Operation: Address the Mess

   I arrived home from work and walked into my apartment building only to be greeted by a bird flying almost square into my face last night. I guess that's what happens when you live in the ghetto burbs ha-ha. After that I was finally able to relax, but admittedly not for long. I have my gorgeous, softhearted friend who I haven't seen since last year coming into town this weekend. My apartment wasn't ready for company and my schedule is pretty much booked for the rest of the week. There was a small trail of clothes starting at the front door that led to my bathroom. There were magazines, mail, and newspapers forming a club on my coffee table. The way my shoes trickled out of my closet, and the way the sleeves on my shirts seemed to be reaching out for my attention would have had you believe that there were surely monsters in there. I was exhausted. Surprisingly, my kitchen sink was empty.

    I couldn't help but look at next month's schedule after that: my brother coming into town, a bridal shower, a bacherolette party, a mixer, two weddings, another wedding the next month, you name it. I dared not complain though because there once was a time where I probably complained about being bored. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to all of these fun filled events and cannot wait to reach each weekend, and hopefully with grace. Here's where I started to get things a little twisted: I was dwelling too much on what I have to do to get ready for these events and not enough on slowing down so that I will be able to enjoy them. As I look back, I am reminded of the Bible story about Mary and Martha. 

    Martha was so consumed in making everything perfect for Jesus while Mary sat at His feet and enjoyed His presence. My problem wasn't that I was not spending enough time with God. My problem was I wasn't spending quality time with God by basking in and enjoying His company throughout the day. Because of this I was worrying and full of anxiety instead of resting and putting my trust in Jesus. I know that the only way I can deal with the problems that I face and the busyness of life is by spending my time in His presence so that He can heal my pain and give me rest so I can recharge. While I spend time in His presence He reveals to me my true state and truthfully, it's not where I want to be. I yearn for so much more. I want to get to know Him deeper. I want to have a divine revelation of His love. I want to understand His power more and more. I want to be a dedicated slave to Jesus. I want to obey. I want to be content in my circumstances, but not in my relationship with Him. I want more.

So today I will relay the word that the Lord gave me this morning for you all:

Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, again I say rejoice! No matter what you're struggling with, no matter what temptations grab for your attention, no matter the busyness of your schedule or the lack thereof, no matter your circumstances - good or bad, no matter your home life, no matter your work situation, no matter your social "status" REJOICE. There is a shift that takes place in the atmosphere and in our thoughts when we give Him thanks instead of complaints. You can do this today. I believe in you and most importantly Jesus believes in you.

    You see, beloved, as we put our trust in Him to do the work in us it starts to happen. We come to a place where we learn to fully rely on God and not on our own efforts. We have to address the mess and realize that the only one who can truly free us is Jesus. This is where we arrive at a place where we can successfully advance to what He has for us next because we are willing to deal with the now. For example, you can't arrive at your destination safely without taking your car to a mechanic to get your oil changed, to have someone come and change your flat tire, or to have a mechanic check under the hood for any underlying problems. We don't just stop the car and quit. We don't just trust that the car won't break down or that the problems won't grow bigger when there are already red flags. Therefore, we stop being stagnant and come to the realization that God already has the solution to every single situation. We give it to Him and realize that we CAN face each and every day with exuberance. We see that we can be sassy in the Spirit and that with authority we can tell Satan to stick that in his juice-box and suck it. We see things for what they are, the importance of the state of our hearts above all else and the ability of God to reform, restore, and transform us into strong soldiers in God's army. So again I say, "REJOICE!"

2 Timothy 2:3 - "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus."

1 Corinthians 1:29 - "......so that no man may boast before God."

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!"

Religious Versus Jesus

Religious Versus Jesus

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

It's funny how "Christians" call you super religious

 Just because your life is so focused on Jesus.

 You see, I lost everything that I thought was important to me,

Yet I gained so much more walking into that mysterious door.

 It made me realize that this life ain't truly worth living

 If I'm sitting around thinking 

About my selfish reasons for sinning...

And it ain't truly freedom if I'm still not changed,

 Yet I'm allowing myself to be chained..to sin.

 Really seriously now, ponder what I'm saying.

 What's the point of life if I ain't livin?

 You see, I'm actually glad that I lost everything because now there's nothing in between...

Him and me. 

Nothing holding me back. 

Nothing getting me off track. 

So if this is the definitive for religious and legalistic..

Then your superlatives are wrong,

 Cuz homie, your definitions should be strong.

 I promote being logical, lyrical, and original.

 I don't promote being...

 Heretical

 And a foundation ain't conditioned if it's shaky

And honey, if that's your definition then your definitions are definitely gettin quaky.

Too Many Fish in the Sea

    This is for all the single people who are always told, "There's plenty of fish in the sea." Truthfully, I'm one of the people who never really cared about romantic relationships in the realm that they weren't something I needed in my life. That's my problem; even though I have been in more relationships than I care to admit, I didn't care to understand them and I guess it took getting hit on this week by a 40 something year old "Christian", a girl, and a co-worker who is a little confused on what he believes for me to actually start caring and realizing that I should seek more of an understanding about relationships. I would have rather done without these awkward moments and somehow my backhanded nos don't seem sufficient enough for those situations. I really try to avoid them like a plague because they're so uncomfortable to me. I should not feel bad though for the beliefs that I hold onto: my belief in God, my belief in Jesus, and my belief in the Bible.

    However, I don't want to talk about everything that's biblically wrong with those three instances. Instead, I want to talk about when you know the one is "the one". I'm going to be honest in saying that I personally don't know if there is "the one" and would love to find out if there is, but I do know that when it's the right one you will be at peace but it's so much more than that. You can find the picture perfect man or woman who has everything, and I don't mean just in the physical realm; I mean they can take care of your emotional, mental, and maybe even spiritual needs, but if their God given purpose is not somehow parallel with yours then one of you two will end up sacrificing what God called you to do. There is also the big factor of being unequally yoked.

    2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" My thoughts on this verse are that it goes further than being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. I believe you can be unequally yoked with a believer these days as well. We cannot pick and choose from the Bible what we want to believe; and unfortunately we have a lot of lukewarm believers who believe they can do that, but that's the exact thing that they are - simply believers and not doers. They have no substance and are weak in their faith. Revelation 3:16 says, "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." That is a bold statement, beloveds. We either obey Him or we perish, simple as that.

    So boldly put, not everyone is on the same path as you and they will end up pulling you away, intentionally or unintentionally from your relationship with God and your individual purpose. They are not on the same page and frankly, are not God's will for your life as a mature Christian. It will be the wreck of you if you try to make it so. Know that there wouldn't be a heaven if there were no hell, honey. Matthew 7:14 says that the road is narrow and there are very few people who find it. I'm sure that this also dwindles down any option of who you might think is "the one". Thank God. I have one last thought that I want to pose: Most of the time we pray asking God about things, but we forget that a lot of times His answer, instruction, and direction was already given. It's called the Bible, and how many of us who say that we're Christians actually read it and use it? So does what your potentials say and live match the Word of God? If the answer is no then honey, know that God's got better for you and that it will definitely be worth the wait.

When to Speak, and When to Be Silent

    Sometimes silence can be violent or diamonds and sadly, in a culture so consumed with social media, the line is becoming more and more blurred. I came across a tweet the other day from @SwedishCanary that said, "Never has a generation so diligently recorded themselves doing nothing." That hit home. It boggles my mind that so many can sit behind a screen and yell and scream and preach, but their lives are selling the opposite from sitting and staying stagnant. Over the past couple of months God has been stretching me more and more out of my comfort zone. That's a story and topic for another time. But my point is: are we really saying what we should be? So in this post I'm going to be speaking about when it's okay to speak and when it's okay to be silent.

    God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, but I wonder how much we would contradict ourselves if He gave us two mouths. In a way, He did. Our second mouth is called our actions. They speak the loudest and they are what determines reactions. This day and age many have the habit of speaking without thinking and it often gets them into trouble. We have filters, but only on Instagram, pic apps, and Twitter. We rarely ever use them for our mouth. Speaking our opinions have become more like partitions than help. Knowing what to say can be more important than when to say it.

So what kind of things are okay to say? 

• Things that express encouragement. (Ephesians 4:29)
• Things that give thanks. (Ephesians 5:4)
• Things that answer gently. (Proverbs 15:4)
• Things that reply graciously. (Colossians 4:6)
• Things that declare truth. (Ephesians 4:24)
• Things that show courtesy. (Titus 3:2)
• Things that mouth righteousness. (Proverbs 12:6)

    There is a time and a place for everything, including your words. Seeking the Lord for discernment in when to say something is also important. Have you ever tried to resolve something with somebody who just wouldn't have it? It's a killer! When people are all riled up at least one, if not all of these three things happen:

1. They're not in the right state of mind. (We've all been here. We're so focused on being right that our state of mind becomes wrong. Our words can be right along with our intentions being wrong.)
2. Their filter is on defense mode. (We feel attacked so we're more concerned about sticking up for ourselves than openly hearing others out.)
3. They won't listen. (We heard what we thought we heard so we just want to speak instead of hearing them honestly.)

    Have you ever gone back to those types of conversations that didn't go well at first after your feelings dissipated? Conversations tend to go much better when you're not on fire. (James 1:19 - "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;") Learning to be silent than what to speak is a tougher feat. It draws me to people so much more when I can tell that they're pondering what was said instead of them piling up what to say. (This is something I definitely can work on.) It is a sign of wisdom to me; and it clearly was in the Bible as well. It even says the foolish man who is silent appears intelligent (Proverbs 17:28). There are so many other good things said in the Bible about those who are silent whose mind remains steadfast on the Lord. I definitely want to develop those characteristics.

These kind of people are:

• Understanding. (Problems 11:12)
• Wise. (Proverbs 29:11)
• Beautiful. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
• Peaceful. (Isaiah 26:3)
• Prudent. (Amos 5:13, Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 12:23)

    Like I mentioned and demonstrated above, silence is a beautiful thing unless we're being silent about the truth. We are to speak what is true 100% of the time. In that case, let's NOT be silent and NOT back down. Let's NOT be intimidated into silence any longer. What do we have to lose in speaking the truth? I'm not going to say nothing. We will lose our fleshly desires, we will lose our comfort, we will lose our self-dependency, BUT we will NOT lose our souls. So today I encourage you to stand up and speak out now to whoever God lays on your heart!

7 Things God Taught Me About Relationships

    I'm not normally the type of person who would write these type of blog posts and I'm not a fan of mushiness. For example, the only way I'll ever watch a chick flick is if it's comedic. Don't get me wrong. I would love to be married and have a family of my own one day, but right now that isn't my top priority. My top priority would be focusing on my relationship with God. I've been asking Him to bring things to the surface, and He definitely did that by making me more self-aware of what I need healing in and what habits I've learned that I need to unlearn. So when I was thinking about how He loves me by doing that, I connected it with how a man should love a woman and vice versa. 

    Seven things on how God loves the church that should translate to how husbands/boyfriends should love their wives/girlfriends:

1.) God relentlessly pursues me.

• He doesn't give up on you even when you give up on Him. He runs to meet the prodigal son/daughter with arms wide open.
• How does this apply? Sometimes this means that the man reflects on where he is at and what he needs to work on (physically, spiritually, emotionally, and even socially) before he starts the chase,  and for a woman this can mean that she reflects on where she is at and what she needs to work on before she is caught. (You're not God. Get over it.) If you're not ready then it is not wise to get into a relationship. After God gives you the go ahead as a man then ask her out. Though I am not married, I know that this shouldn't stop after you are.

2.) God completely knows me.

• He already knows everything, but we're constantly changing and He keeps up with it. He knows every hair on our head, and knows when we lost one because of stress. He knows our past, present, and future. He knows why we do what we do and knows our intentions.
• How does this apply? From the standpoint of a woman, there is nothing more attractive than a man who expresses interest in everything there is to know about you (and if you're a man then you would know if this applies to how you feel). To take your time to become a student of all of her (his) likes and dislikes, to search out why she (he) does the little things that bug the crap out of you, to express interest in how her (his) day went, what means a lot to her (him), etc. speaks volumes. Our personalities are constantly changing so until the day you die you will be getting to know your partner more. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, stay single.

3.) God actively loves me.

• He doesn't just tell you that He loves you; He impact-fully and unconditionally shows you. When we pursue Him with the same passion in which He pursues us, we start to reflect holiness. He doesn't stop and wants to see you receive it.
• How does this apply? A lot of us know 1 Corinthians 13. We cannot do this without God in the center of any relationship. We must be willing to lay down our lives for the other person and make sacrifices. We are to be persevering, patient, kind, not jealous, boastful, or proud. We are to not behave rudely, seek our own, think evil, be provoked, and we are to rejoice in the truth. It sounds like a chore, doesn't it? Well when you truly know God, you truly know how to love and whether you know how will be a reflection in your actions.

4.) God gently leads me.

• He isn't a dictator. He is a a leader. He isn't a controller. He is an encourager, informing us that we have two options - the path of destruction or the path of life. He drops loving reminders (conviction) instead of pointing fingers (condemnation).
• How does this apply? This applies mostly to the men. This does not mean that you are superior to women. Men and women are to honor each other alike. A leader does not push a rope; he pulls it, leading by example. This is not based on my biases or other's. This is the dynamic God meant from the beginning of time. Ladies, there is a big difference between masculinity and manipulation. Masculinity is protective, not abusive. If he demands you should submit to him, especially before you're married then he does not know God's Word. He should gently and directly point you to the Word of God and then ladies, you should submit. Men, this means you are to lead spiritually. How can you do that at all if you aren't praying and reading God's Word faithfully? Take a stand and be a man. It is so very important for you to know each other's character, especially before you get married. It feels like a chore to love someone wholeheartedly who can't lead you in a marriage and to love someone who questions your every decision.  (Ephesians 5:22-33)

5.) God effectively helps me.

• He is our provider. When we are struggling He helps us by what He has given us in His living Word. When we are in need, He comes to our rescue. (Sometimes it's not in the physical realm, but rest assured that if it isn't then it is provision for you spiritually.)
• How does this apply? I don't want to come off as sexist, but in Ephesians 5 men are told to nourish and cherish their bride. This means spiritually (though as women we are to trust in God for this above man), emotionally, physically (when married), and financially is included in this. Timothy 5:8 is a scary verse for those who think that it's not. I have heard so many men deny this just so that they can have some excuse for being lazy, and in all fairness to the men; women, this does not give you permission to be a gold digger. When you marry a man, if he loses his job, are you willing to persevere for rich or for poor? Both genders are to try their hardest at everything no matter the "cost".

6.) God adamantly encourages me.

• He constantly will bring to remembrance how He sees you if you will take the time to listen. He says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You're His beloved. You are the apple of His eye (and no one can take your place to Him) He made you unique and loves you in your own special way, as if you were the only one who ever existed to Him. He doesn't stop until you believe it.
• How does this apply? Ultimately our identity as men and women is to be found in Christ, but regarding relationships we are to encourage in the same manner. When your woman/man is feeling down be quick to build up their self-esteem. We find security in each other and don't go looking anywhere else for it when we feel confident in what our partner thinks. You can never give too much encouragement - ever. It has been said that when someone hurts you with their words, you need to be told the opposite of it ten times for you to actually believe it. P.S. Don't you dare go looking for it anywhere else if you're reading this feeling like you don't get enough encouragement. YOU make decisions based on no one else but YOU.

7.) God thoroughly listens to me.

• He doesn't just hear you. He listens to you. He wants to hear what you have to say and how you're feeling about the day. He is fully focused on you and you alone. If you have a request of Him, He will listen, though He won't always grant it. When He doesn't grant it just to please you, He is protecting you because He sees and knows the bigger picture.
• How does this apply? This is another big one. There is nothing sexier than someone listening to you intently by holding onto every word you say and relaying those words back to you. We all have been where we will hear a person, but not listen. Soak whatever it is they say in. Pray about problems. Receive restoration. Seek to understand and set goals together.

    I love and appreciate your feedback and thoughts, and just want to take the time to say thank you. So those are my two cents, or seven. Ha ha. Comment yours below:

Destructive Vs. Constructive Criticism

    Have you ever had somebody point out your flaws constantly whether it be your parent, sibling, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, or husband/wife? That relationship got burdensome and you no longer enjoyed hanging around them; did you? You might be on the receiving end, or maybe you're on the giving end; but I bet that if you think you're the one on the receiving end then you've been on the giving end at least once. Have you ever had someone give you advice that you were so glad that you listened to it? Their words were refreshing to your ears and made you want to be around them more because you knew they cared about you and your well-being as a Christian. You see, there are two types of critics: destructive and constructive. I see so much confusion about this, especially in the Christian "world" in which we should be seeing less of it. Therefore, I would like to shed light on what it looks like to give both.

    Destructive criticism comes off as controlling. The receiving end will feel condemned and as if they can't do anything right. I'm not going to point out anyone in particular here except for myself. My first "serious" relationship in my teenage years I would constantly point out things he was or wasn't doing (whether they were sinful or just because I didn't like whatever it was that he did). I would start arguments unintentionally because I was frustrated and didn't know how to express how I was feeling. This was a result of unrighteously judging what he was doing and what other girls around him were doing, even if I was doing the same thing. It was as if spending so many years internalizing things made it all explode at once causing an even bigger mess than it would have if I had dealt with it right away, in the correct manner, no matter how painful it was. (Matthew 7:1-5 - "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.")

    Constructive criticism comes off as caring. The receiving end will feel convicted and encouraged to do what's right. This past Christmas I was in a situation where I just wanted to help a certain person. I had asked my daddy if I could invite them over for dinner, but then he asked me some questions about the circumstances and the person. After gaining an understanding, he told me gently that I can't trust everybody and though I just want to help people, some will try to take advantage of that. I knew that he cared for me and that he genuinely didn't want to see me get hurt so I listened. A month later I found out that his words rang true. I had made extremely careless decisions back then and I was grateful for that accountability. (Matthew 18:15-17 - "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained a brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be like to you a heathen and a tax collector.")

    Though I didn't sin against my daddy, he still gave me constructive criticism based on my background. He is somebody who knows my heart, know my personality, and somebody who knows me. It's like our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He already knows us from the inside out, and we know as Christians, that God protects us and is for us. We know we truly have a relationship with God and trust Him when is commands look more like love than like rules to us. When we address Him by bringing our problems and flaws to Him we can always count on righteous judgement and on the right advice. It can be another story when it comes to people. We should always discern the intentions behind conversations and questions. Authentication? Bombination? Condemnation? Conviction? Pretension? Reconciliation? We need to keep in mind that the important thing is not that we are more willing to defend "men and women of God", including ourselves, because we're not perfect. The important thing is that we defend God (Jesus) at all costs, even though He doesn't need defending, but who we stick of for first is ultimately a reflection of who we're really trusting in to change us - ourselves, others, or the One true living God?

The Idolatry Of Ignorance

    God is a God of order. (1 Corinthians 14:33 - "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace..") Therefore, He is also a God of logic. How many of us can say we have a logical rebuttal for the questions we face everyday? I can confidently tell you this from experience; I have found that when my reply is logical I stay at peace. I have found that when I don't know the answer that humility is better than ignorant malarkey. Taking a moment to search out the answer thoroughly is better than assuming and speaking figuratively. So how many of you can say you have studied God's Word? I know I can and I don't say that in a manner of pride and you know why? Because no matter how much you have studied God's Word in your lifetime there will always be more to learn from Him, and often those things will be from the same things you have studied previously.

    I wonder if you're one of the few who do because I am baffled at people's lack of response to this one question that I see many Christians often receive, including me: "If God was a loving God then why does He send people to hell?" I want to clarify the answers for those who would appreciate a better understanding of this by posing some questions myself. Why would a loving God force you to go to heaven when you have chosen the opposite (the one true living God, not falsified images posing as God or idols that take on the form of television, music, books, friends, family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, your phone, work, food, bacon, etc.)? We all are on this earth right now either learning hell's language or heaven's and whatever language we choose to learn and to live will take us to its destination by the path we individually have chosen to walk on. So would God be a God of love if He forced us on that path of faith when we didn't want to be? Simply put, you choose it and you choose the consequence of it. This isn't just for the unbelievers. It's for the believers alike. I am not exempt from this because I often find me writing to myself in my blog posts. Thanks to God, I am no stranger to the things I need to work on.

    Are we truly on the path of faith or are we cruising the freeway doing what we want whenever we want? Can an active follower of Jesus hold anything higher than the Name above all names? No. What we believe is not what we say; it's what we do and what we do and what we live out is a reflection of our thoughts. Whatever consumes most of our time, whatever we think and dream most about is an idol. So I want to encourage you all today to take captive your thoughts for they exceedingly are the root of what's lost. Hide His Word in your heart because everything you do flows from it, everything you think flows from it, and know that you can win by focusing upon the cross. I know some of you may be struggling with unforgiveness, lust, insecurity, fear, self-hatred, hate, bitterness, you name it; we've all been there. Also, we can all overcome by the blood of the Lamb. I encourage you to declare your freedom today by taking captive your thoughts. Use the authority God has given you as a child of the Most High by not letting the devil have control over you anymore and meditate this week on these verses: 2 Corinthians 10:5 - "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ," and Philippians 4:8 - "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." It's going to take training your thoughts, but I promise you that in the end it is so very worth it.

The People Pleaser Reader

    Have you ever went out and fed the homeless and had someone tell you that you're focusing on works to be saved? Have you ever preached about grace and had someone tell you that you're using it as an excuse? Have you ever preached against sin and had someone call you legalistic? Have you ever preached about God's will and had someone say you believe in the law of attraction? Have you ever preached about reaping what you sow and had someone say you're this or that because it's karma? Have you ever preached about humility and had someone say you're prideful because you're preaching about humility? Have you ever preached the law of righteousness and had someone tell you it's not love? Have you ever felt confident and had someone call you conceited only to make you go back to feeling insecure? Have you ever preached about purity and had someone tell you that because of your past you can't? Have you ever used wisdom and had someone demand that you can trust them? Have you ever tried to reconcile God's way only to have someone reject you? Have you ever told the truth to a friend only to have them say you're judgmental? 

    Have you ever? I know I have many times. First off, I want to encourage you to examine your motives. 2 Corinthians 11:28 - "Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe."  Please take into account that what people say might be true and that we're all going to be put to the test. From experience of impure motives I had to take a look at my actions before I could see others reactions in the right light. Proverbs 16:2 - "All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD." Secondly, if you put your words to the test of God's and find that you're in right-standing with Him then please don't let people's misinterpretations and assumptions discourage you from your walk. So many times I've let people steal my peace just because I let in what they were pushing on me. No. More. 1 Corinthians 2:11 - "No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own spirit." If we are all doing what we're supposed to be doing by testing our hearts and testing spirits then our lives are pleasing to God.

    Life gets dangerous when we take our eyes off of Jesus. Many words, lies, assumptions, and hurts come our way and if we aren't living in the Spirit then those spirits can severely damage us. If we aren't living in the Spirit we are living in the flesh and if we're living in the flesh, we're focused on flesh. I used to let other people's words and actions affect me tremendously. I began to look at those people for my identity, my approval, and my affirmation. Believe me when I say that I'm still not perfect when it comes to that now, but I think we all do that at times and it hurts us even more so when those people were once close. We then start to live to try to please them, but we can't take things personally because people hurt us purposefully. When we accept what they say we reject what God's Word says about us. (Click Link For More) Ephesians 6:12 - "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of the unseen world." When we focus what's really at stake in the Spirit we see it for what it is - Satan using people to work against us. We start to see that their spirit is not in line with the Spirit. Luke 6:45 says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." After first examining ourselves we are able to execute righteous judgments about spirits when we test them. When we focus on Jesus we're able to see who we really are. We become a God pleaser like we should be because let's just be real; nobody has the time or the energy to please everybody! So honey, do yourself a favor and live to please your Father.

Dancing With Demons

Dancing With Demons

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

At the club dancin with demons.

Would you be dancin with yo booty up on Jesus?

It's a vivid image.

I know.

It should be makin you cringe.

I know.

You were made for beauty.

Instead you're quenching the thirsty -

Twerking -

It's one of the worst.

Shakin yo booty ain't gonna to get yo booty into heaven,

Inert.

Why you flirtin

With the enemy?

He's a coy little smile watchin,

Sayin cheese.

Well girl, do it like sweet brown and run fo yo life.

There's a fire and you ain't just gonna be burning for the night.

We all fighting in the world for purity.

And you ain't be fightin' right if you're of the world promoting promiscuity.

I can guaran-tee one of you is offended with me.

But I'd rather be real than pretend -

Ya know what I mean?

Honey - You know I'm all for originality.

But you're still - initiating

Every stimulus - you're intimating subliminally

Just happens to be the same

Call-me-lame.

It ain't sexy.

Talkin' Jamie Fox ya-boy

You think you fox-y 

Talkin about shawtys disrespectfully.

There blamin it on the alcohol

Well I'm here with real cannonballs

Knockin down your walls-call it

Truth.

Whatchoo talkin 'bout?

Willis thinkin you the illest

But your girl here keepin it the trillest.

You blamin it on the alcohol when you're the one puttin it in yo mouth.

The truth came in and the truth came out.

Jason Deru- Who?

I'll tell you what you do.

Look to the one and only Author of truth.

Now ya can't blame me for staying silent

Cuz I'm spreadin the truth kinda like a virus.

Sticks and Stones, Honey

    Most of you who know me on a personal level know that I'm a very sensitive person. When I'm not thinking deeply I'm feeling deeply. Well this past year I have probably felt more emotions than every year of my life combined, but let's throw it back a few years. In 2011 I felt the Holy Spirit come into my life and lead me for the very first time. I was freed from addictions. In 2012 after coming back from backsliding I gained a little more wisdom. In 2013 I thought I was entering into ministry that came in the form of what I desired to do for the Lord. If you can call it ministry then it would have been best described as masked ministry. It ultimately put me right back into the very thing it preached against. In this time of my life I am gaining more wisdom than ever before mainly in the subject of the spiritual realm. I blindly stepped into the season I'm gladly exiting out of. I did not have much knowledge of the Word as a whole at the time.

    Besides being sensitive I'm also someone who believes the best in people, gives people second chance after second chance, and someone who trusts in man too easily. Man, has that gotten me into a lot of trouble and my heart broken time and time again. That's how I got to the place where I am now. Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans." I sure am in the process of learning this now and if I would have learned it a year and a half ago I would have saved myself a lot of pain which is why I am sharing this with you all. I was talking to a wise pastor a week ago who asked me, "Would you leave a child molester alone with your children?" I thought the question was absurd! "Of course not," I exclaimed enthusiastically! I immediately had to take responsibility for letting people into my life that were not only sinning against me, but tempting me back into sin. (Note - We are all responsible for our own actions.)

    You might be saying, "Well I already failed that and now I'm broken as ever." Well there's good news. God heals! I'm going to quote my tweet from earlier today: "Let's be real. Emotions can suck. But God heals and that healing INCLUDES your emotions, not just the physical! Rest in His presence" (Psalm 107:19-21, Psalm 30:2, and my favorite Psalm 147:3). This past year I was called everything from a whore from the same lips who did the same thing to delusional and crazy for listening to what the Holy Spirit was telling me. I suffered many accusations that weren't true because of my sin and for letting there be cracks in my life for demons to enter into. I texted my spiritual mommy in tears while I was at work about how hurt I was to keep myself from going off the deep end and into real insanity from all that I've had to endure this past year. She simply told me to look at it from a spiritual perspective and that God will heal my broken heart. Yesterday I realized that God is doing two more amazing things in me by going through this: 1.) He is purging me of my pride and getting rid of all my self-sufficiency and will. 2.) He is teaching me the fear of the Lord.

    This little girl who was once made fun of for being so sensitive is also learning to not care what people say about me or scheme against me because God knows, and if I take into consideration what He thinks about what's going on all around me then I don't have to worry or defend myself. Words, words, words? They're sticks and stones, honey. I've spent the last three months trying to defend myself and fight for worth and it didn't work, but thing is, none of us have to! God avenges (Psalm 94, Nahum 1:2, Deuteronomy 32:35). God says you're worthy (Psalm 139:13-15, Jeremiah 29:11, Luke 12:6-7). Take rest in that, weary soul.

(Credit to Anthony Young for the photo. Go like "The Reading Group" on Facebook)

Forgiveness Like A Crown

Forgiveness Like A Crown

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

I know that I have forgiven

When the tightness in my chest loosens

And the substance of my heart softens..

Towards that person.

I know that I have forgiven

When I realize that we're all human

No matter how wicked

And when forgiveness..does not mean revenge

But me leaving them in my Father's hands
To avenge

And that my hand..

Will not touch them.

So that I don't sow discord among the brethren.

I know that I've forgiven

When I realize my own flaws 

And disobedience to the law of holiness,

When I realize that I'm a mess

And I need Him to desperately heal my brokenness,

And reteach me about what trust is.

I know that I've forgiven

When I learn that I am worth it,

Repentance,

Forgiveness..

Like a crown.

Drown me now

In Your grace.
Come, let Your love abound.

Lonely Hearts

Lonely Hearts

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

At night when we're laying in bed

 Staring up at the ceiling,

A blank canvas

In a room full of loneliness,

In the day when we're shopping for what to dress in next,

Whatever others think looks best,

Our bodies being another canvas

To address,

When we arrive home to a meaningless kiss,

Some experiencing the weight of heartlessness,

From being selfishly undressed

Causing us to think that we're not worth the respect,

Or when we go out with friends

Trying to mend or depend on them,

Causing us to remember a deep sea of forgetfulness..

When we shouldn't

Or how about when we see our family on Christmas,

Faking a smile when we're really depressed

Yet our focus is on striving to impress..whoever shows up at the door next

And by that time we've learned how to suppress it.

Well what if I told you an addiction to approval and attention

From external things and obligations

Won't fill your emptiness?

That only Jesus can fill the void of your aloneness?

Because truth is..

We all will pass away:

People, places, things

So it is only to our Saviour, the King of Kings that we cling.

A Reason for Every Season

    When a baby wants his mother's milk he cries and cries until he gets it. Humankind is impatient. We were all born into a sinful world so until someone taught us the art of being patient or until we ended up learning for ourselves down the road it was our nature. I assume that you're all Christians, but if you're not don't stop reading - this could apply to you too!

    If you are a Christian you were made BRAND NEW. You have made a commitment to die to your flesh daily and let the Holy Spirit take control of your thoughts, desires, words, and actions. You then are choosing to live in GOD' S will for your life. Then comes the question that we're all impatient in waiting for the answer: what is my purpose? Maybe for you that question looks like: what should I go to school for, who should I marry, what job should I take, OR maybe God's revealed something to you and you're trying to make it happen in your own timing. Let me tell you that it won't work.

(Left to right: Erika, dad, Evan, mom, Elyse, and me (Elaina lol))

    I think I was four or five the one Christmas where my mum told me I got less presents than all my other siblings. My lower lip started quivering and I ended up crying these big "crocodile tears". I didn't wait for her to tell me that it was because one of my presents was more expensive than any one of my other siblings' and that's why I had fewer presents than them. So as the other kids opened up the rest of their presents I waited for my last one while I sat on my daddy's lap crying. Then it came the time when I got to open up my last one. I waited in sour anticipation as they were bringing it up from the basement because I was hurt my mum told me earlier that I had to wait. My dad brought it into the eighties decor family room. It was a big present! I opened it with excitement and it ended up being the dollhouse I REALLY wanted. 

    The point of that story was that we already know that God has a great and fulfilling purpose in store for us. There are times where sometimes we have to step out in faith but when we are waiting for His answer we're often not patient (that includes having a good attitude) and then when we do have the answer we try to make it happen instead of learning the lesson He meant for us to learn on this journey: to trust in HIM and HIS timing and HIS way of doing things. We need to realize that some seasons are for planting, some are for growing, and some are for reaping the harvest. Don't try to rush to the season you want; you might miss a very important step.

    So when it seems like all of your friends, family, or even your enemies are ahead of you in life remember trust in God. (Read Ecclesiastes 3)
that we're not in competition with them. We are to walk where God wants us to walk in anticipation of good things, wait patiently where God wants us to wait, and praise Him joyfully no matter where we are. You never know where He's going to take you or what He's doing in you. So your task is easy: sit back, relax, and

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest...."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in ALL you do, and He will show you which path to take."

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride."

Romans 15:5 - "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus."

Judge or Judge Not? That is The Question

   
   This is how stupid we look when we judge somebody. This is how hateful we are when we call that stripper a slut because nobody taught her she was worth more than that. This is how stupid we look when we call the homeless man a lowlife when in reality he has a home in heaven and has more faith than you. This is how stupid we look when we call that girl overly emotional yet she's being beaten at home. This is how we look when we judge others in any way, shape, or form. You don't know where they've been, what they've endured, what God could be doing in them, and where God could be bringing them. Put your finger down and if you point it again the only direction you have the right to point it in is straight into the mirror.

Matthew 7:1-6: "Do not say what is wrong in other people's lives. Then other people will not say what is wrong in your life. You will be guilty of the same things you find in others. When you say what is wrong in others, your words will be used to say what is wrong with you. Why do you look at the small piece of wood in your brother's eye, and do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that small piece of wood out of your eye,' when there is a big piece of wood in your own eye? You who pretend to be someone you are not, first take the big piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you can see better to take the small piece of wood out of your brother's eye. 

Do not give that which belongs to God to dogs. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will break them under their feet. Then they will turn and tear you to pieces."

    Now let's talk about the GOOD kind of judging. Yes, I did say good. Here's a posing question: why spend your life, time, energy, or anything else you have to offer on someone who doesn't appreciate what you can bring to the table? For example, this teaching is something I'm sharing with you. But why would I if you're going to take it and find a way to stomp all over me, what I say, or even twist it? Yes, God teaches us to give. He teaches us to believe the best in people. He teaches us to give with the right heart. AND God also teaches us wisdom. So here are some more questions for you to answer: have you ever spent time with someone where the both of you were being lifted up? Have you ever given someone something, and then they ended up doing something amazing with it that you wouldn't have done? Have you ever given someone godly advice, and then they put it into practice and later became a man or woman full of wisdom? OR perhaps once you've spent time looking at a "leader's", ex's, or a gossiper's Facebook or Twitter page. Perhaps once you've spent time hanging out with somebody who dragged you down. Maybe you gave somebody something and they were ungrateful. Or maybe you gave someone advice and then they started talking about you because they didn't like what you said, or even the fact that they were being confronted in the first place. Or maybe they started twisting the Bible or taking a Bible verse out of context to fit it to what THEY wanted it to say. Guys, your time is precious. Your gifts are treasures. Let's choose to be wise and let the Lord lead us to who He says to give to in those moments. Remember, God rested on the seventh day after creating the very universe you live in so don't burn yourself out and especially don't burn yourself out on people who frankly don't care about you. Judge wisely and with compassion. This will keep us walking in humility and it will also keep reminding us WHO really gets the glory.