Hey family. Sending you hugs and love today. I hope you are doing okay. It’s been such a hectic week for me but I’m still shucking! My best friend and l have had conversations where we are like “Why’re we this strong though?” What is strength and what is response to trauma? What is the difference? Are you strong because you’re resilient – strong in the Lord or strong in your muscles that were built to fight even the good things? I actually don’t have the answer too my loves. When the Lord gives it to you, share it with me. Ooo I’ve got something for you!!! Not too big of a gift but if nobody have given it to you today – you can get it from me. A likkle scroll down and you got it!
Don’t get me wrong though, I have good manners. I just wanted the place to smell like love. Just a cheer up for our chilled Thursday. I am not suggesting a movie today, please put the popcorn away before you get a six pack on those cheeks. I want you to do something different. A solo date? Paint your nails? Write on your journal? Get yourself some icecream and read a book? Play worship instrumental and meditate on scripture? I don’t know, just be kinder to yourself. I’m learning in 2024 that all my life I’ve never been intentional about being kind to me. I can go from pillar to post for others but give the bare minimum to myself. I’m changing that bit by bit. I will face even the inner child that didn’t get ice-cream as often as she wanted and give her. Now that my tummy is stronger there’s no telling to how many I can have in a day. Even more so, there’s as balm in Gilead!!
If you feel like reaching out and you’ve a lot on your plate, scroll to the bottom of the page and send me an email. Soon our website will be updated, with features and easy navigation for you, l am excited about that. Now stop scrolling and get chilling!
Remember, we chill wisely over here . Everything is done in wisdom and godliness. If you’re fasting put ice-cream aside and chill with Holy Spirit.
Let me know on the comments what you did on this Thursday.
“I beg you to reaffirm your deep love for him.” 2 Corinthians 2:8 TPT
Praise
Today I want us to get understanding on what happens when we praise, why we praise , etcetera. A Christian who does not know why they do what they do is a Christian that will be easily manipulated by the world. Quick questions, Why do you give? Why do you pray? Why do you go to church? The short message below will give you an understanding on the power of praise!
If you can’t worship for 5mins what will be your story in heaven? Do you know that there is continuous worship in heaven? This one that we come late to church only to hear the word shows that we aren’t even ready for heaven. It’s like missing the whole wedding ceremony only to come for food. Many people underestimate the power of worship and that is why they crave worship from other people. I linked something for you below, go back to the heart of worship. You used to be a worshipper – go back ..
Over the years I’ve had to separate myself from certain people, places and things. It wasn’t always easy but very necessary. “Abraham leave your country!” Sounds like a painful thing to do yes? Abraham had family there, friends, neighbours whom he probably loved , a lot of things going on for him where he was. God knowing all this still calls him out. “Leave!” I somehow understand Lot’s wife. Leaving people isn’t always easy, breaking the relationship, resigning from the company, leaving the city, coming out of an addiction, these are hard things! New things are desirable but they are hard to adapt to. I’ve heard people say “Oh I’ll meet someone new and they’ll ask what my favourite colour is, that’s so boring!” Because doing it all over again Is exhausting. Abraham building a home all over again can be exhausting, Sarah getting some new dinner plates can be tiring because you had a cute set that you had to leave in the Ur of the Chaldeans but that cannot stop you from living out your destiny – so get out of that place!
“My daughters go back to your people in Moab!” You can almost feel the emotions they felt in that moment. How can you tell them to go back to a place they left as brides only to come back widowed? A place they left with hopes for a great future. How do they go and leave you knowing you’re in pain? Sometimes you have to separate with people even in their pain. It doesn’t mean you’re insensitive but there’s no balm in your hands to help them. Orpah had to separate. Separation does not only mean they’re bad people, cos some of you were cut off and you started thinking “oh I must be a bad person” and the truth is you are not! They just got to go darling!
I have been in relationships where the other person left. I hope you know people can be physically present but they left a long time ago. I would wonder what’s wrong with me? But when you understand the word you realise there was nothing wrong with Orpah. Joseph needed to go to Egypt. Yes he went in the most painful way but at his age he was called to separate from his family. Joseph and Abraham are not the same! Abraham can obey immediately, Joseph must be forced out! That’s how some of us do not separate from things until we are forced out! You won’t leave the man even if he threatens to kill you so the man will leave you! You won’t resign even if they made you work 24hr so they’ll fire you! If you have a turn in destiny that cannot be missed , God Himself will force you out!
God says to Israel, it’s time to leave Egypt! They do so but in them is a print of Egypt. Separation means emotionally detach as much as you physically detach. If you leave the job , emotionally detach from it too. Stop writing on Facebook daily about your colleagues! Stop banking pictures of the relationship. Stop wishing you could take one more glass. Imagine if Abraham was still emotionally attached, he’d be going back there every month. Why are we still hung up on the past? Where you are right now – Is it because you were led or you are at a place you were told you leave?
“So Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I beg of you, between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, I beg of you, from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Genesis 13:8-9 AMPC
Separate business from pleasure. Separate play time from time to be serious. At some point Abraham separated from Lot. Sometimes God Will have you separate from your own family! Don’t let anyone guilt trip you! God can tell you to stop hanging out with the cousin. You don’t hate them but ehh it’s time to separate. Separation can be an overwhelming time of intense mixed emotions, including sadness, guilt, denial, relief, anger, and fear, to name only a few. I want to say to you , you may separate for a while like Joseph and his brothers but you may separate forever like Ruth and Orpah.
I agree that it’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. It feels unfair. But hear what the word of God says;
“So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” Romans 8:28 TPT
Do not panic , there is a plan working out for your good! ❤️
Increase is coming, so enlarge your tent and add extensions to your dwelling. Hold nothing back! Make the tent ropes longer and the pegs stronger. You will increase and spread out in every direction. Your sons and daughters will conquer nations and revitalize desolate cities. Do not fear, for your shame is no more. Do not be embarrassed, for you will not be disgraced. You will forget the inadequacy you felt in your youth and will no longer remember the shame of your widowhood.” Isaiah 54:2-4 TPT
Are you ready? Are you prepared? If you were to be called for the position are you ready? If the woman showed up now are you prepared for her? If the man you’ve been praying for pursues you this day are you ready to be the wife? I bet you said yes! We all say yes because it seems too far to demand our readiness for the now. Many of us are praying for what we are not ready to receive NOW! The bible says increase is coming!!! You better get ready!!! Isaac is coming! Samuel Is coming! Boaz is coming! Esther is coming! Pharaoh is about to call for Joseph! How ready are you for what you’ve been praying for?
My darling, this may seem insignificant but, you should never underestimate the power of preparation. Increase of resources must meet with increase of ability/skills to manage the resources. Many Christians just pray and go for the interview, know nothing about the company, they look like they were shooting for Jeepers Creepers movie, no care in the world about anything , just “I prayed.” Would you marry you? Would you hire you? Would you trust you with a million? With how careless and unprepared we are? No! I’m not talking science, I’m talking my own life experience! I have missed out on opportunities because I was not ready. People have cheated themselves out of good relationships because they still wanted to play around. Hey, increase is coming, wake up! Why is your lamp without oil?!
The 5 foolish virgins are like some of us. We have last minute strategies. Survival plans. They had no idea that it would flop – that too- in the middle of the night – at a crucial time. You need the matric, don’t say il study when they promise me the job! You need to learn the skill! You need to learn how to submit, to love, character development because you may get the crown Vashti but you’ll soon be back home, why? Because there’s always a replacement for Vashti. There is always another candidate who has applied! Of course God qualifies the unqualified, He works miracles BUT It does not mean He encourages laziness and foolishness! My friend, increase is coming, you better be ready!
Preparation is not always fun and many of us do not look forward to doing it. It can often appear to be boring and uninteresting – particularly to those who love to just chill and relax. Preparation may mean study, be transformed, save, fix, correct, think, for Esther it meant beauty treatment, for you, it may mean character development. For Sarah it means wait, for Ruth it means follow Naomi. For the foolish virgins it meant have enough oil.
For the earth it means , receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Prepare for the coming of the King!
“My Father’s house has many dwelling places. If it were otherwise, I would tell you plainly, because I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 TPT
If Jesus Himself prepares, how could you just relax?
Taking the time for reflection is a bit of a lost art. Most of us, unfortunately, are living unexamined lives. How well do you know yourself? Do you think about why you do the things you do? Self-reflection is a skill that can help you understand yourself better. It is a required skill for personal growth. I highlighted personal growth because nobody on this earth can “self” reflect on your behalf. Your friends and family can trigger it by asking questions but my dear, your life – your journey- your business. It is all in your hands and as they say, the ball is in your court, you choose what to do with it that’s if – you’ll do anything at all.
Being able to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, or what you did right or wrong, can help you identify areas for growth and improvement, so you can work on them. Last week we attended the Excel Conference 2024 at House of Treasures Ministries. As I sat there listening to the Word I realised, I had not kicked the ball hard enough. Just a little wiggle. I said to myself, “Vanessa you’re not where you’re supposed to be in destiny. You are where you have shrunk to be. This is not it!” .. It shook me up! Some of us need a little shaking into reality, I’m sorry to burst your bubble but even Cinderella was never a real person, wake up from fairytales and let’s smell the coffee!
“The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalm 119:130 KJV
If the Word does not enter, we suffer in darkness and confusion. True self reflection is at the lenses of His word. Beloved l hope you know that the Word of God had every dimension of life covered! From relationships to money to education to everything you choose to name! Many of us are stuck in ditches full of mud and no hand to help us out because the hand is the Word! When the word of God enters you, you begin to have sleepless nights “Lord what is it that is in the inside of me that my generation is waiting for?Lord where is the disconnect?What things should l fix?!” .. listen, you have no business having sleepless nights over movies at the expense of destiny! Look in the mirror, Is creation not groaning for your manifestation as a son of God?
Realizing the problem can help you correct it. I have been doing a lot of thinking about my life. The problem has never been the Word, it was that the word did not enter. Now that it has, through excel conference, l realise that certain things didn’t deserve my attention, my reaction or my response, some things didn’t deserve my time, some people didn’t have to come into my life , I shouldn’t have let others leave – like l said – wholesome view, wholesome correction.
As you reflect today be honest with yourself otherwise you’ll box the air all your life, are you okay? Are you sure? Are you where you wanna be? Have you done all you said you’d do by May 2024?
Those who live and never look into the mirror will never know if there’s mud on their face.
