Me, Myself & I
Growing in God
Usually I can just sit down and start writing. The words just seem to flow but this time was different. I was nervous and anxious but I wasn't sure why. Despite knowing what I wanted to write about, I kept delaying the inevitable. Why wasn't it flowing? Why was I being so hesitant about writing this time? Was it because it was too personal or hitting a little too close to home? Or maybe I wasn't making it a priority. I decided "enough was enough" and I needed to get this out. I believe that if God puts something on your heart, you better listen. No need to miss blessings because of laziness. Throughout my journey in growing in God, I have tried to be a better person, making adjustments here and there just like we all do. Most of those changes didn't cause much of a fuss in my life and seemed easy— but then God challenged me. Why was it okay for me to grow in God but not others?
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. - Romans 14:13 NIV
We are all guilty of judging others. No matter how many church services we attend or holy communions we take, at some point in our lives we have judged someone else. Whether it be how they dress, how they look, or even how they raise their children. We have all done it. Primarily we judge others based on how their behavior or actions measure up to our moral compass. This is a part of life but I realized that even if the person has changed, often we don't allow the perception of how we think of them to change. We create this barrier in our minds that blocks out their growth. We refuse to believe that our pettiness is no longer warranted or excusable. I was guilty of all of these things. Why was I still holding on to stuff people did in college or even last year? How could I grow in God but not give them the grace that God so eagerly gives to us?
After the nagging feeling just wouldn't go away, I started to evaluate myself. I realized that whatever I was holding on to was holding me back from being greater. So I made a decision that I would allow others to grow in God. Who was I to refuse that? If someone reached out or apologized for their wrongs, I wouldn't secretly wish they didn't so I could be the “better person.” Also, I decided to not let the opinions of others prevent me from developing my own opinion of someone. Just like I grew, others can too.
As women in this crazy NFL life it is easy to just judge others or refuse to associate with someone based on who they used to be. As women we should challenge one another to grow in God not through criticism or judgment but through love. Growing in God is a blessing that is not limited to the few that qualify; it is open to everyone.
Your GREATER is coming!
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10 NLT I believe we are all entering into a season of our lives where God will truly show us just how much He can trust us, by giving us GREATER! I know you may be wondering, how do we know God can trust us with more? Well, its really simple actually if think back to where and what God has brought you from...those former seasons of waiting, praying, sowing, and not giving up! You see, during our seasons of waiting, God was testing. God was giving us little assignments to prepare us for the much bigger assignments.
Allow me to be transparent with you for just a second...
I started competing in pageants when I was seven years old, but I did not win my first pageant until I was 14 years old.
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MissLAUSA-Val
Year after year, I kept competing...I kept trying different dresses and new modeling techniques, but it took seven years of being told "no" before I finally got my "yes." Little did I know, God was building the tenacity, discipline, strength, and resilience that I needed for when the time came for me to compete on the big stage at Miss Louisiana! I competed for three years in the Miss America System but never made the top ten. Then, I went to the Miss USA system and made the top 15 on my first try! On my second try, I made the top 10! And in my last year, after 20 years of competing, I won First Runner Up to Miss Louisiana USA!!!But when I look back, I see that God allowed me to experience dry seasons in my life not to leave me and forsake me, but to prune me and prepare me. And He has allowed them in your life for that very same reason as well! God needed to know that He could trust us, but more so, He needed us to know that we could trust Him! So many of you may question how could preparation be birthed out of anything dry- how could any fruit grow in the desert, right? Well, God tells us in Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Looking back in your own lives...can you see it now? The business you launched or will launch, the foundation you started or will start, the ministry you have or will have, the book that’s waiting to be written, the school you need to open, the youth or women's organization you founded--whatever it may be, it had to start somewhere! It started as an idea, a thought, a VISION and God has entrusted ONLY YOU with it! If not, He wouldn't have placed it on the inside of you. Even when no one was looking, God saw our faithfulness and it is after being faithful, not despising our small beginnings, that the Lord rejoices over us. Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Greater is truly COMING!!!! I am overwhelmingly excited to see all of the amazing things He will birth through our faithfulness. As it all unfolds and your territory begins to increase, please share your testimony because I know your sisters will be blessed!
53-Destiny or Disappointment?
Prayer by Brandy Ford, Founder; Game Changers 180
Father, I thank You for being God all by yourself. You are such a loving, caring, all-knowing and all-seeing God. Lord, there are families that are enduring transitions, trades, and cuts within the NFL. This is the time of year that so many are leaning, trusting and depending on You. Father, favor these families according to Your will and purpose for their lives. Open slots for them, give them open doors of opportunities and provide unto them smooth transitions. Lord, I ask for peace over these families. Peace in their hearts, peace in their minds and peace in their spirits. Bring a spirit of calmness to their individual homes. Allow these families to stand knowing You have a great purpose for them and their futures. Father, cover these families even while they sleep. I come against the spirit of fear, anxiety and stress that would try to weigh them down and release the spirit of peace, joy and rest. Lord, You know the plans and the thoughts that You think towards them. Thoughts of good and not of evil to give them an expected end. Now let Your word cover their minds and hearts, stir up and strengthen their faith levels for increase and set their feet on a firm foundation in You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Article by Grace Allen
The idea for this specific post came to me after I realized that I was having a repetitive conversation with a few different women, from different teams, in different cities, a few days in a row. I started thinking that maybe “its” something that more women out there are thinking about with fear, dread, worry, anticipation etcetera, and maybe we don’t all have someone that we can turn to to talk about “it.” “It” being the 53- man roster that is quickly approaching. Prior to football, who would've ever thought that 53 would be such a number of significance? Surely not me, that is until we experienced exactly just how small of a number 53 really is and how the 53 club was not one that we were, for lack of better terms “invited” our first year in the NFL. I have personally been on the outside waiting to get in, and so that I am not taken as being insensitive, indifferent or apathetic, I'll go ahead and share our story quickly before you read any further.
My husband, Ricardo, was drafted to the Falcons in the 5th round in 2014 as a corner out of Purdue University. Feeling on top of the world after the draft call was received, we had no idea what really lied ahead of us in the upcoming months. Fast forward to training camp in 2014, Rico found himself on a deeeeeep depth chart at the cornerback position behind a few super talented drafted Falcons players, as well as a handful of other super talented free agents who were signed to the Falcons training camp roster. As the preseason games unfolded, depth charts fluctuated and bubble lists made their appearance (while I simultaneously made it my job to search Twitter for the opinions of everyone and their mother); we started to get the vibe that maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't be calling Atlanta home come the end of training camp. It was STRESSFUL, SCARY and it felt like an out of body experience because how does ones “dream come true” (aka draft) just a few weeks prior, and yes, being dramatic here but really- how does it turn into "dreams crashing down" just a few weeks later? Well, my friends, that is the world that we live in and that my friends is exactly what happened. Rico was cut and then signed to the practice squad where he spent 14 weeks and moved to the active roster for the last two games of the season. But, enough of my story because that isn't really what this post is about. I just wanted all of you to know that I am speaking on something that I am SO VERY FAMILIAR with. And if you're wondering, this story worked out for us and it will for you too.
Let’s just get right to it— this time of year SUCKS. No kinder way to phrase it. It is scary and we have zero control which makes it even scarier. The reality is that most of us are kind of just waiting to know the destiny of our men which also means the destiny of us, our families, our homes and our lives. A small percentage of us know that our men are going to make the roster and for those-I am so truly very happy because you 100% deserve this dream! The reality is while most couples are dealing with similar things such as potential job loss, being fired, demoted, transferred, etcetera, it is much further into their lives. Most of us in the league are young. We are not only learning ourselves but we are learning each other-our relationships, marriages, raising our kids and on top of that, we are constantly living in a state of major life changes and last minute decisions. From "will we have a job this year" to "will our kids have to move to a new school mid-season" to "buy or rent?" to "should I go back to school " AND the list goes on! It is hard. (Btw, I promise that this post is going to look up...just keep reading if you're still with me.)
As we all know by now, the best things in life are the things that don't always come so easy. They're the things that we have to fight for, that make us question our desire to give up, the struggles and eventually what we overcame as a result of our trials. Those are the parts of life that we appreciate the most. Although it isn't easy (and 99.9% of the world knows nothing about these specific struggles that we face or why an article such as this even exists), just know that we were created for these moments. There is a reason that God chose US to be the women at our men’s side. There is a reason that God chose US to be the mamas to our precious babies that at this time of year pretty much only see our faces. It is because He knows that we have enough faith in Him to see through all of these trials that are quite frankly so often, so far beyond our years and our experiences but He knows that we are strong enough. You've made it this far, and this is just the beginning. Embrace whatever it is that lies ahead of you and yours this weekend. Embrace the role that you have been given. Whether it be a starting position, a practice squad spot or anything in between. An opportunity is an opportunity and as we all know, things change quickly in the world of football. As the woman "behind" your man, be that and be as much of just that as you possible can. Lets stand firm, stand strong and stand "behind" him regardless of where you find yourselves following this weekend. The most important thing of all is that you are unwavering. The entire world is their critic but, WE are their safe place. Hug them tight, thank them for working so hard for you and your family and make sure that you give yourself...grace upon grace.
Wishing you all the best and hope to meet you all face to face someday, Grace Allen
God has NO limitations…
If you are anything like me (a hopeful and expectant person), then you have more than likely arrived to a place in your life where you are truly believing God to manifest some things for you in the natural. Now, these are not just any little things...NO they are the things that we have been asking and praying and hoping for, for quite some time now. They are the things that we really can’t share with everyone, because we might actually sound crazy if we said them out loud. They are the things that appear in the natural to be absolutely impossible, so much so, that they keep us up at night. You know...those things that we have tried to accomplish over and over again, but we have yet to achieve. I am even speaking about those things that have isolated us and separated us from other people. Simply put, they are the things that we have held near and dear to our hearts…
…and yet, they are the very things that we have allowed to LIMIT God and all that He can and wants do in our lives…
I am so remorsefully guilty for doing this…I start out believing with great expectations, and when life happens, I allow my expectations to transform into limitations. Limiting God in my mind by letting my thoughts go wild and crazy. Limiting God in my heart by settling for what comes fast and easy. Limiting God in my prayers by accepting the notion that “the sky is the limit." I begin to set unrealistic timeframes out of impatience and desperation, as if God is not the author of time. I make suggestions to God on whom He should use, how He should use them, and why he should use them, as if He is not the creator of the earth. I start to doubt the reason why I even began to expect some things from God in the very first place, as if He didn’t give me those desires and placed them in my heart. Listen, God has NO limits! He is not limited to the things we see, the way we feel, or even the life we’ve lived!
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Isaiah 40:28-29 NLT
Reading this scripture speaks directly to my heart, and it lets me know that we can not possibly fathom the things God can do and will use to answer our prayers, to exceed our expectations, to bring healing to our bodies, to deliver a loved one, to make a barren womb fruitful, or to even fight for us. God is such a good good father! He cares about the things we care about. He is interested in the things we are interested in. He knows our limitations but He is not moved by them….He sees what we are up against but He will never let it overcome us!!! Look, I don’t know what you have been waiting on God to do in your life, but I want to encourage you to never give up on God. He knows exactly what He is doing. God has been God a very long time, you can trust Him with your most ridiculous prayers! He is crazy faithful and watches over every word to perform it! If He said it in His word, He will do it!
In closing, I want to encourage you right where you are….with everything you are believing or at one point in your life once believed. God is more than able! He does not give the way this world gives, so get into a posture of renewing your mind about your limitations. And if you have been waiting for what seems like such a long time, let me assure you that God can, and He will make up for all of your lost time. He knows how to get you to where you need to be, in the time that you need to be there…His timing is so perfect. Be inspired my lady, to pray prayers that scare the things that are scaring you, to pray prayers that overcome the things that appear to be overcoming you, to pray prayers that stop the things that are stopping you, to pray prayers that attack the very things that are attacking you and your family, and to pray prayers that limit the things that are limiting you!!! I dare you, no I double dare you to go beyond the sky in your prayer life!!! Pray like you have never prayed before and just let God be God!!
Stay encouraged!! Keep your eyes on where your help comes from….the good Lord! He will strengthen you and help you! The enemy’s weapons will never prosper. Even when the enemy comes in like a flood in your life, trying to wash away all your hope, all your joy, all your trust, all of your patience, and all your faith….Our God will build a mighty mighty standard against him, he shall never prevail!!!! Until next time, I want to leave you with two scriptures to hide in your hearts when you feel your expectations are becoming limitations…
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. Psalm 27:14 AMP
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also the world to come. Ephesians 1:19-21 NLT
Keep on believing and never stop until you receive it!!! The sky is NOT your limit...I will be praying for you!!!
Cast Your Cares
Cast Your Cares1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.”
Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I remember a few months ago, I was worried about so many different situations that were occurring in my life. I recall trying to figure out what was going to happen with my health, what God’s plans were for my ministry, how I was going to continue supporting my family members and how I was going to continue to work hard at my day job while fulfilling the assignment God had given me with all of the moving parts of Game Changers 180. Life had begun to become overwhelming.
Known for being a strategist and a problem solver, I was exhausting myself trying to figure out the perfect game plan, Ha! God must have been looking down on me shaking His head. He must had said, "my child, if you just cast all of these cares on me I will work all of these things out for you." It hit me that the word of God reminds us that God knows the thoughts and the plans that He thinks towards me. Thoughts of good and not of evil, to give me a hope and an expected end. Wow! God’s word never fails.
God reminding me of His word put me in a place to stop worrying and instead placed me in a place of more prayer and study. The more I sought God and was reminded of His spoken word, the more the weight of stress lifted from me. The more I began to trust that God had everything under control and that He just wanted me to rest in Him knowing that He could not lie and that He was surely going to provide a solution for every situation I was facing.
I don’t know each one of your situations or circumstances, but I do know that God has an answer for you and the only thing He is asking you to do is to cast all of those cares upon Him. He is strong enough to handle every situation. God’s strength is perfect in our weakness. I challenge you to increase your prayer, study time with God, and watch how the peace of God will begin to over shadow you.
Let’s Pray…
Father, I thank You for the opportunity to come before You with open hearts. You have instructed us to come to You when we feel labored and heavy with the cares of this world. Father, teach us in Your ways. Give us insight, clarity, wisdom and the perfect game plan to overcome every situation and circumstance that we may face. Father, keep us faithful to Your spoken word and grant our strength when we feel weak.
Lord, thank You for supplying every one of our needs according to Your riches and glory. Grant us peace in our coming and our going and rest when we lay down. Allow us to lay aside every weight that so easily besets us so that we may live a life of freedom in You.
Thank You for Your loving kindness that You show towards us daily and remind us that You have benefits for us every day. Let us not miss one blessing that You have in store for us and let us give freely to others as You have given freely to us. Lord, bless our families and loved ones to give them peace of mind and hearts of joy and gratefulness. Lord, we thank You for inclining Your ear to hear our prayer in Jesus name we pray AMEN!
Seek the Audience of One During the Crazy Holidays
Psalms 55:22 - Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
1 Peter 5:7 - Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
As the end-of-year holidays rapidly approach, we as women are often so wrapped up in the festivities, taking on every responsibility and making sure every detail is organized for every single person in our lives, that we often fail to come back to the audience of one.
The One who centers us, balances our lives, regulates our heartbeat, steadies our footing and reminds us that as we sit with Him, He comforts us. God desires time with us, to hear what is on our hearts and minds. He is the one person that will always care about YOU and you can cast every single one of your cares upon and KNOW that He cares for you; and nothing you can ever tell Him is too heavy or too much.
In the busy times, in the rushed times, when it seems like we just don't have enough time ... He is still faithful to call us to Him. No matter how long your to-do list is or how many things are pressing for your time, make sure you stop and take time for the most important audience you will ever sit or stand before ... Your Lord and Savior ... the audience of One!
Let's Pray ...
God I thank You for being a great God, a BIG God who is capable of hearing every detail of our heart and caring so much for us that You never stop calling us to your presence. Thank you for sustaining us, for being our safe place, our place of peace and comfort. Lord even as the holiday season is upon us, keep our hearts reminded that You are still the center of it all. Allow us to be grateful and thankful. Show us how to love as we never have, to embrace those who many would turn away from, and to hold tight to our faith. Lift heavy hearts, ease troubled minds and let us walk with grace and peace in Jesus name. Amen
Preparation for Today
Psalm 90:12, 17 - “ Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." “Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands- establish the work of our hands!”
Colossians 1:11 -“Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light.
Preparation is key to life as a woman, a mother, a wife, and a business owner. You need preparation for everything, especially if you want things to run like a well-oiled machine. John C. Maxwell outlined several things that preparation allows you to do:
- Allows you to focus on today
- Increases efficiency
- Increases confidence
- Saves money
- Pays for tomorrow now
- Takes you to a higher level
There was a man by the name of Moses. He began to pray to God on behalf of the children of Israel. Moses had seen a generation squander 40 years in the wilderness. He believed that if leaders could only gain a keen sense of the swift passage of time, and if they would work for something significant, they could die with a great sense of satisfaction. He wanted them to understand that leaders don’t kill time, they execute it.
Preparation and good use of time, otherwise known as time management, go hand and hand. When you waste time – you waste moments of preparation. As women that stand beside some of the world's greatest athletes, you know there is an allotted time during off-season to prepare for the next season.
Consider this your off-season time to prepare for the things that God has given you. Use this time to ensure that your house is together, that your business ideas are growing and prospering, that your children are supplied with the necessities of life and that you have all of your off-season plans together. This can include: moving, gearing up for a new team or preparing for a list of family activities that bring rest and relaxation after a long hard season.
This is your moment to showcase all of the gifts and talents that God has given you. This is your moment to display your superior skills and talent, confirm your maturity level, and show your leadership and problem-solving capabilities. You can prove you're as much of a team player as you are an individual player for the sake of your family. You can show that you're a go-getter, a follower of direction, a student of the game of life, and an avid listener.
The Game Changer (Take-away) - John C. Maxwell, says:
- Good Decision – Daily Discipline = A plan without a Payoff
- Daily Discipline – Good Decisions = Regimentation without Reward
- Good Decisions + Daily Discipline = A Masterpiece of Potential
This is your moment! Prepare for the greatness that is ahead of you! It’s your time! Every minute of every second counts. God has given you something that most people can only dream of. Make the most of your preparation time.
Let’s Pray
Lord, we honor You for being such a great God and for keeping and carrying us once again into a brand new season. We are grateful and we are thankful. Lord, I lift up these great women to You today and thank you for the strength, love, endurance and keen insight that you have placed within them. Give them even greater eyes to see, ears to hear and revelation as they walk beside their husbands for the remainder of the football season.
Lord, we know that all things are in your hands, under your supervision and in your control. You are the great Alpha and Omega and you are the one who leads, guides and directs every footstep that they make. Lord, show them where to put their footing as they make decisions concerning their family, household and business movements for this season. God, give them clarity and the words to speak over their husbands as they are preparing for the field each day and when they come home.
Lord, I pray a spirit of peace and clarity to fall upon their household and every member in it in the name of Jesus. Let there be no clouds of confusion, distraction or division this season. Remove the weights, barricades and blockages that would endeavor to hinder or stop the move and flow of God in their homes, life, husband, business and family. God lift the standard yet again and show Yourself strong in their lives, emotions, stance and home. Thank you God for a mindset of preparation and a spirit of excitement. It is in the mighty, matchless and holy name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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Strength in Weakness
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me.”
Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
All too often as women we are reminded that we must remain strong; strong for our families, children, loved ones, friends, etc. We develop an ability to smile when we really want to cry, to push when we really want to stop, to carry what so many others would have dropped, to continue to nurture when we ourselves need to be nurtured…and let us not forget that we are to do it all and still be perfectly polished right?!
But let’s just take a moment to throw that thought process of being strong all the time out the window and realize that God never told us to be strong in our own ability. As a matter of fact, He said that it is His very strength within us that is made perfect in our weakness. We all have areas in our lives of weakness, and if we spend our life trying to cover, camouflage and conceal our weaknesses, then we never truly allow God to be great in or through our lives. If we never get to the point of recognizing, and embracing our weaknesses, we will never know and experience the fullness and the power of the strength of God in and through us.
The most powerful moments in life you will ever have will not be at the height of the mountain top or in the things that you were able to accomplish in your own might and strength. It will be in the times when you were at your weakest and looked up to an everlasting, ever loving, ever powerful God and said, “God I need you. I need Your strength. I can’t do it on my own and I don’t want to. Be the strength that I am not. God show Yourself strong.” When God said in Exodus 3:14 “I AM THAT I AM”, it meant that God would be everything that you would ever need Him to be, when you needed Him to be.
He will be your strength when you are weak, your cover when you are exposed, your comforter when you are lonely, He is your EVERYTHING and there is no area of weakness in your life that is too much for God. He wants to be your strength so allow Him! You don’t have to do it on your own and it’s okay to be weak. Those are really your strongest times!
Let’s Pray…
Lord, I thank you for your amazing strength that is made perfect in our every weakness. I thank you for showing us the blessing in the weak areas of our lives because it is in those places that we see your greatness. God, thank you for using the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
Thank You for allowing us to rest in you and to fall into your arms of love when we don’t know what to do. When we feel our weakness rise, I ask that You be the strength within us. Give us the peace to know that our weak areas do not make us fragile, they simply remind us that we are still in need of You. Lord, You are so great in all Your ways and for that we are forever grateful! In Jesus name. Amen
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Strength That Produces Peace
Psalm 28:7-8, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.”
Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Women were created to be nurturers, carriers, incubators and producers. We were created to help establish and carry out the vision for the family and the home. This is the reason that God called us to be helpmates in the book of Genesis. It's in that very purpose where we tend to wear a lot of different hats and face all types of challenges and obstacles. While enduring hardships, learning to juggle many hats, balancing life and walking through some painful situations, our peace can sometimes be shaken.
In the times of ups, downs and roundabouts your strength can become tested and the mental strain can sometimes can become unbearable; but thank God, He promises that He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in the time of trouble. He promises us that He will provide a safe place for us to run to when we need it. When we run to Him that is where we find strength that produces peace.
There is something about the peace of God that surpasses all of our understanding. God’s peace will allow us to walk in the midst of storm with strength knowing that He has everything under control.
It’s time for you to tap into the power, strength and peace that God can provide to you. If you try to wear all of your hats and balance life on your own, you will burn out. Burn out always causes fatigue, lack of sleep and frustration which leads to anxiety and stress. The choice is yours, but I know you would rather relax in God knowing that He has it all under control and will provide the strength necessary to flood you with peace, clarity and direction for every area of your life.
Let’s Pray…
Father, I thank You that You thought of these women so much that you sacrificed Your life so that they would know what it was to find strength that produces peace. I thank You that Your peace surpasses all of their understanding and Your strength is made perfect in their weakness.
Lord, fill every lonely place, every dry place, breathe life into every place that seems dead in their lives. Reveal to them Your purpose and good pleasure for their lives. Strengthen them for the course and provide guidance and understanding so that may reach their full potential in You. Give them ideas and creativity for business, community development and kingdom building.
Father, grant unto them strategy to balance all of the hats they have to wear. Give unto them the grace to carry the weight and responsibility that You have given them. Allow them to know that You have a safe place for them at all times for every situation in Jesus name Amen!
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His Creation, His Image, My Mirror
2 Corinthians 10:12, “ For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.”
Jeremiah 1:5, “ I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born.
William Shakespeare said it best, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” The power of success lies in true identity. Recognizing and knowing who you are has the power to propel you to fulfilling your purpose.
Identity is defined as “the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.” You can only be who you were created to be. When you operate as a counterfeit, you are no longer authentic and you have just lessened your value to become null and void. In order to find out who you were created to be you have to go to the source of your creation, the creator Himself, God.
God created us to be a representation, reflection, or mirror image of Him. It is amazing that through life we take the images, patterns, personalities and behaviors of everything and everybody that we come in contact with. We see all kinds of NFL wives images on television, in magazines, on social media, Internet and walking around us that sometimes causes a mental distortion in comparison. When we begin to take on those various distortions and they begin to cause us to lose our true identity and the very thing that God created us to be.
When we look in the mirror we should see ourselves as Christ does. Our reflection should be that of God. He created you in His image and in His likeness. Don’t let others opinions of you and what and who you should be conform you into what you were not created to be. Remind yourself daily that you are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Let’s Pray…
Lord, I thank you for your beautiful daughters. I thank You, that You made no mistake in their molding, shaping and creating. You have adopted them into the beloved and You chose them to call Your own.
Lord, I pray that You show them their true identity in You and that all false labels and life lies fall off their lives this day. I ask that You allow them to see their authentic reflection in You when they looks in the mirror and that their lives align with Your truth about who they are in You. I ask Lord that You shape their ways to be Your ways, their will to be Your will and their minds to be Your mind.
Let them no longer question who they truly are, or what their true purpose is, but show them clearly and give them the courage and the strength to walk out the fulfillment of it. Show them clearly the women that You have created them to be. Let their kingdom purpose be known and their lives be lived in the fullness of Your design in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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The Image of "I AM"
Genesis 1:26-27, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”Psalm 139:14, “I will praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.
So many of us have heard that we're "made in the image of God." The very idea is a nice thought to hold on to when we need a reminder of our value in life, relationships or difficult situations. But I want us to challenge ourselves a little further than to just think of this in the sense of a nice thought and truly grasp hold of the truth that God literally created the beauty, strength, stature, mind and everything that composes who you are in the very image of Himself.
Do you realize that when you feel like you are less than adequate or inferior or life is telling you that you are not good enough or enough, that God looks at you and says remember that everything I am you are! There is a beauty about you that is astonishing, it radiates from the heart, spirit and soul of who you are. You are the image of The I AM! Nothing about you is less than.
You are GOOD because God is GOOD! You possess everything that you will ever need to in order to accomplish everything that you will ever need to. The greatest blessing in knowing who we in the image of God is that God didn't make us "GOD"...He made us "godlike"...meaning that we have such an incredible strength and ability but even in that, when we face things that get tough we don't have to look to OURSELVES to have all the answers...we can look to the GREAT GOD that created us.
Let's Pray…
Lord I thank you for making this incredible woman in Your image and Your likeness. Lord always remind her of the greatness that is contained on the inside of her and the beauty and grace that she carries.
Give her peace in her mind and strength in her spirit to always see herself as You see her. May she never look to herself to be her own god, but always look to you as her Great and mighty God. Show her that she is indeed fearfully and wonderfully made.
When she questions her value, her position, her beauty or what she is made for, speak clearly Your word back over her that she is the image of I AM and in that she can stand boldly. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
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