Tag: growing in the Holy Spirit

  • The Only True Famous One!

     Years ago, my sisters and I were traveling and while waiting in the Atlanta airport one summer, we spotted a famous R&B group. They made a veiled attempt to travel incognito, wearing shades to hide their identities. Folks that are accustomed to the perks of celebrity often have an energy that craves attention; this musical…

  • Bragging Is Just a Cover-up!

                Have you known a person who constantly brags about themselves? This is someone that dominates most of their conversations with painting themselves in the best possible light. They twist the facts and distort the truth, so they come out looking like a hero every time. I personally know someone…

  • The Choice is Obvious

    Deuteronomy 11:22(NLT) “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.” As a mother, you want to make sure that you provide enough love, guidance, and support for your children so that when they become mature,…

  • More of We Than Me

                My youngest daughter and I were reading one of her books before she went to bed. One of the sentences in the book stated, “I wish for more of we than me.” I instantly thought about how many single women are waiting for their status to be changed from…

  • Nothing Like Getting What You Want

                Isaiah 40:31(NKJV)) says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Every time I hear someone talk about how exhausted they are from dating the…

  • So Others Can Be Free

    Ever had a secret that you held on to for years? You felt so ashamed to speak it that you couldn’t imagine telling a soul. This is what happened to Allison. After celebrating what she now calls her ‘freedom week’, she shared that she had been sexually abused as a child. For years she held…

  • Just Right for YOU!

    “Marriage is not for me – I just don’t see myself being with the same person year after year.”  Have you ever heard someone make this statement? I have, and I know folks over 50 that have never been married and still continue to feel this way. “Marriage just isn’t my thing…” is another statement…

  • A Cautious and Conscientious Giver

    1 Thessalonians 5:14(NLT) “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.” I pass by the same intersection almost every day, and for a while now I’ve noticed the same man holding a cardboard sign…

  • It’s That Time Again

    Fall is Here!!! It’s hard to believe that we’re nearing the last few months of the year. I hope that most of you enjoyed the sunshine of summer and got a lot of time outdoors with your family and friends…that’s what summer is all about. Although summer is behind us and many dreaded seeing it…

  • You Can’t Always Let Your Heart Lead the Way

                People in relationships can sometimes grow apart. This is a reality that any person seeking to partner should acknowledge. I’ve heard stories about couples that have been married 25 years, and suddenly, one of them comes home from work only to find that the other partner has vamoosed. Just…

  • An ‘All Clear’ From God

    Matthew 16:19(NLT), “And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” You want to be married to a man that is compatible with you in all the ways that count to…

  • Home Is Where Love Abides

    From the outside, my mother’s house looks like any other traditional brick ranch.  Enter the front door, though, and you’ll feel like you’ve walked into a cottage of love. The memories of the home she made for us growing up reminds me of God’s wisdom in Proverbs 14:1(NLT). It says, “A wise woman builds her…

  • You Don’t Have to Run from God’s Plan

    The other day I read an article about a man that committed a crime in 1970. Authorities have only now apprehended him after he’s been on the run for over 40 years. Very few of us can understand the enormous weight of running from one’s past this long. He must’ve been paranoid beyond belief, constantly…

  • Do I Stay or Do I Go?

                Eloise was approaching a milestone birthday and was planning for it a month in advance. She was excited because this year, she had someone new in her life. Eloise had been single way longer than she wanted to be, and she had done what many singles do, and that’s…

  • God Comes First

    Romans 1:20-25(NLT) 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give…

  • God Sees the Best in You

                When Lisa met her boyfriend Ryan, she was the heaviest she’d ever been. She was always a plus-size woman, but she thought that if she trimmed down, maybe Ryan would find her more attractive.  Men are notoriously visual creatures, and some are attracted only by physical appearance, but not…

  • Who Are You When No One Else Is Looking?

    2 Corinthians 10:10-11(NLT) “10 For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” 11 Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away.” The watering down of the gospel…

  • The Tongue of the Wise

                  Hebrews 11:6 tells us that our Heavenly Father is a Rewarder to those that diligently seek Him. This should be important to us because all of us should want to please God, and all of us like rewards. They are the subject of many of our prayers. We…

  • When the Relationship Gets Tough

    Isaiah 43:1-3 (NLT) “1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you…

  • Weeding Out What Isn’t Working for You

    Weeding Out What Isn’t Working for You

    I’m letting you know up front that this is going to be one of those teachings that encourages you to keep on fighting for the life you want, but I’m also aiming to do something else. I’m going to tell you what God says we must do in order to obtain and maintain the blessing…

  • Always Remember…

    “Always remember to teach your kids this; if they do what needs to be done first, they can do what they want to do later.” This is a piece of commonsense wisdom from a woman I truly admire. Everyone called her Ms. Jenny, and she was my next-door neighbor. When I met them, she and…

  • I See You!

                1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not the author of disorder, confusion, or chaos, but He is the One True God of peace. This yummy morsel of knowledge is extremely consequential to any believer’s quest to partner with the person that God will present to them. If…

  • I Get To Do It All Over Again!

    Ecclesiastes 1:9-11(NLT) “9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember…

  • Our Unlimited Treasure

    In his parable in Matthew 13:44(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” Can you imagine going out into a field and stumbling…

  • 7 Qualities of a Good Friend

    Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Has a sympathetic listening ear 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT) “11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” Provides Godly and wise counsel Proverbs 27:9 (NLT) “9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as…

  • The Tough Part is Over!

                John 14:27(NLT) “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” I was thirty-three years old when I broke my elbow. It hurt so bad that I almost went…

  • Forgetting the Things of the Past

    We should never judge a book by its cover. This is one of those golden rules, and it truly is one to live by. Judging something solely on the basis of what appears externally can be a costly mistake, and many single women can testify to this. A person can be pleasing to the eye,…

  • It’s Time to Get Off This Bumpy Ride

                2Thessalonians 3:15(NLT) gives us a tremendous jewel of comfort. It says “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” This verse is so comforting that we might forget to absorb the wisdom of…

  • God Will Never Forget About You

    The other day, I spoke with a Christian man that many perceive as a strong man of God. He’s been very active in the community and in his church; and for some, he’s looked upon as very dependable and a pillar of both. However, he told me that he’s reverting to those old ways, what…

  • God Is Close Beside Us

    Psalm 23:4-6(NLT) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows…