Day Six – Removing Clutter

September 19, 2023

I’m on a roll! Yesterday, I forced myself to get going! I had a date with destiny! I took those men’s shoes and Southpole sporting vests to the Denver Rescue Mission. The guy that took the items was amazed that I was donating new items. I explained to him that I felt God wanted me to give them to people less fortunate than myself. Then he quoted Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, prepare our hearts for the goodness of the Lord. Amen

Day Five – Removing Clutter

September 18, 2023

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV

I tell yah! I’m getting the hang of removing clutter! For months, weeks and days, I’ve been after my son concerning his stuff stored at my home. Well! He finally came back to Colorado to visit his children. And, yesterday, he stopped by to visit and go through his things. He had several large totes and a few backpacks stuffed with paperwork. As he was sorting through his belongings he was sweating and claiming my house was too hot. I felt fine. The temperature in my home was spot on for me! But! It wasn’t for him. He was the person doing the work clearing his clutter.

I learned from this moment that sometimes we crowd our lives with other people’s baggage, even when we don’t have space available. And if we don’t insist that they take their physical and emotional baggage with them it becomes ours, whether we want it or not, whether we can handle it or not. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, help us to know when and how to help others. Amen

Day Three – Removing Clutter

Friday, September 15, 2023

Failures and fears are the part of the journey we call life. Don’t let them stop you or derail you from your chose path.
Debasish Mridha

Well! Happy Friday! Yesterday, I was busy with other matters. It seems finding those spiders the other day [dead and alive] temporarily derailed me from my journey of decluttering. However the tasks I did accomplish were just as draining; yet, finding solutions to what seem to be unsolvable problems was emotionally freeing. So, I venture to write, I did work on removing clutter from my life but this time it was mental clutter. And! I say, emotional clutter is worse to manage than material clutter on any given day. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, keep us on task to free our wonderful lives from things that steal our joy. 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

June 16, 2023

Finding Your Way – The Choices of Others

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be: and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9

Back in the day when I was a younger mom, single and very envious of those I thought were doing better than myself, a sister in Christ said, “I’ve learned to grow where I’ve been planted.” Back then l was puzzled by her statement. Honestly her savory words went over my head because she was one of those people I envied. She was married and her children had a father; therefore, I’d summed up her life as the greatest! Never comprehending everything she knew and loved with the exception of her husband and their children was down South as she learned to live in Colorado. And as a young woman she was having to navigate through life’s journey trusting God’s promises without being under her parent(s) love and guidance. Today, I feel great shame about my past mindset. It never dawned on me that she was making the best of life despite a choice or a series of choices made outside of self.

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for life. Today I pray for those that struggle with envy. It shields true feelings concerning fear, failure, hate and starting over. In essence it’s robbing people of living their best life. Give their minds and restless spirits your peace in learning and putting into action how to grow where they’ve been planted despite unfavorable choices. Amen

June 12, 2023

Finding Your Way – Your Gift

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalms 139:13-16

When I sit in the waiting room listening for my name to be called for my doctor’s appointment I’m reminded I’m “fearfully and wonderfully made” at each visit. Why? Because in the waiting room is a floor to ceiling glass plaque with the above verse! The plaque is beautiful! Whoever chose to put it there was spiritually smart and felt patients were worth the money spent to create it and display it. The plaque tells me the medical providers are going to give me the best medical care they can give. It assures me that after they’ve done all that they can do they will hand my overall health and spiritual care to the Almighty. The plaque also lets me know that my life is a gift from God! A gift I will cherish forever!

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for today and everyday. For life, each day is a gift! Someone is not happy with life and or for this day. Do spiritual surgery on their hearts, minds and souls. Create in them a clean heart and renew the right spirit. Amen

June 5, 2023

Finding Your Way – The Good and Bad

He saved others, but He cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
Matthew 27:42

You have to find your way through the good and bad encounters with society, family, friends and those considered as loved ones. Oftentimes when someone has done some incredible things for others and they themselves fall on hard times the ugly side of jealousy surfaces in others. And, as a result, the lack of support from anyone causes people to journey through life unhappy.

PRAYER

Father God, if we ask ourselves what would have happened to all of creation had Jesus came down from the cross, there is no answer to such a question. Christ couldn’t come down from the cross. His mission was to save the world on a grand scheme. And, as a result, failure was not an option.

Him fulfilling his commitment wasn’t easy. And many people don’t know and only a few people care that His hands were nailed to a cross, a crown of thorns was placed on his head and a sharpened wedge type spear was attached to the cross underneath his bottom. Each time his weight gave into gravity under the fainting pressure of being crucified his fanny was forced on the object. Cutting deeper with each uncontrollable dropping of his body weight and causing intense pain until He hung His head and died for the sins of humankind.

Today, Lord, I pray for your peace for tormented souls that feel they can’t move forwards for the lack of support. Give them a kiss from Heaven. Give them a sign that they aren’t alone on their journey. Let them know trouble doesn’t last always for in Christ there is hope, peace, love and strength for living our best lives despite dark days. Amen

Prayers Of A Woman – 7 Deadly Sins

JANUARY 16

Wow! Happy New Year! With the last two months being hectic because of the holidays, celebrating the new year can add to the leftover stresses from the prior year. It’s not only a new day but it’s a new year! And we have the opportunity to plan and make big changes! Woohoo!

It’s a good time to reflect on things we wanted to do and didn’t or things we started and never finished or we can even reflect on our failures and learn from them. But the following questions beg answers: How important were those things? And if you complete them today how do they add value to your life? And is that value a significant force that will change your journey where you’re living on the plus side?

This year I hope to be more active in my public prayers. My focus will be living on the plus side and the seven deadly sins, pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. Happy New Year, my beloved!

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Prayers Of A Black Woman

October 20

Get a burning passion in your gut. Start letting the world know what you’ve got to say is important! Believe that God put you on this earth for a reason. Your higher purpose is to make a difference by what you have to say.
David W. Anderson [Founder of Famous Dave’s BBQ]

PRAYER

Father, today we’re revisiting a continued request from yesterday. Again I ask for you to give those that struggle with confidence their voice. Speak peace to their tormented souls so they realize their life is important. Amen

Prayers Of A Black Woman

October 19

No one has ever succeeded in life by being shy or timid. Right now you may be thinking to yourself, “I will never get the job I want because I am too afraid of selling myself” or “I could never be a leader because I am too afraid to speak in front of groups. I even have a hard time expressing myself in small groups?” Guess what — you’re not alone.”
David W. Anderson

I’ve shied away from having long prayers for many reasons when sharing them publicly. But today is special because of a conversation I had with a phenomenal person/woman. She and I have been friends for over thirty years. I thought I knew all there was to know about her. Then she shared with me that she liked parts of her job but was marginal at the parts that made her uncomfortable. Out of curiosity I asked what made her uncomfortable. She said, “having to meet with the customers face to face.” My jaws dropped! How could that be! She being a minister’s wife caught me off guard with her statement of truth. She’s always speaking to people face to face. So, is it her truth or just someone else’s perception embedded in her character?

PRAYER

Father, thank you for another day to do things better than the day before. Today I ask that you give people who struggle with speaking up for themselves their voice. Show them how wonderfully made they are. Teaching them that sometimes truth is an illusion that changes with self acceptance and self knowledge. Amen