BeLifted

Seeing the Gold

The internet can be a crazy place. We see true stuff, fake news as Trump calls it and lots of added on stuff. The internet can be a world filled with gossip. Recently I wrote about reading a book called The Woman Code in it the author of the book ninth code was Do not gossip. The Bible talks about gossip a lot one doesn’t have to be a Christian to realize how badly gossip can affect a person’s life. I know that I don’t want to gossip or indulge in it either. I wouldn’t like to be lied on. Gossip causes a lot of damage most of it cannot be undone. Proverbs 16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Let’s think about it what are some reasons why men and women gossip about a person or people? Let’s be honest most times gossip are lies. I mean why else would the person who’s spreading the gossip tell a person not to tell anyone? Why won’t the person who’s doing the gossiping tell the person whom they are gossiping about directly? Hmmmmm….sounds suspect to me and I’m not Lieutenant Columbo. “One more thing sir…”

Angry people use the internet to publicly humiliate others they are nothing more than keyboard gangsters who hides behind the screen…a bunch of trolls who belong under a bridge in some land far far away. Yeah I said it! They don’t have any facts but lots of lies. So if you talk behind a fool one will sound like one.

We all should know better than to take anything on the internet as facts. Right now I am taking a Statistic course. Last week I turned in an assignment and had points deducted from me because she said that  I needed to support my work with facts…..allow that to sink in. I have had people tell lies about me I knew why they were angry with me some still are. Once people stop talking to you they start talking about you. Our enemies are nothing more than estranged family members, formal associates,or formal friends. Think about it if a person is no longer speaking to another person anymore how true is their information. Example if a person is still gossiping about someone after a long period of time and have not been in contact with the person how accurate are their words? Why would a person continue to gossip about a someone whom they no longer speak to? Just something to think about.

I always try to be Christ like and try to put myself in other people’s shoes. If  I were to see something on the internet about someone  I would question the person who wrote it. Gossip is something that an angry person does so I would wonder why they are doing that. Not everything we read or find on the internet is true. Beyonce went to dinner last night now her photo has been made into a meme already no telling what they say. People make up memes, create rumors, and twist things around to cause division, turn people against each other,and fuel hate. People who gossip about someone else does it in hopes of hurting the people whom they are talking about and isolating them from others by attempting to turn people off from that person. As a Christian I pray for discernment I don’t want to share or spread lies about a person on social media otherwise I would have to question my character as well as why would  I want to put faith in angry words.

When we assassinate the character of others we inescapably annihilate our own in the process. We become no better than whatever we’re saying about another. The soul is better fed with words that speak life and hope.

I don’t know about anyone else but I’d rather be a peacemaker I don’t want to play a role in causing the flames of gossip to grow higher I rather put them out. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

My Name Is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless.
They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.

To track me down is impossible.
The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody’s friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
I topple governments and ruin marriages.
I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion.
I spawn suspicion and generate grief.

I make innocent people cry in their pillows.
Even my name hisses.

I AM CALLED GOSSIP.

Father God help me to have control over my words and to see the gold in others.

Proverbs 11:27

27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

A New Thing

I’m a creature of habit. I have always hated change up until recently anyway. Change is not always a bad thing it can be a good thing. The Bible spoke of doing a new thing in the Old Testament in Isaiah.

When God closes a door you best believe that He’s opening a new one. So whether you see a open door praise God anyway He always has our backs. The same God that made ways in the past still does it now and forever. It’s okay to move on and not look back God has something for us to look forward to. I believe this truly because He’s shown me so many times I’m not worried. Nothing will steal my joy there’s nothing or no-one more powerful than God. I can’t want to see everything that God has in store. So let go and let God.

Isaiah 43:18-19

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Check Out the Lyrics

As we all know music is powerful. The other day a person that I follow on YouTube made some interesting points about the song No Pain No Gain by Betty Wright. People of my generation grew up listening to that song. In my opinion the song can be looked at from two different ways obviously. The song no pain no gain was a popular song. Anyway the person on YouTube felt that the song had an negative effect on women. Basically the song encourages women to take bull crap from men. I have to admit that she has a point.

I have decided to share lyrics from songs on my blog to check the meaning. Here are the lyrics to No Pain No Gain by Betty Wright. Are the lyrics uplifting or do they keep women in bad relationships? Isn’t love about give and take? When is enough a enough in a relationship? There will be ups and downs in every relationship. Hmmmm.

“No Pain, No Gain”

Ooh…ooh…ooh…

My baby and are back together again
Lovin’ is better than it’s ever been
If it weren’t for the trials we’ve been through
I’d never have the courage to come back to you

We’re all entitled to make a mistake
We got to prepare for some heartbreak
I as earnin’ my man, while I was learnin’ my man
Something you young girls might not understand

No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain), no
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

There was an old lady sittin’ under a tree
She called me over and she said to me
“My days left here may not be long
I wouldn’t waste my time tellin’ you nothin’ wrong

But love is a flower that needs the sun and the rain
A little bit of pleasure’s worth a whole lot of pain
If you learn this secret, how to forgive
A longer and better life you’ll live’

No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain), mmm
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

Anything worth havin’ at all
Is worth workin’ for and waitin’ for
Some of my closest friends
Have thought they had their thing on a string
Just ’cause that man was bringin’ ’em flowers and candy and all kinds of gifts
Mmm, mmm, honey
Some gifts are just to make him feel better while he’s on his guilt trip
About the night before
You know what I mean
Especially when you know you haven’t been doin’ the things you should do
Think about it
What is the man tryin’ to tell you
Sometimes flowers mean “Maybe we should just be friends’
Do you get my drift
Hang if you can hang
No pain, no gain

In order to get something
You got to give something
In order to be something
You got to go through something

Be a cook in the kitchen, a lady in the streets
You can’t show your teeth to every guy you meet
It’s alright to be a little sweet
But be a mama with the kids and you know what in the sheets

No pain (No pain)
No pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

See, you can’t give up ’cause times get hard
It’s just that old evil devil trying to keep us apart
Say devil you ain’t getting nothin’ here
I’m holding on to my man and have no fear

No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain), oh
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

See you can’t give up ’cause times get hard
It’s just that old devil tryin’ keep us apart
Say devil, you ain’t got nothin’ here
I’m holdin’ to my man, and have no fear

No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)
No-no pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

Oh, no pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)
No-no-no-no pain (No pain, no pain), no-no-no-no-no-no-no pain (No gain)
No-no pain, no-no pain (No pain), no-no pain (No pain), no pain (No gain), no pain

No pain (No pain, no pain, no gain)
In order to get something (No pain), give something (No pain)
To be something (No gain) you got to go through something
(No pain, no pain, no gain)

Oh…no pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)
No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no (No pain)
No-no-no-no (No pain, no gain)

No…no pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)
You’re really not to gain anything (No pain, no pain)
Without (No gain) goin’ through some pain

No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No-no (No gain)

(No pain, no pain, no gain)
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No pain (No gain), no gain, no pain, no gain

Get something (No pain, no pain)
You got to go through something (No gain)
No pain (No pain), no pain (No pain)
No gain (No gain)

Hear me when I say no pain, no gain (No pain), no pain, no gain (No pain)
No pain, no gain (No gain)

Pray About It

There is power in prayer. There has been so much that  I have been through prayer helped me out a lot. What I have learned is if God brings you to it He’ll bring you through it.

Daniel, Nehemiah, David, Paul and even Christ prayed. Yes at times tests come along that can make things difficult still we can’t forget about all the times God brought us through. God is not a part-time God He works overtime and we see His work over time. The devil send situations that can try to make us anxious but the Bible says not to be. Sometimes God allows things to happen right away and sometimes it takes time either way God is always on time.

A couple of things that we have to have for others is empathy and compassion. We shouldn’t be so quick to tell a person to just pray about something. Yes, it’s important to pray but  I don’t want to be a person who says “just pray about it” as a way to silence a person. You don’t want to come off as being dismissive. Remember God sent that person to you for a reason so never brush a person off by saying “just pray about it”. Allow a person to vent then we pray for them after we suggest praying about a situation. Perhaps God gave you something to say as way to show the person that everything is going to be okay. I can’t tell you the number of times when I was waiting for a sign from God and a person would come with a word that was confirmation.

All I want to do on my walk with Christ is grow. I know that I have a ways to go and I am no perfect. I will stubble at times but with the power of prayer  I will be fine. Having a relationship with Christ is worth everything that comes my way because I know that everything with be okay. Thank Father God for the gift of prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Knowing Your Front Row

I was blessed to read this phenomenal book called The Woman Code by Sophia A. Nelson. The last time I read a book for enjoyment was a little over a year ago. The Woman Code gave me life it contains 20 important keys that a woman should apply to her life. I absolutely love the book and recommend it to any woman who’s willing to listen. Sophia is a Christian and used scriptures to support what she wrote in her book.

There was so many things about the book that I loved the main thing was knowing your front row. It’s essential to know your front row it’s what some people like to call a circle not me though. A person knowing their front row makes way more sense. It’s taking a long hard look at the people who are closest to you. The people closest to you that doesn’t live in your home. What kind of people are closest to you? Are they loyal? Are they kind? What kind of faith do they have? Does the people closest match you? People are an important resource. My mother always used to say that no man is an island everybody needs somebody even Christ had twelve disciples.

It’s important to know your front row. I want people who are honest and want the best for me as  I do them. I don’t want yes men or yes women, yes people will lead a person to water and allow them to drown. I don’t want disloyal people because the front row can poison the back rows. People will assume that everything a person says that is closest to you is accurate after all they are close to you. One mistake that I used to make besides being a people pleaser was always trying to recycle relationships with people. In life we have to let some people go especially when their time is up in our lives. Some people are either for a reason so they stay or a season so they go away.

A little bit off topic on the Walking Dead Rick wouldn’t let go of Shane. Shane had slept with his wife and got her pregnant. Shane not only poisoned Rick’s marriage but the people around them. Shane went against Rick the whole way it took Shane trying to kill Rick before he realized that the friendship was over. Sometimes we get stuck in our fantasies about people that we refuse to face the reality. I also believe that we sometimes hold on to people out of fear like will they talk about you. People will talk about you no matter what if anything holding on is giving them more information. We have to learn how to not feed the wrong people information. We have to think like Kenny Rogers got to know when to hold them, fold them and walk away. True facts!!! When a person shows you who they are believe them. When a relationship is over let it go. There’s power in letting go and pain in holding on.

I think that we have to really learn to trust God and listening to that small still voice. God will never leave us nor forsake us He promised this. I’m praying that God gives me discernment to recognize who doesn’t belong in my front row, protection from poisonous people and the strength to let the people go. I don’t want the wrong people in my front row poisoning the back row disturbing my audience.

Spot On

This morning one of my Facebook friends said something that was absolutely brilliant. In the past I have made posts pertaining to this subject as well however reading his post I never realized how huge the situation was. There are some men who pretend to be Christians but they are not. A real Christian man will not try to lure a Christian woman into a trap. Nevertheless his post said something like this “I see lots of posts from various ” good men “claiming they are on a quest to find their queen. If you are a good man then out of thousands of Facebook friends you should have a least one good woman. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a game to manipulate more than one woman with selling chivalrous dreams.” My facebook friend’s post was spot on this morning this situation needs to be addressed more to raise awareness.

In order to have God as the glue in a marriage or relationship God has to be in both people. Christ must be trusted completely with every aspect of our lives including our love life. If we come across a person and feel that they are our love interest yet they are not a Christian then the relationship is not of God. If we continue to pursue something that isn’t of God then that’s acting out in the flesh and not in the spirit. We must trust God completely He has many wonderful things in store (including love) we just have to trust Him. If we trust Him then our faith should show all we have to do is believe.

People call it being judgmental but  I don’t feel that speaking on shacking up is wrong. If you are living with someone and you are not married as well as bring children into the world that is wrong. If a man has not married a woman but have children with her he’s still searching. People fail to realize it hurts the children deeply when their parents are not together. Regardless of a child’s age 3, 7, 11 or even 16 any number it still hurts them to not see their parents together. It’s especially hard for children when they feel as if they are pawns in between two parents who can’t co-parent in a civilized manner.

All these things starts with some men who claim to be a Christian but their actions don’t match. A man of God is suppose to be a leader who could never see himself hurting a woman of God who is trying her best on her walk with Christ. Don’t be a stumbling block be a positive step into the right direction in others lives. Remember one life touches another so light up someone else’s life. I don’t know about any other Woman of God but I refuse to play second class to a person who has a first class ticket to hell. I will not be a backup plan I’m not a computer. I have feelings. Men of God I’m not attacking you or putting men of the world down however you need to check yourself if men of the world’s morality beats yours. If you are a Man of God truly then walk the walk that you are called to do without cha cha dancing or electric sliding with the world.

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

The Pain of Divorce

I absolutely cannot stress this enough divorce is a humongous deal. In the past  I have opened up about my separation and possible divorce. Divorce is ugly period it’s never good because it affects so many people especially the children. What  I can’t stand about certain situations like divorce people want to be private so they suffer in silence. Recently I saw a heartbreaking post on Facebook about a woman who was going through a divorce. She would post about the pain of her divorce apparently it wasn’t received well amongst some of her Facebook friends. To make a long story short she had no one to turn to and so she took her life. I feel so sorry for her children this will make it even harder for them.

At times I get so sick of this horrible world with the heartless people in it. I know that there’s a God and  I know that He’s sitting on His throne. God will correct the wrongs and heal the hurting hearts. I know that none of us are God but if you come across a hurting person be kind always. The best thing that we all can do once we have done everything that we can is pray.

Father God In Heaven,

My prayer to You is to please guide people to marry the right people. Once You bring two people together have it so that they understand the vows that You made. Have it rooted in the married couples that at times better could become worse, that sickness may come, that they can have it all one day and lose it all the next. Father God help them to stay strong in You. Have a married couple understand that tough times don’t last but tough people do. Father God on the days when one of them become unlovable have their love for You to be more stronger so that it will keep their marriage together. Have a married couple to take their eyes off of the world and fixed on You. This wicked world at times has no concept of the beauty of marriage Father God only You can keep a marriage strong. I pray also for the couples who are separated may their marriage be restored and that they come back together stronger than ever. Father God I know that You hate divorce. I pray that You remove the word divorce as a go to as a way to solve a marriage problem. Have every marriage experience many years of happiness and their children too. Most of all thank You Father God for all that You do and what You are about to do. In Jesus Precious Name

Amen

The One

Being single isn’t always a bad thing

We have to be single

In order to have the one

Whom God has for us

An Ephesians husband

A Proverbs 31 wife

While we wait it gives God time

To heal us

To repair us

To prepare us

When God made Adam

He thought to Himself

That a man shouldn’t be alone

So God took one of Adam’s ribs

Not a slab

We have one heart

To love our one true love

That God has for us

Like a test with one blank to fill in

The right one will be the answer

There’s no room for multiple choice

God is not of confusion

The one that God has for us

Is one who we can

Pray to God with

Worship to God with

Helps us to grow closer to

God together

Every conversation is praising God

The one sent by God understands

That God is to be number one

In their lives

In their relationships

In their marriage

It’s essential to be paired with a person

Who is mission-minded

With the same eternal goals

That will keep them in love forever

As we grow on our walk with Christ we

Realize that the past disappointments

Taught us that true love transcends

Beyond temperamental

Experiences and memories

Through our quest to find love we learn

God knows  who’s the right one

Even though at times we

May think that we do

God has the right one

All we have to do

Is continue to remain

Patient in the Lord

God wants to send the right one

So we won’t spend our lives searching

But spend it with the one we love

 

 

Happy Birthday Dad

There is so much to love about February like it being a month away from spring, the month of one of my favorite president’s birthday, black history month and (drum roll please) my step-dad’s birthday. My step-dad is one of the greatest people that  I know.

I love my step-dad I really do. There are so many reasons why  I appreciate him. My step-dad has been in my life every since  I was about ten years old. He always helped my mom to  make things happen. My mother and step-dad had no children together but he treated us like his own. When my mother became sick he never left her side.

In 1997 my mother passed away from cancer. The funeral that my mother had was loaded with people who told my sisters and  I that they had our backs. As time went on the people at the funeral faded away but step-dad stayed. My step-dad never went anywhere he’s always been there for my sisters and I.

My step-dad still talks a lot about my mother even though she has been gone twenty years. I love one of  the stories that  he tells me one year my sisters and  I wanted bikes. He told my mom maybe they should get two bikes but my mother told him if all of us can’t get a bike then no one can. When my sisters and I woke up on Christmas day there were four bikes by the tree one for each of us.

I value my step-dad very much and pray that God blesses him with many more birthdays. In today’s society it’s a treasure to find a person who values you and your children without motives. My step-dad is a really great dad and  I am so glad that  I am blessed to have him in my life.

We Are Not Same

Everyone is distinctive

In his or her own way

We are not the same

This is something that should be taught

To every child on their first school day

Each one of us

Have our own fingerprints and DNA

Black people come in different shades

White people have different

Hair and eye color

Asian people have Chinese, Japanese

Filipino, Pakistani, and Korean

Can you see where I am going with this

These things helps us to stand up

And stand out

From one another

We are not the same

Every woman can wear a size 8

And will still be different shapes

Some people are tall

Some people are short

Take the time to embrace

What makes people different

Do it as a way to appreciate it

And not as a way to copy it

To copy is to compete

You will forget why you are unique

You never want to lose yourself

Because you may never

Find yourself ever again

Being a person who follow trends

Regardless of a person

Trying to be the same

Least common factors

Will always remain

Apply this analogy to snowflakes

In your mind allow it to resonate

When we realize that being different

Is actually us being ourselves

It’s a blessing like nothing else

Differences help to make

This world beautiful

If everything were the same

We would not have things like the

Rainbow it requires

Various colors to make it complete

Even roses come in different colors

One life touches another

Different life stories with many pages

That are to encourage and inspire

It’s how God gets His glory

We must be the person

Who God called us to be

We are not the same

That will never change

And you know what

It’s okay