Jesus Speaks – Give It Over to Lord

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Jesus is like a speaker with a microphone. Whenever someone gets up to give a presentation or make an announcement, nine times out of 10, they are talking through a microphone. If there’s some important event or meeting that is taken place like in an auditorium or a big conference room, they use a microphone. Also, the speaker is usually standing behind a podium and looking down at their audience – all the guests that came to hear them speak. Guess what? God is just like that!

God is thee Speaker and we’re supposed to be his listeners. When the announcer prepares you for a guest speaker, almost always they will give an introduction and some background history about the speaker. After they have done that they will say, “Now, I’m going to turn it over to the hands of…” Give It Over to the Lord! Jesus speaks and makes His announcements from the heavens above. That is His stage. We as people in the world are His members. Our ears and hearts are to be open to His messages. Sometimes God’s voice can be as loud as thundering clap or as soft as the still voice in the night. Whichever way God chooses to speak to us over the loudspeaker, He does speak!

The Countenance of God

The Countenance of God

For probably the third time in my life, I can vividly recall God’s peace regarding a situation or circumstance I had to deal with. I felt the peace of God. God’s peace surpasses all understanding. What you expect to feel in the natural, you don’t. How you are expected to act in the natural, you don’t. The way people expect you to react, you don’t when you have God’s peace. God’s peace may seem abnormal or foreign to those who don’t understand how His peace works.

When my PT Cruiser got repossessed, I had peace and my countenance was truly of God. I didn’t stress or worry or react in my flesh. My spirit was calm.

There’s no wonder I wanted to smile – it was the countenance of the Lord smiling through me. I couldn’t fight it. I felt the smile coming through; taking over my face.

Numbers 6:25 NLT

May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you.

Numbers 6:26 NKJV

May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Psalms 149:4 NKJV

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

I instantly had peace. No worries or fear. I didn’t have any doubt or anxiety. I just felt so much peace within me. It wasn’t the internal reaction I had anticipated. In that moment, I was reminded of just how GREAT God is! God is greater than anything I face here on earth. My storms may appear as mountains, but even my God is higher than they are.

On Wednesday, July 22^nd, 2015, I woke up at 6:16 AM to a text from my building manger. He said, “Morning!! Do you know your car was towed at 5:45AM?” I responded with, “No, I do not!! Thanks for telling me.”

After responding, I sat up on my sectional…and just sat there. I didn’t cry. I didn’t get mad. I didn’t feel any anger but only a sincere peace. I felt a smile starting to form on my face and I was thinking, “Why the heck am I smiling?!”

 I was acting goofy and enjoying my baby blessings that I had received.

I was five months pregnant and I just lost my means of transportation. How am I going to get back and forth to work now? How am I going to get my baby to his doctor appointments? My baby is going to be born in the winter time. I don’t want to be on the bus with him. All of those thoughts were probably buried somewhere deep down or hidden in my mind, but they didn’t pop up in my mind, nor did they form on my lips. I honestly just sat there and smiled and thanked God!

 

What God had in store for me the following day blew my mind almost to the point of disbelief but it gave me a new belief!

The next evening while I was working in the ED, a paramedic who I’d seen probably only once or twice previously. had came through that night with a patient. I remembered the last time I seen him he was joking with me and giving me a hard time.

*SIDE NOTE**

I was pregnant and my baby’s father was not in the picture during this time. I became very oblivious to when a guy was flirting with me or liking me because my mind & thoughts were so far from that. I didn’t realize until that night that he had liked me from before. I was sitting down and my stomach was underneath the desk so I didn’t know for sure if he could tell I was pregnant. Of course when I see him, he’s giving me a hard time as usual. I can’t remember what exactly triggered it but he asked me what my favorite food was. I excitedly said “Italian!” He asked me if he could take me out sometime. He asked me for my number and wanted me to write it down. I told him No, and to not mess up the flow and that he needed to write it down. He told me he would call or text me later that night.

I received a text from the “ambulance guy” probably a couple of hours later and he asked me how my shift was going and general info about myself. He told me some brief info about himself as well – the number of kids he had and their age. I didn’t offer to tell him that I was pregnant because I still didn’t know if he knew or not. Well, he asked me if I had any kids and that’s when I told him. He said, “Wow. Congratulations.” He asked about the father and said that he knew he was excited. I told him he wasn’t in the picture. I can’t remember right now how the subject came about but I told him that my co-worker was dropping me home and he said carpooling was nice. I informed him that I don’t normally carpool but that she was giving me a ride because my car was just repossessed yesterday morning. Mind you, I did not tell him that looking for pity, sympathy or whatever. It was the simple truth and I was just led to say exactly what it was. You will not believe what he said to me.

His response to my statement was, “Do you want to borrow my car until you are able to get another one?” COME AGAIN!!???

I was totally taken back by his response. I didn’t know this man. I just learned of his name that night. Why on earth would he offer a complete stranger his car??!! I asked him was he for real. I told him I’d get back to him and that I had to pray about it.

Does God really answer your prayers that quick? What’s the catch? As we continued texting, I asked him what he would drive. He told me he had another car. I’m just sitting at work looking dumb-founded and in complete shock and so speechless.

Well, come the next morning, the “ambulance guy” calls me up and asks me what I’m doing and what’s for breakfast. I told him cereal because I didn’t get paid until such and such. He said he’d just got off work and asked me if I wanted him to take me grocery shopping. I kindly told him that I didn’t have any money and wouldn’t until a certain time. He asked me again if I wanted him to take me shopping. He does and this was the results:

We went to two different stores. Andddd…he took me out to eat for breakfast at iHop after buying me all of those groceries!!!!

I could go on & on about this particular season of my life when I was pregnant but I wanted to share this part of my testimony for a reason. We never know how God is going to answer our prayers. We never know who God will use to be an angel or a blessing in our lives when we are growing through our storms. God indeed hears our prayers. I remember exactly what my prayer was the day I lost my car and it was like God used this man verbatim. God used this man for a season to show me what it truly means to be treated like a lady and how a man is supposed to treat his woman. I have never been treated in such a manner before by any of my exes. I had never been pampered and treated like a Queen before. God used this man for a short season for a reason and it opened up my eyes to all that I’d been missing with my son’s father as well as in my past relationships. God used him to prove to me that there is such a gentleman out there who HE has created just for me that will know how to treat me when God says the time is right.

 

A Single Mother's Joy

I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.
Jeremiah NLT 10:34 NLT


☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

My life was never my own to begin with but that became very evident after becoming a mother. "My" time now rests upon someone else's schedule. I eat when I can and when I do I almost always have to share. Bathroom privileges, including 🚿, you got to get in where you fit in. It may be the wee hours of the night 🌃 or early sunrise 🌅.  Alone time - I miss those days where I could just lay in my bed all day and do nothing or be alone with my thoughts, get up and go when I want to. Sleep 😴 - I'm still truly amazed at how your body and mind gravitates to not sleeping. I have days or moments where I'm super exhausted but after my day gets going I kind of forget about it and I'm good to go! LOL I have gotten better and DO take advantage of the opportunity to sleep when my baby is sleeping. Some of my work around the house is completed late at night. There is a lot I want and need to get done but sometimes we do have to leave that pile or issue for another day.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:2-3 NKJV

My son will be 9 months this month and I am no longer ashamed to admit publicly that I have still been struggling to balance my time with the LORD and my time with my son. When I do set time for GOD and make HIM priority by praying, reading, praising, writing to HIM, there is a difference in my day! There is a difference in my spirit. Only by keeping GOD 1st in my life am I even able to carry out this motherly job! I know in the beginning HE graced me because I was a new mom and still adjusting and etc. but I know I'm now passed that season and need to make some sacrifices. The time & schedule that I set to for my time with GOD will not be the same as everyone else's. My time with HIM may be when everyone else is sleeping. It may be the early morning or it may be the middle of the day. During The War in the Mind classes, I distinctly remember my Pastor saying we have to figure out what schedule works for us and stick to it. GOD will honor that. If it starts off as only being 15 minutes a day - at least we are sacrificing and making that time for GOD.

Do I miss the life I had before I became a mother? Yes & No. Yes, I miss being able to do absolutely nothing when I wanted to. I miss staying up late (your girl can't hang anymore these days) to watch movies; I miss getting up and jumping in my car to shop or wherever I wanted to go and staying as long as I wanted. Yes, I miss sleeping in. I miss my nice long naps. Yep - I would get in at least 2 a day! Hahahaa

All that I miss has no comparison to what I have gained. The Lord blessed me with a beautifully handsome son who is such a great joy to everyone that comes in contact with him. GOD allowed me to get pregnant when HE did and by who HE chose because the LORD knew that I was on the path of self-destruction and had HE NOT intervened when HE did...WHOA JESUS!!!!!!! That's a scary thought to think where I could have ended up. BUT GOD!!

When the LORD intervenes on our behalf and disrupts the plans we thought we had, count it all joy! Once we have said YES to GOD, our lives are no longer our own. We are to glorify GOD with our lives, with our actions, and with our words.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV

I am a single mother but my circumstances doesn't dictate the joy and peace that I have. I will have joy in my heart in spite of what I go through.

I pray this post has blessed & encourgaed you IN the LORD today!!
🙏 ❤😍

The Wrong Way

Early morning Luvs! I first want to thank you for checking out my new blog post. As always, it is my hope and prayer that you are blessed and encouraged IN the Lord by the things HE places on my heart and in my spirit to share with everyone.

I woke up around 2:30 and I was just thinking..randomly, and the Lord dropped this into my spirit: How funny (maybe not so much) is it that we KNOW NOT to drive down the wrong way on a One Way street (not talking about those few that actually do drive the wrong way) but we don't know or don't stop going the wrong way towards someone or a situation when GOD has clearly given us signs?!? 

I heard in my spirit that going in the wrong direction on that One Way street doesn't and won't make it a Two Way street. So, why do we think that by continuing on with someone that we KNOW GOD has showed us is the wrong way or the wrong direction that we can make them into something they aren't supposed to be??! HELLO 👋  SOMEBODY!!

Now, I'm not saying that they can't or don't turn One Way streets into Two Way streets because they have.

My whole point is that GOD gives us signs about a person or a situation almost immediately but we choose to NOT yield to them. 

Going in the wrong direction of a One Way street is just going to put you in danger and at risk of an auto collision or worst.

Let us learn how to thank GOD for HIS signs and to be grateful at just how much HE loves us. GOD doesn't have to warn us about anything but HE does because HE loves us and cares about us! GOD's ways and thoughts are higher than ours.


“For  as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:9 NKJV


If GOD is telling us NO! Or to NOT ENTER! Or DON'T GO THAT WAY! or ONE WAY ONLY! HE is telling us for a reason. It's for our good.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.
Psalms 84:11 NKJV

GOD is our light and protector  (sun and shield). If we walk upright - are on accord with what is right, more importantly, with the things GOD says is right, then HE will not withhold any good thing from us.

If you are going the wrong way my prayer is that you ask GOD to open your eyes 👀  to see what HE sees. Ask the Lord to give you a sign. Ask the Lord to show you the sign again if you missed it or ignored HE.

HE cares about your well being and only wants the very best for you. If you are reading this it's not too late!!!

I love you with the love of the Lord and I thank you for reading my blog. Be a Blessing to somebody somehow on today!! 🙏❤🙏❤

Fornication Got Me Pregnant & Alone

Blessings to all who took the time to read my post. I greatly appreciate it! SPREAD THE WORD!! Much Love to each and everyone of you..

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The Holy Spirit put this in my spirit last week and I've been attempting to finish it up because I feel it's a needed message for right now. For those who read my blog or any of my writings that I post, you're probably aware that a big majority of it are my own personal testimonies and the other half is something the Lord places in my spirit that usually comes from something I've heard or watched or even from something someone has shared with me. That's just the way the Lord has chosen to use me and the way the Holy Spirit works through me. I'm very thankful for the gift!

I pray that you are very blessed and encouraged by my writing(s). All glory and praise goes to the Lord above! I'm just a vessel He has chosen to use..


Let's start with the definition of fornication: sexual intercourse outside marriage; voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried people (not married to one another).

The Bible's definition: sexual immorality; spiritual whoredom (2 Chronicles 21:10-14)

Fornication caused me to get pregnant, which resulted in me being left alone in the end You notice I said, fornication and not sex. I know that line right there went over a lot of people's heads. Married couples can legally have sex with each other in the eyes of God. I'm not married, nor was I married when I conceived my baby.

"There are numerous Scriptures that declare sex before marriage to be a sin (Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21;Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7). The Bible promotes complete abstinence before marriage. Sex between a husband and his wife is the only form of sexual relations of which God approves (Hebrews 13:4)."
http://www.gotquestions.org/God-hate-sin.html

Now, lets talk about the definition of the word alone: separate, apart, isolation from others; unique, unequaled and unexcelled.

Isn't it ironically funny and very interesting how the words separate, apart and unequal are mentioned for the meaning of the word alone? Have any of you made the connection yet?? :)

SIN separates us from GOD! "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)  The Bible also says, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

I just want to first off state that the Lord dropped this into my spirit last week, If there is anyone who feels offended by this message, TAKE IT UP WITH GOD! As my Pastor lovingly says, "I know this is God." :) My post is not to judge or attack anyone, but it was put into my spirit to share this message. This is what the Lord gave to me regarding me but I also know this is for SOMEONE else as well! No longer can we feel ashamed and hide regarding our faults and disobedience! If you have repented and turned away from these sins and asked the Lord to deliver you and help you with your daily struggle(s), YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN! The Lord convicts; the devil condemns! STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP AND DWELLING ON THOSE THINGS! Your story needs to be told to help FREE others!

Now, in regards to be being left alone in my pregnancy, it is very much true that you can be a married woman and get pregnant and still end up alone. The husband can get scared; he may not have wanted kids or be isn't for kids; he may not be working and think it's a burden because their fiances aren't right. There could be many reasons. What I believe in my heart when it concerns married couples in those situations, is that because there was a covenant and solid foundation established from the moment they said "I do", that husband, who is the father, can easily be drawn back to his wife, who is his rib, versus someone he has soul ties with.

FYI: Soul ties are very powerful and hard to break away from, but that's another story.


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THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO TO RELEASE, BUT I FEEL THERE'S MORE GOD WANTS ME TO ADD TO IT. UNTIL THEN, STAY STRONG IN YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD!

IT..WILL.GET..BETTER!!!!

God's Hand: My Personal Testimony

So, it has definitely been a long time sinceI've published any writing on my blog. I have a lot of poetry and inspirationals I've written which I've posted via my Instagram writing account, but nothing on my blog site. A lot has changed since my very last post back in January of 2014. I plan on being active with my blog account again.

As always, I am blessed by the support and I appreciate it along with the feedback. I thank God for using me to be a blessing to so many. Be encouraged in the Lord!!!

~Raven J. ❤💋❤💋❤

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Last week Tuesday, July 7th, I had somewhat of a nervous breakdwon. It could hae been a lot worst and I anticipated it being as such, but God interceded! You know when you feel a head cold coming on and you try to remedy it right away? You buy or make sure you have your orange juice, cough drops and some soup on deck and attempt to nip it in the bud that night?! Well, I forseen myself just flipping out and just giving up. I literally felt myself no longer caring and just feeling completely helpless! "So a man thinketh, so is he."


Ironically, I did just get done praying and speaking positivity into the atmosphere regarding my situation. I was naming & claiming it..Now, either I didn't really have faith in what I was praying, I didn't pray hard enough, or the prayer(s) that I spoke was like that seed that fell on on the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Either way, I instantly became depressed and just felt like giving up and that everything that I knew to do or was supposed to do was just not helping me in any kind of way. I felt helpless and I got scared and started worrying about how I'd be able to care for my little Prince.

No matter what I'm going through or how I'm feeling, 95% of the time, taking a shower always seems to make me feel better. Well, on this particular day, I took my shower and it didn't make me feel better, which I have had happened a few times before and I went on with my day. On this particular day, I took my shower, cleaned myself up and whatnot but afterwards, I just sat in the tub with the water runniing down on me for about a good 30 minutes.


Earlier, before I even got ready to take my shower, I just sat in my bed and I wanted my mind to wander. I just sat there and and just wanted it to just go! So, when I was just sitting there in the shower tub all of that time, that's what I wanted to happen, too! I just sat there and tried to disappear from within myself. I did cry out to God and asked Him to not let me drown. (Figuratively, not literally)

 I asked Him to save me from myself. I asked Him to come down and rescue me! I asked Him to help me and to make a way out of this situation. I kept rubbing my stomach and looking dowb at it and was thinking about my baby and still feeling helpless. After a while, I became numb again and just continued to just sit there and attempted to let my mind go one more time. I didn't want to think of anything. I didn't want to be going through what I was going through. I hated feeling helpless.

During all of that, I still managed to think of something to pray over myself. I said, "God still has His hand on me. God still has His hand on my baby. I still have a purpose." Even though I was completely lost and down and depressed, the Holy Spirit was still able to reach me! I still was able to remember one of the Lord's many promises to me. The Lord will NEVER leave me nor FORSAKE me!!!

I share this very personal, detailed, and raw testimony to say this: ENCOURAGERS NEED ENCOURAGING, TOO! People who are always smiling seem to be the ones who have the most unimaginable stories, who's smiles hold the deepest scars. There's a lot behind someone's smile. A phone call can actually save someone's life! A text message can save someone's life! A visit can save someone's life! Simply saying Hi and asking someone how they are doing and/or how their day is going can make a HUGE difference in a person's day.
I remember when Hulk Hogan was doing the new American Gladiators show wtih Laila Ali, he talked about how he was in a really bad place and was at the point of committing suicide just before his co-host Laila Ali called him on the phone. I believe he said he had a gun in his hand..


***IF SOMEONE IS ON YOUR MIND, REACH OUT TO THEM! WE MAY NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHY GOD PLACES SOMEONE IN OUR HEART OR MIND. YOU MAY JUST BE THAT PERSON WHO HAS THAT ENCOURAGING WORD THEY NEED! DON'T GO OFF OF YOUR FEELINGS & THOUGHTS. THE LORD WILL LEAD YOU AND TELL YOU WHAT TO SAY IF ANYTHING. IF YOU CAN'T CALL THEM, TEXT THEM. IF YOU CAN, PAY THEM A VISIT AND LET THEM KNOW YOU POPPED UP UNEXPECTEDLY BECAUSE YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM. IF YOU CAN PHYSICALLY REACH OUT TO THEM RIGHT THEN & THERE, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND COVER THEM IN PRAYER! LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD AND MAKE SURE TO REACH OUT TO THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INDEED OKAY!!!***

We all have our own personal journeys & walk that is designed specifically for us. Even though no person can walk someone's else's path, they don't have to walk it alone. At the end of the day, we ALL are trying to survive and make it one more day!!

Love on somebody today!!!! I love you and God bless each & everyone of you!!!

Stay ENCOURAGED in the Lord!!!

Photo Credit: Google Images and Zedge Wallpapers for the black & white photo with my poem on the bottom.