Experiencing Life by Jacqueine D. Moore

Remember, Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward. ~ Henry Ford

Scripture:
Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13

I often use real life experiences when I write my devotionals. I like to contrast my life and the lives of those around me to the word of God. I do this because I believe that when others can see the manifestation of God in today’s world, they will walk away saying, “I get it!

I would like to believe that in everything we do, there is a lesson to be learned. I know that is usually the case for me. Even our failures and disappointments can be a learning experience if we allow it.

In the bible, Jesus often used parables to tell a story. The reason that he did this was so that those around him would receive what he had to say. Now I am not comparing myself to Jesus, but I too use parables to get my point across. I often get responses to these devotionals from readers telling me just how much my message touched their lives. These messages are truly humbling to me.

You see, I would like to believe that much of what I go through is not in vain and that others can learn from my past mistakes. I would like to believe that some of the things that I write about cause others to evaluate their lives and their relationship with God. I would like to believe that my messages are making a difference in someone else’s life. I would like to believe that others can be comforted and uplifted in my written word.

Remember, your life experiences are but an opportunity for God to step in and show out!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, sometimes it seems that life is full of grief and sorrow. We look around and see only death and destruction. We see our brothers and sisters forsaken by the powers that be. In the midst of riches, we see the poverty. In a country of abundance, many suffer from hunger. We see arrogance instead of humility. But even in the midst of the darkness that surrounds us, we can still see the light. Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Father God, we come before the throne of grace once again, seeking Your face, Your grace and mercy. Lord, we seek the comfort of Your loving arms. Lord, help us to always remember that this world will one day pass away. You are not of this world and neither are Your saints. Your Son was sent to save a dying world; we come thanking You for saving us. We realize that weeping will endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning. Thank You Father, for that promise. Now Lord, we ask that You would empower us to help a dying world. Magnify Your light that is within us. Strengthen us so that we may look outside of ourselves and reach out to help others. May Your light so shine within us that others may see it and be drawn to You. Comfort our grieving, strengthen or weak, heal our sick, give us new hope where there is none and unspeakable joy. The joy of the Lord. The joy that the world can't give nor can the world take it away. Thank You Lord, for second chance. I know that I didn't get it all right yesterday, but I thank You for another chance today. I love the Lord, he heard my cry. Thank You for wiping away my tears and giving me new hope in Christ Jesus, it is in His name we pray, amen.

FORGIVENESS...

FORGIVENESS is me giving up my right to hurt you because you hurt me. I don't forgive people because I'm weak, I forgive them because I'm strong.

For me, forgiving doesn't mean I've forgotten. I've learned to forgive those who've offended me, not for them, but for me; my forgiveness doesn't change the past, but it will my future.

In traveling light, I simply have no energy to carry how a person wronged me any further.

Liberation.

~Elissa Gabrielle Life Lessons~

We Can’t Afford Not to Be Thankful...

Well, I, for one, know I can’t.  I’ve been blessed on multiple levels. Sometimes we get busy with everyday life and the little letdowns and we forget just how lucky we are.

It’s sad that it always takes a horrific event for us to recognize our good fortunes. Yeah. We just get so bogged down with such mundane issues that we forget what’s important.

Recently the USA bonded to support our East Coast brothers and sisters through Hurricane Sandy. It was a merciless storm that destroyed a lot of property and took lives. Suddenly the worries weighing on my mind didn’t seem so big anymore. 

 

Sandy took me back to Hurricane Ike which devastated my beloved city of Houston. I remember being up all night as he rattled through the sky leaving chaos in numerous corners of the Bayou City. I also remember the relief I felt to see sunlight the next morning. How thankful, truly thankful I was that we’d made it out safe. We hadn’t even experienced damage to the property. We’d been so, so blessed and I was so happy.

But that happiness disappeared as I listened to the radio during the following two weeks without power. Sure I was missing television and the Internet but once again that didn’t weigh on my mind. Why? Because I was reminded how many people hadn’t been blessed. So many people lost their homes and their lives.

There is one image that sticks with me when it comes to Ike. I remember the picture in the paper the next day of a little girl picking up an object that had been tossed from her home by the storm. She stood within a sea of debris and hopefulness.  You know why that picture stays on my mind? It wasn’t because of what she held or how her property looked. But there was one thing, one thing she did in that picture that reminded me how lucky I was.

She was smiling. And with her being able to smile through all she experienced I knew that I was lucky just to be alive. As I live I will never forget that little girl’s face.

 

So when you pull up a chair for Thanksgiving dinner this year, remember you are blessed. It might not be in ways you expect but we’re always blessed.

 

We just have to do better at recognizing it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stacy-Deanne

 *********************

 

Learn more about Stacy-Deanne at www.stacy-deanne.net

Doing the Right Thing by Jacqueline D. Moore

The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it. ~ Gen. Norman Schwarzkoff

Scripture:
Because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes. Deuteronomy 13:18 (New International Version)
How many of you ALWAYS do the right thing? Do you always tell the truth? Return money or anything else for that matter that is not yours? Have you ever told a lie? Do you always follow the word of God?

Have you ever judged someone else without knowing them? Ever felt jealous of a friend? Have you ever been in a group when they spoke ill of someone and you never bothered to defend them, even though you knew what was being said was a lie? Or better yet, spread a rumor about someone just so that you could feel as though you belonged?

If you are honest with yourself, you would have answered yes to at least one of the questions above. Yes, I have told a lie. Yes, I have gossiped about others and spread rumors so that I could fit in. And no, I do not always follow the word of God. I am not proud of these self-revelations but at least, I am honest.

Sometimes we will do things that we know are wrong because yes, sometimes it’s hard doing the right thing. We are so busy trying to get ahead or trying to fit in that we oftentimes will forgo doing what is right so that we can have our own way. However, this is not God’s way.

Two things happened this week that caused me to reflect on my own relationship with God. The first event was a question that was posed in one of my online groups. The question was, “How do you stay in tune with God? The second event was a question that was posed to me by another friend, “Why go to church?

To answer both questions was fairly easy. To stay in tune with God, you must fellowship with other Christians and study the word of God, daily. The reason for my answer is simple.

When we stay connected to other right minded Christians AND study the word of God, it’s a lot easier to “Do the Right Thing.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, You are the Supreme Authority. You are a God of order. I thank You for being the head of my life. Father, we realize that sometimes change is hard. Changing our way of life, even as the world around us changes, isn't always easy. But we realize and recognize that it is for Your edification, that we who have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior must change. Old things must pass away. You are preparing us for what lies ahead, not behind. We thank You for that change. Lord, help us to recognize when we are judging those around us based on their past. We know that You can and that You do, change the hearts of those who diligently seek You. I know that I am not all that You want me to be, but I pray that I would walk just a little bit closer to You each day. Thank You Father, for Your word and for the fellowship that I share with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We love You Lord and thank You for not only what You have done, but what You are about to do. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

Harriet Tubman 

 

If someone had told me years ago that I would have two novels under my belt, I would have doubted them. Not because the dream wasn’t there; it was. Just making it come to pass was the obstacle I had to overcome. After reading that over three hundred thousand books are published each year, I couldn’t imagine that there could be a place for me. After being turned down by numerous publishing houses for two years, I was almost ready to throw in the towel. But, my dream was still inside me, begging me not to abandon it.

 

We all have to make a decision as to whether we will pursue our dreams or throw them away.  

 

Walt Disney said. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

 

As Peace In The Storm Publishing continues to move forward, we will continue to dream big. We promise to give you our best, never taking short cuts just to sell books. A nice cover means nothing if the inside material is sub-par.

 

Continue to celebrate with us, grow with us, and dream with us.

 

Pamela D. Rice

*********

Pamela D. Rice is the author of THE SUNDAY MORNING WIFE and THE MONDAY NIGHT MISTRESS. Learn more at www.pameladrice.com, www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com, www.blackexpressions.com, www.amazon.com and wherever fine books are sold.

Yes, I am a Single Parent! by SD Denny

Yes, I am a Single Parent!

The problem with being raised in a single-parent household is that I never truly saw the importance or learned the value of living in a household with both parents raising their children together. My parents were separated by the time I was three years old, and even though my father was still in our lives, it was mostly across many miles and we didn't see each other sometimes for years at a time. I saw my mother struggle to take care of three children on her own. Barely having an education and without financial support, she managed to do it. Years later, as a young adult, I became a single mother. It wasn't until years down the road that I realized what my life and my children's lives may have been like had things happened differently and had I known the value of a two-parent household. It may have had a huge affect on my decision making. I've done what I could to try to make up for that, but can we ever really make up for it? I can only hope that my children recongnize how much I love them in spite of it all. Will the cycle repeat itself? It has already begun. Even with all that, I do not feel that I am a part of a huge problem in this country. For most people, life doesn't always play out perfectly; therefore, I refuse to take responsibility for what is wrong with America or the world for that matter. In spite of it all, I am blessed and highly favored. I live my life with purpose and humility and try to demonstrate forgiveness and unconditional love in my walk. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that God works in mysterious ways. Say and think what you will. God is who I answer to and I am but a vessel, so I write...maybe not for everyone, but still I write...     SD Denny

Author & Freelance Editor
________________________

SD DENNY is the author of THE BAKER'S DOZEN and HALF.
www.sddenny.com
www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com

Excellence in Wisdom by Jacqueline D. Moore

Remember, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle

Scripture:
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: Proverbs 8:1-3 (New King James Version)

As I prayed about what to write tonight, the word wisdom was placed in my spirit. As I further searched for the meaning of the word, I went so far as to look it up in the dictionary. I found the following definition; The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight and ;Common sense; good judgment.

Now many people would disagree with these definitions. Some people think that wisdom in something that it learned in school. Or that wisdom in only gained with age. Now I don’t totally disagree with those definitions either but rather I became challenged in determining what wisdom means to the body of Christ.

As a Christian, to me wisdom means knowing and understanding the word of God. Knowing the word of God means more than being able to quote scripture or believing in a certain doctrine. To me having wisdom means understanding what it means to live the word of God each and everyday.

Living your life as a Christian means doing what is right all the time, not just when someone is watching. Living the word of God means trying to be more Christ like in your daily life. Living the word of God means not pretending to do the right thing sometimes but rather striving to do the right thing ALL the time.

Wisdom to me means reaching out to everyone and not just my family, friends, or people that I know. Wisdom comes when you truly hide the word of God in your heart and Strive for Excellence!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, as I contemplate on my life as a Christian I pause and reflect on whether I am striving for excellence. Lord, forgive me when I fall short. I am still learning. Help me to recognize when my actions are not Godly or when I begin to do something that goes against what Your word has taught me. Help me Lord to depend upon the Holy Spirit that dwells in me to take over when my thoughts turn dark. Father God, as I walk down this Roman Road, help me to see my own fallacies rather than see the fallacies in others. Lord I pray that something that I do today would be a blessing unto someone else. May my actions encourage someone to seek Your face and Your council. Thank You Lord, for another chance to get it right. Thank You Lord for fresh grace and mercy. Thank you Lord for a word that reminds me what my true purpose is. Now Lord, I ask that You would continue to bless our loved ones, our prayer list and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We humbly submit our prayers by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Jacqueline D. Moore is a Peace In The Storm Publishing Author, learn more at www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com