"You can't be mad at what you tolerate"

Food for thought:

"You can't be mad at what you tolerate"

I just love that quote because so many times I/we complain about the way others are treating us, or how we can't stand when they continuously do something. Well I/we keep letting them get away with it by brushing it aside, or complaining to person after person what this other person has done lol. Make a conscious effort not to let what others do affect you! If you don't like something you can do one of three things:

1. Tell the person you don't like....

2. Accept the person for what they are doing

3. Let them go

It's hard to let people go but everyone isn't meant to go on your journey with you. If you don't decide who needs to go and who needs to stay it may cost you more than a relationship in the long run...

WHO AM I?

So I was researching my name on the internet because one day a while back, a woman asked me if I knew what my name meant I said “No what does it mean?” She would not tell me and told me to go look it up for myself. Like most people I never did, lol, but the other day something just made me start digging. In one translation Leah meant weary, in another Lia meant bringer of good news. Now those are two completely different meanings to me, so I went to my man JC and asked Him what it meant. This scripture came to me:

Galatians 6:9 (King James)

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9 (Amplified Bible)

“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”

You see in doing good and trying to walk the path less taken I get weary and tired and wonder what it’s all for. To me “doing good” is like the blogs I do, the mentoring etc., that allow me to express good news and encouragement to others and being there for those when they need me. That is what "weary" and "bringer of good news" means to me. So when people are like “why is she always happy all the time”, my response is simply that I was destined and created to be. Now I do have my down times don’t get me wrong, I am human! But my good outweigh the bad and complaining will get you no further in life but to the next person that will listen. Now you know me, but do you know yourself and why you were given the name you have? 

Challenge: Find out what your name means and ask yourself are you living up to what you were destined to be or are you bowing to what others have deemed you to be?

“NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES, JUST INCREASE....”

“Obedience is better than sacrifice” 1 Samuel 15:22. Recently I decided to fast because my life has been a little chaotic and when things are not in order it’s because God isn’t the center. He does not cause confusion which was my RED flag. I decided to give up 2 things that I seemed never to go a day without checking or looking at- Facebook and TV.

It’s funny how God can speak to you through any and everything and He spoke to me through music. I recently was able to get a new car- all thanks to Him- and while driving last week I put my gospel cd in and started to worship. I wrote down a list of questions I wanted answered and He began to answer these questions.

1.       It’s my desire to be able to praise you during a storm as well as in the sun shine but I just get so down sometimes like when will it be my turn to reap?

He says -I’m not building an army of punks Leia’, I want warriors and that’s what I’m preparing you for. You see I can’t take you to the level I have for you without being able to trust you in the midst of the storms. I have to know that when you’re at your lowest you will still trust in me and no that until you are nailed to a cross you haven’t truly suffered. He told me to take the limits off of Him and let him increase my territory and take me where He wants me to go.

You have to say what you’ve been told so that what you heard will go into your spirit by the hearing of the Word. TAKE THE LIMITS OFF OF HIM AND SEE HOW HE CAN ENLARGE YOUR TERRITORY. The tears you have cried have not gone unnoticed….

   

2.       What’s up with these guys lately?

He said all those crazy ones you took the lead on and I allowed it because the Man of God I have for you will right all the wrongs. I want you to truly appreciate him and you never would have without out all the bad ones. All the tears of pain from the others will be replaced by tears of joy, all the time that was given to others areas than you will be replaced with all the quality time you desire, all that you have given and not received back will be given back to you 100 fold and all the love you have given and had taken for granted will be taken by him and given back until your cup runs over with love. Every past relationship was to teach you how to appreciate the one I have for you because he will appreciate you and know you are worth more than precious gems and will go above and beyond to make sure you know it. Focus on setting healthy boundaries.

3.       I have this set goal for my business I want to open. I prayed for guidance on this and the same message about increasing my territory came. I have limited Him to only this area for my business growth but He says focusing on only this will make me miss doors that He has already unlocked because I was focusing on trying to bust down a locked door. You have to be ready for the Lord to take you higher at a moment’s notice He doesn’t want to hear I’m not ready or qualified. He will make you qualified just walk through the door and allow Him to lead you. There is a plan and a purpose behind everything; nothing just happens there’s a meaning if you look close and listen to Him.

4.       Lastly a side note I learned, people ask me how do you know God is talking to you? They say they can’t hear Him. My response is this- There’s no true definition, I just know when it’s the Lord and when it’s me. It’s like the wind, you can’t see it blowing but you know when it’s a person blowing in your ear vs. the wind blowing in your ear. God is always talking but the real question is are you listening? He does not yell or try to claim your attention. When you’re ready to take the time out to hear Him he will talk and if He doesn’t talk then it means that your time should be spent waiting and learning patience while focusing on Him or that there is something else He wants you to learn.

I learned a lot from this fast, I want to encourage you to fast for yourself. See what it is you spend all your time thinking, eating, or doing and fast from it. While fasting you should be praying, reading your word and expecting God to answer your questions. If you don’t expect anything than that’s what you’ll get. I always expect Great things from a Great God and He never fails!

We are commanded to fast and pray, in the beginning I stated obedience is better than sacrifice. Meaning your end result from being obedient will be greater that whatever it was you sacrificed to obey. Learn discipline and remember God won’t keep a good thing from you! Be blessed and bless someone else.

“What women are truly able to offer men; Let me upgrade you...”

Favor: is an act of kindness or goodwill given to someone not because of anything done or their status in life.

So many times we have heard “He who finds a wife finds a good  thing and obtains favor from the Lord”, but have we, as women, really sat down and figured out what we truly have to offer the man that God has set aside specifically for us? If not then how can we help him reach his destiny in life? If we were created to be a help to our mate and we don’t know how to use the tools given to us then why complain when the house falls because we didn’t use our tools right to build the foundation?

Here are a few ways to know that you have found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

1.       Gen 18:3- You have found favor when you can recognize that the Lord is in your presence and you do not want him to leave your side. If you honor God he’ll honor you and never leave your side.

2.       Gen 30:27- Other people are blessed because of you. In doing what is right others have to opportunity to receive blessings from the Lord through you. So don’t be stingy and arrogant thinking things happen because YOU make them happen it’s all because of the Lord.

3.       Ex 3:21- You are paid by your enemies. Whether by action, deed, money etc. your enemies will be delivered back to your hand.

4.       Esther Ch. 2- Certain things happen unexpectedly or ahead of time and cause you to be promoted. Esther was able to find favor in Hegai which allowed her to receive extra benefits other girls did not receive. Because of this she was able to win the favor of the King and save her people.

Knowing these truths that a woman has God’s presence with her at all times, can be a blessing and not a curse to others, is not ruled by the revenge of her enemies but trusts and has faith that God will right their wrongs, and can receive favor from even the most unexpected place and will not abuse it should make any man come running right? Lol if you know what you can offer than you won’t settle for less, compromise for crazy things and can truly “upgrade” a man to a status higher than any he could achieve in this life. You can offer him the favor of the Lord that he will receive for seeking the Lord and obeying when He placed you in his path!

“Take them heels off and go to battle”

I was at church this morning and during Praise and Worship my pastor was praising the Lord and began to make movements as if he was in a boxing match. He then began saying there is a anointing in this place, the Lord is here if you just believe. He didn’t preach because he said the message has already been given. And then he began explaining that salvation is free to any and everyone that wants it. It’s not for the rich, the poor, the elite or the average and that heaven rejoices more for the one person that repents for their sin than for the many that need not repentance.

The message I received was this. God is willing to go to battle for you and send his most valued players “angels” to fight on your behalf but He needs to know that you are willing and would do the same for him. See sometimes you need to go home, lock the door, turn off the cell phone, music, and TV, take off your earrings and heels and tell the devil look I’m about to fight for mine!! The Lord wants to bless me and you’re in my way. You put your fists up like my pastor did and say one of us ain’t gone make it out of here and I bet it ain’t gone be me! “For Christ I’ll live and for Christ I’ll die”.

When you’re willing to fight and remain faithful for things that are unseen but promised by the Lord He will honor you and your prayers. I’m so glad that He looks beyond my faults and still hears my call.

No matter how old, young, accomplished, or unaccomplished you are God is not done with you yet. How will you know when he? Easy you won’t be breathing and able to ask it because you’ll be in His presence.  Lol as my sister would say “Your Dead!”

Philippians 1:21 

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”

Money, Money, Money, What do you serve?

So I was at Michael Baiseden’s million mentor campaign today and a man approached me. He wanted to know if I was interested in creating a mentoring program in my city. I’ve been thinking about a mentoring program for my city anyways so I said sure. He said you can create a position and make some money. I laughed. He said you laugh but I’m serious, you have to dream big, etc…. I said I laughed because I don’t do it for the money, I’ve had people and still have people that are willing to mentor me and I feel it’s my responsibility to do the same for others.

He said I like that answer I was testing you. Don’t chase the money let it chase you.

In life we are always given chances to show people the goodness and humility of God. I’m a servant first in everything I do. I don’t do it for the money, I don’t do it for recognition, I do it simply because God has given me a heart to serve others and see them happy. He provides me with the rest of the stuff I need according to His standards.

I guess when you sit down and think about it God gives us his riches when He feels like it and takes them back when He feels like it. Why chase and live for something that you have no control over and doesn’t belong to you?

It is my desire that the Lord will say to me, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things’

I love to make women feel good about themselves, I like to help the youth head in the right direction, and I love that I can do many things to help others and feel satisfied even if I don’t receive one penny for it. That is truly a blessing to be able to find purpose in life in knowing that it is not my own but to be used for the Glory of God.

1 Peter 4:10 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

“You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”

“Ruth Smeltzer”

"Just Like Riding A Bike"

I was looking at my friend’s blog and read about how she saw a bird and knew that the Lord was speaking to her through the bird. I became very envious of her. You see, I used to have that relationship with the Lord where I knew he was talking to me and directing my path. Somewhere along the line we got disconnected. So I prayed that I would be able to reconnect so I could hear His voice and direction He has for my life.

Well this morning it just so happened that I didn’t have to go into work early so I dug my bike out the garage and went for a ride. Now mind you I have not rode a bike since I was like 5 lol. Needless to say feeling nervous was putting it mildly. As I was riding the Lord began to speak to me. He allowed me to realize that the old saying holds true “It’s just like riding a bike” all you have to do is get on. All I had to do was listen and make myself available to hear Him. I didn’t have to take lessons all over again; I could pick up where we left off if I put forth the effort.

In life, sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves that we feel like we don’t need to depend on anyone and we can do it "All by ourselves." So I naturally got comfortable and confident riding my bike, thinking I was 5 again that I thought I could ride with one hand. Wrong move to make! Definitely almost crashed, but realized my session with the Lord wasn’t through. He was telling me that A) This is how our relationship got broke in the first place, I stopped depending on Him and tried to steer my own course, and B) If I don’t get my life together and stay focused on Him eventually I will crash and picking up the pieces won’t be as easy as putting my hand back on the handle bar.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13"