Childlike Faith

One day, when I was little, my dad promised me something (I don’t remember what it was), but he didn’t fulfill his promise. I was so hurt. In my mind, if someone says they will do something, then they are obligated to do it. With tears in my eyes, my dad taught me a lesson that I didn’t begin to understand until recently. With a smile on his face, his explanation for his broken promise was: “A promise is a comfort to a fool.”  My dad likes to joke around, but in that moment, I was not laughing. My childlike innocence caused me to not understand what he said, however, his experienced mind, taught me a much needed lesson. I know you’re probably thinking that after that moment, I never believed anyone’s promises, and have trust issues, but that’s not the case.

My dad was right.

Growing up, I never understood how someone could say something, and not do what they promised. It was so frustrating. I always try my hardest to be genuine, and own up to my words. However, I realized that, I too, have fallen short. What is it about us that causes broken promises, hurtful words, and just being fake? Don’t we dislike when this is done to us? So why would we do it to others?

There’s a common denominator.

In trying to understand this, I learned that we are humans. I’m sure, you’re well aware of that. However, as humans, we love deeply. It’s in our nature. We love, but sometimes we get hurt by individuals who also love deeply, but have been hurt deeply, too. This is no excuse, but it is very real. Some individuals are so guarded that they push others away, just so they don’t have to experience the pain they went through again. I get it. Why does this happen? I wish I could explain that, but I really can’t. Some people burry their issues, rather than addressing it, or are just scared of taking risks.

Hurt, broken promises, lies, and deceit, are all things that we have either experienced, know someone who has experienced it, or even done it ourself. Are we fools for believing promises, like the saying goes? Of course not! Each experience is a lesson that we learn and grow from. Never take it for granted. Honestly, it had purpose. A purpose that you might not understand now, or never understand, but it is part of your beautiful story.

God does not break promises.

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:9

Don’t lose faith in God. Maybe someone has caused you to lose faith in them, but God is faithful. He said in His word that He does not lie. Hold tight to what He has shared with you. If He said it, He will do it.

It’s time to have that childlike faith again.

Stop burying your problems and give them to God. By burying, I mean trying to forget your issues by making yourself busy with things of this world. You might not even realize it, but burying all of that only causes you to hurt yourself, and others. Instead, get in your word, worship, pray, and consume your time with the Lord. The enemy has a way of trying to make you think that because of what man has done to you, that you should lose faith in God. It’s a lie! You just can’t lose faith. But, don’t just take my word for it. Try it out. Trust God with that part of your heart that you have guarded off, or the anger and resentment you have been holding on to. Have that childlike innocence again, trust His promises, and see what happens.

Our hope is not in this world, and definitely not in man. But, when we put our hope in the Lord, our hearts and minds will change. It is then, that we will begin to love and be loved.

Be His Masterpiece.

Love Y’all,

Dee

A Friend in Jesus

I’m going to be very honest with you all. Over the summer, I opened up about my break up and discussed forgiveness. But, what I failed to mention was that forgiveness does not take two seconds and then your life is all better. I thought that’s what the case was going to be, but it was not.

I was still hurt.

After that blog, things were okay, I was friends with my ex and it was working. Then, I began to have terrible dreams that would taunt me, and make me feel so insecure. While I don’t pay much attention to my dreams, they were making me angry. I began to resent him. I was reminded of how much hurt he caused, and I did not want to be friends anymore. While this was never explicitly said, my behavior was representative of that.

What happened?

Yes, I wanted to be friends. I knew I had forgiven him, because us not being together was beyond us. But, I was avoiding the real issue—the void in my heart that I felt he could fill. Even before a relationship, he was my best friend. He played a very important part in my life, and since that all changed, I was left with this empty void. I didn’t know how to fill. I was so confused, and wondered how is that God is working in every area of my life except this one? Not realizing that those areas were truly submitted to Him, but this area was not. This void was so far from God that I didn’t even know how to let Him in.

I became a hot mess.

There were good days, bad days, and days when I just wanted to stay in bed. I would get upset because I would see my ex on social media, and he would look so happy and moved on, while I was sitting my bed crying my eyes out over the loss of our friendship and relationship. My heart was truly broken. We didn’t really talk much, but we still kept in contact, we even met up, and things were fine. Then, I had a bad day. This day was hard. I was so confused, and wondered where everything went wrong. In trying to make sense of everything, I recorded a voice message and sent it to him. This message consisted of a lot of things I can’t even remember, but I know I cried and prayed for him. I woke up the next morning feeling so embarrassed. It was then that I realized I couldn’t do this. Yes, I forgive and acknowledge we were not right for each other, but that was not all that I needed to do.

I had to fill that void with Jesus.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18

I forgave, and believed in my heart that that was all I needed to do to get better. Nope. There was more that needed to be done. I really had to seek God. I had to come off of social media, and begin to focus on the things God needed me to. I had to allow God to be close to my broken heart. He is near to those who are crushed in spirit— He wanted to be close to me. I had to give Him access to this part of my heart that was closed off and use to be filled by my “best friend”, a void I didn’t even know was so closed off from God.

My ex did nothing wrong. In fact, he was very kind and understanding after everything. However, I had to understand that nothing he said or did was going to make me feel better. Being his friend was not going to make me feel better. Yes, I forgive him, and I felt better when I did, but that was just the start, God needed me to draw closer to Him.

After the night I sent that voice message, I realized that there is NOTHING that anybody can say or do to make me feel better. God desires my time, and my whole heart. He wants to fill every void, and have every single part of my life. I failed to realize that a few months ago, even a few days ago. I realized I am still hurting, more than I expected to. Many told me only time will heal, but in all actuality, regardless if twenty years pass, if I don’t allow God into this void and to heal my pain, I will never stop hurting.

I’m trying.

I feel like this has been such a back and forth process. I have been seeking out everyone and everything that I thought would make me feel better, but nothing worked. Part of that was because I made up in my mind what I wanted to do and hear. I was tired of apologizing for my repetitive conversations about this, and I was beginning to feel like no one understood, or cared. None of this was true, but it was really how I felt. Im learning that I just need to trust in God.

I share this because, I wanted to let you know that Forgiveness isn’t the whole antidote to getting through. Yes, you must forgive, but you must also draw closer to God so that He can truly heal. “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

I am learning to trust and seek God on my bad days, good days, and days I don’t want to get out of bed. As we go through this journey together, pray for me, as I pray for you all!

Be His Masterpiece.

Love Y’all,

Dee

Back to School

Today, I had to pack for school. This was nothing new for me because I’ve done this for four years. However, this time I wasn’t excited, but instead very sad. My feeling is something that I realized is very normal. When starting anything new, it’s a very natural feeling. For undergrad, I was so excited because I had such a perfect plan, but you all remember how that worked out. This time, I don’t have a plan, and it’s scary. Even though, I am confident that God is going to work everything out for my good, I became anxious. You might be feeling the same way too. So I figured we could encourage each other.

Here’s my prayer for this upcoming year:

God, I thank you for the opportunity to learn. I thank you for being such a good, good Father, and for the plan you have for each of your children. I pray that as this upcoming school year begins, you will cover your children with your precious blood. God, I pray that all those who are anxious, have fear, or are scared that You will provide comfort to them. God, you have paved the way, and I know that You will not bring us this far just to leave us! When things get rough, please allow us to remember that you are bigger than our problems, exams, and assignments. God, I pray that we encourage all those around us. Let your light shine so that others can see and be drawn to you. God I pray that we will unapologetically live for you, and die to our flesh daily. God, I pray that you encamp your angels around your children, protect us from the plan of the enemy. The devil desires to sift your children as wheat, but you Lord God are our Father, and have good things planned for us. Allow us to know that you have created us, and therefore, we are your masterpiece. Cover the professors, and teachers, and continue to provide the knowledge necessary to teach your children. Cover every single campus, school, and classroom! Please, God, allow us to never forget you! In your mighty name, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Continue to trust God. I hope you all have a great year, and continue to Be His Masterpiece!

Love Y’all,

Dee

 

 

I Quit

I recently came across a picture on Facebook that said: “Soft and kindhearted people are not fools. They know what people did to them, but they forgive, again and again, because they have beautiful hearts.” I loved this statement because, it describes me. I always felt like people would take advantage of my kindness because they would continuously hurt my feelings. I felt like people looked at me as if I was weak or scared because I would allow so much. To be honest, I even thought the same thing. However, I am beginning to understand how false such thinking is.

Today, I quit my job.

One day, it was a busy at work and my boss was not in a good mood. In hectic situations, I always try to remain calm and do my job the best that I can. However, that day, my best was not good enough. My boss came over, and rudely instructed me that I was not doing the right thing. In that moment I felt so small. I was embarrassed and began to cry, but couldn’t let it show. When I got off from work, I vented and it made me livid. In that moment, I was going to unprofessionally text him to let him know I quit. I was thankfully talked out of doing that, but I was convinced that this was it for me. I had four weeks left to work for the summer, but I planned to write my letter of resignation and go home before my time was up.

I had the letter written, signed, and sealed in an envelope. I ended up not being able to go in that day. A week went by, and I updated the letter, but it still never made it to my boss. You see, in that time, I questioned my motives for wanting to quit. Was it because my boss was rude? Or, because I didn’t stand up for myself? Do you just quit when things don’t go your way? This was the reason for my hesitation. I decided to stay the next few weeks, but to have a different perspective (I encourage you to read one of my best friend’s post on perspective, which gives good insight and help you to look at situations differently). I went to work to do my job, and tried to remain humble. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

The next few weeks were rough. There were days I wanted to walk out and not look back. However, I was persistent, and I tried my best to have a positive attitude. Then, it was time to start giving in schedules for the rest of the year. I knew that I did not want to continue, but I had to inform my boss. I got scared. He consistently asked for my schedule, and I consistently hesitated and made up some excuse.

The day came.

I got to work right on time, and it was just the two of us. He asked me, what I decided to do. I took a deep breath and kindly explained that I will not be continuing. I could see the disappointment in his face, but I continued. I explained that this job is not where I want to learn and gain my experience.He began to give me options that would help accommodate me, they were tempting, but I was sure in my decision. He then asked me if I was sure, and I said yes. This was the first time I ever had to do that. It felt amazing. It’s not amazing that I quit my job, and no longer have a main source of income, but what was amazing was, that I made a decision and spoke up. See, if I would have quit when I was hurt and angry, what would that have shown? It would not have shown my boss who I  really am, which is a Christian. It was not my job, to reciprocate anger, which is what quitting in that moment would have done. God sees and all and knows all, and He takes care of His children. “Have I not commanded you? “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9.

I quit my job, but I quit something more important. I quit thinking that I am weak, and don’t have a voice. I quit thinking that being slow to anger, and slow to speak made me weak (James 1:19).

I wrote a letter to myself a few months ago, and I recently read it again. One part that stuck out to me was when I did some research and reading on meekness.

“For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.” Psalm 149:4. The definition of meekness is: “an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances that are wisely seen by the individual as only part of a larger picture. The patient and hopeful endurance of undesirable circumstances identifies the person as externally vulnerable and weak, but inwardly resilient and strong. Meekness does not identify the weak, but more precisely the strong who have been placed in a position of weakness where they persevere without giving up.”

I usually am the type of person who likes to plan out everything. I think of every possible thing that could go wrong, and then plan even more according to that. However, the thing that is wrong with that, is it doesn’t give God any room to fulfill His purpose for your life. I was scared that being without a job, meant that everything would go wrong and I needed this job to survive. However, I know that all I need to survive is in God. He has never failed me before, and I am confident that he will not start now.

Don’t be consumed with the idea that your soft spoken voice, or your kindness makes you weak. That is not true. In fact, if you have those qualities, you are very strong! God’s love, grace, and peace that lives within you, cannot be represented with a nasty attitude, and making decisions out of a moment of anger or hurt. Let God be the one who takes care of your problems. I can tell you from experience, He is much better at it than you are. As always, Be His Masterpiece.

Love y’all,

Dee

Perfectionism

While driving on my way to work, I had a few thoughts. Usually, I dread the 15 minute car ride, however, I was at peace because it was raining. I don’t know what it is, but there is such a calm feeling I have when it’s raining. I wondered, why do people absolute dread rainy days? What about them are so bad? Rain can ruin outdoor plans, make your well put together outfit wet and ruined, it can make you uncomfortable, and worst of all, it can ruin your hair, right? The list can go on, but then I realized, that the reason most people probably hate the rain is because its not perfect, or it doesn’t help create a perfect scene.

What does perfect even mean?

One day, one of my co-workers asked a favor of me, and I agreed with no hesitation. She looked at me in shock, and said “wow, you are a really nice person.” I just laughed, but she continued and explained that people wouldn’t do that. This wasn’t the first I’ve heard this. Many friends of mine and people I have encountered have said similar things, and have even gone as far to say that I am perfect. I would always stop them and ask why they said that. Their answers always included a list of things I don’t do, and that’s why I am ‘perfect.’ So, if you just do good things, are you perfect? What is the standard that we follow when identifying perfection? These are all questions I began to ask myself. So I did some research.

I never considered myself perfect. Why? I have made mistakes, done things I am not proud of, there are plenty of things. But, then I asked myself, what makes all those things not okay, or not perfect? I would always think because it would hurt other people, or growing up my parents would reprimand me, or it wasn’t the usual. But, in each of those situations, my lack of perfection was based off of what I’ve seen or what people told me. Don’t get me wrong, our parents and the people around us may have a pretty good idea of what is right and wrong because of experience. However, it is important to realize that the only perfect person on earth, was Jesus Christ. If there is any type of standard to follow, it is Him.

So, as a Christian, what does that mean for us? Is perfection really a thing? The book of James gives us some insight. James 3:2 says: “For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” Why does James say this? When reading and trying to understand, Jesus is well aware of our human characteristics. He knows we struggle with our flesh, which is very weak. However, in this chapter, James explains the importance of wisdom. “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom” James 3:12. So where does this wisdom come from? James 1:5-6 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.”

When I read this, I can see how people believe that perfection is just doing good deeds. But, James goes further and says living an honorable life and doing good things come from wisdom, and wisdom comes from God. So what does this all mean? If we belive that Christ is perfect, and He lives within us, then shoudn’t our standard of perfection only be Jesus Christ? Yes! As a Christian our dedication is to be Christ like. We must live a life that is representative of that. How is that done? Just like James described, ask God, and read His word. Ask God for wisdom. When we truly seek God, with a humble heart, He will provide the wisdom!

See, the world’s view of perfection only causes, low self-esteem, pain, hurt, and pressure. God, who has created us in His image (Genesis 1:27), shows that we are perfectly made. But, what is important to understand is that we must seek Him daily, read our word consistently, and strive to be like Him. Paul explains this in Philippians 3:12-15 “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But, I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Gosh, it is absolutely beautiful how the word explains EVERYTHING we question or wonder. Paul explains that he is not perfect, but he is striving to be like Christ, which he does by pursuing Him. Don’t worry about your past, your mistakes, and the idea that you were not good enough. God has created you in His image and all He wants from you is to pursue Him, and He will provide you with ALL that you need.

The rain may ‘ruin’ a lot of things, but if you think about how valuable it is, you begin to appreciate every single drop. It may not seem perfect, but it is a truly a gift from God. You are God’s masterpiece. You are not defined by the idea of perfection of this world, and you are made new in Christ once you have dedicated your life to Him. All you need to do is focus on Christ and allow Him to fulfill the beautiful story He has written for you. Be the masterpiece He created.

Be His Masterpiece

Love Y’all,

Dee

 

 

 

God is Faithful

One night during my junior year, I was sitting on the floor in my dorm room. I was thinking about my life goals, and future career. At the time, I wanted to go to medical school and be a Pediatrician. However, I was really praying and seeking God, and He was beginning to show me things about myself. I began to realize that ministry was going to be a big part of my life. Of course as a Christian, ministry is a big part of our life, but He was showing me how. That night, I can’t even explain the feeling I had, but it was uneasy. I realized that not only did I not want to go to medical school anymore, but that lifestyle was not going to match up with what God was showing me. I began to get scared. However, I trusted God.

That summer, I applied to a research program. By the grace of God, I was accepted to do research at a pharmaceutical lab. While it was difficult at times, I absolutely loved it. It was exciting to not only learn about certain drugs, but to actually do some experiments to see their effects was truly amazing. It was after that experience, that I realized pharmacy is what I want to do. It became clear to me that when God has placed something in your heart, trust that He will not leave you confused and He will order your steps. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3

That summer I also went on a tour at a Pharmacy school that I was really interested in. This school was great because it is affiliated with the lab I did research with. I fell in love. This school, was not too big, or too small, and I could see myself there. I began to get excited. My excitement quickly turned to fear when I had to register for the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admissions Test). This exam is a big factor during the admissions process and I had less than three months to prepare. During those three months, school started, and my family was going through a rough time. I did not study. Test day came, and I failed. I thought to myself, I will never get into pharmacy school now. But, through encouragement from family and friends, I persisted. I signed up for the next testing date, which gave me two months to study. I studied a little more, but still did not feel qualified. However, this time I did better, but it was still a score not good enough for almost all pharmacy schools (I’m not exaggerating).

I knew pharmacy is what I wanted to do. With my low PCAT scores, I realized I had to take a different route. I looked up schools that didn’t require it. Perfect idea, right? So, I applied. But, I did not include the school that I initially fell in love with, because I did not feel good enough. I heard back from one school, and I was excited. But, yet deep down my excitement was not because I loved the school, but because a school was actually interested in me. I went for an interview and a tour. I did not like this school. Yet, I masked my true feelings with joy and excitement, and talked myself into thinking this school as perfect, but it wasn’t. I knew which school was right.

Weeks went by and I didn’t hear a thing from the school I had the interview for. I was hurt. I prayed, but I knew what I had to do. I applied to the school I knew I wanted to go to. A few days later, I received a phone call and it was the school I applied to a few days prior! They wanted to interview me. My hands were shaking.

The day of the interview came. I was scared, sweaty, and anxious, but it all felt right. I was given an individual tour, and the staff was amazing. They offered me lunch, a newspaper to read, and when the interviewer was running late, they were so apologetic and tried their best to make me comfortable. I felt so appreciated. The interview was quick, and that scared me. I thought that I didn’t speak enough, and I didn’t convince them of my passion for pharmacy. However, I didn’t lose faith.

Less then a week later, I received a phone call congratulating me on my acceptance to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. I knew it was not me, but it was God. I applied to this school very late, My GPA just met their requirements, and my PCAT was not even close to competitive. So how did I even get accepted? When God has placed a desire in your heart, you don’t have to doubt that He will direct your path. That night in my dorm room, I knew that God was doing something, and I had to trust that. Throughout the whole process, God orchestrated EVERYTHING. It is still mind blowing. “It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5

I wanted to share this testimony with you all, because I wanted to show you just how faithful God is. There were no coincidences. Even when I doubted His plan, and applied to schools that I thought I was more qualified for, I did not even get accepted! Gosh, God has a plan for us, and we don’t even have to worry that He will not follow through. When you don’t feel qualified to do what God has placed in your heart, learn from Jeremiah. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “Oh Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.  And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 1:5-8. Jeremiah was scared because he didn’t feel qualified. But, God reminded him that he is qualified because He will be with him. Just like God was there for Jeremiah, He will be there for you.

God loves you dearly, and His plan for your life is far better than what you could have ever imagined. Trust Him. I pray that sharing my testimony encourages you to trust Him with your future. I hope to continue to share my journey through pharmacy school, and I’m thinking of even starting a vlog, but I’ll keep you posted! I’d love to hear your testimonies and experiences about God’s faithfulness. Stay encouraged, and continue to Be His Masterpiece.

Love Y’all,

Dee

Forgiveness

Growing up, my mother always taught me that when you forgive someone, there shouldn’t be a ‘but’ after it. For example: “I forgive that person, but I will never talk to them again.” I never understood what was wrong with the “but,” however; I recently began to understand why. What my mother was getting at was the use of “but” after saying you forgive, often times shows that there is still a form of animosity, or ill feeling towards the person. Once you forgive, you forgive. There shouldn’t be a clause that you have to outwardly say, because deep down it can mean you truly have not forgiven. Don’t get me wrong, true forgiveness can occur with you maybe having to separate yourself from someone or something or whatever the situation may be, and that can be due to mental, physical, and most importantly spiritual well-being. Always be led by the Holy Spirit.

Remember how I shared that I recently started a relationship? Two weeks ago, that all changed. He realized that he saw me as just a friend. My heart sank when I heard those words. In that moment, I tried to understand, connect the dots, and reason as to why this was happening. When I couldn’t do any of those; I cried. The next few days were full of hurt, anger, and confusion. I called my friends and family to vent, and while their words were encouraging, I knew whom I had to reach out to—God. I’m not sure if He understood what I was even saying, because my prayers involved no words, but just tears (if you’ve been in that situation, just know that tears are a language only God can understand). I called him a few days later for clarification, but deep down I knew that there wasn’t much that could’ve been changed. Things didn’t change. He wanted to be friends and I told him that was not going to be possible, nor was it something I was going to try to do because it was going to be too hard. After that conversation, a week went by and I was miserable. I knew I had every right to be upset and mad, which is understandable because I was hurting. But, what I realized is that I was miserable because I began to realize that he was right. While I didn’t understand why everything happened the way it did, deep down I knew things weren’t going how I would have wanted. When I realized this, I knew that I was truly hurt because I actually missed my friend.

Many thoughts came to my mind at that point:

“If I tell him I understand, and that I want to be friends, he won’t feel bad for hurting me.”

“If I call him and say I want to be friends again, I look desperate.”

“If I want to be friends, I’m just asking to get hurt again.”

“I wouldn’t be a genuine friend because I would think things could get better, and we would date again.”

“I would get jealous when he started dating again.”

“I am foolish.”

 

The list actually goes on, but these were some of the things I thought about. It was scary. Then, I thought about what true forgiveness looks like. It looks like someone loving you past all of your flaws, sin, and mistakes. It loves even when it hurts. The best example I can give is, Jesus Christ. “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7.

God has a way of convicting us to do the right thing. Earlier this week I was in bible study and came across a section in my study bible about how Christians should respond while suffering. It said “we need to commit ourselves to doing what is right when we face suffering. Our difficulties can always provide an excuse for sinning, but when difficulties come our way, we must live exemplary Christian lives, characterized by love for others.” This convicted me. Forgiving him was not just the right thing to do, but was an example of the love of God that lives within me. Not only that, but forgiving was going to make me feel better. All those thoughts in my head were all very valid, but were all things I told myself in order to not forgive. These were essentially lies. Forgiveness is not only for the other person, but mostly for you.

So what happened? I called him, after not speaking for about a week, and I explained that I still wanted to be friends, and explained that I understood that what happened had to happen. I felt a huge weight just come off of my shoulders. It was refreshing to see me go past my pride, my insecurities, and hurt to make that phone call. That is something I did not think I would do. I was hesitant about his response, but it was pleasant. He was glad that I came to that decision and he felt a lot better as well.

God has good things planned for us. He says it in his word. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. Even though all that happened was very hard for me, and still is, I know that this is part of the good things He has planned. You’re probably thinking, how is that even possible? Well look at this way, sometimes our story has heartbreak, loss, success, and triumph, but every single one of those situations are all part of God’s plan for your life. Each situation is a learning experience for you to grow and be prepared for the next chapter in life. The good things God has planned for us, doesn’t always come nicely wrapped with a bow on top, but they are still gifts to be treasured. Learn from each of them, and don’t only count the good moments.

Forgiveness is hard, trust me, I know. But, when you truly are able to love someone in spite of the hurt they caused, it is absolutely beautiful. You begin to see how the incredible God who lives inside of you has transformed your heart, and is causing you to be more like Christ. If struggling to forgive someone, talk to God and read His word. Doing that has an overwhelming yet peaceful way of convicting you lol. I really hope this blog encourages you. If you have questions, comments, or thoughts, please do not hesitate to share. As always, Be His Masterpiece.

Love y’all

Dee

 

*Continue to pray for me, as I pray for you all.

Say Something

Am I the only one that is scared to watch the news or read the paper? My fear comes from the sadness and pain the media can give. However, I know it is important, because there is a lot going on, and we need to be informed. There is social injustice, racial discrimination, political confusion, and things that I don’t even know how to classify. It is overwhelming. As a black woman, it’s scary to see and read about black lives that were taken as a result of racial discrimination. It’s sad to see on the news that people are killed because of their gender and religion. The response to each of these situations is usually very strong and all over social media. But what would get me scared is when I am asked about my opinion, or when discussions come up. I would often stay quiet or just sit back and listen because I didn’t want to be judged by what I had to say, or I didn’t want to sound like I didn’t know what I was talking about because I wasn’t well informed on the topic. But, I do have opinions, and I do have things I want to say.

I am a Christian. What does that mean? I have decided that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I am dedicated to being like Christ, which includes loving others just like He loves us. So, how does this tie into the media and everything that is going on? When I was doing my research, and trying to understand why all of this was happening, I read 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

See Jesus knew that in the last days, people were going to be reckless! It is no surprise when I see tragic headlines and news of people who are just plain heartless. It’s no surprise, but it is still sad, and can be very painful. How do we respond as Christians? Should we get mad and retaliate with harsh words, and get filled with anger and hate against certain people? But, wouldn’t doing this make us just like the world that we are separated from? John 15:19 says “the world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

Once you accept Christ, you are not of this world! Don’t let everything going on cause you to have to same response as this world. When I realized this, I then questioned, well what should I do? What should I say? And how should I do it? Luke 21 answers all of these questions. In this chapter, Jesus is explaining to His disciples how things will be before the second coming. He gives us some instruction: “But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, For I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!” Luke 21:13-15. Isn’t just crazy how God has given us ALL that we need in His word!?

So, with everything happening in this world, let your response be one that represents Christ. Use this time not to get angry and retaliate, but to let others know about His love, and peace. I know that is difficult, but just like He said in His word, He will give you the right words. SAY SOMETHING! This is not the time to stay quiet. I was hesitant to even let people know where I stand on certain issues, forgetting that God has not given me the spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Speak up, because someone needs to hear what you have to say. I was scared, but not saying anything didn’t do anything. How is it that I want to let others know about Christ, when I would be silent in situations where His love is most needed? This world is not our home. Continue to pray for the families who have lost loved ones due to selfishness, and heartless individuals. Let your light shine in this world that is full of darkness, so that others can see and be drawn to the Lord. I really hope this post encourages you, because it has really been on my heart to write about this. If you have any thoughts, comments, or even other posts about this topic, you are more than welcome to share! Be. His. Masterpiece.

Love Y’all,

Dee

 

Christ is enough for me-Take 3

This is the third time I have tried to write this blog. Crazy, right? You would think it would not be that hard to write something and then just post it, but it was. So why did it take so long? I realized there were some things I had to experience before I could share with you all. Here goes:

I recently graduated college. Which is so exciting, right! While I was thankful for this big accomplishment, I felt so empty. I thought that there should have been this certain ‘feeling.’ A feeling that I can only describe as ‘secure.’ However, I didn’t. I thought to myself that the reason I felt this way was because I didn’t hear back from pharmacy school yet. So, I then convinced myself that once I got into pharmacy school by the grace of God, I was going to feel ‘secure.’ A few weeks after graduating, I was accepted into pharmacy school (I will write a blog about that testimony soon). I was elated, and could not believe it. I then was waiting for this empty feeling to go away, as if my acceptance would just deposit this sense of security in my heart, but it didn’t. So what now? Why was I feeling like this?

In addition to graduating, I also began a relationship, and all I can say is that it has been very interesting. I also had an idea of how a relationship should go—it was going to be perfect, just like the movies. That is so very wrong. I questioned everything, and doubted myself. I was so obsessed on being the ‘perfect girlfriend,’ that I lost sight of who I really was. This caused so many problems. Thankfully, we had a talk and he explained to me that all he wants is for me to be me. He was not interested in the girl who was trying to be a ‘perfect girlfriend,’ but he was interested in me. I had such a feeling of relief! It was exhausting trying to be someone I knew I wasn’t. Why did I even feel the need to do that? Well, I was scared that if I didn’t, he wouldn’t like me anymore, and that I had to be different now that our friendship had a different ‘title.’

After that talk, I realized a few things. God created me, and knew my purpose before I was even born: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5 NLT. Isn’t that pretty amazing! God created me for His purpose, and all I need to be is His masterpiece. But then, I questioned myself and wondered who am I? What is it that I need to do to be ‘me?’ If you ever get to that point, stop and pray! All God wants from us is to Love Him, and love others. God says in His word that there is no other commandment greater than these: “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these” Mark 12:30-31 NLT. Whoa.

At my college graduation, I was able to share some encouraging words to my graduating class. I referenced Dr. Seuss’ quote “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Your identity is in Christ, and for that reason all you have to be is YOU, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can take that up with God. This world has over 7 billion people, and believe it or not, there is only 1 of you. God created you to fulfill His purpose, and in order to do that; He needs you to be you! In writing this blog, I am so encouraged, because I truly understand the importance of being His masterpiece. It’s not something you have to try to do, but it’s what you be, and it’s who you are. Let Christ be enough for you. Don’t be consumed with trying to be someone you’re not, to impress people— it’s exhausting.

I hope you are encouraged by this blog, and know that God loves you! Be. His. Masterpiece.

Love,

Dee

 

 

Jesus, My Captain.

Have you ever tried to do a task all on your own? Or have you set up a whole life plan for yourself? If you have, I am right there with you! So then, let me ask you this: has it ever worked out the way you planned? Well, it NEVER has for me. I have found myself in complete confusion, when my plans fell apart. I wondered how could a perfectly thought out plan just not work? Along with feeling confused, I also would get frustrated, angry, and feel hopeless! I then had to realize that in every single one of those failed attempts; I never spoke to God about what He wants for my life.

I can be a very impatient person at times, so constantly asking God what to do, or what my purpose is seemed like it was going nowhere. I thought to myself, well since God isn’t doing anything, I’ll take care of it myself. In doing this, I pretended like God didn’t know what I was doing, and I was planning behind His back. But, we can’t hide anything from God! “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” Hebrews 4:13

I planned, and planned, and even believed in my mind that everything was perfect. For example, I had the perfect four-year plan, I was going to go to college, get over a 3.5 every semester, I was going to join the Christian organizations and make a lot of Christian friends. I planned to go to medical school after college, and become a pediatrician. I even thought to myself that by my sophomore year, I was going to meet the perfect guy, and we would date throughout college and then get married. LOL just typing this makes me laugh, but if you haven’t guessed it already, it didn’t quite happen like that. I came to college, had issues with my roommates— which caused me to move two times my freshman year— and the organizations I was going to join were not what I expected.

By the middle of my freshman year, I realized that this plan of mine was falling to pieces. I was devastated. So, what happened? I cried out to God—literally. I was in my dorm room, and I was so upset with myself that I told God “I can’t do this on my own, so I am going to give it you.” I stopped planning and focused on asking God to direct me where He wants me to go. He did just that. The next semester, I went to a random interest meeting for an organization, and when walking back to my room, I randomly started speaking to this girl who lived next door. Little did I know, she was a Christian too. She invited me to a Christian group the next day, and I absolutely loved it, it was exactly the kind of thing I wanted. To make a very long story short, that girl and I are best friends now, and everything I could have wanted, happened. I joined more groups on campus, and I was able to meet other Christians that I am glad to call good friends today.

Even though, my career choice changed, I don’t have a 3.5 gpa, or the perfect guy, I ended up having a college experience that exceeded my expectations. I realized that God is the one who directs my path, and He has good intentions for me. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

I learned through that situation that God has the perfect plan, and you have to allow Him to direct you. When you are praying, seeking, and asking him to take full control, He will place the desires in your heart that align with His will. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.

Yes, I know it gets frustrating when you feel like God is not doing anything, or that things are not going the way you planned. However, you have to trust that God is going to fulfill His plan for your life, and it is going to be way better than any plan you could have put together. Trust that in this time of waiting, that He is preparing you for what will come to pass. But please, please don’t try to go ahead of God, and don’t think He doesn’t know when you try to plan things outside of his will. Save yourself the trouble!

There is a song that I absolutely love named “Captian” by Hillsong United. This song is truly amazing, because it reminds me everyday that Jesus is my captain. My favorite part goes:

“Through waters uncharted my soul will embark,

I’ll follow Your voice straight into the dark,

And if from the course You intend I depart
Speak to the sails of my wandering heart”

 

I encourage you all to allow Jesus to be your captain. Let Him lead you, because He has the best route in store for you. I hope this encourages you, just as much as it encourages me! And don’t forget to Be His Masterpiece.

 

Love y’all,

Dee.