All I Need & More
Welcome to all who have decided to read my blog! I simply want to thank you for taking the time to stop by once again! Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be “blogging” but anything to positively promote the Kingdom of God, I will do! In today's blog, I will be talking about not only how awesome our Heavenly Father is but some of the positions, He has in our lives but more personally in mine.
1. My Heavenly Father
In my introductory blog, I told you about two things that my parents instilled in me to value and those were my relationship with God and my education. I was brought up in the church & went every Sunday with my parents, my dad prayed with me every night and occasionally we read the bible together. However, I still didn't know much about God for myself because I was still a little girl. It wasn't until my dad passed away in 2011 that my relationship with God changed. It was during that period where I realized that though I may not have my earthly father anymore, I'll always have my Heavenly Father. Even though I've never felt the presence of God growing up, I know now that He was there the whole time since me being conceived. With that being said, no matter what storms you're battling in life, God is ALWAYS with you! Even if Satan has sent thoughts of negativity including "you are alone. God has left you", don't give him the satisfaction by feeding into them. So what if Satan has planted those seeds in your mind, you know the word of God and knows that He is a keeper of His promises. In Deuteronomy 31:6, it says that God goes with us and that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us. Whenever any thoughts that aren't of God comes into your mind, remember to not only rebuke them but use God's word to stand firm on and to cast them out.
2. My Provider
Growing up with two parents in the household has allowed me to acquire a life that most would say is "spoiled". I was able to get all I wanted and more from either parent but I thought that was being blessed not spoiled. Honestly, even though I was grateful, I never really knew the meaning of a dollar because I never had to spend or save my own. Once my dad passed away, my mom and I went through a period of struggling. My dad was basically the provider of the household because he told my mom that she didn't have to work. So once he passed, we really had to make ends meet to have food in the kitchen, pay the bills and whatever else was needed for survival. We even had to give up our house, car and stay with a relative for basically a year. But one thing that I learned from that situation is that God will never allow us to struggle for too long. There are some situations where God has to mold and build us up and that sometimes requires struggling, being frustrated, crying etc. but the breakthrough and the character built from that is so rewarding. Like one of my sister's in Christ, Khya told me before, "God is the provider, not my job". When you begin to focus on God and not the circumstance, you will notice not only how quick your situation will turn around but how much peace you will feel in that moment. Next time you're in a trying time of any sort, try turning your focus on God and watch what happens!
3. My Protector/ Refuge There are so many situations in life that we can recall where God has literally protected all of us from evil. But let’s talk about the situations that we don’t even know about because God has been working in the background the whole time. The scariest situation that I’ve ever encountered was 2 years ago while attending a college party. An innocent event turned into one of my worst nightmares. I’ve never been a partying person but because it was homecoming, I decided to go out with my friends. Near the end of the party, someone started shooting and people were running all over the dance floor, trampling each other and I even lost track of my friends. I ran to a corner where other people were and a random guy covered me because I was in the front of the group. God bless that man whoever he was! Prayerfully, my friends and I were able to leave the party safely by the grace of God. I thank God for literally being everywhere! Even in the places of evil and those that don’t promote what He stands for. I’m grateful that He not only watches over me daily but those that I love! It’s a blessing to be able to run to God for safety and He covers us instantly in His precious blood.
4. My Redeemer My redeemer, wow! Like I stated earlier, I knew about God growing up but not on a personal level. My 10th grade year of high school, some of my friends invited me to their church (the church that I attend now) and I loved it. I was able to notice the love of God inside of the church and learned more about who God was for myself. Shortly after attending the church a few times, I received salvation and became baptized! Honestly seeking God for myself was the best thing that I could have ever did. The progress that has been made over the years since beginning this walk is amazing. Though I fall short occasionally, I love that God continues to not only bear with me but loves me through those moments. There’s no greater love than the one God bestows upon us each and every day! Nobody is as merciful, forgiving, patient and loving as our God. And to top it all off, to send your only begotten son to die on the cross for our sins, for my sins is overwhelming. Once again, NO GREATER LOVE! God didn’t have to bless us with the gift of eternal life but He did. He knew that we were evil and children of darkness but still cared so much for us to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and to transform us into a new creation.
5. My Friend There are many times where we feel lonely, left out or isolated from those that are relatives and friends. But one thing that I’ve noticed over the years is that God is truly the only friend that you need. He embodies all of the qualities that you would look for in a friend. Someone who is patient, understanding, loving, honest and dependable. He is someone that you don’t have to impress with materialistic items because He searches your heart and knows who you are. He is patient with us on this journey and not only watches us blossom into who He has called us to be but is willing to grow with us. He isn’t judgmental and does not place us in a box because of our flaws, imperfections or what we may struggle with. He is there every second, minute, hour etc. and never leaves our side. So the next time that you’re feeling alone, remember that you’re never alone because God is right there with you. As you seek Him more, you’ll be able to notice His presence better!
6. My Strength Two things that I struggle with is turning over my problems to God and caring for others before myself. Caring for others is not an issue, it’s actually a very selfless act but sometimes we tend to others so much that we forget to tend to ourselves. Sometimes we sweep our issues under the rug and forget about them to comfort the next person, then when our problems resurface, it’s too much to handle and we explode. But the key is remembering that not only is God able to help us with our burdens but He can also carry them for us. He did not equip us to carry our own burdens and to carry the next person’s burdens. 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all of your cares upon the Lord because He cares for us. When we are able to turn our problems over to God, not only will He begin to work things out for us but there’s an overwhelming amount of peace that comes. God is always with us but sometimes He just wants to be welcomed into our hearts. He is our strength so stop trying to handle things on your own! Handling things on your own will only make you tired and frustrated but trusting in God will leave you with peace and assurance.
7. My Healer God is the ultimate doctor! When doctors say that there is nothing left to do for you, God says “BUT WAIT”. He has the final say and is always in control! A couple of months ago, I’ve been struggling with headaches. This is honestly a health issue that reoccurs every so often and I still don’t know exactly why. I’ve been told that certain things may have contributed to me having the headaches but I still can’t pinpoint the true cause. I do know that I have iron deficient anemia which is a condition of having little iron in the body which may relate to the headaches. But anyway, back to the headaches lol. They would usually last all day unless I took some aspirin or ibuprofen, made me feel faint, and there wasn’t much that I could eat because I was afraid that anything would trigger my headaches. I was advised to purchase some peppermint oil to rub on my temples, in which I did. Ironically, as soon as I bought the peppermint oil, my headaches went away. Even though I took medication, changed the way that I ate, drank more water etc. I noticed that the true treatment was prayer. I prayed and cried almost every day that I had a headache. At one point, I just wanted to end my life but I knew that was nothing but Satan in my mind and I instantly rebuked him. But I trusted that God would heal me and He did!
8. My Comforter In times of depression, loneliness, fret and the list goes on, God is our comforter and our peace. When my dad passed away in 2011, I entered a period of depression. I really didn’t understand how God could have loved me yet took one of the closest people from me. It honestly felt like a part of myself passed away. I had thoughts of suicide and didn’t even know how I would’ve made it without my dad. But God comforted me, the whole way through. Whenever I felt down and depressed, He sent His perfect peace that surpassed all understanding. Though I still feel the pain 6 years later, I know that only God could have allowed me to have a positive change of heart on this situation. I know now that my dad is resting in the hands of God. It’s better for him to be at peace than to be suffering. I truly miss my dad each and every day but I know that I have a heavenly Father who always looks over me. I'm also grateful to have a mother with tremendously strength and faith in God!
Though this blog was a little longer than usual lol, I pray that this touched the heart of someone. God is awesome and He is truly worth ALL of our praise! The list of who God is in my life definitely goes on but these are the main ones that was placed on my heart. Remember to try Jesus because He is alright! Thanks again for reading and please be sure to give me some feedback. God bless and I'll be back with another blog next week :)