Come Out From Among Them!

Everybody that's making you feel good is not making you live good.


Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. (2 Cor. 17)

Disappointment or Disaster?

Don't confuse your disappointments with disaster.

When Peter began to sink (Matthew 14:30) - that was a disappointment.
Had Peter drowned - that would have been a disaster.

Have You Gotten Out the Boat ,Yet?

In Matthew's gospel, chapter 14, Apostle Peter teaches us a valuable life lesson. He teaches us that it is possible to do the impossible. When this particular passage is preached, preachers often teach us about Peter's failure (he began to sink - Matthew 14:30). However, they often fail to tell us about Peter's success (he walked on the water - Matthew 14:30) .

If we only focus on Peter's failure (he began to sink), we would never be motivated to move from where we are to where we want to be. It is only when we focus on Peter's success will we move from ambition to action. So, I ask

Are you going to get out of the boat and venture into the unknown - do something that you have never done before?

OR

Are you going to stay in the boat - become a lifetime rider and play it safe?

Wounded Spirit

Most people understand the effects of physical wounds. Because physical wounds are tangible, we can see the scars, the cast from broken bones and listen to the wounded individual share complaints of pain and physical distress caused by the side effects of prescriptions. Therefore, we are constantly reminded of physical wounds. However, emotional wounds are not as noticeable; And, so often, they leave pain that won’t go away, scars that can’t be erased, and very few talk about the psychological torment that is securely hidden from the public eye.

Today, I pose the question - Has your spirit been wounded by humiliation, degradation and unresolved issues? If so, is the wound beyond repair? A couple of days ago, I thought about how easy it is to wound someone’s spirit. I thought about how so many people (especially spouses) inflict this pain on the weaker vessel without knowing the impact that it has on the other person. Often, without knowing it, the emotional wounds destroy trust, confidence and character.

How can you truly trust someone who constantly harms but is suppose to help?
How can you have confidence when you are torn down instead of being built up?
How can you have strong character when your character is under attack?

If you recognize that you have been emotionally wounded, I strongly urge you to seek help. Emotional wounds will heal when they are properly treated. Just as deep tissue wounds have to be properly treated, so do emotional wounds. Don’t ignore them and just expect them to go away.

I challenge you, today, to BELIEVE that
· You are better than that.
· You do have a purpose.
· You are beautiful.
· You are SOMEBODY!
· You have worth.
· You are valued.

Not only must you BELIEVE, but you must treat yourself as if you believe it. DISBELIEVE the negativity and the LIES that the enemy has wounded you with for so long. You have been set apart for such a time as this.


1 Peter 2:9

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Jeremiah 29:11

I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Whose Holding Your Hand?

A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.
The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter:
"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said:
"No, Dad. You hold my hand."
"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...

(taken from www.boardofwisdom.com)

Lasting Relationships

As I perused the recent posts of one of the many blogs (Curly Nikki) that I frequent, I was reminded of the importance of reconnecting. It is vital for couples to set aside time to reconnect and to understand that ‘what it took to get him/her is the same thing that it takes to keep him/her’. In other words, The bond that bound the relationship should be the basis for maintaining a wholesome relationship.

Relationships share bonds that tie the participants together. Strong relationships share strong bonds. A bond is the glue or the connecting agent that binds a relationship. Some common bonds are blood, race, religion, shared passions and common interests. Although there are many types of relationships, the relationship that I refer to in this post is the relationship between a man and a woman.

A reconnecting should include the following:
1) reconnect - Set aside time at regular intervals where it is just
the two of you minus the distractions of other parties including
children. (Hire a babysitter or leave children with a trusted
friend or family member.)
2) reevaluate - Take inventory. Look at the positives and the
negatives. Look at what works and look at what doesn’t work.
3) restructure - If it’s broken, fix it. If it’s not, keep doing it.
If the two of you can’t repair it, seek help from a professional
(clergyman,therapist, doctor, etc.)

Refuse to allow the cares and distractions of life to take priority over your relationship. Certain things in life take time - like marinating a tender steak or preparing a holiday meal. Invested time is the key to a robust relationship. Remember, even Rome was not built in a day.