Posts Tagged ‘relationships’

Proverbs 18:16 (Amplified Bible) ¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.

It has been a good challenge for me to decide what would be the first topic; I would blog about this year.  A lot has happen since my last posting.  I celebrated a birthday my 31^st, I began working in a new industry health care administration and officially graduated to the status of courtship with a man of valor; a friend I have known since my girlhood.

With all these new developments and responsibilities I had to begin the process of evaluating my priorities again.   Judge myself and see if the last things God told me to do, if I was still doing them with the same level of passion I had when they were first dropped in my spirit.  Or had I allowed other things to distract me from accomplishing my assignments.  Basically I asked myself have I been a faithful steward.

In short in some areas being very transparent, I have not been consistent.  The word consistency is defined by Webster to mean “1 a archaic: condition of adhering together: firmness of material substance b: firmness of constitution or character”.  Ironically, one of the points my Pastor taught during our Watch Night / New Year’s Eve service was in fact the importance of being consistent.  He let us know that his year having a steadfast mind will be one of the perquisites for obtaining the fullness of the blessing (the empowerment to prosper.)

Looking back at the last 12 months and at my I WILL statements for 2009, I can say I believe I have made good progress in areas such as being a better steward over my relationships with others professionally, personally and spiritually.  I have become more pliable and fearless out of necessity and a true desire to want to change my life for the better.

2009 was a year where God began pruning me.  I was like a tree with unruly branches that were bearing fruits of selfishness, a short temper and just plain fleshy behavior.   I had to go back to the basics in making sure I was getting in enough word and fellowship time with God (prayer) to balance any worldly attacks.  I had to humble myself and repent to those I may have hurt emotionally through the neglecting of their needs in my pursuit to guard myself from new hurts.  In short I had to get honest with myself and God.

So as I embark on this New Year 2010, the one question that I continue to replay in my head and I know I must answer is… “What was the last thing God told me to do?”

I am sure and I know that there will continue to be more pruning by God as he prepares me for the next phase.  He is preparing me to walk out my destiny in fulfill his ultimate purpose.

I DARE YOU… To begin to ask yourself similarly the question, WHAT WAS THE LAST THING GOD TOLD ME TO DO?  AM I STILL CONSISTENT IN FULFILLING IT? You may be surprised by the answer you receive back.

If you liked this feature and would like to share your own dreams, leave your comments now.

Lela Jefferson

http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I read having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver over the summer.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  I have been actually sharing my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book on my blogs.  Here is the latest question I studied out and gave commentary on.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Thirteen

7) Write Jesus a letter beginning with “Lord, I know you love me because…,” and list the ways he has shown his great love for you.

Lord, I know you love me because you gave your life as a living sacrifice for me.  You taught through your example to others that even though it is over two thousand years later I am still gleaning from your wisdom!  You left me the greatest comforter, the Holy Spirit to be my daily guide.  Even though you have been redeemed and have returned to sit at the father’s side you STILL intercede on my behalf ceaselessly.  With the simple calling of your name and my belief in your word, your only answer to me is always YES!

There is SO much that I can list about how you have shown your great love to me, but the greatest is that you called me yours before I even knew how to utter your name.  Each day I fall more and more in love with you as we grow more intimate with each other.  All I want to do is serve you and your people.  I know through my willing servitude and swift obedience to your voice, I show you my love, trust and respect in return.

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I read having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver over the summer.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  I have been actually sharing my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book on my blogs.  Here is the latest question I studied out and gave commentary on.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Twelve

6) Read Psalm 103. List at least five of the many ways God shows his love for us.  (If you are struggling to know the Father’s love, consider memorizing this chapter so you won’t forget “all his benefits.”)

The benefits that stand out for me are as follows, the complete chapter follows my highlights:

1. God forgives us of ALL our generational sins (iniquities) and he heals us of ALL our diseases (things that don’t put us at ease.)
2. God redeems our lives from evil and makes them beautiful, dignified with his loving-kindness for his sake with tender mercy.
3. Through our confessions he renews our youth like that of an eagle.
4. God does not hold grudges.
5. He removes transgressions from our lives.

Psalm 103 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 103

[A Psalm] of David.

¹BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!

²Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits–

³Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,

⁴Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;

⁵Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!^(A)

⁶The Lord executes righteousness and justice [not for me only, but] for all who are oppressed.

⁷He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

⁸The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.^(B)

⁹He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge.

¹⁰He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him.

¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

¹³As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].

¹⁴For He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

¹⁶For the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.

¹⁷But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children’s children–^(C)

¹⁸To such as keep His covenant [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it] and to those who [earnestly] remember His commandments to do them [imprinting them on their hearts].

¹⁹The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.

²¹Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, all you His hosts, you His ministers who do His pleasure.

²²Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul!

Cross references:

1. Psalm 103:5 : Isa 40:31
2. Psalm 103:8 : James 5:11
3. Psalm 103:17 : Deut 10:12

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Five

6) Have you seen God’s work for transformation in your own life or some else’s? How did you know it was a “holy makeover” and not a just a temporary “facelift”?

I have definitely seen God’s transforming love work in my own life as of late.  As I strive to get more intimate with him, he shows me time and time again how much he really loves me.  My relationship with Abba Father truly is a daughter-father one.  I am learning each day how much he wants the best for me as well.  How by accepting him as my Abba Father that there is a set of standards of my own behavior, how I look and act, the people that I fellowship with, where I fellowship and the words I allow to precede out my mouth, my attitude EVERYTHING has to line up with his WORD and his instructions for me.  If I even THINK of deviating, I now get roadblocks and warning signs clear as a bell from people, places, things and more times lately than ever prophetically from the pulpit at church!  It like he is saying…”I am warning you.  Giving you a fair amount of time to make the right decision, so if something happens you have no reason to be upset with me.  You will know, clearly know where the fault lays and what you need to do in the future to prevent that blessing blocker from even appearing.”  In return, my answer now is ‘Yes, sir and amen!”

Temporary facelift!?!?! Ha, definitely not.  Once you are in covenant with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it is for life even if YOU think is conditional.  In relation to the World’s thinking it is like the mafia.  God is all inclusive; he doesn’t do anything half stepped.  To be quite honest I would rather submit and be protected by his shadow (reference Psalm 91); then disobey and be heavenly corrected.  I have already experienced a few heavenly corrections in my lifetime, and though I felt his presence embracing me and loving me all the while.  The sting is still there to remind me and the process to get back on my original course could have been avoided if I had just listened, submitted and obeyed in the first place.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Two

3) Read Luke 10:38-42.  List two things you learn about Martha in this passage and at least two things you learn about Mary.  How would you sum up Martha in one word?  How would you sum up Mary?

Luke 10:38-42 (King James Version)

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The two things I learned about Martha in this passage is that one she had the wisdom to welcome Jesus into her home and to treat him as an honored guest.  The second is that she really did not seem to enjoy life, she had many concerns.  However, they did not seem to be anything of substance.  I have to add a third she seemed to operate on automatic.  Martha, did not wait for instruction before busying herself.  Nowhere in this passage of scripture do we see her asking Jesus what he would prefer instead it seems as if she chastised / questioned him for encouraging Mary not to help her.

Now Mary, on the other hand, is shown to have the good sense one not to open her mouth to speak before listening.  Secondly she had the wisdom to sit herself at the feet of Jesus to hear his instruction.

If I was to use one word to describe Martha it would be “Driven”.

If I was to use one word to describe Mary it would be “Purposeful”.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

The words seem to not be able to escape from my lips…

However, I know they need to be said.

Listen, I have to get this out of my head…

I know I have the power to stop you with my declarations.

I have loved you for so long.

However, I love another more…

Our destinies seem to have different paths that don’t meet in the end.

So as I am sitting here close to being washed away from my own flood of tears.

I know I must be the one to find the courage to walk away.

Shh…Don’t speak…

I really don’t want to hear anything you have to say.

Don’t waste your time.

I’m not listening.

I am not looking back.

Goodbye.

Sin…

##

By Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

& http://www.poetryofablackgirl.com

Before going to bed tonight / this morning I decided to watch Madea Goes to Jail the stage play by Tyler Perry for the first time.

Tyler Perry’s Madea character has a monologue in one of the scenes that I found to be very profound. In this scene he compares people to leaves, branches and roots of a tree… to see it for yourself click the link below, if you would like to purchase the play you may by clicking on the Amazon.com link.

Madea Goes to Jail | Stage Play – Madea giving relationship advice.

“Dating through the decades 20s…30s…40s…50s” – Essence.com

I added my voice to this article…I am slide 5 out of the 15 posted.

http://photos.essence.com/galleries/dating_through_the_decades