when i was growing up in church, they would always sing the song “how i got over”, and the basic part that i remember is “my soul looks back and wondered how i got over”. quite a simple message, but very powerful and that describes how i feel about my relationship with God. there were so many things that i remember facing, but i came out victorious; and when i look back over those situations i wonder “what exactly did i do to get through that”…yet and still i KNOW that it was GOD who carried me. GOD has been so good to me and SO FAITHFUL to me- there were times when i didn’t know how i was gonna make it, or even if i was going to make it…but i did. to GOD be the glory for the things he has done!

my devotionals have had so many good things to say:

“our greatest danger in life is permitting urgent things to crowd out the important; to fail to live by a clear set of priorities. everybody is living for something. the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

the scripture reference for that was Psalms 27:4: “one thing i have desired of the Lord, that will i seek: that i may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.”

in that verse, it’s clear that David’s “main thing” is the Lord. that’s what he’s living for, the Lord tops out his set of priorities. David was on point too, desiring the Lord’s will and being a servant of God to the point that God dubbed him “a man after my own heart.”

that’s powerful…and inspiring. as a christian, my “main thing” is the Lord; however, I would be foolish if i didn’t say that there are all types of distractions that can keep the Lord from being the “main thing”. when i was younger, i learned a quote that said “the reason most people fail instead of succeed is because they trade what they want most for what they want most at the moment”. i never forgot that, and using that quote in this situation, i can always ask myself if i’m willing to trade my relationship with Christ (what i value most) for whatever floats around at the moment. the answer is always no. i’m keeping the main thing THE main thing…

i’ve been through enough things in my life, and lived long enough without God to recognize that before i was saved, my life was empty. there are things that you desire, a certain fulfillment that you never get unless you know God for yourself…we can survive and get by and live off of others prayers, but we can thrive and flourish and grow off of the living water that we can ONLY get from Christ.

man…i’m so glad i found the Lord Jesus in time! be encouraged all!

remember: the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

peace and blessings

when thinking about my last few weeks in NC and the almost week that i’ve spent in phoenix, i realize that a lot of that time served as my emancipation. not to say that i wasn’t already free or whatever but it was a point of letting go, breaking ties, and evolution. at the same time, it was weird because i met people and became close to people at the end of my time who are really important to me now. as i’ve said before, i don’t doubt that god places people in your life for a reason…

i’m grateful for this period of emancipation. a time where i can really be myself and i get a clear view of who i’m becoming. and i’m also grateful for those people who have come along at this point in my life. people who i didn’t really know before the month of july are people that i talk to on the regular. y’all are the best…you know who you are.

my time with my family has been great too…shouts to twilla for telling me to go home and spend time with the fam before i get away again. it’s very therapeutic in some senses…to feel the love and the strength of the family unit before i head to athens where i’ll be alone in sense of people, but i’ll be strong in my network of sisters and brothers in christ. i’m excited about heading to georgia in like…10 days…because after all “the will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us” (quoted from Rev. Billy Graham).

so here i am…emanicpated and loving it…

“just when the caterpillar thought it was over, it became a butterfly…”

“there came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” ~anais nin

“there’s been a change in me/was blind but now i see/GOD gave me victory/and he did it SUDDENLY/He changed the way i walked/He changed the way i talked/He changed my attitude/and He did it SUDDENLY…” ~suddenly

to GOD be the glory for the things he has done:
**because of who you are i give you glory…i worship you because of who you are…
**lord make me over…make me over again…
**who am i that you are mindful of me…that you hear me when i call…
**there will never be a friend as dear to me as you

peace and blessings