Category Archives: Encouragement

October 23, 2018

This Is Pretty Cool

By Christina

I have seen the kinds of tasks God has given each of us to do to keep one busy, and I know God has made everything beautiful for its time. God has also placed in our minds a sense of eternity; we look back on the past and ponder over the future, yet we cannot understand the doings of God. I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives; to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God. I know everything God does endures for all time. Nothing can be added to it; nothing can be taken away from it. We humans can only stand in awe of all God has done. What has been and what is to be—already is. And God holds accountable all the pursuits of humanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:10-15 (VOICE)

God did make everything beautiful in its time.  It is so hard to say that in the rough times.  But now I know and now I see why.  I could only appreciate even more what He is doing in my now season and I am extremely grateful.  I am joyful.  I am thankful.

As we are approaching the close of this year with two more months left to go…I am gazing at all my surroundings and saying, “God did that!” To say the least right–this year has been a pure madness for me.  I had left in January in a season of mystery.  The only thing I knew was that I had to wait for the “what’s next” moment.  I knew it was coming because I pushed myself to tempt God with a move.  I acted on faith and I left the familiar to a place of a real unknown.

It’s been rough.

I started some real momentum in June, only to become completely depleted of life again. It was the last 18 years on steroids.  It was all packed into 3 rough months.  I mean really rough.  It became a season of doubt for me. Then my doubt became my trust. I had to trust the unknown. I had to trust the storm. I had to trust the loss. I had to trust the absence. I had to trust the void. I had to trust that God was leading me through all of that to prepare me for my REAL season of REST!

Well who would have know! But God.  And not only that but He went above all that. In fact during my prayer walk at lunchtime I told him ”You really surprised me! You went over the top!” LOL

Like this is beautiful! It’s nice. It’s lovely. It is exquisite to me.

“One persons opinion of you doesn’t define you. Bleed it out.
Even Jesus doubted Himself –He prayed.
Season of doubt! 
Trees are full of leaves.
In the autumn leaves begin to fall off.
In the winter, there are no more leaves, it is bare.
Even in winter with no leaves, it is still a tree. 
Once spring comes, leaves come again.
They come again to strengthen us.
For this season will pass Christina.” 
Pastor Olusegun Akinkugbe
City of God Glasgow
Scotland

When we experience such a deep drought, it does cause us to doubt. But it took a season like THIS for me to be able to REST for real. It allowed me to experience the Hand of God in great measure. It allowed me to experience NO LACK! It brought me deeper into the things of God. It got me to hear His word in EVERY season of my life. He kept speaking in various ways. It propelled me into a place of pure trust and pure hope that would inevitable lead me to the place of such an overwhelming victory! It’s nice. It’s really amazing.

Wow! All I can say is in this place as I am gazing at my surroundings, “God, It is pretty cool here! Real cool! Thanks for this. You knew what was best and I needed it.”

It is a season to take territory of this.

Leave a comment   |  tags: | posted in Celebration, Encouragement, Inspiration, Peace, Rest, Transition, Trust

October 14, 2018

Hmm My Testimony

By Christina

I was having brunch today with some very important people that God has put in my life and they started to ask us questions….
How did you and your husband meet?
How did you feel about all of this?
What was your view with him coming to Christ?
What about you?

Well–I also pick up this book from Annie F. Downs called “Remember God” and she talks about the importance of her reflecting on all the things that God does and continues to do. So this was a perfect time for the questions to come my way. I can reflect and really see that I didn’t know my purpose. I didn’t know what would make of my life. I had thought I would be some elementary school teacher or something like that. But God’s plan was for me to teach His word. Either through writing or by communicating on any level that He would have for me. In a woman’s meeting, church service. out on the field, testifying to people or any other means –even international.

Most recently, I had the opportunity to share that on a video tapping for TBN Salsa that will soon air across 144 countries in just a few weeks. So I remember God! I have a testimony. He has done great things in my life.  He is continuing to do that now and I know that there is just so much more to come.  It is absolutely amazing.

God does that! He is just amazing, awesome, awe-inspiring in every way.  I love Him. But most importantly –HE JUST LOVES ME!

I can remember very early on in life that things weren’t working out in our favor as a family.  Mom moved us out–me, my brother and her.  We spent the majority of the time on public assistance and my mom trying to get as much work as she could. With the absence of my dad and no real presence in our life after that move, things became worse.  It was an awkward separation that left me wondering…. always wondering AND wandering without a purpose. I didn’t really have anyone sharing to my face that I could be something of value like that.

I disliked life. I disliked our family situation. I disliked myself and everything about me. I didn’t see any value or purpose at all. I just cared less. So I just thought to WASTE my time with meaningless things. Anything.  Like poor relationships, smoke, drinks, lousy parties with people I would never see again.  I had no purpose, no direction, no focus and I was so so sad all the time. I was a miserable and an extremely angry person. I had so much frustration of my past.  I was hateful. There was nothing in me to want to continue except that God was keeping me.

I remember when I finally had an encounter with God. I was so touched because I truly didn’t want to live like this anymore. It is horrible to live with no sense of purpose, love or happiness.  But then that moment opened for me. And even though there were still many trials up ahead for me to face, the fact that I had God in my life only kept me more secure in Him.  His word had power. His voice had authority. His ways had overtook mine.  There was nothing else to do but surrender to the God of my life.

The Dr. told me today –you need to share your testimony because it is powerful.  You have a story to tell –so tell it.  Here is me doing that on a quick blog as I shared so much in my first book “Rebuilt: Beginning the Ending.” God is doing so much. I am blessed. I am favored. I am grateful and I am super thankful for who He is. He has given me a tremendous testimony. I will share it more and I will share MORE! I hope you will share yours too because there is so much more to come.

“At least there is hope for a tree:
if it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will NOT fail!”
Job 14:8

With Love,

Christina

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Celebration, Emerging, Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Identity, Inspiration, Restoration

October 12, 2018

Keep To The Script

By Christina

“Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps.  The Lord is ever present with us.  Don’t be anxious about things; instead, PRAY. Pray about everything.  He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.  Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you.”
Philippians 4:4-9 (VOICE)

Isn’t if funny how much we struggle to be still when everything inside of us is going in a million directions.  It makes us flustered, anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed and revved up! But His Word reminds us don’t be anxious about things… instead PRAY! We have to stick to the script—God’s script! God’s Word! God’s plan! God’s ways and His doings.  Because every time we try to go left, rest assured He will find some way to make us go RIGHT!

I had left early yesterday to arrive as a guest on the show TBN Salsa that is going across 140 countries! Wow… OK–Be anxious for NOTHING! Try that in the midst of dead stop traffic…red lights all around!!!! I cannot even express to you how much everyone in my car was on overdrive! LOL

I had to get there early!

Obviously I was late –extremely late.  So much so that they had to change the order of speakers.  I was supposed to go first and be ready to deliver.  What circumstances that were set before me.  It always seems to happen that in someway or another I end up last.  Only God.

So here is the kicker—As we were extremely backed up in this traffic line (had to be there at 6:15 and it was already 6:47) I told my husband –I am going to walk the rest! There is no way we are going to pass thru this and it is less than a mile.  He say to me, “fine, go with Sam and I will meet you there.”

I jump out with Sam and I am going full speed ahead in flip flops on the slippery ground because of the constant rain.  I am on 44th and I have to get to 15th in the city.  By the time I get to 40th my husband calls me and says, “I am already on 39th! Get back in the car, I pulled over and I am waiting for you. This is still moving faster than you it is going to clear up.”

I get back in the car only to hear the Holy Spirit tell me, “You always want to do something else. Always want to move when all you have to do is be still. The first way is the BEST WAY!”  You see, it is not that there are no other ways to get there but we have to go with the way that He takes us.  That is the way that will always get us there faster and at the pace He called us to go with.  Because we get so anxious we want to DO something in the interim.  We want to turn around. We want to quit. We want to try another route. We want to do something else.  We want to try another this or that based on our schedule of life. We always stay fighting against the strong currents that come our way not realizing that those are the things that teach us HOW to be still. It is IN that midst. It is IN that mess. It is IN that route.  It is IN that path. It is IN that waiting where He is working! All the obstacles are the ways that God typically uses to show us the better opportunities.

So no matter what you want to do while you wait, we are just better off getting back in the car and following His lead and His drive.  It will get us there safer. It will get us there timely. It will get us there exactly when we need to be there because I was not supposed to go first on God’s agenda. For Him, He continues to show me time and time again that He will always save the best for last.

God did that.

I have to know that I must keep to the script. His script is better than any one that I could ever try to write up for myself. And I am just extremely thankful.

My message to you this morning is JUST WAIT! Hold on. Keep to the script. Keep to HIS timing for your life. The things that God has for you, the promises, and overwhelming victory is just around the bend. You are going to get there too.

With Love,

Christina

 

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Book Release, Celebration, Emerging, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Rise, Trust

October 6, 2018

Pillow and a Latte

By Christina

I absolutely love my quiet home time.

People must think I am really a nerd, maybe too quiet…. possibly boring?!?! Lol

I am not sure. But it is so me. I love this. I like hearing nothing but the crickets, birds or outside nature. It’s so peaceful.

So here is what I will share with you in this quiet moment. I hope you can find yours too.

I have been on a spiritual journey a little more deeper because… can I be honest?

There is something in me that I truly dislike that surfaces when I am less than connected to God. I find a whole lot of cruddy things. Such as anger, jealousy, frustration, temptation, emptiness, depression, confusion and so many other things stirring in my mind and in my flesh. Who wants that? We’ll definitely not a saved and sanctified believer.

Here’s what the bible says about that:

So get yourselves ready, prepare your minds to act, control yourselves, and look forward in hope as you focus on the grace that comes when Jesus the Anointed returns and is completely revealed to you. Be like obedient children as you put aside the desires you used to pursue when you didn’t know better. Since the One who called you is holy, be holy in all you do. For the Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (VOICE)

So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him. Philippians 2:12-13 (VOICE)

I came back from a powerful weekend to find myself in a powerful pity party! That sucks! I can’t keep going with an internal war of battles that I know will never lead me to growth. This means so much. Many unspoken words now gone straight to a sovereign speaking God. That is beautiful! That’s best! Because many times we share things, try things and do things… even if it may be that you are trying to be helpful and it’s not.

It’s a job for God. I know one ☝🏽 thing. I need Him to intervene in my life in every way. I want to stay in communion with my King. I want to stay less out of the mess. I want to live where He wants me. I want to work where He plants me. I want to love who He has given me. I want to eat what He portions for me. I want to write what He shows me. I want to say what He gives me. I want to go where He leads me. I want to do things better. Even if one day is better than the rest, I know progress is chasing me because of this transition.

Three weeks later, I am in a better place. Really. With everything that needs to be here attached to my life. For every other negative thing that tries to attach itself to the womb of my spirit MUST BE ABORTED.

That’s what I found. That’s where I am. I will continue in my quiet time with my pillow and latte still making sure I do the genuine things that matter most. Listen. Learn. Love.

I never thought I had all the answers, so maybe in the silence I will keep learning who I really am and make peace with that. I come with a lot. I am a lot. But it’s only because I know there is a God pushing me to be better. It is all a wonderful lesson of love. A love that lasts longer than a latte. ☕️

I pray that you find yourself too. Encourage yourself to go there. You learn so much in the silence and stillness. These moments that you are alone —are never to cause you pain but to bring you to His presence. A purposeful place we must learn to embrace. A peaceful place of real REST!

Are you ready to please God more. I am ready for that change in me. How about you?

With love,

Christina

2 Comments | posted in Emerging, Encouragement, Healing, Health, Inspiration, Loved Letters, Peace, Rest, Transition, Trust