A MIRACLE IS TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT!

GET OUT OF THE BOAT!

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:22-32

I love this powerful story of Peter getting out of the boat in Matthew 14.

It’s a two step process to the many flawed, yet fearless and faithful steps we must take.

1) Jesus said “get out of the boat.”

2) Peter got out.

I think most of our discouragement happens when we begin taking the steps.

AFTER BEING SUMMONED;

TOLD;

CALLED;

PROPHESIED OVER…we sink in.

Jesus is there and we still sink in.

What’s happening?

I think it’s mainly that our perspective often shifts to the wrong things just like Peter’s did.

He kept looking at the waves and seeing himself sink and totally forgot the victory of at least GETTING OUT OF THE BOAT.

HE WAS WILLING TO DO SOMETHING THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 11 did.

He got out.

And that is what matters. Not how many steps you take. Or if you sink or fall but that YOU DID SOMETHING THIS TIME AROUND.

YOU GOT OUT.

YOU TOOK A STEP OF FAITH,

EVEN IF IT MEANT SINKING.

EVEN IF YOU KNEW WERE GONNA FALL.

You did something powerful that the enemy is after….YOUR WILLINGNESS RESPONSE TO HIS VOICE. He hates your relationship with Jesus and is always trying to distract you from hearing God.

BUT YOU KNOW YOU HEAR HIM.

YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.

YOU RESPONDED TO THE CALL WHERE MOST PEOPLE FALL BEFORE EVEN GETTING THERE.

Listen, we are NOT GOD ….

And as much as we think we can WALK ON WATER…. JESUS IS THE WATER WALKER.

We can attempt,try, imitate … but at the end of the day only Jesus is the one to pick you up.

IT IS INEVITABLE.

WE FALL; SINK; FAIL.

Why would Jesus call him then… if he knew he would sink?

Because He is a rescuer. And that is what He does. He saves us; rescues us; redeems us and fixes us because we are flawed vessels. He places his perfection OVER our imperfections!!!!

He said STAY MARRIED.

STAY HOLY.

STAY PURE.

STAY IN CHURCH.

WE DID ALL THAT AND WE SANK.

And we kept on sinking because we didn’t reach out fast enough knowing He is the ultimate saver.

We thought we could really walk on water.

I have an announcement to make!

WE CAN’T WALK ON WATER!

HE CAN! HE CAN ONLY CARRY US WITH HIM. We have to reach out to Him!!!! Not the problems, people, or even our own source of power we think we have. Admitting we are powerless gives us access to experience His power and His might. We are not perfect and we shall never be. But with Jesus HE IS THE PERFECT FOR US!!!!!

EVERY TIME I think I am strong or have obtained… I sink. I fall. I fail. And I lose horribly. I only win when I let HIM be everything for me.

Don’t forget the boat load of a mess where you came from.

You got out. And into a whole new set of stuff that only He will demonstrate his MIRACLE working power through.

It may look worse at times, but it’s really not. It is where He demonstrates His ultimate love and power over us consistently. His love never fails us.

You got out!!!!!

You are the MIRACLE!

You know I see people post copies of my book in hand and the tears sting my eyes. Like I am so proud of myself and not in a bad way please don’t misunderstand. It is that the majority of my life I had always felt so insignificant. I felt last, left, and lost. I felt like I could never do anything good. But this just cancels all that out. It takes a success all the way, in a moment of sincere gratitude because it was God that helped me to write this. He brought me to still waters. He restores my soul. I am just so thankful.

We recently heard Apostle Femi Adun share about accountability during his last visit in the States. That in order for us to be good stewards we must be 1) accountable, 2) faithful, be able to 3) trust and lastly to 4) serve. This was taken from the scripture found in Luke 16 on the parable of the unjust servant.

However, in my personal studies I came across the word AMBASSADOR that the Apostle Paul declared over himself in Ephesians 6:20, “for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

Ambassador is the highest level of a servant. It is to do things with excellence. To do with a committed heart no matter what. We keep moving for the greater cause.  The highest level… practicing a good proud called grateful. The bad kind brings destruction. Good is seeking to build. It seeks to give. It seeks to serve.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
Winston Churchill

In our prayer month of January, this is one of our quests. Doing things a bettter way, fruitful way and striving to build upon good ground where the soil is ready. There is a harvest for us. God is bringing us closer and closer. Don’t quit now. Don’t throw in the towel. Pick it up! Use it to wipe the sweat, blood and tears and KEEP GOING! KEEP TRYING!!! It is not over. We are really just getting started here.

Pray.

Study.

Get in the zone & use it to exchanging with God first. Shoot Him a text! Inbox Him! Send Him a snap! Call Him up!!!! Have some FaceTime with Him. He will answer faster and better than any other. There you will find all that you ever needed. ❤

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christʼs power may rest on me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:2-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Maybe sometimes we feel like Paul and we find ourselves sitting in a bed of thorns. We never imagine that we would go through some of the trials that we go through. Never imagine us passing through some of the tests. I recently read somewhere, “A faith that is tested by fire is a faith that can be trusted.”

In some form or another we are tested. It’s winter. It’s cold. These conditions are making many people fall under the weather because of the constant temperature fluctuation.

Work to do and so much preparation that comes with ending and starting another year. So much of it tends to be sweet then becomes bitter. This time of the year can be very difficult for many, especially if they have suffered some type of loss. We dress, press and stress. I couldn’t bring myself to post this as I started this blog a month ago, not only sitting in a bed of thorns but swimming in a bed of tears numerous times.

I found something though. His grace. His gift given to me to take me through any storm. We are just sailing through at this point. Here’s another one. SURFS UP!!!! I cried my way throughout. Maybe I am just a very expressive person…. it just hurts ya know! STUFF hurts! We are human. I needed God to work ay my soulish realm more than anything else.

He is speaking. Everyday. Draw me close God. The only way to walk through the bed of thorns and come out with victory is through God! You take us through it all as Isaiah 43 declares! Gotcha! I’m getting this thing called US!

We are the VICTOR!!!

“Don’t let victim become a part of your identity. Victor and victim both have the same Latin prefix, Vic, which means to ‘win, conquer.’ The difference in the words is in who does the conquering. We can let our circumstances conquer us or we can choose to rise up and remember that ‘in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’ Romans 8:37”. ~John Siebeling (Moving Forward)

God bless you sisters!

Thinking and praying for you all including myself. It was a rough year but 16 is gone and I am here trying to ‘Move Forward’ for 2017 in every way; God willing!!! I know He wants more from us. I took a lot of time off and backed away from the social side for many reasons. It’s just plain political. I love it sure at times. It is a powerful tool but it can also be a powerful stool to bring someone down!

I have really been tossing and turning of what sisterhood is all about… so many people are gone now. But I get it. Whoever is there now must be. Everything changes as time passes. I find myself questioning what truth is. Family. Faith. Friendship.

At the end of the day, we are ALL going to be flesh beings. I am never going to be the perfect sister, wife, mother, friend, worker and more…. the lists go on. I know I failed you all by imperfections. But I know who will be perfect for us all.

G O D!

And it is time to draw near. I want to draw near to Him. Share goals with the symbiotic type relationships. Share prayer. Share our ups, downs and all that good stuff with a remnant of sisterhood that will remain.

Anything toxic we must disconnect from. As for me, I am guarding this heart of mine. I don’t want to put myself in a place where I am prey. I should know better by now.

I recommend that book, “Moving Forward” by John Siebeling to you all. Get it. By the time I hit the intro and chapter one it smacked my humanity in the face. Thank God we have a Savior.

But here is what I do wanna say… I want to be a better version of me. I am sorry to all that I have offended, upset or frustrated by my way of being. I do know I need to continue to seek growth!

Attitude is everything.

Sisterhood is something.

God is SOVEREIGN!

Let’s press through the mess and send a message that says this… be your own kind of beautiful!

“Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceful.” Proverbs 3:17

I aim that arrow to love you. The uncut, fully flawed way, that falls yet gets back up again. God does it to perfection! ❤️