I am...

I am...
I am from above...
I am the light of the world...
I am the door...
I am the good shepherd...
I am the true vine...
I am the way, the truth, and the life...
I am the resurrection and the life...
I am the King of the Jews...
I am Jesus...
I am the Son of God...

There is record of Jesus asking his disciples "Who do the people say that I am?  Who do you say that I am?"  He asked this question, once, wanting to know how he was seen in the market place and how his own followers saw him.
The other day I watched a powerful video in which Dr. Cindy Trimm pointed out that Jesus asked what other people thought of him only once and spent the rest of his time simply telling and being who he was. He said "I am..." and lived according to what he declared about himself.
What's interesting to me is that many of us live our lives trying to prove that we're NOT what someone else has said we are rather than living, showing and telling who we ARE.

IS THAT NOT BACKWARDS?
i'll answer
YES, IT IS!

The fact of the matter is that God created all of us and equipped us with the very talent, ability, drive, and potential to accomplish everything that we can dream.  In fact, he GAVE us the dream! So why would he give us a dream or desire and withhold the very method by which we can accomplish said desire?  He wouldn't!  He doesn't!  The problem is that we are so busy trying to prove someone else wrong that we spend little to no time developing and preparing ourselves to do the thing that we're equipped to do.
I'm sure we've all found ourselves the victim of someone else's incorrect perception and pronouncement of who they think we are and what they think we can do.  A parent, a teacher, a lover, a "friend", an enemy, a boss, or co-worker has said "You are" and followed it with some declaration of our weakness or what we will never be.  And rather than recognize this lie (see The Lie) for what it is and declare the opposite, we allow that negative prophecy to take root and blossom in our lives, it's weeds choking out the truth and leaving no space for dreams to be cultivated.  I'll admit, i've certainly found myself in positions where I was unable to move forward and fulfill a desire of my own because of a little voice reminding me of what someone else told me I couldn't do.
So I'm here to tell you the truth.  The power is yours.  You can choose to believe someone else's statement about you and continuously repeat it to yourself allowing no room for growth or you can decide to declare and prophecy over yourself the truth of the destiny that is already within you; the destiny that is your's because it's what God placed inside of you.
When you define yourself by what someone else has said about you, you will always be a slave to that statement and will constantly live to either play down or live up to that statement.  But, when you begin to declare "I am..." you define yourself for yourself and according to your own standards.  So do that.  Prophecy over yourself.  Define yourself and your life by what you know you are based on what God placed inside of you.
Jesus declared that he was light, provision, a shepherd, life, and the very son of God and there were many who hated him because he was so bold in his declarations. But he knew who he was, he knew his purpose, and no one could take that knowledge away from him.  He operated in the knowledge of who he was and what his father had placed on the inside of him.  Because of this, he was powerful beyond measure.
So...
Go be powerful beyond measure.
Declare who you are.
Be who you are.
That is your power.

Dr. Cindy Trimm w/ TD Jakes

The Art of Appreciation

Me: I realize that the reason I get to experience so many amazing moments is because I appreciate them.

She: Absolutely.  God appreciates appreciation.

Me: I don't understand how a person can see a rainbow or an amazing sunset and NOT notice it and go a little crazy.

She (quoting 'The Color Purple' as she is wont to do): "I think it pisses God off when you walk by the colour purple in a a field and don't notice it."

This was part of a slightly meandering, yet, thorough conversation I had over dinner with a friend last evening.  I was telling my friend how I saw the most amazing rainbow i've ever seen yesterday.  And it truly was the most amazing rainbow I have ever seen.  Funny thing is, before yesterday, the most amazing rainbow i'd ever seen was in Aruba a little over a month ago.  It stretched from one side of the sea to the other and disappeared and reappeared as rain clouds formed and disappeared across the sky.  It was so full and every colour so distinct, I truly couldn't believe that it was real and that I was watching it form and dissolve and form and dissolve again in front of my eyes.  What was even more amazing was the fact that it's reflection hovered just above.  A double rainbow on this beautiful beach on the last day of my vacation in Aruba; and I seemed to be the only one who noticed it.  Well, I quickly made my way out of the water to grab a camera and try as best I could to capture what seemed to be a gift just for me. 

Well, that was Aruba.  But yesterday I saw my Aruba bow multiplied by, oh I don't know, 100.  Uhh, maybe a slight exaggeration, but it was amazing!  And because I was on a slightly winding highway, the rainbow was beside me, then behind me, then in front of me then behind me once again.  And at every turn it became brighter and the colours more piercing and more vibrant and just more amazing.  I'm sure that someone on the road thought I was drunk because i'm certain that I was swerving like Cruella DeVille going after her precious spotted puppies.  But I honestly couldn't contain myself.
To me a rainbow is one of the most amazing expressions of God's love for us.  Biblically, it was the sign of a promise made by God to Noah and his family.  A promise that the earth would never again be brought to complete and utter destruction by flood.  Other than that reminder, it really serves no purpose.  It is simply a phenomenon created by the sun and droplets of water.  And that fact that a sun ray and a mere droplet of water could be directed to form an arc of bright and vibrant colour that comes out of nowhere and leads to nowhere...well, that's an amazing act of love.  It's an amazing act because it's simply beauty and a promise.  And so, I appreciate a rainbow given to me on the first day of a new year because it reminds me that God remembers and brings his promises to pass.

But the act of appreciation is an interesting thing .  I think that whether or not we EVER learn to appreciate God and every expression of love that He shows, He will continue to express His love because He enjoys the beauty for Himself.  And if only one person ever acknowledges His effort, He takes pleasure in that one.
But people...well, people don't always appreciate.  It's often easy for people to dwell only on the negative aspects of a situation, oftentimes exaggerating what's not that serious, while completely ignoring the immense blessing that's right in front of them.
We show love or friendship to an individual only to have it thrown by the wayside, the magnitude of our efforts unappreciated, unrecognized, ignored.
And unlike God, when people's energies go unrecognized, they may not continue to put forth the effort to show the love and care.  Sometimes the pain or frustration of efforts unappreciated is too much to bear, and so, one decides to fall back rather than continue to put in effort unrecognized.

And so, at the dawn of a new year, when everyone is making resolutions and declaring what they will and will not do in the new year, I encourage the art of appreciation.  No matter what resolution you keep or discard, learn to recognize the blessing that's in front of you.  That job, that friend, that boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife, your health, the stranger who smiled at you, the rainbow in the sky, the amazing sunset or sunrise, the lilacs blooming in the park.
The more you appreciate, the more there will be to appreciate.
In love,
Happy New Year!

What are you waiting for?

Okay, okay.  I know it's been quite some time since my last post.  Two months to be exact.  So let me first apologize to anyone who may be reading and receiving anything from what i've written so far.

Not sharing for two months definitely does not mean that there's nothing I want to say.  Actually, there has been one specific issue that just won't leave me alone.  After sharing with a friend and having her INSIST that I not only write this blog post, but also pen a book addressing the same subject (ummm...we'll see), I finally decided to share.

I'd really love to address those of us who are in the process of waiting...for something...anything.  Waiting to chase a dream, waiting to start a business, waiting to get married, waiting to have kids, waiting to move, waiting to travel, waiting to buy that pair of diamond earrings, waiting to try something new, waiting to have fun, waiting to LIVE.  Now, I think this one will probably speak to women more than men (maybe) simply because I am a woman and i'm all too familiar with the things that women wait for.  But honestly, I think we could all benefit from asking ourselves one question.  

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

When I was a child I knew two things beyond a shadow of a doubt.  One was that I wanted to be an actor...and a singer...and a dancer (even though I told everyone that I wanted to be a lawyer/brain surgeon/open heart surgeon because my sister just KNEW that she wanted to be a baby doctor and I felt like I had to one-up her...lol...crazy, I know).  The other thing that I was completely certain of was that I wanted to travel.  I wanted to see the world.  It's always been my desire to turn over every rock, peek in every cave, watch the sun set from every beach in every country in the world.  So when I was old enough to travel by myself I was so excited to venture out into the world.  But to my dismay, I started telling people where I was going and an overwhelming number of people responded, "Why are you doing that?  Why are you going by yourself?  Aren't you scared?  You should wait!" To which I responded "Wait for what?".  To which some random person would say "Well, you know.  Wait till you get married.  Let your husband take you."

Ummm...really?  Why?  I have the money, time and desire NOW.  Why wait until God only knows when to do what's feasible right now?

This is just one of the many experiences that i've had that brings me to my question.  What are we (you, me, all of us) waiting for?  Many of us ladies have a desire to be in a relationship and be married.  And we're waiting for Mr. Right to come rescue us from our hum-drum life and sweep us off our feet.  Many of us believe that God has a specific man especially for us or that God will send the right one at the right time.  Ok...cool.  So what are you doing until he comes?  Are you living the fascinating life that takes you from your apartment to work to church to your apartment to work to church to THE MARKET to your apartment to work to church?  Or, are you truly living?  Because, trust me ladies, the one for you may not find you if all you ever do is go from your apartment to work to church, rinse, repeat.  And if he does, you won't have anything to talk about that doesn't involve your apartment, work, or church.    Mr. Right may find you while you're on that vacation in Paris; while you're finally taking or teaching that class you've always wanted to take or teach; while you're going to a new cafe for lunch; while you're living your life!

All too often, we put an enjoyable life on hold because we are waiting for a list of things to happen before we allow ourselves to start living.  We watch (and sometimes help) other people's dreams come true, other people live a full, happy life and we sit back and say "Well, i'm waiting for a, b, and c to happen before I do that".  Meanwhile, life is steadily passing us by.  

I'm here to encourage you to STOP WAITING.  

Now I understand we can't always jump in head first.  Often times we have to wait for the proper time and place to do many things.  But, while waiting for the proper time and place for certain endeavors, some sort of preparation can happen to ready ourselves for the proper time and place.  On the other hand, some things can happen simply when we say "Okay, i'm ready/willing/able to (insert fabulous life experience here!)".  And when we make that decision and do that thing, whatever it is, our lives will be made much richer because of it.  There will be a new story to tell, a new adventure to share, perhaps a new friendship or bond formed and our boldness may encourage someone else to be bold and finally do the thing they've been waiting and wanting to do.

Folks, we're coming to the close of a year.  Now is a good time to start.  Allow yourself to begin dreaming and living again or maybe for the first time.  Take a trip, take a class, write that book, start that business, buy those diamond earrings!  Don't wait for any person or thing to come along to make your life better.  Make your life better, whatever that is for you, by giving yourself permission to experience the best life you can, today! 

Live your ultimate life TODAY!     

Where is God?

It's been a while since i've posted anything.  Why?  Honestly, lately I just haven't felt that there was anything to say...at least nothing that I needed to say or share with a large audience.  But in the past few days (actually, in weeks past) there has been a question lingering in my mind.  So today, I decided to write, share, ask...Why don't we acknowledge God?
I know lots of people, as i'm sure many of you do, who call upon the universe, good vibes, energy, a higher power, etc, etc, etc for guidance and direction.  Many people look to the stars, horoscopes, create charts in order to predict the flow of energy and anticipate or explain their own actions or those of another individual.  And in the midst of all of this, people leave out the one who created the universe and the stars, the author of all good things (vibes and energy included).  And I just don't understand it.  Why look to the creaTION when you have a direct line to the creaTOR?  Not only that, but why, when tragedies occur, do people all of a sudden want to ask, Where is/was God?  How could He let this happen?
When I hear people ask questions like that or when I, myself, have asked questions like that, the answer is immediate.  He is wherever you have put him.
One thing that I have learned as an individual who has a not nearly perfect but ever-growing, ever-developing relationship with God is that He is the ultimate gentleman; He is patient.  He has created us each with a free will.  And what that means is that we all have the freedom to acknowledge and choose Him and his way.  So He will wait, patiently, for us to do so.  He does not force Himself upon us.  He simply is who he is; the creator, a lover, a patient provider, a protector.  He is all of these things and many more.  And so, some people choose to acknowledge him and honor him with every turn, every choice, every action, every moment of their lives.  And some don't.  Some invite him in.  And some don't.  Some boldly escort him out.  And so, in every moment of our lives, God, the gentleman that he is, remains where we have put him; either IN or OUT.
We have taken prayer to God and acknowledgement of him OUT of our schools.  So when there are tragedies involving our children in our schools, God is where we put him: OUT.
We have decided that separation of church and state is the way to go.  So when there is a governmental disgrace or tragedy, God is where we put him: OUT.
About a week and a half ago, we remembered the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy in America.  As there is every year since this tragedy occurred, there was a memorial service held at Ground Zero in New York City.  And no clergy was invited to acknowledge God and offer a collective prayer to the masses.  WHAT?!?!  We gather to commemorate a day in our history when people were asking, crying, praying aloud to God for safety, security, and answers and we leave God out?!  Well...okay.  So when the next tragedy occurs, are we going to expect him to just hop IN when we've put him OUT?
We've put God OUT.  Out of our schools, out of our workplaces, out of our lives...until the day when we NEED him.  And then we ask "God!  Where are you?"  He's where we put him. OUT!
Now i'm not suggesting that God will not rush in and save the day.  I, and i'm sure some of you, can recall a time when you were not fully acknowledging or honoring him and he still jumped in and saved the day.  And there are many stories from 9/11 and other tragic days in our history telling of individuals who were miraculously spared.  God is always here.  He's always ready, willing, and able to save the day.  So why not invite him in?  Why not give him the credit for saving our butts even when we didn't deserve it, even when we didn't call on him?  Why not acknowledge him?
He created the universe.  He created the sun, moon, and stars.  And many of us look to those creations rather than looking to the one who placed them in the sky.  I say cut out the middle-man.  Just...acknowledge Him.  He'll be wherever you put Him...

What do you choose?

Your faith should carry you where your physical sight cannot guide you...

This thought came to my mind the other day as I read through the ninth chapter of John.  I think the story in this chapter is one of the more well known stories of Jesus' miracle-working.  But, if you're unfamiliar, i'll give a basic run-down of the chapter.  Jesus happens upon a man who was blind from birth.  This man had, since he was born, never seen the light of day, his family, his surroundings; NOTHING.  Jesus knelt in the dirt, spat in the ground to make a mud or clay, rubbed the mud on the man's blind eyes and then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam.  The man went and washed and received his sight.  When the people around him, neighbors, and everyone who knew this man had been blind all his life saw him walking around with sight, they questioned whether this was the same man they had known to be blind since birth.  Once they were convinced that it was the same man, they questioned him, "How were, thine eyes opened?".  So of course the man told them that someone named Jesus had made mud, anointed his eyes with it, and told him to go wash.  The people did not believe him.  They asked him again and again, even asked his parents, to tell them how he had received his sight.  THREE TIMES this man told the story of how he was healed and yet the people continued to press him with questions.  Finally, in verse 27 he said "I've told you over and over and you haven't listened.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Are you so eager to become his disciples?" (MSG)

After reading this, there were two points that really stuck with me.  The first is that Jesus rubbed mud in a blind man's eyes then told him to go wash in a specific pool.  Now remember.  This man had been blind SINCE BIRTH which means that he had never seen any pool let alone a specific pool.  Perhaps he had heard neighbors and family members talk about the pools, maybe he had been close enough to hear people splashing in the water and enjoying the pools, perhaps he had even been carried to the pools as a child.  But he had never seen them to find them.  So Jesus rubs mud on the eyes of a man who had never seen anything (Jesus made SURE he couldn't see!) and then gave him instructions to go to a certain pool and wash.  So how was this man able to follow the instructions that Jesus gave him?  Well, I think that he already had his internal sight.  I'm sure as a sightless boy becoming a sightless man, he wished, hoped, prayed, and dreamt of the day that he might be able to walk around and live his life as a whole individual.  He imagined himself with sight so much that it became a reality to him.  He thought about it, dreamt about it, maybe even went so far as to ask people to describe to him what it was like.  Maybe he knew about the pools in the town and asked people where they were located in relation to where he lived.  Sight was an internal reality waiting to be encountered rather than a lofty dream that would probably never come true.  And then the day came when someone could actually do something about his blindness.  He was ready to receive his healing.  He had prepared himself so much for his breakthrough that when the instructions on how to experience it fully were given, he was ready, willing, and ABLE to follow them.  Instead of allowing the physical reality of his situation to cause him to despair, he chose to believe, obey and stretch his faith.  Finally, he received the physical and outward manifestation of what his faith had created for him internally.  And so...his faith was able to carry him to a place that he could not find with his physical sight.
The second point that stuck with me is the fact that this man, after he could see with his physical eyes, told everyone who asked how he received his sight.  He told his neighbors, his family, the Pharisees and leaders of his town what happened.  He told his story three times!  And yet the people could not, would not accept the story he was telling them.  Have you ever been in this type of situation?  Something wonderful happens to you and people ask you how it happened.  You tell them.  They don't believe you.  You tell them again.  They don't believe you.  You tell them YET AGAIN and they STILL don't believe you.  Finally you say "Look!  I've already told you what happened.  You obviously don't believe me, so why are you still asking?!?!  Is hearing it a fourth time gonna make you believe what you didn't believe the first three times?".  And that's what this man said!  I wonder if this was the way Jesus felt in those days.  He had already performed so many miracles yet, there were people who refused to believe in Him even though his words and actions did nothing but free people from their own bondage.  I wonder if Jesus ever wanted to say "You people are, clearly, not going to believe or trust me.  So let me just go back to heaven and let you all figure it out for yourselves."
These past few weeks, i've have been praying on a very specific topic and I've received some assurance that what I am praying for is going to happen.  I've asked God for confirmation so that I would know that the assurance was coming from Him and not just my own desire to get my way.  Again, i've received more confirmation from God.  So when I read this chapter and the response of this man to the naysayers and unbelievers, I kind of felt like God was giving me a gentle check; "Tryphena, i've already told you what i'm going to tell you.  Either you're going to believe or not believe.".
These are lessons that I believe we all must learn:
1) We must learn to believe God when he answers our questions and provides confirmation
AND
2) We should be so full of faith in Him that when He gives us instructions on how to operate in a certain circumstance, our faith should carry us to the healing or deliverance that we may not be able to perceive with our physical senses.

I choose to believe.
I choose to grow my faith.
What do you choose?

Where's the peace?...

...WAR...EARTHQUAKES...HURRICANES...POLITICAL SYSTEMS FAILING...
If you turn on any news channel or website or simply log on to Facebook, Twitter or any other social network, you'll see pictures, videos, testimonials and articles talking about the latest weather tragedy, political fallout, or war being fought somewhere in the world.  In the midst of all the chaos people are wondering and asking aloud "what is going on?", "what's next?" and declaring how fearful they are of everything that's happening in the world.  So today I ask you all to consider the question: Where's your peace?

Some may say their peace comes from the thought in their own minds that everything will, eventually, get better.  Some will say that as long as they know that they and their loved ones are safe and sound, they have peace.  But I would dare say that most people haven't asked and answered this question for themselves.  Many may feel a sense of peace in the moments after some tragedy when they know that their loved ones are okay or that danger is far from them.  But the kind of peace that i'm speaking of is and on-going peace; a sense of internal and eternal rest and stillness that abides even in the midst of turmoil, over time when the future is unknown and uncertain.

So I ask again, where's your peace and where does it come from?

Currently, i'm reading through the book of John.  So far the thing that sticks out the most in my mind is that Jesus is constantly telling people "listen, believe, obey MY WORDS".  He's not so much impressed with those who see him work a miracle and then decide to believe.  But he says "...He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life..." (John 5:24 KJV)
Okay.  Hear and believe.  Well, later in chapter 14 Jesus say "I will not leave you comfortless..." and later, verse 27 declares "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

If you have ever read through the Bible, specifically the portions that deal with end times prophecy, you'll know that current world events are, indeed, signs of the end of times.  If you haven't read or don't believe, that may sound like a dooms day prophecy or merely a pessimistic attitude, but if you line up current world events to Biblical prophecy, the similarities are sobering.  The erratic weather patterns along with political and social unrest don't give us much peace.  Yet we are told that Jesus has left HIS peace with us.  He tells us to believe his WORDS and then tells us that he has left us his PEACE.

What's the point? you ask.  Well, the point is that the only peace that we can truly rely on is the peace given to us, promised to us, in the Word.  Trusting in "Mother Nature" (if that's what you want to call it) has proven futile because weather tragedies happen often with little to no warning.  Trusting in individuals gets us nowhere because people are imperfect and fallible, make promises that can't be kept, and have true control over very little.  Trusting in governments is laughable for obvious reasons.  But God's promises always come to pass.  Take a little stroll through the Bible and you'll see that every promise that God made to His servants came to pass.  And all they had to do was listen, believe, and obey.

The Bible says in Luke: "Men's hearts will fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth...".  Fear can only take hold when there is no peace.  So again I ask, where is your peace?

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

You can believe on these words or try to find it somewhere else.  The choice is yours.
  

how strong is your conviction?

CONVICTION: persuasion, idea, position, stance, view, opinion, thought
There are many different ways to state it but one question sums it all up: What do you stand for?


It can be difficult to take on a strong set of beliefs.  You've decided how you want to live your life and it's exciting to enter into a new way of living.  But it can also be difficult, at times, to turn your back on the things you used to do, the accepted norms or popular opinions.  You'll definitely struggle with friends who will be challenged by your way of life and won't understand why you can't or won't do what everyone else is doing.  You'll definitely experience demands to explain yourself, lighten up, or just change to suit other people's desires.  And you'll most certainly be called "holier than thou", a "goody two shoes" or be asked "so, you think you're better than me?".  Take heart friends, it's all part of the process.  The question is, what's it worth to you?  Will you cave in when it gets uncomfortable or will you stand your ground?  Will you abandon your convictions when they're no longer convenient or popular?


John 12:25 (Amplified)
Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.]
What I gather from this is if you love and are caught up in your own life and reputation so much that you have to hold on fiercely to the approval of others, you will most certainly lose your life because that approval will never come, it will never be enough, and your life will be lost, wasted in search of it.  You will compromise more and more to gain that which is fleeting, the approval of the world.  But, if you are willing to give up whatever approval or recognition the world is offering for God's approval, you will attain freedom from the world's acceptance and gain eternal life.


There is a phrase that my pastor uses frequently: "whatever you compromise to keep, you'll lose".  Are you willing to compromise your convictions for a momentary approval, acceptance or pleasure?  And if you are I have to ask, what's the point?  It is pointless to take on a belief and begin to stand strongly for it only to lay it down for a momentary pleasure or acceptance.  If you can so easily lay down your conviction then it can't possibly be very important to you and it can't possibly be very strong.  Surely, it's not worth defending if it can be so easily set aside at a whim and picked up at another whim.   


So I ask again.  What do you stand for?  And i'll remind you that supporting any and everything in lieu of taking a solid stance will not benefit you.  Eventually, everything that's acceptable to you will begin to contradict every other thing that's acceptable to you.
Paul says:
Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith (your conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it). Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength! 1 Corinthians 16:13 (Amplified)