Author: Shawn

Not For Everybody

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I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Psalm 32:8 AMP

Years ago when I was in college, one of my classmates had on this really good-smelling perfume that I noticed as soon as she entered the room. She told me what it was and I couldn’t wait to get myself a bottle. Around Christmas time, a friend and I went to a department store and I headed straight to the fragrance section to get that same perfume. To my dismay, the fragrance didn’t smell the same way on me as it did on my classmate. It really didn’t smell good on me at all! Slightly taken aback, I decided not to purchase the fragrance. The salesperson saw the disappointment on my face and tried to make me feel better by telling me that not all perfumes are for everyone. She went on to explain that when purchasing fragrances, you have to be mindful of what suits your body chemistry. Recently, I thought about that embarrassing moment and it struck me how often people get into situations based on what they see others doing without really considering if that is really what God wants for them. I’ve done that more than a few times in my life, but most tragically, I have been guilty of doing that even in ministry. Read More

Living In Amazement

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Living In AmazementIn my desperation, I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Psalm 34:6-8 NLT

The other day, I watched a sermon by Joyce Meyer, called “Living Amazed.” In the sermon, she opened up a huge trunk full journals she kept over the years, which captured all of the ups and downs in her life, and how God saw her through every single moment. As she some of the entries, it dawned on me how important it was for her to record her life that way. It allowed her to reach back and remember. You may wonder why I think it’s important to remember the past, especially if the past isn’t very pleasant. My answer is simple. Humans have a horrible case of memory loss. One moment, we can be rejoicing because we received a breakthrough or experienced victory over a situation, but as soon as the fanfare dies and another problem comes, we forget about the previous joy and suddenly find ourselves upset and in despair. Keeping track of the occurrences in life can help us see clearly the many ways God has been faithful. A prime example for me is the blog I wrote on August 2, 2014 entitled, Hope In The Wilderness. I remember exactly how I felt when I wrote that blog. As I struggled to write something to encourage others, I was battling thoughts of worthlessness, fear, and loneliness. I couldn’t feel God’s presence and I didn’t think He cared that I was hurting. By the time my birthday rolled around in October, I wanted to do anything but celebrate. My faith in God was at an all-time low. I knew that I was being attacked by Satan, but I felt too weak to fight what I felt.

I remember being in my room, writing that blog post, and if you read it, you will see it starts out pretty somber. It wasn’t even called “Hope In the Wilderness” yet. It was actually called “Lost In The Wilderness.” That title seemed so fitting at that moment. But suddenly, in the midst of my mindless rambling, I remembered the scripture in Jeremiah which says, “I know the plans that I have for you…plans to prosper and not to harm you…to give you hope and a good future…” From that point forward, the tone of my post changed. Not only that, but my thinking about my circumstances changed. I decided that it wasn’t beneficial for me to be bitter and to doubt God. It was time to stop pouting and to start pressing. I decided to become more serious about spending time with God. I stopped listening to my favorite R&B radio show in the morning and replaced it with things that kept my mind on the Word. I began to complain less about my issues, and the rest is history…

The reason I am amazed today is because I read that post this morning and it blows my mind to see the transformation God has performed in what seems like overnight. At the time, I couldn’t feel Him moving. I didn’t even know if He was listening to me. I couldn’t hear Him speaking at all. But I think now that the silence of my life was a clear indication that God really was working on my behalf. In my silence, God held me and comforted me. He kept me alive and kept pushing me through the pain. He dried every tear I cried with one hand and opened doors for me with His other hand. The things that once bothered me don’t come close to phasing me now. I sleep peacefully at night now, because I am certain of God’s love for me. Being able to look back and recall that difficult time in my life is what helps me continue to live in utter amazement of God’s unfailing love and infinite power to do exceedingly and abundantly above anything I can ever imagine. I encourage you to do the same. Never stop living in amazement.

Sandcastles

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Sandcastle

We spend much of our time on artificial pleasures in order to fill a void, but it’s never long before God reminds us that He is the only source of long-lasting fulfillment.

Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will cause you to rest. (Matthew 11:28 AMP)

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalm 32 AMP)

Because the summertime is swiftly approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about the many days I will spend at the beach enjoying the long-awaited warm weather. As I googled some tropical destinations I would like to visit, I started thinking about the beach trips I took when I was younger. I used to be fascinated by the array of the beautiful sandcastles that were scattered all over the beach. I wasn’t much of an architect myself, but I remember sitting and marveling over the creativity and the detail some of these structures had. But as the day went on, at some point, a huge wave would come and suddenly those beautiful, intricate structures were leveled into a puddle of sandy mud in a matter of seconds. It didn’t matter how far from the shore those structures were built, eventually the tide would rise high enough to reach every last one. That part always made me sad because I knew how much time went into their creation and now there was nothing to show for it. Read More

I Won’t Let Go…

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HoldOnGodKnowsWhatsHesDoingRecently, I revisited a story in John Chapter 6 where Jesus begins to teach a large crowd of followers what it would really take to be true children of God. This took place right after Jesus performed two miracles by walking on water and feeding the 5,000. Naturally, He was a hot commodity for what He had done, but Jesus wanted the people to understand who He was. For some, He was merely their next meal ticket. For others, He was their hope for a change in their circumstances. But only a handful actually saw Him as the true Son of the Living God.

As Jesus began to pour into them and reveal their end of the bargain as a follower of Christ, the people became disgruntled and bewildered. If I can use my imagination, I believe some said, “Surely it doesn’t take all that to follow Christ. And if it does, is it even worth it?” The bible says that many of the people were simply confused and couldn’t digest what the Lord was saying. At the end of His speech, Jesus had turned off most of the followers who were already loading into their boats to go home. But then Jesus turned to His disciples and asked if they would leave too. But Peter said something that changed everything for me. He said, “Lord, to whom would we go? We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68). Read More

Focus

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Focus

“All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 AMP

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

A few months ago, I fell asleep behind the wheel while driving home from a day trip to visit my grandparents several hours away. I remember that evening very clearly. I got in the car at around 2 AM with my sisters, who were tagging along with me to DC in order to catch the bus the rest of the way to NYC. In the beginning, we had the music blaring, and we were talking and having a good ‘ole time for about three out of the four hours on the road. In the last hour, my eyes got really heavy, so I did everything to keep myself alert. I literally slapped myself, drank more caffeine, and played something more lively on the radio. It started to work and then I finally got to the bus station where I had to drop my sisters off. Now alone in the car, it was up to me to stay focused on my short trip home. “I can do this,” I thought to myself, as I only had about 20 minutes left. Tired of listening to music, I even turned off my radio and decided to ride in silence. A mere 5 minutes from home, my eyes popped open just as I was about to collide with a cement divider on the highway at about 60 mph. I veered back into my lane with only inches to spare. Needless to say, the adrenaline rush kept me up long after I got home. That had never happened to me before–ever. I didn’t understand how it happened this time. When I repeated this story to friends later, many of them pointed out something that I hadn’t considered before. Most accidents happen like this less than 10 minutes from the destination because the driver gets too relaxed, knowing that their ride is almost over. That struck an interesting cord with me, because that theory is applicable in so many areas of my life that it is kind of scary. Read More

The Perfect Fit

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Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

So, don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.  Matthew 6:34

Children-in-the-shoes-of-AdultsOn New Year’s Eve 2014, I was desperately searching for the perfect shoes to go with my outfit that night. With the help of Pinterest, I had the complete vision of my entire look in my head and I was determined to complete that look no matter what. My first stop was Macy’s where I found some really nice shoes for a pretty good price. My eyes landed on one pair that I liked, so I tried them on. They fit pretty well and they were cute, and as I began to walk around in them, I started to really envision my complete look in my mind… “This just might work out,” I thought to myself.

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Breadcrumbs

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God uses breadcrumbs in our lives to indicate that we are traveling down the right path.

God uses breadcrumbs in our lives to indicate that we are traveling down the right path.

…and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (AMP)

My pastor has been preaching a series from the Book of Hebrews where Paul describes the way every Christian must run the race of faith. Everyone has been assigned a “bib number” and a lane on the track the instant we accept Jesus as our living Savior. Like a traditional track-and-field event, it is absolutely critical that each runner stay within their lane to avoid colliding with someone else. While there are lines on the race track to ensure this doesn’t happen, how do we as Christians remain on the right path? I know for me, life doesn’t always make the most sense. There are things that I can’t explain or didn’t expect and I just have to accept them as God’s will and adjust. But I if I told you that certain things don’t cause me to worry that I may have drifted off-course, I would be lying. Nonetheless, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I know that I have to keep striving for the prize that has been promised to me regardless of what’s happening in my life. I know that I am not alone and that there are many others who are striving for the same thing. So what keeps us in the race?

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“The Fabulous Life Of…”

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“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 NLT

overflowing-water

A life of overflow is possible for anyone who believes in Jesus Christ.

A few months ago, my sisters and I were bored and began flipping through channels to find something entertaining to watch. We ended up watching this show called, “The Fabulous Life Of…” I think that night was about Beyoncé’s amazingly lavish lifestyle of multi-million dollar private jet rides, mansions, and leisure activities. If I remember correctly, she even rents a posh New York City penthouse just to house all of her memorabilia and awards. I can’t lie, for a moment, I felt a little jealous. “I would love to know what it’s like to have that life for just one day,” I thought to myself. I probably even said it out loud, but the more I think about it, the more I realized that one day, I will. However, unlike the Beyoncé’s of the world, I won’t have to worry about keeping up an image, or staying on top of my game to maintain it. I won’t have to worry about paying taxes on all that stuff, being exploited in the tabloids or even worrying about opportunists who only want to get close to me to get ahead. Everything I will have will be long-lasting and secure…and the best part is it will be paid for in FULL.  Read More

Always…

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Excerpt of Lovin’ Me by Jonathan McReynoldsLove

I’m nowhere close to a perfect man,
And it takes a supernatural love to even understand
That beyond the walls, behind the mask and confident smile,
Was a broken man trying to grow up and make life worthwhile
And I know there were times that you probably shouldn’t
But I thank you for always lovin’ me
And I know anyone else, they probably wouldn’t but I thank you for always lovin’ me
Now I know there were days I looked at myself
I felt like less of a person compared to everyone else…But when I look in the mirror and don’t like what I see, Oh I just thank you for always lovin’ me
And I know I get bad, but you wait patiently
I just thank you for always lovin’ me
You just keep lovin’ me…and you don’t let go, you just keep lovin’ me
Though I know I don’t have everything that it takes, you keep lovin’ me
And regardless of every mistake that I make you keep lovin’ me
Oh Lord, I just thank you for always lovin’ me

This song is a powerful reminder that no matter what your past was like, regardless of what other people have said or done to hurt you, regardless of how hard you may have been on yourself, God has always and will continue to love you. It’s His love that gives me the power to overcome insecurity. His love gave me a fresh start after every mistake I made, big or small…His love empowers me to keep going every time I feel the pressure to just give up. His love gives me confidence when I feel unsure. His love reminds me that I’m not alone when I feel lonely. And I know that whether I have a little or a whole lot, I’ll always have everything I’ll ever need because He loves me. Thank you, God for always loving me.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 AMP

It’s Deeper Than That…

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Matthew 9:2-8 (NKJV)

Tip of the Iceberg

Many times, we ask God to fix our surface-level issues, but God knows that those issues are just the tip of the iceberg…

2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled[a] and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

This story is interesting to me because many times, we bring our petitions to God looking for Him to heal something very specific. This misguided expectation is exactly what leads to our disappointment and frustration with God. Many times, we become confused and are convinced that God isn’t listening to us. We even begin to doubt His mere existence because we set our sights on the wrong part of the issue. What I love about the Lord is that He always sees the big picture. He always sees what we cannot see. The onlookers of the miracle in this story missed it when Jesus said to the man, “your sins are forgiven.” Instead of rejoicing, the people challenged Him because they expected Him to address the man’s physical illness, which caused him to be unable to walk. But the Lord chose to address the man’s sin, which led to his paralysis in the first place. Read More