Hunger Pangs

There is no easy way to ease into what I believe God has given me to write about, because I know it could possibly offend some people. That is never my intention, because I desire wholeheartedly for people to be free in every area of their lives. So I have to speak on what I believe is a problem area in many of our lives. One thing about me, I have never been timid in my words, verbally or written, so I pray that what I am about to expound on will be received in love.   But if it is not... be offended, be honest, and then be free. :-)

Our (social media infused) society is such a conceited, arrogant, Godless society, mainly because we are so full of ourselves. I look at my timeline on various social media sites every day and just say wow sometimes. It is hard to believe, but people (even some of whom I know personally) are really full of themselves. This narcissistic spiritual force is a very powerful, toxic character trait that will take over your mind. It is also very disgusting, unattractive and seriously bad for our spiritual and physical lives. We have allowed this new wave of media convince us that promoting self ALL THE TIME is our only true way to exhibit happiness, worth or value.

We have been manipulated into believing that if we don't post a "selfie" every hour or uploading every single picture we take when we are out enjoying ourselves with friends and family, then we truly are not and cannot be happy in our lives or having a good time in that moment. We have become obsessively obsessed with "showing off". Showing off our lives, not to share ourselves and our moments with the ones we love, but to either make others feel inadequate and/or make sure our followers and friends believe that we are happy. We are not living, we probably aren't even slightly happy....we are putting on a show, performing, portraying and starring in a reoccurring role and series as a pompous, holier than thou caricature that alludes and exaggerates prominence....and the scripted character in which we are playing name is Idolatry.  And unfortunately, we believe this role we have taken on is perfectly fine.

It is so sad how bad we have fallen for this lie from the pits of hell. Oh but there is some truth to what it is though, it is the epitome of being prideful. And remember, pride always comes before the fall.  We are walking and living in the most self serving, self worshiping, egotistical and maliciously snobbish days right now.  These traits will take up so much space in your hearts and minds that a true hunger for God cannot exist. If you don't have a true hunger for God minus yourself, you are creating a breeding ground for selfishness and cannot possibly be growing in a more purposeful relationship with God the father, or in faith.  And without faith, it is impossible to please Him. 

Do not be fooled, there is no standing still or stagnation in your relationship with Him. You can't hit the pause button and be only about yourself for a while. Either you are growing and moving selflessly forward in your relationship with God or growing and moving selfishly backwards in yourself, which will always be away from God. Be so hungry for God that He is at the forefront of your thoughts versus yourself.  Be hungry for His righteousness and to be seen in it, rather than being self-righteous only to be seen in your own self-righteousness. There is a fine line between the two and it is important that we know what side of the line we are on.  Are you living for God's righteousness or are you living for self-righteousness? Are you doing it for the true and living God, or are you doing it for the Gram? 

Whatever your answers are to those questions are between you and the Father. But the good thing about Him is He is forgiving and will reveal what is sincerely in your heart. The first step in this discovery is to examine your intentions. If it is revealed that your intentions have been impure, there is still hope. The next step is to ask for forgiveness, receive your forgiveness, and deliverance will follow.  And once you have been delivered, I promise, God's grace will make your heart so full of His love, the only love that can truly fill what we unknowingly crave from others, that the desire to put on the show for self-adoration will finally be put to rest.

~CDL 
xoxo

The Lost and Found

"The more I find myself, the more people I lose..."

That quote speaks volumes.  It is so ironic because I just had a convo about the same very topic not too long ago with my brother. I believe the ultimate purpose of losing people is to find yourself. The losses are for you, for your gain. Learning to stand alone is hard...no friends, no family, no significant other or mate, it can be extremely difficult...seriously, I know this all too well....but it is the essential essence of self examination and discovery. And honestly, the only way you will truly learn who you are. I have lost people I sincerely valued and earnestly loved because I chose to live beyond the box, I mean waaaaaaaay off the grid. I have cried over dead end relationships until I couldn't cry anymore.  I have mourned broken friendships like someone had died. And I won't begin to explain my emotional condescension for not being listed on a few wedding, bridal and baby shower guests lists because I was apparently no longer "around". And that's perfectly ok. Cry over the spilled relational milk, have an international anger fest, wipe up the mess and go back to skipping to the beat of your own drum.  What I had to recognize is my purpose and plan is written in a different font and color, so I don't match with basic formatting. And i'm not just talking about myself,  I like to believe that our purpose and plans are all written in different fonts and colors, because that is the beauty of humanity and the creator who so eloquently created us. Through it all, I am blessed to have been courageous enough to keep going. I am blessed to have been courageous enough to venture to all the places I've ever wanted to live and be, like I have. Alone. I never would have gotten to know, LOVE and continue to learn who Crystal Dion really is being 1/2 of a pair or staying and residing in a residential or relational space that's only comfortable for others and not myself. And finally... one day, all by myself, I made the grown woman decision to refuse to let those who have fallen by the wayside take away the grandeur of my elevation toward my God inspired purpose, favor and success. What's fearful to some is air to others. I'm going to say that again..."What is fearful to some, is air to others." If you look closely, i'm sure you will find that you may have adapted to fears that aren't even yours, which is why you are smothering. Because you cannot breathe.  Their air is not your air, and their fear is not your fear. Comprehend that now.  Change is good and it has always looked good on me.  And it will look good on you if you allow it to.   Embrace the characteristics of your change...love, live, breathe your change...remain for no one. Your life, the persona God has blessed you with is dependent on it.  Because after you have found yourself, the next chapter in life is discovering who God created you to be. And honey, let me tell you, that is the season you have been waiting for all along. Let the lost go and be found.

~CDL

 ❤️xoxo❤️

New Day, New Age...

He is doing a NEW thing.... NOW it springs forth.  The Great I AM says, "I am" and "He will".  Study the words He uses (Foreal, study His WORD tho..shameless plug ;-) for routine reading of the Gospel).  "Am" in His verbiage means doing, and "Will" in our understanding means shall come to pass.  The Father's word is His will.  And His word is enough.  Trust that He is doing what He says He is doing, and it will happen.  The misunderstanding is always on our end, never His.  Have faith in God.  And there is nothing else to be said.

Time

Time. One of the most precious gifts God has bestowed upon us. And as with life, it is also governed through seed and harvest.  A common mistake many of us make in our use of time is investing it (whether idle or productive) into the wrong things, activities or people.  And because we've invested in something, subconsciously we will always expect a return.  However since we've invested in the wrong thing, whenever we are expecting that invested time and energy to return to us on a personal level, it usually doesn't come back, and if it does, it will always be less than what was initially invested.  Reason being is because we've made investments in things that aren't capable of producing a reciprocated or accelerated return.

Plant your seeds on fertile ground: in the hearts of your family, your real friends, the people who love and care about you the most, love in general.... the kind of ground that will produce a harvest of long term benefits.  Not quicksand: the things that will eventually bore and/or soon pass away like pseudo associations/friendships, money, social media, etc.  These things are tangible illusions and will only produce a temporary euphoric harvest and atmosphere, giving you the thought and feeling that it is something worth investing in.  Eve was deceived because she was intrigued, and the enemy has not changed his strategy yet. Learn to choose well, or it may take you a lifetime to even begin to make up for the losses.  Be mindful of the time you have.  Be mindful of the time you give.  Be mindful of where and how you spend your time, invest your time and deposit your time.  Be. mindful.  Because the account that holds your time will only generate the return of character it already possesses.  Make sure whatever you put your time and energy in will have the ability to reciprocate that same type of energy or beyond back into you... especially during the times you may need it the most, on a personal level, in your life.

The hardest thing in life, love or business is realizing you've made investments and invested so much time and effort in things or people whose character just isn't capable of producing a reciprocated return.  It is truly a hard pill to swallow, that can often result in heartbreak, anger, disappointment or worse.  But the good thing, being under God's grace and mercy is you live, you love and you learn.  And most times the lessons that hurt the most, are the lessons you learn the best.  So while you may walk away without what you initially thought you'd receive or even with what you initially had, you walk away with something just as or if not way more purposeful...you walk away with a new level of maturity.  And of course, an humble respect for your time, and others.

Obedience Walkin, Spirit Talkin

A few days ago, I felt so defeated.  Sigh. :-(  Relationship woes. Career woes.  Family woes.  Just defeated.  So I just sat on my couch and cried.  After I finished, with tears still streaming down my face, I felt a strong desire (by the Holy Spirit, obviously...you will understand as you keep reading) to rearrange/move/change my furniture in my living room.  So I did.  I got up and moved the couch, floor rug, a few plants and re positioned my television.  After I finished, many items had a brand new place. I even added other items (candles, pictures, etc.) from my bedroom to the living area space.  The feeling I felt once I absorbed the new positioning within my old space was simply calm and amazing, I immediately felt better.  It was actually kind of strange how good I felt.  The more I observed, the better I felt.  I mean it was so refreshing, and the feeling I felt was actually even better than the feeling I've always felt about the set up of the space...So I thanked God because the flow of the space presented a new kind of peace that I had not felt before.  And at that moment, I just needed some peace.  But God was really trying to give me a visual perspective of so much more.

Later that night, I woke up around 3 am, and just could not go back to sleep.  So I got up and prayed.  As I prayed, I thanked God for numerous things and not really thinking about it I also thanked Him for instructing me to rearrange/change my space.  What came out of my mouth next was nothing short of the supernatural, because what I said, I had not even realized I had said it until after I said and heard it come out of my mouth.  Basically, the Holy Spirit had just spoken to me through my own mouth, out loud.  As I simply prayed and thanked God, the Holy Spirit was giving me a rhema word using my own voice.  What I said, which actually was with a strong tone of conviction that I also didn't recognize until after I said it was, "thank you Lord for giving me the desire to rearrange my space, because you were showing me that you have changed and rearranged my situation.  You were confirming through my own actions that a rearrangement had been made, and it was good.  Just as my rearrangement had been pleasant and made me feel better, so would the changes that you have made."   I knew all of this was the voice of the Lord, and not my own thoughts and interpretations because I thought back to after I had changed my living area, how so very happy I was and couldn't really understand why...especially from right after having an international cry fest just moments before. :-)  I just remembered how I kept admiring and looking at the changes and acknowledging how pleasant and peaceful they had made me feel.

I honestly couldn't believe how the moving of furniture had me so excited as if something radical had happened.  But the Spirit explained later that something radical DID happen!!! Only it was something radical in the spirit realm, and that's why I was so extremely happy, because my spirit understood and comprehended it.  Actually, in the natural the Holy Spirit had quickened His peace over me, which led me into action to bring about a change in my atmosphere, that I would find to be very fulfilling...the very thing God has done with my situation.  He has quickened His peace over my circumstances, which led Him into action to bring about change in the atmosphere, that I will find to be exceedingly fulfilling.  My natural senses were full because I could see a pleasant visual rearrangement in my home, but my spirit was full because she could see a pleasant supernatural rearrangement in my life.  And which by faith, because of the God I serve, ("I am the Lord; in its time, I will do this swiftly." ~Isaiah 60:22) will come to pass in the natural.

What a mighty moment from my Heavenly Father!!!  Isn't He just simply amazing?!?!?

A few nuggets of to consider:

~When you feel defeated or have feelings of despair...be still and look for ways God may be trying to translate something to you in your own way of understanding

~Don't over/under estimate God's simplistic ability to speak to you, we know He is great but He can and will do something so small and simple to get your attention all the same

~God is always concerned about showing you He is there and is your refuge

~No matter how deep you believe you have fallen or how detrimental your issue is, God is always willing to pick you up from your dead place

~God not only wants to give you peace in your heart through lifting your spirits, but peace of mind by confirming His working power

~Changing your perspective will sometimes require the work of your hands, the desire to trust and the willingness to obey

~God will provide revelations specific to your life naturally and/or supernaturally...be open and equipped to hear from Him on both side of the spectrum

~God has has quickened His peace over your circumstances, which has led Him into action to bring about change in your atmosphere, that you will find to be exceedingly fulfilling

Again yall, I felt defeated.... so God told me to move my furniture, I did...didn't understand it, but I felt better.  Then, I couldn't sleep... so God told me to pray, I did....where in His presence He then explained the reasoning by what I was told to do and why it made me feel better.  There was a purpose in the instructions, but the only way I could be able to understand what He would later reveal to me was if I saw exactly what He meant and felt what I felt, before He told me.  Bottom line, in order to feel where God is coming from, there has to be a move of action on our part...in whatever way He is instructing us to move.  If God had just woke me up and revealed to me he was rearranging my situation, because I had not seen anything and was already obviously struggling with not seeing anything there would've been a strong possibility that I (with my stubborn self) would have either doubted or slightly brushed it off because I couldn't see the changes or experience the feelings of bliss when you go through a positive change.  He needed me to feel it, as the doer I am, in my own strength to be able to seriously interpret, trust and believe what He would later reveal.

There is always a purpose for God's instructions and for being obedient.  And often times, if not all....it is significant to our own small personal good.  Listen to the voice of the Lord, but don't just listen....also be obedient to what He says or instructs you to do, even with the most simplest task. You won't understand or get from A to B without following instructions.  Or maybe you can, however it just may take forever or a lifetime...and who in the world wants that???

New wine skins. New wine. Obey. Change. Live.

Falling In Love With Jesus

There are a lot of mistakes I've made in my life, so many that I've lost count.  There are also some good things I consider as accomplishments, things like obtaining undergrad and graduate degrees, live on my own in 3 different major metropolitan cities in 3 different areas of the country. But there is one perfect thing that I count every day that no one can take away from me, that I've done so so right and so proud and assured about, and that is accepting Jesus Christ into my heart as my personal savior.  I accepted Jesus at a very young age, but it wasn't until I was a full grown adult that I actually fell in love with Him.  Accepting Him is one thing, but falling in love with Him is a WHOLE nother.  They are mutually exclusive.  It is a totally different situation that can only be understood through a personal eye opening, heart warming, revelation producing experience. And because of the fullness in my heart from being in love with Him, this is the reason I am able to forget the immaturity of my youth and early adult life, let go of my mistakes, my past, and so much so that I truly can't count them, mainly because He doesn't count them.  I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  The blood still works and still has miraculous power!!!  There is no doubt in my mind that falling in love with Jesus is truly the best thing I've ever done, and there is no place I'd rather be.

The Holy Spirit

Over the last few weeks, my church home has been really discussing the Holy Spirit.  It has really been a refresher course because sometimes I tend to not zoom in on His keen nature, as much as I should.  Here are some reminders I was presented with:

~The Holy Spirit is a gift
~God the Father speaks through the Holy Spirit
~The Holy Spirit is the voice of the Lord
~Let the Holy Spirit guide you and you won't walk in the flesh, nor can the flesh rule
~Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control are all fruit of the Spirit
~The Holy Spirit has the power the break the back of the enemy, change the atmosphere in a dead situation
~It is our responsibility to exercise our own spirit so it is fit enough to receive the revelations from God the Father...ie, praying in tongues, this is what builds up and strengthens our spirit man

These are things that we should know, but sometimes need to really have it reiterated so it can really soak in our brains, hearts and spirits. And speaking of letting things soak in, we also had an awesome experience where I learned about a technique called "soaking".  One of our leaders gave this example as if you were trying to get a stain out a garment, how in the old days you would fill the sink with cold water and submerge the garment in water for a length of time.  If the stain wasn't removed, you would empty the water out and refill with fresh water and re-submerge the garment. Well of course this was just a figurative example as we were not physically being submerged with water as one would during a water baptism, however we were allowing and surrendering our bodies, minds and hearts to be submerged in the Holy Spirit.  This technique called for quietness and stillness in a chair, on the floor, or however you are being led to submit, in order to hear from God the Father. When we heard things, we were advised to write them down on butcher paper that was provided at various stations.  We were instructed to share what we heard because it may be God relaying a message of confirmation to someone else, as well as ourselves.

The things I heard and the order in which I heard them were mind blowing!!  Some of the things I heard in the first order were:

~I will restore
~Elevate
~Clarity
~Appointment
~Peace
~Lands
~I will do this swiftly
~Refinement
~I will make your name great
~It is well
~Remember this time
~Abundance

The second order, I heard:
~I Am that I Am
~Trust only me
~I do not fail

Again, the words and phrases themselves were overwhelming and amazing, so much so I became emotional after my natural mind processed what I had just heard and written down...because they all apply to me personally. But what really impressed me was the order in which God the Father chose to speak to me in.  I grew up in a southern baptist church and one of the most significant lessons I learned was God is GREAT...as in, big, mighty powerful, etc., and we are to always acknowledge Him for who He is, first and foremost. And then, celebrate and honor the things He does.  Which to me is the appropriate method, and never have I done it in any other way.  But, if you notice the order, He revealed to me what He would do FIRST, and THEN revealed who He is and His nature.  Interesting enough, what I finally understood is that God is a relational being, therefore He, Himself is not concerned about who He is, but wholly concerned about the other person.  For example, I've always heard that the best relationships between two people are the ones where each person concerns themselves with the other person and not themselves.  If both people are equally concerned about each other, then all needs will be met.  Usually, when relationships don't work, it is because one party has decided to neglect the other person because of their own personal desires...ie, selfishness.

God proved to me that He is not in the business of self promotion...because when He spoke to me, promoting who He is took a back seat. He spoke to my needs first and then confirmed who He is.  He is in the business of meeting needs and that is what is most important to Him.  Basically, if I could sum up part 1 and 2 in a tweet, He said, "Crystal, I got you...do you know who I am?" What an humble presentation!!!  One thing about us, because we do honor Him so much...as we should, we sometimes can get in the habit of believing that that is His goal as well, to promote and honor His own existence to us, first.  No, that is our job!!  For us to honor His existence to Him, FIRST!! And this is what meets His needs. Promoting and reiterating who He is to Him and other people.  Then petition for our personal needs.  But the funny thing is, if and when we do what's first, we won't have to ask for anything.  "Seek ye first...".  If you take care of God, He will take care of you. One final confirmation I received in my own time about this hours after was God showed me, and almost relayed it as if He said, but Crystal, don't you know I also did this in Genesis?  The very first scripture in the bible starts with, "In the beginning, God created..." not, God is.  And actually He didn't reveal who He is until later on, and His first reveal wasn't even His true name. WOW, how many missed that revelation?  I did, but I don't anymore...all because of the power of the Holy Spirit.  I believe when we can fully understand this for how it is truly supposed to work, then we can have a sincere reciprocated relationship with God the Father. And it be good.  The thing is, only the Holy Spirit can bring about this type of fellowship, because of and through Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is a person.  He is a gentleman, so He won't push himself off on you.  But if you receive Him for who He is,  He will be all you need and more.  He is your advocate, your helper, your counselor, your leader, your peacemaker, your friend and the ultimate pathway to understanding everything about God the Father.  It is impossible to hear from the Father, things concerning the Father, things in relation to you and the Father, without the Holy Spirit.  This is why Jesus was so adamant about Him, because He knew and understood that His whole purpose was so the Spirit can come upon us.  Poor Jesus would've been so tired trying to hang around in the flesh for us for 2000 sum odd years, and definitely would have eventually died on us, foreal.  But He understood that a threefold cord is not easily broken.  "God in three persons, blessed trinity".  We need the power of God the Father, God the Son AND God the Holy Spirit working in our lives.  It's time to get completely plugged in.  Is your power source complete?

I have the heart of the Father, the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Galatians 5:16
1 Corinthians 12:4-13
Hebrews 2:4
Acts 2: 1-21
1 Corinthians 14:1-17, 39-40

Relinquish Your Will

      Trust the Father to take you everywhere you have not been.

The Simple Life

I remember when I would rush to the nailshop to get fake nails so they would be long, now I rush to find my nail clipper when my natural nails get too long. I remember when I used to tell myself, girl you gotta slow down on the sew ins, now I gotta tell myself girl you gotta slow down on the scissors. I remember when I stayed at the MAC counter trying to get the newest lip/eye color, now I stay at the Bobbi Brown counter trying to get the newest natural look. I remember when I used to wake up reaching to put my contacts in, now I wake up reaching for my glasses. Like my grandma used to and still does always tell me, "Keep living...". LOL! She is right, my how I've matured.

Life is so much more simple when you are living to be you. No additives, no extras, just you. It truly is a beautiful fulfilling thing. And it is the same way when you live it according to God's purpose. Matter of fact, life is even better when you live it according to the life that God has called you to live.  Sometimes, what that is may not be all that simple to understand initially though. Thankfully God's grace, mercy and patience outweighs our misunderstanding and often times our disobedience (Amen walls). But when we do decide that we are ready to do things His way, He doesn't withhold our understanding. It just flows naturally. And it makes perfect sense. It is not hard, it is simple. That is when it flows naturally, becomes easy, and simple... when we decide. We have to make the decision to receive His provision. He then guides us as we open our spiritual eyes and ears to listen and see what it is that He has called us to be. Be still and know Him and your simple life will be revealed. Keep living in Him and one day you and your faithful simplicity will look back and say, my how I've spiritually matured.

Trust God as he leads you into the path of living your life in simple, yet wholesome fashion, not just on purpose, but most importantly, in purpose.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
~Romans 8:28 (KJV)

Believe That You Have Received

I am blessing God today for all the elevation and promotion I am seeing around me and my friends on Facebook. I can't count the times within the last few weeks i've sent congrats to my friends for new jobs, new job offers, multiple job offers, new opportunities, just overall increase and the like. Even though I believe that everyday is a season of harvest, as the word says "bless the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits"(Psalm 68:19)...I have to honestly acknowledge that we are definitely standing in the midst of a season of harvest. If you are sitting back saying, well what about me, I haven't gotten what I've been praying for, or I haven't received that call yet, things haven't changed in my life yet, nothing seems to be working yet...then maybe you haven't received it yet because you haven't received it yet. Let it marinate. Bless and thank God now and today to receive what is yours. Thank and praise Him now for what He has done, even if you can't see it yet. That is the art and law of receiving. Believing that you have received it when your situation says otherwise. If you still don't get it, here's food for thought: If you have the choice of believing God's word or your situation/circumstance, which would you choose to believe? If you choose your circumstance, then you have a little bit of spiritual housekeeping to do. And that is ok, because learning to completely trust God, I mean COMPLETELY trust his word is a journey and it takes courage, discipline and diligence, but you will get there. Just keep pressing, trust me, He will steadily increase your faith and lead the way.  If you choose God's word, then you are on the right track, so just keep the faith pace and endure til the end.  Make the decision to agree with God, He is waiting on you to believe that you have received, before you have received, so you can receive.

He Knows The Plans

A mentor of mine posted this picture of this AMAZING bible scripture. And it seriously just stirred something up in me like I had never seen it before. Then I thought, what a great topic to expound on.  The highlighted scripture says, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  The Amplified Bible interprets this scripture as... "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." This is a bold statement. It assures us that all is well.  It solidifies that God, our Father has us in mind. It confirms that our worries should be minimal when it comes to our lives. In the first few words, He states...."for I know the plans". That should be enough, right?

The fact that God knows, even when we don't. But more often times than not, that is never good enough for us. I can admit, many times its not usually good enough for me. Well, let me clarify. Its usually enough when reading, however not enough in action.  So my question is, when is THIS WORD going to be enough? God's promises are good! You can take them to the bank!  He said that His word shall not return unto Him void, and He means that! So again, why is it soooooo difficult to let go and trust Him?  For me it is hard. I am having a difficult patch as we speak.  From the health of family members to things in my own personal life. Sometimes it is just hard. But what I've learned  is when I stop looking at the natural circumstance and use my faith, the evidence of things not seen, walk by faith and not by sight, things are always better than they are, mainly because God has already handled the issue. For me, most of the times when I am discouraged it is because I am refusing to change my perspective. When I decide to view things from God's perspective, it is impossible for negativity to be in it.  And that is the honest to God TRUTH. Yet again, I know....
This. Is. Hard.

But we have to keep pressing through. Even when tears are rolling down my face, and my heart is on fire, I will still utter, God is faithful and He is able. Because of this Word.  He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all I can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in me. Because of this Word. My flesh may be in pain because of things I do not understand, but I will not let the enemy steal my praise. Because of this Word. And though I may not feel good during the praise, it is still lifted and sincere. And that's what matters most, and helps me in it all. I hope my words can give others some comfort during their time of discouragement, stress or difficulties. I know how real it is. I am hoping they will give more comfort for myself. I know how real it is. But the main point is God's word is and should be the end all, because His promises are Yes and Amen. It is a journey, but we will get there. How do I know?  Because the latter of the verse also confirms that there will be a future and there will be hope. And one thing I do know, is I believe His word.

~Jeremiah 29:11

~Isaiah 55:11
~Ephesians 3:20
~2 Corinthians 5:7
~2 Corinthians 1:20

In Everything Give Thanks...

Sometimes we tend to focus more on what we don't have versus what we do have. It is the general "is the glass half full or half empty" argument. Your opinion on whether the glass is half full or half empty is based on your perception. Whether you view and weigh the substance in the glass as abundance or lack. Many times our struggles aren't really birthed from the situation itself, yet they are birthed by our processing of that situation. What we don't realize is there are blessings all around us, if we just pay attention. Truth be told, when we keep our eyes on Christ, what we feel we may be lacking won't ever be personified. The Lord woke you up this morning. The Lord woke you up this morning in your right mind. The Lord gave you the strength to get out of bed. I can go on and on. We also have our own personal individual blessings that no one can give thanks for but our own selves. Don't short change God in worship, because He did not short change you in blessings. In all things, give thanks. We serve a God that is faithful and everlasting. His mercy endures forever!!! I challenge you to stop and take 10 seconds and just worship... saying thank you Lord for all you've done for me. I have a saying, "If He never blessed me again, I would still be blessed beyond my highest dreams." But the ultimate goodness of it all is, HE AINT DONE BLESSING ME!!! AND NEITHER IS HE DONE BLESSING YOU!!! Thank you Lord. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 17"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." ~Habakkuk 3:17-18 NKJV

The 23rd Psalm Explained

I received this jewel below in an email a while back, not exactly sure who to credit for it, but I felt it was so necessary to share. And just as the email included, I too pray this day that what is revealed to you after reading this will open the eyes of your understanding, or at least let you look at this in a different light. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Lord is my Shepherd - That is Relationship! I shall not want - That is Supply! He maketh me to lie down in green pastures - That is Rest! He leadeth me beside the still waters - That is Refreshment! He restoreth my soul - That is Healing! He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness - That is Guidance! For His name sake - That is Purpose! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - That is Testing! I will fear no evil - That is Protection! For thou art with me - That is Faithfulness! Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me - That is Discipline! Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies - That is Hope! Thou annointest my head with oil - That is Consecration! My cup runneth over - That is Abundance! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - That is Blessing! And I dwell in the house of the Lord - That is Security! Forever - That is Eternity! Let's Face It... The Lord is crazy about you. What is most valuable is not what we have in our lives, but who we have in our lives.

YES...

ONE DAY, I will write again.

God IS.

Love, Crys...

The Virtual Glam Squad

I wrote this article last year when I was freelancing for a teen girl's magazine. The article was specifically for the prom issue, but by (alleged) human error it was not published. Did not find out until after prom season so I wanted to share it for this years prom season, because the subject matter and God's word are still relevant.
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So I hear it’s that time of the year again, prom season! Oh the memories I have from my high school junior and senior years over the excitement of going to the prom. What colors should I wear, what dress, what hair style, what shoes? So many things, so little time to do them. Oh indeed the to-do list can go on and on. I believe going to the prom is the most important time in a young woman’s social life and it is enclosed by so much femininity. We finally have a time to let the genetic makeup of what makes us the special gender we are just come to the forefront and shine. The finished product can easily showcase the outward grace of a woman. We have a real reason to just glam all out, and for some it can be the first time or only time. We think that reaping the fruits of a self created red carpet glam squad is the most important, but it’s not.

And then there is the other thing, who’s taking us? The other most important part of prom for most of us wasn’t just the dresses, or the jewelry, or if you were anything like me, the distinctive nail design I had to select for my manicure and pedicure…it was the date. Oh yes indeed, the most important part is and will always be the boys. And we all know, at that age, we just love us some boys! But it’s ok, its natural, and just the showing signs of becoming a woman, and eventually learning to love and support our men as the women in their lives. The nervousness from wanting to be asked by that special guy can just be overwhelming, or the excitement of this anticipated night finally being shared with your high school sweetheart seems so exhilarating. So yeah, now that you mention it, the boys are the most important. This is what we think when we think about it, but guess what, once again, it’s not.

Well now, don’t get me wrong because all these specifics are significant and of course we want them to be, as this night is to be cherished for decades. But the most important factor is not what we are wearing, nor who’s on our arm; but what we exemplify our character to be. So let’s get an understanding of what type of character God desires us to have according to His standards. Anytime I think about God’s desire for who I should be, I always think about the description of the “Virtuous Woman” in the book of Proverbs. The verse itself states, “A capable intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.”(Proverbs 31:10 AMP) Other translations use the words “her price” or “her worth”. Basically, God specifically says that as women, our character should be worth a lot of money, wealthy or slangly put, just ballin. If we have something that is worth a lot of money, if it is lost, stolen or given away by accident, we are left with a depletion in our net worth or accounts. And if it’s near and dear to us we feel the anguish and harsh reality that what we once had is now gone. Or if and when the value of a material item we own falls, sometimes we couldn’t even give it away if we tried once the value has been downgraded. Sadly we as women really over exaggerate the jewelry reference because we do know jewelry (hey, I’m guilty too)! While that part is crucial also, we still sometimes skip over or fail to correctly interpret the most important word in the topic…virtuous.

The word virtuous has many definitions, but the few I like are “morally excellent”, “upright”, and “pure”. And because these traits signify that our worth is priced higher than jewels, with knowing jewelry the way we do, we now know that this means how we carry ourselves does hold way more weight than the jewelry, the dress, the date and the whole polished look we have for our special night. Therefore, ultimately it is the most important. So let’s fast forward a little bit, and talk about the prom night…"night", uh-huh. Yes, after all the bells and whistles of the evening have faded there is still attention to be given, and it’s just you and your date, or so you think. See, the thing is, it really isn’t just you and your date and it never is, because we are never alone. The Holy Spirit is always with us because He resides in us, within our hearts and spirits, therefore within our bodies. And the word specifically says, “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit, Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a gift] from God? You are not your own; You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 AMP). There is that word “price” again. Ladies, seriously, you are really worth way more than you think to God. He paid a lot for you, and honoring him with our bodies keeps our price, worth, and value through the roof. By not doing so seriously downgrades the net worth of our character and our internal accounts are left depleted.

Therefore, take on His thoughts of your worthiness and make them your own. Cater to His wants and do so by honoring Him first and foremost with your body. This pleases God, does not grieve or sadden Him (Ephesians 4:30), and it makes Him proud to call us the “Goddesses” we are. So on your special night, remember and listen to God’s view of the type of woman He has already said you are. When or if you get the advances to go beyond the activities of prom night itself - ahem, yall KNOW what I’m talkin bout-, turn up that value, worth and preciousness that shines from your inner and outer jewels, smile and politely decline. Allow God to be your virtuous glam squad, because through His consultations the finished product will be, you guessed it, always worth far above rubies, pearls, or even for your special occasion, the best set of pretty prom jewels you can find.

“Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!”
~Proverbs 31:30(AMP)

You ARE ALREADY Loved

One thing in life we as humans desire the most is to be loved and loved genuinely. We pursue personal relationships hoping that its "the one", and pray that our desires of feeling the love we hear expressed in our favorite secular love songs will manifest in those relationships. But I have a secret to share....well its not really a secret in general, just a secret that the enemy has tried and is often successful of keeping the sincere understanding from us. The secret is God IS Love.

Like I said, not a secret at all, but we have been deceived with understanding the detailed significance of that completely, because time after time we go on serious pursuits to "find" love. We stay in situations that are not healthy for us, because we think it's love. We deal with people and issues that they bring us because we are trying to stay true to what we believe is love. We go back to situations, or try to go back to situations after we have come to the conclusion that this isn't love, hoping that love will have mercy on us and miraculously show up through the hearts of wrong people because we decided to turn around and try it one more time. To be loved, is all we want. To "want" to be loved. STOP!

Psalms 23 starts off with..."The Lord is my Shepard, I shall NOT WANT." Exactly. What are we wanting for? Why are we wanting? And most importantly don't we know that we don't have to want? And going even further, we don't have to "want" love! Why? You guessed it...God is love. Sooooo not a secret though. But let me share the REAL secret. What the true secret is, is that the origin of dissatisfaction, unfulfilled expectations and feelings of sadness or loneliness is the same: a raging hunger for what you cannot see and do not fully know: GOD. Simply put, a true burning desire to be loved is nothing more than hard core evidence of the absence of a sincere intimate relationship with the one, true God. Hmph, tell the truth and SHAME the devil!

What your heart is seeking is not per se "love", yet your heart is seeking and yearning for an intimate relationship with God because GOD IS LOVE. God already loves you. God can't help but love you because that is what He is. LOVE. Therefore God already loves you, yes, let it soak in...you are already loved. He loves you so much he gave His life for you. But not only that, He is seriously concerned about every detail of your life, large or small. If Jesus gave His life for you and for me, why would He not provide lesser things that are for our benefit? He has already done the ultimate task, anything less than that is really a given. He cares about the things you care about, the things I care about no matter how small we think they are. He loves you. He loves you right where you are, He loves me right where I am, He loves us unconditionally right where we are. He is burdened with your burdens, He is burdened with my burdens...He is severely burdened with our burdens. No question or doubt about it, He truly cares for us. He LOVES us.

He is always there ready to lead us on the path we should go. He didn't just love us in sacrifice, but He loves us in our daily life, our struggles, our fears and our mistakes. Jesus loves you more than you can ever imagine. He loves you. He can love you. He will love you. Matter of fact, truth be told(about to shame that devil again)...He does, can and will love you BETTER than any man, woman or child ever could. So remember to not only reflect on our love for Him because of what He has done, but also His amazing love for us....BECAUSE!... of what He has done. God IS love and is ready to love you, unconditionally. So if you are ready to be loved, and loved the way you have dreamed, don't seek people, seek GOD. Don't go back to people, go back to God. Don't run after people, run after God. Don't give your heart to people, give it to God. Open your heart now so you can receive the love you've always desired, because He is waiting for you to willingly accept all the love He has specifically reserved for your soul....God IS Love. Receive it, because it is yours.

The Two When I Say "I Am a Christian" Poems

There was a poem circulating on the internet, that was alleged to have been written by Maya Angelou titled "When I Say I am a Christian". The poem has been proven to not be the work of Dr. Angelou, and the author of this particular piece is unknown. Nevertheless, it has been identified to have been based on the original poem, When I say "I am a Christian" written by Carol Wimmer in 1988. It is unfortunate that someone would take Mrs. Wimmer's original version and revise it without giving her proper credit. However, I personally find both versions very heartfelt, specific and earnestly essential to what I have found Christian living to be. I will share both versions as they both speak on the essence of what being a Christian truly is.

When I say "I Am a Christian"
by: Carol Wimmer

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting, “I’ve been saved!”
I’m whispering, “I get lost!
That’s why I chose this way”

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak with human pride
I’m confessing that I stumble -
needing God to be my guide

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong
I’m professing that I’m weak
and pray for strength to carry on

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success
I’m admitting that I’ve failed
and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t think I know it all
I submit to my confusion
asking humbly to be taught

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible
but God believes I’m worth it

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache
which is why I seek His name

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I do not wish to judge
I have no authority
I only know I’m loved

Copyright 1988 Carol Wimmer


"When I say I Am a Christian"
Revision...editing author unknown

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Author Unknown...Circa 2006

It's Not Personal, It's Spiritual

I read so many things about how we as Christians are quick to get upset when fellow Christians have wronged us or ended relationships. We criticize them for their choosings because we are angry with what they've done. We call them out about what they are doing to other people, never to them personally, and we don't even realize that with this criticism,we are putting ourselves in the same category with them from the opposite end of the judgment spectrum.

What I want us to understand is that we are all at different levels of our faith and spiritual walk, you and the people who you are referencing, so believe it or not, they are struggling with things also. We have to listen to the Holy Spirit for direction. I can't say if they are listening to the spirit or their flesh, but which ever so we probably will never know. But if people decide to walk away from you or if God decides for people to walk away, if it is going to be for the betterment of your spiritual maturity or theirs, then let them walk. No one walking the face of this earth should sacrifice their personal relationship with God, just for the sake of keeping others happy. I can't say to God, "well Father, I would but I can't cause she's going to think I'm being funny". And neither can you, and neither can the person who leaves you.

Sometimes, someone may be advised by the Holy Spirit to disassociate from you. Sometimes, the spirit may advise someone to disassociate from me. There will come a time when the spirit will advise us to disassociate from someone else one day. If God says so, we can't worry what other people will think, nor if its on the receiveing end, get mad at others for being obedient to God. Yes, its all true. It's not personal, it's spiritual.

But trust, God is not going to disassociate someone who has purpose in getting you to your next level of faith. And vice versa. Anyone who walks out of your life is not connected to your destiny. That's not bad, its just what it is. Maybe those people were not called to spiritually guide you, and Lord knows we don't need the wrong people guiding us. Not to say they are wrong people in general, but maybe wrong people for you, your life and your walk, or you're wrong for theirs. Maybe they are wrong with how they went about doing things, but that is still very subjective.

The main thing is, if they happen to go about it in a way that we didn't think was appropriate, we are not supposed to take offense to these things, we are to show compassion and forgive. There is always a twist/difference in what we think and what people believe they need to do. We all make decisions based on what we think is best for us at that time, right? So why do we get so ticked off when people make decisions that they think are best for them? Its really spiritual food for thought if I may say so. Again, as Christians we are not to take offense.

The biggest scheme the enemy has right now is allowing Christians to get offended by other Christians,which ultimately keeps us disconnected and weak as the body of Christ. We are the only religion that I have ever known that will stop serving and walk away from healthy mass worship, church membership, and serving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ because someone has gotten us upset or offended. How people treat you should not be your business, you just continue to serve God through your actions and treat them right.

We have got to get over this and get over these FEELINGS. Feelings are of the flesh, are not fruits of the spirit and have nothing to do with spiritual things. We ALL are also an imperfection. The bible says that we ALL fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So no one is perfect, not even mature Christians. So I'm sayin all this to say, if you experience or have experienced situations like this from other Christians, pray for them. It is the best and most effective thing you could ever do for someone. It does change things and also allows you to continue growing in your faith.

Serve God and be thankful for how He treats you more, and worry less about those around you and their actions toward you. We should be more concerned about our Savior who is waiting with open arms for us to run to Him, not who is running from us. Matter of fact, Love them anyway. Remember,we are not called to retaliate, we are called to bless.

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
~James 5:16 KJV

You Don't Know The Cost

I was sitting listening to various songs and I ran across a very powerful song by Cece Winans...Alabaster Box. Now I've heard this song over and over, and have always loved it, but today it just struck me in a different way. Just read some of the lyrics and really see if you can personify them with yourself:

I can't forget
The way life used to be
I was a prisoner
To the sins that had me bound
I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I thought I had found
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonders of His love
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven
And that's why
I love Him so much

Those lyrics really exemplify to me personally of where God has brought me from because those lyrics were "me" in so many ways. If I tried to describe "me" in any other way in hopes to sincerely describe where Jesus has brought me from, I couldn't measure up to how the lyrics have broken "me" down. I was a prisoner to the sins that had me bound, I spent my days pouring my life without measure into a little treasure box I "thought" I had found: UNTIL....hmph!!!!

And I'm sure many people can relate and testify, however I can only really comment on myself. So I say so strongly to everyone, don't be ashamed of where God has brought you from, don't be afraid to give thanks and praise the way you really feel you are being moved to praise. I'm a water-head, and trust me, I will cry at the drop of a hat, I can't tell yall how many times I've had to get myself together in the parking lot of my job because my praise has taken me to a level that I wasn't expecting during a morning commute.

Don't be bashful about expressing to the world how merciful God has been to you and how much you love the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is so good, and the even better part is He is not halfway finished with blessing us. I hate to sound cliche', though this statement is so very true when it comes to what God has for us, but THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!! Yall aint feeling me! Sometimes I feel as though if I praised Him a million times a minute, I still couldn't praise Him enough. Don't let people water down your praise, and if they try to, you have lyrics to assist you on how to handle those people.

Simply tell them, "Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears, And dry them with my hair, You weren't there the night He found me, You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His loving arms around me, And you don't know the cost of the oil in my alabaster box."

That is the best way to handle that, because truly when it comes to me, you and them...none of us know what people are going through, what people have overcome and been delivered from, we are literally at war fighting for our physical and spiritual lives so no one honestly can judge anyone else's situation and circumstance. I will be quick to admit to everyone that they don't know what I've gone through... I'll tell anyone, you weren't there the night Jesus found Crystal, you did not feel what I felt when Jesus wrapped His loving arms around me...you don't know the cost of the oil, you don't know the cost of my praise, you don't know the cost of the oil...in MY alabaster box.

And you should be confident and so grateful for the love that Christ has so unselfishly poured on, in, and around you to do the same.

Reflections of the Most High

This is an article I wrote about a year ago for an online teen girls magazine...Goddess Magazine. I was the contributor for the inspirational "Goddess Within" section. Thought I would share, and feel free to share with other young girls who are struggling with the understanding of how beautiful God truly created them.

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I adore mirrors; most girls do. But I mean personally, I absolutely love mirrors. It is hard for me to not look in a mirror if I am near or around one. Mirrors are probably one of the most innovative inventions known to man, especially to women, because it allows us to really see ourselves exactly the way we look at that period and time. And if at that period of time we think we are pretty, it gives us what we believe to be the pretty truth. Now in addition to our pretty moments, more often man made mirrors also show us the natural, the flaws, and the things we may often times try to cover up. The blemishes and imperfections that sometimes can be less than desirable and maybe the things that we have been told are not pretty or cute. A man made mirror can be your friend, or your enemy. It could be your dream or your worst nightmare.

When we are all dolled up, we usually can't stay out of them. We love to look at our beautiful faces, perfectly manicured with all the trimmings of foundation, concealer, lipstick, and liner. And if looking in a large mirror, we twist and turn to see all the angles of the phenomenal completion of a trendy dressed woman. However, on the flip side, sometimes many of us including myself, have no desire to look in one if we fear what is staring back at us is less than what we desire. Needless to say, a man made mirror, at any given moment, can also give us what we believe is the ugly truth. In contrast, it is really not a truth but more so a man made perception. This is the fallacy of what a man made mirror can tell. We quickly forget how no matter what we may look like at whatever time, we are still a reflection of the most high.

God created us in His image...let me say that again...God created us in HIS IMAGE. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14). A masterpiece sculpted by the master of perfection. You are beautiful beyond words. You are so special to God, that when He created you, He set you apart from all the rest. He loves you so much that you are more than a flock of sparrows to Him. (Luke 12:7) What a man made mirror shows, God does not even recognize. What a God made mirror shows, man does not want to recognize. Man does not want to recognize that God sees no flaws, even if and when they are present. We have been trained by worldly standards to think that what we look like is most important, and anything less than perfect is "damaged goods". This, young ladies, is an ultimate untruth. There is nothing on this great earth that God put His hand in and created that was damaged or contains imperfection in His eyes or by His standards.

So I ask you this, what mirror do you have? Whose mirror are you looking in? Is it man's mirror, or is it God's mirror? God's mirror honors no flaws or imperfections because you are perfect, lovely and unique to Him. God’s mirror does not give the reflection of a blemished fallacy because you are a specific reflection of Him. You are indeed a reflection of perfection. And remember, if you are a reflection of Him, the Most High; then well, by the grace of His majesty and dominion, you must be fly.

Song of Solomon 4:7:
7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way. (New Living Translation)