Encouraging and empowering people to live victorious lives in Christ

Posts tagged ‘perseverance’

It’s Launch Day for my new book!

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve written to you.  I’ve been focused on an important project that I’m excited to announce to you today!

Today is Launch Day for my new book, Beauty from the Battle: A Six-Week Devotional for Thriving in Difficult Times!  And to say I’m excited is an understatement!

I started this journey in January of this year (and it’s been just that, a journey).  I could not have done this without God and His inspiration and guidance throughout this process.  Additionally, with advice and encouragement from other authors and my launch team (shout out to Tayanna, Iva, Ericka, Nikki and Adrienne), we’ve crossed the publication finish line!

I would love it if you would do a couple of things for me:

  • Pick up a copy today!  It’s available on Amazon (paperback or Kindle), or you can order directly from me to receive an autographed copy by clicking here.
  • Join me at my virtual launch party this Sunday November 16 at 4pm EST via Zoom or YouTube.
  • Tell a friend!  Just forward this email to your circle!

All for now!  Thanks for celebrating this special day with me!

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Joy Is Still Possible—Even in Hard Seasons

As you read the title of my message today, you may wonder how joy is possible in hard seasons.  You may even ask how ‘joy’ and ‘hard seasons’ can exist in the same sentence! Hard seasons are hard!  And there’s probably nothing good about what we may be going through: nothing good about losing your only source of income, nothing good about losing a loved one.  So, how is joy possible?

Paul, in his letter to the Roman church, says this:

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13, NLT

Paul is coming to the end of this letter to the Romans, a letter that has been filled with doctrinal truths about the sinfulness of man, Jesus and the forgiveness He offers and how we should live as a result of our new lives in Christ.  In all of that important information, this verse in Romans 15 really stands out in my mind.  

Paul is offering a prayer on behalf of the Roman believers, and because we too are believers, we can also receive it.  His desire is that the God of hope would fill us with joy and peace as we trust in Him.  This verse reminds us that God is the source of our joy, no matter what we may be experiencing.  The verse also says that, because of the joy and peace we receive, we will overflow with hope!  This kind of hope is not just a wish, but it’s a confident assurance of what God says we have in Him and an assurance of who we are in Him.  Again, this is regardless of our circumstances.

This message is just a quick reminder to you that joy is possible, even in hard times.  As we trust in Him, we can experience the joy, peace and hope that will carry us through our difficulties.  Things may be tough now, but we have an assurance that God is with us in the tough times and provides exactly what we need when we need it. AMEN!

If you know someone who is in the middle of a challenging season, please forward this message to them.  Also, I would love for you to share your comments below.

Be blessed!

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How’s your year going?

As we are approaching the end of March (can you believe it?), we are also approaching the end of the first quarter of 2025.  This time is a great opportunity to assess where we are with the goals we set at the beginning of the year. It’s also a great time to make sure we heard God clearly on the things we decided to do.

Proverbs 16:1 and 9 say this:

“The preparations of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”

and

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”  

(NKJV)

One commentary on the book of Proverbs notes that “people design what they will say and do, but the Lord decrees what will endure and form part of his eternal purposes”   So, it’s ok for us to make plans.

So, how do Christians plan?  We’re not making plans in a vacuum; we plan in the context of the Word of God and what God is saying to us about a particular thing.  We pray for and seek wisdom as we begin to make plans, and we are open to hearing the Holy Spirit if we need to course correct or adjust.  We are flexible.

I believe it’s the second part of verse 9 that reminds us of the importance of being flexible.  If the Lord leads us in a different direction, we should trust in that guidance and move appropriately. Notice I said “The Lord.” I am an advocate of seeking wise counsel, but at the same time, our relationship with God should be living and active so we can clearly hear what He is saying to us (and He can certainly use the voice of wise counsel to assist us). And just because we made a particular plan doesn’t mean we have to stick with it if it is no longer the right thing for us to do.  Don’t let your pride get in the way of shifting plans and focus as needed!

As we lean into the direction and guidance we receive from God, and “commit your actions to the Lord, [then] your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3, NLT).  Do you want to be successful?  I believe God wants that for us also!  Let’s follow what the Word of God says about planning, setting goals, course correcting and success.

I encourage you to take some time today (or over the next couple of days) to assess where you are with the plans you made at the beginning of the year, and seek God to determine if any adjustments need to be made, so that you can experience success the way God intended!

Before I go, will you please do me a favor?  I would love it if you would subscribe to my YouTube channel!  Just click here to become a part of my YouTube community; you’ll be the first to know when I’m going live there! 

Have a great day!

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God is a Keeper!

The last few weeks have been extremely busy!  Between a hectic work schedule (things have slowed down for a couple of weeks, thank goodness), speaking and teaching assignments, and just “life,” my stress level has been high.  I’ve gotten out of my routine of working out regularly and eating healthy (slowing getting back into those things now).  Since we’re now in the season of Lent, I am intentionally trying to slow down a bit in my morning routine so I can reset.

During my prayer time yesterday, I began to reflect on my life over the last 18 months.  I may have shared before that back in September of 2023, I was laid off from my job of almost 25 years.  I started thinking about my journey from that last day when I mailed in my laptop, cell phone and badge, until now. From participating in career counseling, to getting jobs (and all the rejection letters that came before the job offers) and learning new industries, I can truly say that God has kept me!  Tears of gratitude began to flow! It has been, and continues to be, an adventure of ups and downs, but the one constant over this time period is God.  All of my needs have been met (and I do mean ALL), I’ve met new people who have expanded my network, and I am learning to exercise my faith in a greater way. 

I was talking to a friend the other day, and she acknowledged that the anniversary of her father’s transition has just passed.  At that moment, I realized that the anniversary of my grandmother’s transition had also just passed (she’s been with the Lord for 5 years).  Do you recall what was happening 5 years ago this month? It was the beginning of the COVID global pandemic.  My mind went back to that time when my family was trying to plan a funeral when no one understood what was happening, and how sad we were that we couldn’t give her the homegoing service she deserved because of the shutdowns.  But through all of that, God kept us!

If you were to look over your life, I believe you would come to the same conclusion!  God has kept you!  Even if life is hard for you right now, you can still reflect on what God has done for you in the past.  Let those memories remind you of His goodness and His power, and keep you focused on the fact that if He’s kept you before, He can do it again!

God is a keeper!

Please do me a favor: share this blog post with a friend and encourage them to subscribe!

Be blessed!

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Be Still and Know

Yesterday, I was honored to record a podcast episode with a ministry friend and partner (I’ll be sure to share with you when the episode goes live).  After the recording, we chatted for a few minutes and before we ended our conversation, she asked how she could pray for me (every time we talk, she asks that question and I appreciate her for it).  I shared my prayer needs, and she said she would pray that I would be able to find moments of rest in a busy season.    As I thought about that conversation today, Psalm 46 came to my mind.

The writer David starts the song this way: 

God is our refuge and strength,

    always ready to help in times of trouble.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come

    and the mountains crumble into the sea.

(Psalm 46:1-2, NLT)

The last several weeks have been extremely busy for me, between work, church (including preaching and teaching), attending a conference for Christian retailers and authors, attending a conference for the organization my church falls under, and my birthday! It’s been a lot!  My friend’s words about finding moments of rest really resonated with me because, in this season, it will be the moments of rest that will refresh me and keep me going.

Toward the end of Psalm 46, David writes these words (they are the words of God):

“Be still and know that I am God!

    I will be honored by every nation.

    I will be honored throughout the world.”

(Psalm 46:10, NLT)

No matter what is happening around us or in our lives, if we are still and focus on God and the fact that He is God, we can navigate the different seasons of our lives.  Those moments of stillness and focus may be brief (driving from one place to another,picking up groceries or taking a short walk).  I’m sure each of us would love extended periods of rest, such as a vacation, but if those are not possible right now, a moment of refreshing can do the trick to carry us through all the things we need to accomplish.   And we may need to take moments (plural) of refreshing on a regular basis to sustain us.

May we seek God and look to Him for those times of refreshing, no matter how brief they may be. He is our source for everything, and as He sustains us, He is glorified in our lives.

Let’s be still and know today.  Amen!

Feel free to share this post with a friend and encourage them to subscribe to my blog!

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Making Deposits That Matter

Do you realize that you have a spiritual bank account?  No, you can’t go into a bank branch to open one of these, but our spiritual accounts do exist!  When we use banks or other financial instruments, we make deposits into them so we can draw out of them later.  If you ever tried to withdraw from an empty bank account, you are disappointed when there’s nothing for you to receive, right?

The key is to put something in your financial account before you need it.  The same applies for our spiritual bank account!  We should be adding to our account daily via spiritual disciplines (such as prayer, fasting, studying the Word etc.) so that we will have someone to withdraw when there is a need.  While we can do these things (and should) in the middle of difficult times, let’s not wait until we’re struggling to try to shore up our accounts.  When we make deposits little by little, our deposits compound (just like when our financial deposits compound with interest), and before we know it, we will have more than we anticipated!  

So let’s start somewhere!  How are you planning to make a deposit into your spiritual account today?  While financial deposits are important, spiritual deposits are the ones that really matter!  

Be blessed!

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Only Believe!

Welcome to 2025!  2024 may have been hard for you (it was a challenging year for me for sure, a year of change and stretching).  As you are reading this, you may be thinking that, although we are in a new year, not much is different from the old one.  There may be health issues, the loss of a loved one or financial challenges that still exist as you flipped your calendar from 2024 or 2025.  What can we do?

No matter what is going on, even if nothing has changed, the last thing we should do is to stop believing.  Believing that all things are possible with God (according to Matthew 19:26), that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (according to Philippians 4:13), and that the promises of God are yes and amen (according to 2 Corinthians 1:20).  2025 has the potential to be a great year for us, but nothing can guarantee that it won’t have its challenges.  When hard times come (or as they continue), our mindset and our beliefs are key!  

As we enter this new year, I encourage you to search the scriptures for the promises that God has made to us and make them a part of your daily declarations.  The more you declare, the more you will believe!  And what you believe will carry you through the good and the not-so-good times. 

Jesus told Jairus, when his daughter died, to “only believe” (Mark 5). And miraculously, his daughter was brought back to life. Even if things look hopeless, let’s make sure our beliefs are in the One who is a miracle worker, way maker and a promise keeper!  In 2025, let’s “only believe!”

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Get ready for breakthrough!

So…you have been planning, praying and working toward a particular dream or goal. It hasn’t manifested yet but you’re believing God for it, walking by faith and expecting it to happen. Whether it’s financial increase, a growth in the number of clients your business serves or a new vehicle, the question I want to ask you today is, “are you prepared for the thing you’re believing for?”

If you are making strides to grow your business, what happens when it does grow? Are you prepared to go from a small number of clients to a greater number? How will you manage them? When you purchase that dream car, are you ready to handle the maintenance on it, making sure you keep up with it and have the funds to pay for it? Or when you receive that financial increase, are you planning to use it wisely?

While you’re waiting for your goals and dreams to come to fruition, make sure you’re preparing yourself to handle them! That means making the necessary adjustments in YOU for the future. For example, I should probably learn how to budget the money I have now so that when I receive more, I know how to handle it and it’s not wasted (just think about those lottery winners who end up broke in a few short years). Or, I should be intentional about cleaning the home I’m living in now, so that when I purchase my dream home, I’m already in the habit of maintaining it. You get the picture!  The time to get ready for your “more” is now, not when it arrives!

And as you prepare, I believe something will happen: you will become even more grateful for what you already have! Even if we’re lacking in a particular area, being mindful of what we have will help us to appreciate it more! 

How are you getting ready for your breakthrough? I encourage you to ask yourself this question and see where you need to improve in this area (because we all do). Let’s be good stewards of the things God has blessed us with now so we are ready for what is coming in the future!

Let’s get ready for our breakthrough!

I would love to hear your comments, please share them below!

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Are you resilient?


This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to be the worship leader at a church’s 127th anniversary (it was a great celebration!).  As I read the church’s history, I thought about the fact that over 127 years, the members of the church had to be resilient to continue the church’s work for all those years.  What does resiliency mean?  

One of the definitions of resiliency from Dictionary.com is “the ability of a person to adjust to or readily recover from illness, adversity, major life changes, etc.” I would imagine that over 127 years, the church faced many challenging times, and yet, they are still in existence today and fulfilling their mission!

What about you?  Each of us will face (or has faced) challenges and adversity. How do we handle them? Do we allow them to derail our goals and purpose, or are we resilient and “adjust to or readily recover” from them?  We have a choice in how we use what’s happened to us; we can choose to be stuck in the negative or we choose to use difficulties to make us better. I encourage you to choose the latter!

Use the past to learn lessons that can serve you in the future.  Use the past to remind you that if you survive one difficult experience that you can survive another one.  Use your memory of the past to remind you of how far you’ve come.  Then move forward with resiliency! 

Life happens to all of us, but we don’t have to allow it to stop us!  When I experienced challenges, I needed to pause for a little while to recover emotionally and mentally, but then I kept going.  It’s ok to pause…just don’t stop!

I hope this message helps you in whatever you may be facing. Resiliency is key to ensuring your success, even in the face of hard things.

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Why Should Christians Assemble Themselves Together?

We live in a world where technology affords us opportunities to do thing quickly and easily, many times with little to no help from others. We have smartphones and tablets that we can use to get the latest information on any given topic, without having to ask anyone. If we want to connect with someone, we can use our devices to do so, and when we call them, instead of just hearing a voice, we can also see them ‘face to face.’   If we want to further our education, we can take online classes (as a student in an online Master’s program, I can relate to this).  And if we want to participate in a worship service, we can live stream many churches from anywhere in the world.

Assemble Ourselves Image

Technology is a good thing, but it has the ability to make us think we don’t need to get together with other believers.   Hebrews 10:25 tells us “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near (NLT).” Since the Word of God is timeless and true, this not only applied to believers during the time this was written, but it also applies to us today.  So the question is: in spite of all the advances that enable us to go solo, why should Christians assemble ourselves together? What are the benefits of assembling ourselves together? I’m glad you asked!

As we come together in worship and praise, we receive encouragement from one another, as the verse in Hebrews clearly tells us.  Each person has had difference experiences during the previous week, and will have to encounter other types of challenges in the upcoming week.  These tests can sometimes cause us to get discouraged, so we are to build one another up as we face them, admonishing each other to “…stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV).  Assembling ourselves together is a way for each of us to get the strength we need to face these tests, “for you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:2-4, NLT). The encouragement we can receive coming together and sharing with one another is invaluable (having recently experienced this myself, I can totally relate)!

Also, as we come together, we are given opportunities to minister to others. Worship service is not just about what we can receive individually, but also what we can give to someone else.  God can use us in unexpected ways to be a blessing to others, and we should always be prepared to minister to and bless one another.  Being prepared to minister doesn’t necessarily mean having a sermon or teaching prepared, nor is it just reserved for those who are called to ministry (although every believer has a ministry…that’s another topic for another blog).  We should ask God to send us opportunities to be a blessing to someone, and be open to recognize them when they come.  They can be things as simple as greeting someone with a smile and a hug (not knowing that your greeting is the first friendly one they’ve received in a while), holding the door open for someone, or offering to watch a baby while mom goes to the restroom.  Or you may be called to pray for someone or offer a word of encouragement to a person who’s hurting. Instead of saying, “I’ll keep you in my prayers,” why not stop right then and there and pray for them? What a tangible and real way to show someone you love them and are concerned about them!

Lastly, when we assemble ourselves together, we can learn from one another.  Yes we can certainly listen to a sermon or teaching online, but there’s nothing like sitting next to someone hearing the message or teaching and seeing the light bulbs of revelation come on!  When we’re in small groups or in Sunday School classes, we have the chance to share our personal experiences, which help us to see how the Word of God manifests in real and practical ways. We can ask questions about what we’re learning (something we can’t do over a livestream) and others can help reinforce the lessons in our minds.

Yes, life can get busy, and technology gives us the opportunity to hear God’s Word wherever we may be.  But nothing can replace Christians coming together to fellowship with each other, encourage each other, learn together and pray for one another.  So put your electronic device away, get up and go assemble with the saints of God.  I promise that you’ll be blessed by the experience and will be able to share that blessing with others.   See you in service!

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