Day Thirty Seven – Removing Clutter

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is you unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:5-7 NIV

Yesterday, I got a call from a friend. She’s leaving today for her yearly holiday vacation. Each year she and her sister fly home to spend Christmas and New Year’s with their mom. She was calling me to let me know she would be gone. And, each year I let her know how much she means to me.

She was once my therapist. She and I covered a lot of emotional ground. Addressing issues I tucked away as not important. My issues weren’t important because I’d been taught I wasn’t important. Sadly, during my early years of being a young adult with at least one kid in tow, I didn’t know what love looked like; therefore, I equated love with sex!

OMG! Life is so funny! I can remember at least two or three sessions where she and I worked, truly worked, on my mindset concerning love and the types of love. But! Love nonetheless! Unfortunately, I would find guys that had more baggage than myself. And! Usually they came into our new relationship abusing me emotionally and physically. Every so often I would get lucky and they would only do one or the other. However! Neither is okay! I stopped dating because I kept finding the same type of guy. But! I never stopped the behavior when it came to interacting with family, friends and loved ones.

Oh! Wow! I just realized why I would date guys that had more baggage than myself [eyeroll]! I wanted to be loved. Now, I just might cry! Cause that makes me sad. How can a person be born into a family and grow up feeling unloved. That’s just sad! Let’s pray!

PRAYER: Father God, someone feels unloved and needs to hear from you. Comfort their tormented souls. Healing them with healthy examples of your love. In Jesus name I ask and pray. Amen

July 27, 2023

Finding Your Way – Fruits of Suffering

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Happy throwback Thursday! Ten years ago, on July 26, 2013, I posted an inspirational story about the struggles of a butterfly. It was befitting for this however long series titled “Finding Your Way.”

I’ve often seen people fall completely apart when facing trials and tribulations. The emotional stresses tied to struggles sometimes paralyze folks to a point they can’t see the forest for the trees; thus, rendering them helpless. And as a result nothing gets done to the best of their ability. As to why finding your way through difficult situations is so very very important to living an abundant life.

“A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole. Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge and expand enough to support the body. Neither happened! In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand: The restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us. We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly.” ~~Author Unknown

The Prayers of a Black Woman

October 12

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

PRAYER

Father God, thank you again for another day to live an abundant life. Lord, give strength to those that are oppressed by the feelings of loneliness. Free them to a mindset of living an abundant life. Show them how to meet others that are good and kind. Awaken their spirits to recognize deceitful people and strengthen them to call upon you to avoid snares of manipulative individuals. Amen

The Prayers of Black Women

March 9

Generational Prayer For Spiritual Blessings

When I was in seminary we were taught a prayer that would aid us when we could not pray. Yesterday, I published that prayer: “Lord help until you can help.” I added others to that prayer because I knew I wasn’t alone with struggling in whatever. Today is a new day and God’s mercy has given my soul peace once again.

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9

PRAYER

Father God, I’m so glad you’re a faithful God. It was your faithfulness that reminded my soul that had fallen into stagnation a prayer I’d forgotten decades ago. Prayer keeps us linked to you but our words communicate our desires for life and builds a strong bond between the creator and creation. And today I ask for generational favor for me and my descendants. Among my requests is that my children, their children and so forth and so on discover and worship you the true and living God for all the days of our lives. Amen

The Prayers of Black Women

February 16

Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7

Sometimes people must learn to ride the waves of life when it comes to destressing, especially those that are born with successful instincts.

PRAYER

Father God my hope is truly in you. Light the path I must follow brightly and let me stay on it when all seems lost. For you and you alone know the plans you have for me. Jeremiah 29:11 says, your plans are to make me prosperous as you promise never to hurt me, as you give me hope and a future. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

January 28

The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes,
Deuteronomy 1:30 NIV

Sometimes people lose sight of their main goal(s) when they become distracted by fear. Goals are awesome dreams waiting to be born that are sometimes aborted because of conflict supported by self-doubt. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father God, we come to you seeking refuge. Refuge for our souls and our aspirations. Give our hearts peace concerning the fate of goals that are seemingly in jeopardy because of enemies. Block their efforts and never let us be afraid of their weapons as we take hold of your promises. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 17

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

While I studied for my Masters In Divinity I learned a very helpful tool. How to apply knowledge centuries old to a current situation. It seems in Deuteronomy Israel had gotten scared again. Once before they became full of fear and refused to fight for the land God said belonged to them. As a result, they spent years wandering in the wilderness. OMG! That sounds familiar! Well anywho, the land that was promised to them was occupied by mean and horrible people. And adding to Israel’s fear was the large army. I’ve had to face a few giants and found myself shaking in me boots! But! God, being God, gave Israel and Joshua another chance to claim what He freely gave them. So to ensure they didn’t run scared again God gave them a pep talk. He assured them several times He would be with them. A practice He continues today. Let’s Pray!

PRAYER

Lord, forgive me. I’m only human. As I read the above scripture I thought about all my missed opportunities because of fear. Then I thought about the opportunities that returned. My life is richly blessed because I entered into the land you reserved for me and my family. I thank you for those blessings each and everyday. I pray you continue to be with me and never forsake me. Always giving me your courage to secure and keep the blessings you said were mine. Asking you to continually do the same for my children, their children and our descendants. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

October 1

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 NASB

PRAYER:

Lord, I should not be lost for words when praying. Everyday brings a new blessing. If nothing else, I can give praise of thanksgiving for the wonderful life I live. Knowing I can always expect your love and acceptance in abundance. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women

September 29

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in they sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14, KJV

Photo by TUBARONES PHOTOGRAPHY on Pexels.com

For different reasons people will indirectly/directly involve you in their insanity. And! As long as you’re sitting on the sidelines you can opt to get off the rollercoaster of madness. Hopefully before it’s too late. Because when you start playing their game! With their rules! And! With their agenda you lose everything that makes life a wonderful journey, self-worth. Let’s Pray!

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for another day. Trouble surrounds me. Keep my soul at peace during the storm and my eyes on Christ. Pepper my words with your strength and your love when I speak. Give my heart a song to sing and let my feet dance and rejoice in your goodness. Amen

The Prayer’s of Black Women – Trusting God

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5

Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Let me and all that that live praise you for your wonderful works. Let us shout thanksgiving to declare your deeds of love. Amen