Step up to the plate!

Because you decided to step up to the plate were the words that fell on me like dew from the mouth of C. Peters Wagner’s head intercessor in 2000. This was not just a prophetic word it was an encounter with God.  We were at a deliverance conference and we were on break.  The hospitality suite was packed. I was in a corner with my back turned and talking. I felt a tap on my shoulder and a holy hush came over our table, only. He said, I was in prayer downstairs and the Lord told me to come up here and to minister to someone. He said I had no idea who it was. Talking about being on the radar of heaven!!!

 He knows exactly where you are!!!

 He went on to tell me that he had to pray for me. He told me that God said many of his people do not experience worship with him on the level that I do.  He said God was going to give me a platform and a voice to be heard because I decided to step up to the plate and he was going to put me back where I should have been.  He went on to share much more but my point is this: God promised to give me a platform and a voice to be heard.

I want to encourage you today, if the enemy is trying to make you believe that God has forgotten you; it is not true.  The word says, in Isaiah 49:13 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.  He could never forget us. Sometimes we think we are waiting on him but the Father wants us to know that he is waiting for us—to step up to the plate.

Stepping up to plate means you are ready to take on a challenge or a responsibility. Our assignments come with great responsibility.  He is preparing us to run our own race.  Maybe you are saying these things to yourself.  I feel like I don’t know anyone.  I was not born into a wealthy family.  I don’t have a college education.  The bible calls the apostles were unlearned men. They turned the world upside down with the power of God.  Get in the secret place and humble yourself.

Step up to the plate like Moses did to Pharaoh and let God go before you.

Step up to the plate like David did with Goliath.

Step up to the plate like Deborah did.

Step up to the plate like Esther did.

 You are NOT waiting on God.  He is waiting on you.  God has been waiting for all eternity for this moment.  It is time for you to step up to the plate.  His grace will bring you in safely.

 Batters up! Heaven is calling your name…….

You are not a mistake!

I wrote this poem and want to dedicate it to every man and woman that was ever a result of an unplanned pregnancy.  Whether you were the child, the man or the woman that is facing an unplanned pregnancy.  God wants you to know that you were not a mistake and nor is the child that has been created from an unplanned pregnancy. From my heart to yours…….

I am the child that has been called a mistake,

One that was born out a torn and broken relationship.

One that was birthed but aborted from the cares of life,

That ripped at her heart because of her struggle to be a mother and not yet a wife,

One that was conceived out of rape or molestation.

A child labeled a mistake-nurtured by the hand of devastation.

But then he came to restore and to heal,

Then to reveal,

That he too knew what it was like to be conceived

Out of mistrust and disbelief,

Born by the virgin Mary

A man forsaken and stricken with grief,

That we might understand

His love and perfect plan, that before he created the earth,

He also knew the day of your birth,

Before the stars had been sprinkled into the sky,

Before the planets were hung and set into space,

Before the waters covered the deep,

 Before your father and mother came face to face,

You were conceived in his mind,

And delivered at the right time,

NOT A MISTAKE

But a daybreak

With every member of your body recorded in his book

Before they were formed

With every hair numbered on your head,

For he even knew the way you would look,

And yet to say you are a mistake

Is to imply that God was confused.

For when he made you, he made you in his image

To be valued and NOT ABUSED!!!!

May the love of God invade your life as you press pass every obstacle that would make you question your existence. May your heart be turned to the one that created you.

Psalms 139

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Getting through the POOP!

Many years ago, I watched Shawshank Redemption and although this was not a true story, it is much we can learn from it. As I reflect on my life at this time, I am drawn to the fact that Andy used a small rock hammer to dig his way out of jail after serving 19 years for a crime he didn’t commit. But it didn’t stop there!

Life is not always fair but if we take what we have been given and use it, we can make it out was my biggest take away.  Even after breaking thorough the wall day by day, he then had to crawl through 500 yards of poop! Andy had to get up every day and repeat the same routine and he had to keep digging when he may have felt like he would never get out.

Maybe, you have gotten into a situation that placed you in debt. Maybe, you had to file bankruptcy because your business partner mismanaged the business. Maybe, your son or daughter has had to move back in after investing so much for them to succeed and it feels like it was in vain. Maybe others before you made bad decisions and left you with nothing and you are starting over from the bottom.  Maybe, you feel like what you are doing everyday is in vain and you will never get to your desired place of freedom. Let’s learn one more lesson from Andy, now after 19 years, he comes out of the tunnel to 500 yards of poop!

Get through the POOP!

Maybe you feel like you are in a bunch of POOP!

King David was already the next proclaimed King, but he was hiding in caves, ducking and dodging javelins, and 3000 highly trained soldiers to kill him.  That’s some POOP! Be encouraged today and know that God is with you no matter what the situation you find yourself facing or crawling through.  There is hope on the other side. Keep digging yourself out with the small rock hammer God has placed in your hand. That might be paying off your credit card debt, or your student loan debts. Be faithful over the little God has given you and watch God bring you out.

I remember, I was just recovering from a bad financial situation after my divorce.  I was in a building phase, and I knew I wanted to buy a property.  I had a Saturn Vue in 2007. This SUV was a problem.  The worse decision ever.  It wasn’t my fault.  The SUV’s were built with faulty transmissions. GMC dropped them and then filed bankruptcy on the brink of days before we were to file for our redemption.

I began to research and read story after story of others being killed, quadriplegics from car accidents and the horror stories went on and on.  It was heartbreaking.  It was us getting through the poop! I was almost killed but was able to get over to the side of the road before my transmission suddenly and abruptly went out.  I was dead in the middle of the road with an 18-wheeler behind me.

As quoted by the Lakin Law Firm, “We believe GM knew the Vti transmissions in the 2002 to 2004 Saturn Vue and Ion were inherently defective and likely to fail. Our investigation reveals that GM was aware of defects before the vehicle line was released, and they even delayed the initial product launch as a result, but apparently they chose not to fix the problems.”

We were getting through the Poop!

None of us received a dime. I also still owed a car note.  I decided to have them come and get the SUV after my third transmission breakdown and replacement.  However, I also knew if I did, it would mess my credit up and I wouldn’t have the ability to buy a property.  I decided to once again, keep digging.  I called the company and offered them half which was about 5000 and they marked it as paid in full.  The finance company understood that I had been given a raw deal. 

I crawled through the poop and turned my whole tax return over without having a car and saved my credit because I knew it was going to affect me more down the road when I was ready to buy my property. 

I remember getting ready to finance for a property and a fiancé loan officer said of 27 years, he had never seen anyone get that favor.  In this season, face your fears, be willing to start over and get back up and get through the Poop! There is freedom on the other side.

Remember me

Sometimes we do things that we know we should not do without counting the cost of our actions.  I know I have.  In 2016, I left the Lord in several ways.  I am still digging myself out of holes six years later of the decisions I made.  Yes, God forgave me but there are consequences to our sin.  God wants you to also know he has forgiven you.  I found myself like Peter.  I never ever thought I would do what I did but I did. Jesus told Peter he would betray him three times and Peter denied it, but the Lord knew him better than he knew himself.

Maybe the cares of this life brought you to a place of compromise and you did somethings you never thought you would.  Many people took money from funds that they should not have during this pandemic.  Some worked and took unemployment benefits.  Some participated in the looting in the city. Desperation made people do things in this last season just to survive.  Peter found himself suddenly shifted into survival mode and he did just what Jesus told him he would. 

Nothing you have ever done has surprised Jesus.  This last season was to show you what was inside of you, the good, bad and the ugly.  But Jesus told Peter in

Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

God wants you to know he has prayed for you like he did for Peter. For some, you have been in a season of restoration.  You found yourself like Samson that thought, I’ll just shake myself like I did before but in this last season, you felt like God left you.  God wants you to know just like he allowed Samson’s hair to grow back and his strength returned that he is restoring you. He wants you to know he is with you.   Forgive yourself just like Peter and Samson had to do.  Just like I had to do. You may be saying like Samson did, Lord remember me and avenge me for my two eyes. Samson caused his own suffering.  He kept playing with the enemies, he was called to destroy.  But God, in his great love, grace and mercy forgave Samson.  He answered Samson’s prayer and he allowed him to destroy more Philistines in his death than he did in his life.  God is going to allow you to do more damage to the enemies’ kingdom than you ever would have now because you were wounded. He is about to avenge you.

And for some, you are now ready and are being commissioned to turn around and to begin to share your testimony and strengthen your brothers and sisters. God is opening opportunities.  Its time to release that book.  It’s time to do the things you have wanted to do for a long time, but you weren’t ready. God loves you and because you have repented and turned back, he is holding nothing against you. God says, you are ready now because he heard you when you asked him to remember you.

Forgotten but not forsaken

My children’s father was a Vietnam veteran. He was a man that never shared much about this time in his life but he shared this one time. He entered Vietnam barely a month after his 18th birthday. On his first day off the plane, he was falsely accused of killing a man. He was one of two black men on the island, and he was immediately identified as the killer. He was abruptly thrown into solitary confinement for 30 days without a single detail of the incident. As if the trauma of having been drafted was not enough, now he is on an island surrounded by no one that knows him and left completely alone and falsely accused.

I’m reminded of the story of Joseph as I write to encourage you and connect both stories. For those that don’t know. Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison. In Gen 40:1-23. Sometime later, the cupbearer and baker are thrown into prison as well. They both have a dream, the same night. Joseph has enough wisdom and insight to seek God to get an interpretation. He asked the cupbearer once he was restored to remember him. However, the scripture says, he forgot him.

Then almost two years later, their master has a dream, and the cupbearer remembers he interpreted his dream, and he is brought out of the prison.

Their dad told me that the other black guy came to confess and tell him secretly about what happened. The guy tells him that he bit the man. Their dad had enough wisdom to request to see the Priest. He was able to tell the Priest that detail and ask them to take forensic dental evidence on the deceased and take his teeth imprints to prove his innocence.

He was set free and so was Joseph. The same God that delivered Joseph and delivered their dad is going to deliver you. God had a greater plan for them both and he has one for you. In the face of injustice and wrongfully being accused with almost no hope of proving their innocence, at God’s appointed time, they were released.

Your release is coming! Maybe you aren’t physically incarcerated but financially or even emotionally. You may have been forgotten but not forsaken. It wasn’t your fault. God saw it all. Seek him for the wisdom you need to be released and watch God do what only he can do!

Don't be an Oprah

Ruth 2

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

My prayer for the body of Christ, is that we would be found faithful sowing in the field of life and hearts and souls of men and women we are called too, even if it may appear there in no reward. Also, that we might understand our last season was to lead us into our field of harvest and increase. Lord don't let us turn back like Oprah and miss our appointed field, because the circumstances that led us there were contrary to how we thought the story would end. The kingdom of God is not like the world. The world says if you bless me, I'll bless you. Christ kingdom principles are if you sow where God says sow, you will reap where you have not sown.

Don’t be an Oprah, be a Ruth and sow where God leads you. God will repay you in ways that are bigger than you have ever thought of or even imagined.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother- in -law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Here we see Boaz as a type of Christ and the reapers as the angels. Jesus is taking knowledge as Boaz did of us and releasing his angels in this season to leave some things for us on purpose.

We will receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel.

Think Different

We live in a society where so many want to fit in and can’t handle the pressure of standing out because of their difference. It is your difference that will make you stand out. So do you really want to be a social influencer and if you do, you will have to have a different spirit and be okay with your difference. You won’t be like them. Everyone will not speak well of you.

Being different will make you think differently.

You will find beauty in coloring outside the lines and answers that are outside of the box. You will be willing to go left when everybody else thinks you should go right; and you will be okay with the risk.

You will have to stop being so common with yourself that you forget how uncommon you are.  So many are guilty of thinking that they are just like everyone else, that they become blinded to their own difference. 

 I remember when I was given the number to the Law Project organization.  They are a group of attorneys in Chicago that put non- for- profit organizations together pro bono.  However, you get all of 5 to 10 minutes to tell them on the phone about your project. You have to share what makes your organization different from another organization that may be similar.  I had a blueprint in my spirit for Ruth’s vineyard. They told me I had to research and find similar organizations that were like mine. I found one almost identical to the blueprint God had put in my spirit.  I kept asking myself what is different than what I wanted. 

It was so incredibly close to me and extremely loud, but I was missing it for a few days.  Then I heard God say, you want to do all those things for those single moms but you want to do it so they won’t consider abortion. 

My motive and mission are to save the babies from abortion by providing the resources often needed to take care of their babies. They excepted my organization and created my organization for me and gave me one of the best law firms for 3 years named Stratton & Associates.  My difference will make a difference. 

Your difference will make a difference.

In the bible when it was time to bring the children of Israel into their promised land, they saw the land they wanted.  You may see the vision God has given you.  You are incredibly close.  But they also saw the giants in the land.  Your enemies, the ones in your soul, the ones around you and the ones that aren’t may be extremely loud to you.  They saw themselves as grasshoppers and the word says and so did the people. 

How you see yourself, will be the way others see you as well.  God is trying to heal your self-image of you. God wants to build you from the inside out so that the things around you don’t appear bigger than the God that is inside you.  You are asking God for increase.  God is enlarging you first on the inside before it manifests on the outside. 

You must think different.

Joshua and Caleb, the bible says in Numbers 14:24 But as for My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.

If we want what God has promised you , you must think different.  We must have a different spirit. Allow God to give you a different spirit and don’t be afraid when others don’t think the way you do.

Start over

Grace to start over

Starting over is not easy. It requires courage to look at what was, release it, and embrace what will be.

After COVID, the world changed. Many of us did too. What we once knew as normal no longer exists. For some, it means going back to school, sharpening skills, or learning something completely new. For others, it means launching a new business or reinventing yourself in an entirely different field.

Maybe you and your spouse have faced the heartbreak of miscarriage, and you’re walking through IVF believing God for your miracle. Maybe you’re starting over after a divorce, after losing a job, or after years of waiting. Whatever your story looks like, I came to remind you today—don’t be afraid to start over.

God will give you grace for your new beginning.

Jeremiah 29:11 declares, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

He has already written your story, and the ending is still good.

God’s desire is not just to restore what was lost but to renew what’s within you. He wants you to dream again. To trust Him again. To believe that it’s not over, even when it feels like it.

I’m reminded of Peter in Luke 5:4. After toiling all night and catching nothing, Jesus told him to launch out into the deep. Peter could have refused. He could have said, “Lord, I’ve already tried.” But instead, he said, “Nevertheless, at Your word.”

And that obedience brought a miracle.

Sometimes God will ask you to go back to the same place that once disappointed you—this time, with His word guiding you. That’s when grace meets faith, and harvest follows obedience.

I know what it feels like to start over. In 2008, God told me to go back to school and get my Master’s degree. It took me two years to obey because I didn’t want to start over. But when I finally did, my entire career shifted. Looking back, I’m so grateful I said yes.

Another time, I had to start over as a mother. I always dreamed of having a daughter, but by 35, divorced and weary, I gave up on that dream. Then, during a difficult season when I had drifted from God, I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t know the gender, only that I felt too old, too tired, too alone to start over.

But God had other plans.

He gave me grace for a new beginning. And that grace showed up wrapped in pink. 💗

Now, when I look at my daughter, I see redemption. I see restoration. I see the goodness of God even in my lowest moments.

So, I speak that same grace over you.

No matter what you’ve lost, no matter where you’ve been, no matter how many times you’ve tried—God’s grace is sufficient.

Grace is coming upon you now to dream again, believe again, and start over again.

It’s not too late.

You’re not behind.

You’re right on time for your next beginning.

Get ready—grace is coming upon you to start over.

Suicide is NOT the answer

I remember a day I believed the lie that there was nothing special about me. Maybe you feel the same way or know someone that does. As a young girl I would often think I was no different than other light skinned, long brown-haired girls. Ignorantly not understanding that my uniqueness would never be truly reflected from the outside and neither will yours. My golden “13” birthday was fast approaching and there was an urgency to end my life on the day I was born. Why on the day I was born? To me, it made sense because I felt like I was a mistake. I felt like I was not valued because I was born in a family like many at a time that was in trouble.

But what about the ones that seem to have it all? Why would they feel suicidal? Suicide is a spirit from the enemy. God is the giver of life. A lot of times people that commit suicide struggle with comparing themselves to others and the impact that they have in the world. Often, minimizing their own value to those around them and most importantly to God.

Here we are mourning the suicide death of the Cheslie Kryst, who was 30 years old. To the world she was also a beautiful light skinned, long haired girl that grew up to be accomplished enough to be crowned Miss America in 2019. She also had many other amazing accomplishments that brought her value besides her beauty. She was unique and different but somewhere on the inside, she didn’t have that same value and love for herself to overcome the spirit of suicide.

God loved her and he loves you. Sometimes we seek to get validation and love from others and things and until we find it in God because he is love, and without that deep connection to him for us, we will always be left feeling void. For me, I wanted my husband’s approval and love, and I didn’t love me because I didn’t have it. Although, his rejection became an echo in my soul that started screaming to me from a familiar voice from my childhood long before I heard his voice, you are a mistake.

We must deal with the traumas of our childhood because they will affect our perspectives on life.

God loves you. He told us he knew us before he formed us in our mother’s womb. Jeremiah 1:5. God wants to reveal to you the love you and him shared in eternity. No one or anything else can give us the acceptance and approval of our father God that created us.

Jesus loved us so much that he didn’t want to enjoy heaven without us. Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. But, it was also a decision that Jesus made to lay down his own life. He knows what it is like to die to prove how much he loved us. The word says that there is no greater love than this.

I escaped suicide at 13 but then the spirit of suicide came back after me with a vengeance at 30 years old. I was trying desperately to show my late ex-husband how much I loved him. It was like he was blind. I remember after I got passed the bitterness and hatred, because of his rejection, I told the Lord, I didn’t want to live without him. I remember asking him one day, did he love me. He turned around and asked me, did I love myself.

Suicide is self-hatred. I remember falling to my knees as he walked out the door to start his day, and I told God, I did not love myself, but I would allow him to love me. The word says, we love him because he first loved us. I was able to love myself and I overcame the spirit of suicide because I found out how much God loved me.

Suicide is NOT the answer……Jesus IS…...God wants to reveal his love to you. Don’t give up on you.

Tell me "Why"

When I was a little girl, my mother used to read a book to my siblings and me called Tell Me Why. I loved that book. It answered questions about how things worked, why they existed, and what purpose they served. Looking back, I realize that book planted a seed in me—the desire to understand why. Why things happen. Why people are called. Why purpose sometimes comes wrapped in pain.

As I grew older, I wrestled with my own “why.” You know the ones—Why me? Why them? Why this? Why now?

The dictionary says why means cause, purpose, or reason. But when life happens, that definition doesn’t always make the pain or confusion easier to carry.

When I first started walking with the Lord, I struggled deeply with my “why.” God gave me prophetic words about being raised up in my family as a vessel for salvation and deliverance. But I didn’t understand how. Honestly, I didn’t even feel connected to my family in that way. I couldn’t see myself doing what He said I would do. Have you ever been there—where the calling on your life felt bigger than your understanding?

Maybe you already know what God has called you to do, but you’re still waiting for the why. You know there’s purpose, but you can’t yet see the full picture. That’s where understanding becomes your bridge.

The Word says in Proverbs 24:3-4 (NKJV):

“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.

By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

God isn’t just building you—He’s establishing you. And one of the ways He does that is by giving you understanding. Understanding is the answer to your why.

For a long time, my bloodline battles were heavy. I carried shame connected to my last name. I didn’t even like to tell people what it was because of the history and the negative connotations tied to it. I thought my name represented failure, struggle, and brokenness.

But in my journey of healing and maturity, I began to see that everything I came through was part of God’s redemptive story. Every battle, every tear, every misunderstanding was shaping me into a testimony of His grace. What once felt like a curse became proof of the cross working in my life.

Now, I can boldly say my name—Muhammad—without shame, because it no longer defines me. It’s just part of the story that reveals who God is and what He can redeem. I am no longer a slave to my history; I am a daughter of the Most High God, justified by the blood of Christ and heir to His promises.

It was through my battles—and more importantly, through my victories—that God revealed my why. He trusted me with the assignment, even when I didn’t trust myself. Just like Peter, who denied Christ yet was still chosen to feed His sheep, God knows exactly why He called you.

If you’re in a season where your “why” feels hidden, don’t give up. Keep seeking Him in the midst of your questions. Because when the time is right, God will tell you why.

Your “why” isn’t just your story—it’s your anchor. It holds you steady when the storms come and reminds you that nothing in your life has been wasted. Every part of your journey has purpose. Every scar has a testimony.

God wants to tell you why.

Move On

MOVE FORWARD: God Is in the Details

During my recent move from Chicago, I went to purchase new furniture. Nothing about the day seemed unusual—until it did.

As I walked through the store, I noticed the manager watching me closely. He was quietly changing price tags, unaware that I had seen him. My salesman, who was helping me, began taking photos of each tag on his iPad and checking the inventory on another desktop. I thought nothing of it at first. We continued shopping—room after room, set after set—until it was time to pay.

That’s when everything changed.

Every single price had gone up.

The salesman called the manager over. “We need your code to unlock the prices so I can ring her up,” he said. The manager quickly replied, “Oh no, come over here—I can show you the tags.” But the salesman stood firm. “We don’t need to go anywhere. I have all the tags right here on my iPad.”

I watched as the tension rose between them. The manager reluctantly entered his code, clearly upset that his attempt to overcharge had failed. I paid for my furniture and left the store.

Later that evening, my phone rang. It was the store manager. He said, “I made a mistake. I can’t sell you the dining room set.” I calmly replied, “You did sell it to me, and I expect it to be delivered as planned.” He told me he’d call back the next morning to find something else. I assured him, “There’s nothing else in your store that compares. I’ll wait for your call.”

That night, I prayed.

I said, “Jesus, as I rest, let Your peace settle this situation. Let his heart be softened, and let there be no further discussion and let him apologize to me tomorrow.”

The next day, I missed his call—but when I listened to the voicemail, I heard humility in his voice. He apologized sincerely and said the dining set would be delivered with the rest of my furniture as promised.

And I couldn’t help but think about Pharaoh.

When Pharaoh finally let the children of Israel go, Scripture says he changed his mind and came after them. (Exodus 14) Just like Pharaoh, some situations seem resolved—until suddenly they turn again. You may have been given a yes, only to have that “yes” challenged. You may have signed the contract, received the promise, or seen the door open—only for things to shift.

But hear me: God is still in control.

He knows how to deal with hardened hearts.

Whether it’s a furniture sale or a life-altering decision, God is in the details of your situation. He is routing your steps and even orchestrating your opposition so that His glory will be revealed.

Maybe right now you’re standing before your own Red Sea. You can’t go back, but going forward seems impossible. Yet the Lord told Moses in Exodus 14:15-16:

“Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through on dry ground.”

God said, Stop crying and move on.

This isn’t the time to retreat—it’s time to advance.

He didn’t do it the way you expected because He wants to show your enemies—and you—that He alone is God. When He brings you through, no one will be able to take credit for it.

So, if you’re facing a Red Sea moment—MOVE FORWARD.

God is about to gain glory through your situation.

And like the children of Israel, you will see your enemies no more.

Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Making Decisions with Discernment

Aron Ralston embarked upon a new adventure with the expectation that greatness would greet him on the emerging horizon of his ambition. However, he failed to realize the grave cost of his newfound goal. Caught between a rock and a hard place without acknowledging God can become costly, and he learned this the hard way.

Corporate America wasn't for Ralston, and he decided to quit his job to devote more time to mountaineering. He wanted to climb Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America. But before attempting that, he wanted to do something that had never been done before: He wanted to climb Colorado's 14ers—all 58 of them—by himself, in the winter, before climbing Denali. Ralston's new path would forever change the course of his life.

Have you made major life decisions you thought were best for you, yet you ended up with a totally different reality? Maybe you also quit your corporate job—or maybe you lost it—and decided to invest everything into your dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Or maybe you got that divorce and remarried, but now you realize your first marriage wasn't as bad as you thought. Now, you're dealing with the residue of your past marriage and its toll on your children, while also facing the reality of your new marriage and its real challenges.

In either of these situations, you might feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Neither place is comfortable, and in these places, you face life-changing decisions that will affect the rest of your life and the lives of others. Ralston, determined to achieve his incredible endeavor, set forth without sharing his location with others; he wanted to accomplish this goal without any help from others. On his high climb to success, an 800-pound boulder trapped the mountaineering man. Ralston was stuck ... and alone. Maybe, just as Ralston failed to consult with others about his plans, you've neglected to consult God about your ambitions—and now you feel trapped and desolate.

Are you in a situation where you are wondering if you can ever recover? Desperate measures call for desperate decisions. Ralston thought he was going to die there, but he had a dream. Just like Ralston, God has given you a dream, and He wants you to know you are not going to die in this place. It is hard, but He is with you. Ralston had to drink his own urine and sever his own arm to survive. The cost for his ambitious adventure without consulting others indeed bore a grave cost. This doesn't have to be your story, though.

God wants you to acknowledge Him and seek His wisdom in your decisions, and if you will take the necessary steps like Ralston did—even if they are just as drastic—God will bring you to your expected end.

Facing your fears

Facing your fears in life can be one of the hardest things you have to overcome. There we were standing by this large crowd of people. Excitement was everywhere in the air; children were laughing, and people were hurrying to get a place in the line. My 16-year son, Jeremy, at that time, turned to me, placed his hands on both my shoulders and said, “I’ll be back; I’m going to face my fears!” He went to get on the giant drop. For me that was a defining moment as his mother, I could see him way down the road in life. I believed because I had faced my fears that he would also be able to face his.

During that season in my life, I was looking for anyone that might understand. I had also experienced a giant drop which made me remember Mephibosheth. 2 Sam 4:4 and Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. Perhaps while trying to avoid trouble in your life, you ended up damaged in the process. Maybe when you rose to go in the right direction things seemed to get worse. Let’s ring Mephibosheth’s doorbell and see how he faced his fears in 2 Sam 4:9. 9 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?


David remembered Saul’s decedent’s just like God is going to remember you and yours. 6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! 7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. No matter what has left you crippled in your life mentally, spiritually, financially or even physically, there is hope that God has not forgotten you. He knows exactly where you are in life. Mephibosheth knew that his family had beef with King David and he didn’t know if the King was coming to take revenge or not. Him being related to Saul was once a disadvantage to him that was the catalyst that caused him to be crippled and now God was about to turn the tides and cause the very thing that crippled him to bless him forever. Allow God to deal with your fears and know that he can restore to you everything that you have lost just like he did for Mephibosheth.

Don't Choke

For some people swallowing a pill may come naturally but for others, they will choke. You are a mistake! These were the four words that would echo in my ear from my childhood from my mother. There I was at a time of great healing and deliverance in my life and God was healing the abandonment of my childhood wounds. And at the same time, my husband began to say, “you are a mistake.” All my childhood fears of abandonment began to resurface, and my existence was being challenged at its core. My husband’s rejection became a cork that inevitably led me into a depth of brokenness that made me agree with the enemy that I should not be here. I was choking, choking on life; choking on the pill that was being shoved down my throat.

This was not the way it was supposed to be.

Maybe this past year with COVID-19 you have felt the same way. Perhaps, at times you have felt like me and Naomi. Let us not forget the plight of Naomi.

In Ruth 1:21 it reads

I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Naomi’s name means “pleasant”. Naomi’s life was once pleasant. She was married and had two sons that were married. Family was important to her not just because she loved them but because the prosperity of her inheritance was also attached to the welfare of her family. Now, she says to call her Mara which means bitter.

This was not the way Naomi thought it would be.

Maybe this is not the way you thought it would be now.

Naomi began to choke also on the pill that life was shoving down her throat so much so, that she decided to no longer even be called by her name. Naomi at one time was prospering and lived in the comfort of knowing her family and her were safe from the famine. Maybe before COVID-19 you and your family were secure and everything seemed like you would be okay. Then all of a sudden your mate got sick and suddenly died. Or you lost your job or maybe both of you lost your jobs. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse: it did. Life has not been the same. The loss of security. The loss of direction. The lose of hope for how you thought life would be is not the same since 2020. Don’t chock because of the things that are happening that you see in the world. The word tells us to look at the things that are eternal and not seen. Trust God like I did. Trust God like Naomi did.

Naomi thought she had nothing left to offer but her wisdom proved to be priceless. Because Ruth listened to her, they both ended up reconnected to the blessings of God and God used Ruth and Boaz’s union to be engrafted into the lineage of Jesus. Don’t let your circumstances dictate what your final outcome with be. Allow God to heal your brokenness and whatever you do in this season, stay connected and don’t choke!

Happy Valentines Day: Loves first Kiss

 Loves first Kiss

Genesis 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.

Wait a minute……….

The brother broke down just from a kiss.

A kiss….

How many of us as women, would love to be able to capture the heart of our mates the way Rachel did with just one kiss? I’m often fascinated by Jacob and Rachel’s love story. He was not only willing to wait but he was willing to labor. It cost Jacob something to endure to get Rachel. Even after his father-in-law tricked him he did not give up.

Don’t give up!!!

Don’t give up on love even though you may have felt like you were tricked and ended up in a bad situation.

Maybe you married the wrong one at first and it ended in divorce.

Maybe you were lied to and were engaged and let your guards down and ended up pregnant and he doesn’t want to marry you now.

Don’t give up!!!

Maybe you are still married and it wasn’t what you thought it would be.

Don’t give up!!!

Laban didn’t just trick him and he got the wrong wife but he made him work another whole seven years. He had to labor twice as hard to get his heart’s desire. So many don’t want to put in the work.

Are you willing to pay the price to get your heart’s desire?

Laban changed his wages ten times deceitfully!!! Come on!!! This is a lot of drama. Some men would have packed up and left! From my own limited experience, I’ve seen men walk away for much less than this and yet Jacob preserved. He loved Rachel. He discerned her worth despite the foolery.

Will you be able to look beyond the pain of the price it may cost you or has cost you to labor for the love of your life? I choose to believe that Jacob and Rachel are not the only ones that can find true love.

Your loves first kiss awaits you. It will be worth it!

I still believe in happily ever after…….

The heart of my husband

As you already know, Cinderella lost her glass slipper and was the only one that could fit it.  She was clothed in rags and hidden by life’s adversity until a moment in a time became hers and only her foot could fit that shoe.   So, it will be with the heart of my husband and the man that will walk with me.  You will be a man that has been carved and sculptured by the Master and we will fit perfectly. My message will be an echo of yours because you will understand both the times and the seasons of our day and that you were born for the time you would be needed the most.  See the world not only needs you, but I do too.

You have always been a King.  They say the lion is the King of the jungle.  You will be as bold as a lion and as gentle as a lamp.  A man that rules and takes charge in your sphere of influence.  One that knows how to control your atmosphere and emotions.  One that understands the power of his words not just your touch.  You will be able to touch me in places others would not because your words will unlock my deepest desires that are hidden to the naked eye. One that loves deeply and knows how to guard what is yours from allowing anyone to steal, kill or destroy it, not with a gun but with your love. For your love is a weapon. You will know I am yours before you ever touch me because your words will be able to capture my heart.

You will love deeply with an understanding that too much is forgiven the same loveth much.  You also have been forgiven of much as I have, and you will drink deeply from that well.  You have loved and lost.  You have committed your thoughts to the Lord, that he would establish the work of your hands.  You have spent seasons developing yourself so that you will be the best version that I will receive. You will love me with your deeds not only your words.  You have separated yourself from anything that could ever separate you from our love so our future will be secure. 

You have walked through fire and lived to tell without the stench of smoke like Daniel. You understand this same grace, to be delivered from the fire and the lion and now what did not destroy you, you have become.  You are that lion.  You are that Fire.  You will have the confidence of Abraham to believe God for your promises in the face of the impossible and I will be like Sarah. And we shall laugh as we receive our promises together; with the understanding the greatest gifts that we could ever give each other will be love and respect.

The Butterfly effect

How does the butterfly effect affect people?

The butterfly effect theory states that when a butterfly moves its wings, it can cause a cyclone in another part of the world. It has become, in modern times, a metaphor for the existence of seemingly insignificant moments that alter history and shape of destiny.

That’s exactly what happened to Peter Parker, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, Samson and my great grandfather and many others. Lets read on to see how it happened.

“With great power comes great responsibility”, these were the words from his Uncle Ben, that would become a web that would ensnare Spiderman himself and leave what he loved spun to become a prey.  He had the power to stop that criminal from getting on that elevator getting passed him.  But Peter Parker replied, “I missed the part where that was my problem”.  How many times have we been wronged in life and instead of humbling ourselves to make a situation right, we wanted to prove we were right. 

The scripture admonishes us in Proverbs 3:27

27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

  That criminal never would have gotten to his Uncle to steal his car and shoot and kill him.  If only, Peter could have gotten passed his own offense, his own pain, and his own frustration of being wronged and cheated. 

What is in the power of your hand that God is requiring for you to be responsible for that he has given you? Abraham had a promise, Moses had a rod, David had a sling shot, Joseph had a dream and Samson had a jawbone of a donkey and was able to change history.

My great grandfather, Elijah Muhammad, had a gift of influence and the power to cause him to cry out to the God of his father, whom was a Christian.  What a great spiritual legacy he could have left in the earth, if only he had served the true and living God.  Where would our generations be today? How many souls would have been saved from being lost? How many of my family members would not have been deceived because he exalted a man claiming that Master W. Fard Muhammad was God and built his own religion.  Here in an interview from my late great uncle as he shares a moment of truth.

Watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xko4mQQDI20 

My prayer is Lord deliver my family and their friends to put in motion the turning of a Nation back to the true and living God and begin to answer the cries of those that have interceded and stood in the gap for the Nation of Islam and Muslims everywhere to be set free.  I pray Ephesians 1:18-23 that

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what the hope of his calling is, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Dear Future Husband: Broken and Beautiful

God told me years ago as I was writing my memoir that you would find me at this next level of exposure. I pray you find me soon. I pray that you are preparing yourself like I am. I pray that you are guarding your heart and getting healed, so that we can have our happily ever after. No matter what we both have been through. I pray that you will not be afraid to share your heart and your desires with me. I pray your love will unlock my heart without question that you are the one. I pray that I will be your only desire and that you will never break my heart and give your love away to another. I now understand every time I was rejected that God was preserving my love for you.

I'm ready to love again.

I have submitted my heart and body to God years ago with hope for our future which has given me the focus to wait. I believe in our love. You will have no need of spoil and will be able to trust me with your heart. I pray that you know I will do you good and not evil all the days of my life. I will never leave you. I would rather die by laying down my life for you than to be separated from you: for there is no greater love than this. I pray that you would not read my book like another fairytale. Although, I had to be willing to love a beast in order to exchange the ashes for the beauty, you will now receive. I loved a man that didn't love me back. How much deeper will my love be for you because you will love me back? I pray that I will find great favor in your sight, from the moment you meet me, just like Queen Esther did with her King.

I pray that God will show you my heart. That you will know that my love is real and genuine. That it is patient and kind and everything you will dream it should and will be. I pray that as you read my story, you will understand the price it cost me to become the woman that I am today. It cost me years of tears. Nights of suffering in my flesh to cease from sinning. I had to run through generational troops of pain and sorrow, that were filled with heartbreaks and mistakes. I leaped over generational walls, that were set up by the enemy, of demonic ancestral curses that proclaimed I would never be able to love a man because I was too damaged.

I travailed for my own deliverance and healing from past wounds, so that you would only read of the scars but never have to experience the pain. I came out of agreement with demonic strongholds in my mind, that tried to hold me hostage, to tell me that a man could never love me the way I desire and deserve. I will love you with no fear. I will love you with no shame. I will be honored to take your name and follow you as you follow Christ.

I swam through bitter waters that almost drowned me. I walked on fires of revenge that almost burned me alive without the stitch of smoke to tell, holding on desperately to a wire believing that I would love again. My tears that I sowed created a well that we both will drink from that is filled with love, mercy and grace. I didn't give my heart away. I believe you exist and will find me soon and when you do, know it will take every day God gives us to fully discover the jewel that I am. I pray that while I am yet waiting to be discovered that God will perfect your love that you will be able to love me like Jacob loved Rachael. I pray that you will understand that the value of my love will outweigh the cost of your labor. My hearts desire is that I will become the love of your life not just your wife.

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Love your future wife,

Marie

P.S. Loving me will be easy and you will like me too! :)

Seize the moment

In the midst of the storm sometimes it feels like we are not going to make it across. However, it is in these moments, Jesus told the disciples before the storm every came, “let us pass over to the other side”. (Mark 14:18-29) He is Alpha and Omega. He declares the end from the beginning. In the storm that arose, they cried for Jesus to save them and when he came, they did not recognize him.

Don’t be like the disciples that couldn’t perceive it was Jesus because he didn’t come the way they were familiar with. It will be different this time.

Some storms come to reveal another dimension of him and if we are not sensitive to his spirit, we will miss an opportunity. An opportunity came in the midst of adversity when everyone was scared. Jesus never called Peter to walk on the water. He may not invite you but that does not mean you cannot come.

Instead, Peter said, if it is you Lord, bid me to come. And then Jesus said, Come. There is an opportunity that awaits you but you must first perceive it is Christ.

What opportunity is standing before you?

Will you recognize him although it is not familiar?

Will you seize the moment?

Peter seized the moment. Have you ever looked at a person and said why them and not you? Peter’s response caused him to make history in that moment. They all had the same opportunity.

What is God trying to get you through and you have felt overwhelmed to accomplish and forsaken? When Jesus came to their rescue he addressed their faith level. Remember he had told them to cross over to the other side. Shortly before that, he had just miraculously provided for them with 12 baskets left of bread. They had soon forgotten the last miracle he had just provided for them. This storm was on the backdrop of him keeping the people from fainting and feeding the multitudes with only two fish and five loaves of bread.

He made sure that he had 12 baskets full left on the boat as they crossed. Why? Why does God want us to remember our last blessings and victories? He wants us to know that if he delivered us out of the last situation that should have destroyed us that he is the same God that will deliver us from the storm we are facing now. In the midst of whatever you are facing, God wants you to seize the moment. Allow him to reveal a new dimension of himself, remember the last victory, and cross over to the other side.

Your heart will set you apart..........

Everyone and everything was and is born with a passion and a purpose.  Race horses love to run.  Just like race horses, many have been called but few are chosen.  Many people have been called to the stalks of life to run a race that may seem impossible but few prepare themselves to be chosen.  Secretariat’s heart set him apart and allowed him to run a race that others could not run. 

Secretariat is my favorite race horse.  With odds stacked against him from the beginning, he proved everyone wrong that betted against him and didn’t believe in him.  He was a thoroughbred that won the Triple Crown in 1973.  He was a horse that broke records and set new standards.  God is calling you to be set apart and do the same but it will be because of your heart.  Although, Secretariat’s owners had been in the horse business for generations and hoped for the best, it would not be until after his death and an autopsy was done that revealed the true secret of his greatness.  No one thought he could overcome his history: he lost some important races, he was too large and the broadness of his shoulders and the odds were stacked against him.

So many thought you were not good enough.

You were not from the right side of the tracks. 

What odds are stacked against you? What in your family background has made you believe you cannot overcome?  Have you thought, I’m not from a well-known family; I don’t have the right connections?  Are these some of the voices that whisper to you? 

1 Sam 16:7 ….for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

It was something different about the heart of Secretariat, just like King David. It was a matter of the heart. God called King David a man after his own heart, not because he did everything right but because he pursued him to get his heart.  David understood that in order to run his course and obey God’s word he would need his heart enlarged (psalm 119:32).  This was a passion that we see was imparted to his son Solomon in 1 Kings 4:29

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

King David accomplished much for God but he did it because he allowed God to increase, stretch, correct and direct him as a leader.  Did he make mistakes?  Yes, but his heart set him apart.  He knew how to humble himself and to repent.  He knew he could trust in the mercy and goodness of God to restore him.  What kind of leader are you and what will be your legacy?  Allow God to enlarge your heart so he can increase your capacity to run your race.  It was a matter of the heart for Secretariat as well.  Secretariat had a healthy heart 2.5 times larger than the average horse.  What kind of heart do you have towards God and his people?

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV)

9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is loyal towards him.

Get ready, God is about to show himself strong on your behalf.