appointed time, even at the Y!

Bittersweet Transitions

Pastor’s last sermon! ---



The Bitter:

My pastor preached his last sermon at our church today. He has answered the call to Pastor at another church in another state. I am very close to my pastor, his beautiful wife and their children. No one wants to see someone that they are close to move away. The selfish side of us wants them to stay. I can’t be selfish though. They have been blessed with a new opportunity. To see them go is sad but they are not gone forever, they are simply moving on; making a transition. It’s God's timing. He is in ultimate control of what happens.



The Sweet

Since God has called my pastor to another church, then GOD is ready for our church to be refreshed. You know how you press F5 on your computer and it clears everything up and gives a new perspective! It is growth for all involved as long as we stay in God's will. Just as Ezekiel 37: 3 says, “Son of man, can these bones live?" I read this a few weeks ago not knowing that my pastor was going to preach "Can these bones live?" today as his final sermon at the Chapel. The word confirmed what I was feeling! I sense new life, new opportunities in God's will! I am thrilled about what God has in store. In fact I am not anxious, but the opposite. I am excited about what GOD is going to do in my life and the life of our church. We’ve only just begun.


The Passing of one we loved so dear!


Bittersweet

After the service & during the reception, we found out that one of our dear saints had passed on. Deacon Emeritus Clarence Hoskins made his transition. I knew him as the gentle man that sat on the seat on the second row, directly in front of where I sing praise and worship. I would make my way to him on Sundays to make sure I spoke. He would say, “It’s so good to see you smiling. You must be happy!” (smile) Recently it was discovered that he had an illness that would eventually take him home. His passing today was peaceful. He went to sleep with his family close by. Bittersweet!



Bittersweet because it sad that he is gone. Sad that we won’t be able to talk to him and watch him give bubble gum to the kids. Sad to see his family mourn for we feel for them as well. Sweet because he has no more pain. No more sorrow! This morning I sang Israel’s version of Trading My Sorrows. The lyrics are, “ I’m trading my sorrow, I’m trading my pain and I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord….It goes on to say, Joy is when you wake up! Oh to go to sleep and wake up in the arms of Jesus. Now that’s sweet!



Yes today has been a day of bittersweet transitions. We’ve faced new realities. Things are no longer as they were. Our pastor has moved on as well as Deacon Hoskins. They have made the transition. What is the lesson learned? The lesson is that our days are numbered. Each moment is precious and we are not to take it for granted.


Dear God,

I pray that I will value each moment. I will not get caught up in confusion and the distractions of life and recognize that your love prevails above all. I will love others and share in their joy and their sorrow. I will be an encourager to those as they go forth and be a shoulder to lean on when others are feeling down. Hear my prayer Oh Lord! In Jesus name, I pray! Amen

I don't want to "go with you" anymore? What!! This too shall Pass!

“I don’t want to go with you anymore!!!” That’s what we used to call it. “Going together!” Those are devastating words….especially when you are in the 7th grade – 12 years old and thinking that you have all the answers. Let me take you back for a second. He was older than me and I wasn’t even supposed to have what we called a “boyfriend” until the 8th grade. My mom said I could talk on the phone to boys when I got to the seventh grade but I couldn’t call them. They had to call me because that is how it was supposed to work. I was at the JR High though….Washington Drive Jr High. I was on the cheerleading squad, he was in the 9th grade and he wanted me to be his “girlfriend”!!! How could I say no…right? He even wanted a kiss. OMG!! We had no idea what or how to do that. My friends and I had to find someone who had kissed a boy before so I wouldn’t look like I was clueless.




TIMES HAVE CHANGED!! With texting, email, facebook, myspace and chat on every site, there is every opportunity for just about everyone to stay connected if they choose to. It is also a way to escape. Escape the reality of life by choosing hours on twitter and facebook and less time with your family or friends. You would think with all of these modes of communication there be more bonding but in actuality it CAN lead to less talking. I have seen people text when the person is in the other room or in the same car. LOL!!! We chat instead of calling. It’s easier. You can hide your emotions when you can’t hear the other person’s voice. You can choose the emotion icon that you want to use to show emotion whether you mean it or not. You can even hide where you really are, be it in the bathroom or someplace you’re not supposed to be! Who will know right? Where does this lead to? It CAN lead to distance and the fateful words. “I don’t’ want to go with you anymore or NO MO!”



Don’t get me wrong, I love social networking, texting and emailing. Ask my friends!! I’m simply saying pay attention to your mate, spouse, and significant other. Pay attention to your children. Ask yourself if you’re spending more quality time with the CPU or the CELL phone versus them. No matter the age, no one WANTS to have their heart broken. No one WANTS to be on the receiving end of those words. No one WANTS to feel like it’s their fault or it was something that they could have done differently.



Fortunately, I have learned that things happen for a reason. We may not always see it while we are going through it because the fog is so thick that we can’t see the sunlight on the other side. There is a reason though whether it was our fault or not. After it’s all said and done, it’s a lesson learned and we move forward. Even if we have to push ourselves, we should always push forward. We keep pushing until we get through. We may emerge with a few scars, but as God’s children, we are always victorious!



Phil 3:14 "With my eyes fixed on the goal I will PUSH on to secure the prize of God's heavenward call in Christ Jesus -"



As for my FIRST REAL boyfriend in the 7th grade, (I won’t call his name), he told me those fateful words. Even after he got a kiss on the steps after school! Even after he told me I would be his girlfriend forever!!! You see Washington Drive closed after the 7th grade. They changed to the middle school concept. I went to the 8th at the middle school and he went to high school. He didn’t want to “go with me anymore.” I was devastated. Couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, in fact I thought my WHOLE LIFE WAS OVER!! My mom told me, “This too shall pass!” She was right! I made it. I pushed forward!