Not to Fret My Pet

This morning I was praying for God to give me revelation on what He wanted me to share today with those who will read this blog. His Spirit led me to a song I woke up singing this morning “Blessed Assurance”. The song lyrics: “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine; O what a fortress of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.”

As I begin to think about the lyrics of this song, God brought to my mind the state of the economy. I read a couple of stories on yesterday about people who killed themselves and their family members due to financial worries. Another story was about a 90 year-old grandmother who shot herself because her home had been foreclosed. As I read these stories I thought, is it really that bad to take your life and the lives of others.” God brought to my remembrances the situations I faced after the deaths of my sister and brother how I was so depressed and in such despair that I attempted to take my life. So, I understand how one can be so down to the point where the thoughts of suicide appear to be the only way out of your situation. I understand being so down to the point where you think about taking your life. I have even been to the point where I contemplated taking someone else life and if it were not for the grace of God, I would have done it.

But before I went too far into recalling these events, the Spirit of God reminded me, Ryane that was your former self. You are no longer in that place. Thank God for Your salvation, Your grace, Your mercy and Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ!!! I am no longer at that place in my life where the trials of this world can overtake me to the point where I want to take my life or the lives of others.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1. I know many of you are going through some hard times financial, so am I but I know and I am assured that trouble does not last always. Yes, my bills are stacking up with the rising cost of gas, groceries, and everything else that has increased of the last year. I look into my bank account and wonder sometimes where does the money go and why does it run from me so fast. Then I remember what King David said in Psalm 121:1-2, “I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Then I remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

What I have learned from my Savior in how to deal with those situations life deals is to “trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:6. Knowing that “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” Psalms 30: 5b. That I can “cast all my anxiety on him because he cares for me 1 Peter 5:7”. So during this time of financial hardship do not turn away from the One who is able to meet all your “needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19.

I have learned over the last three years, as I moved closer to a more intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father, that no matter the trials I face God is right there with me. God has promised throughout the New and Old Testaments to never leave us nor forsake us. It is in the midst of our trials, when we have tried everything we can it is only then we turn to God who is always right there waiting to be our ever present help in times of trouble. He is right there waiting to answer us but we have to learn to put first things first. God has to be first in our lives. He can not be first in our lives only when it is convenient for us. We have to put God in his rightful place as head of our lives. After all, “he created our inmost being and knit us together in our mother's womb” Psalms 139: 13. Even before “He formed us in the womb He knew us” Jeremiah 1:5. “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

So as the financial markets and industries continues to do a downward spiral and it seems like your bank accounts are doing the same, Why not trust God to work it out for you Why not stand on the Word of God in the midst of this financial storm? Why not believe the Word of God? He will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. He is faithful and just to do so. Do you know as children of the Most High God that every need we have on earth is taken care of? Yes, I know the bills are high and the money is low and it seems like God is not hearing your prayer. It is not that He is not hearing or answering your prayer, He hears you. You must pray in faith that whatever you ask of the Father will be done. The writer of the book of Hebrews described faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. You may not see your bank account increasing or your bills decreasing because you are not operating in faith but instead you are operating in fear.

I dare you to put you to trust in God and put your faith in Him. Stop worrying about the bad economy! God sees what is going on and He does not want us to worry, so do not worry it only adds years to your appearance. Jesus in the book of Matthew put it this way, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

So, don’t worry, ‘seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:33-34.

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine; O what a fortress of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.

No Need for a Back-Up Plan

I had a story prepared to post to the blog but decide not to after I received a telephone call from one of my friends. She called to ask for my advice on pursue her dreams of being a restaurant owner and should she have a back-up plan in the event things do not work out. My answer to her was “you do not need a back up plan.” Here is why I believe she does not need a back-up plan.

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 The Lord spoke these very words to the prophet Jeremiah and I know they are applicable to us today.

We all have a purpose and plan for our lives, so when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior that plan and purpose becomes clearer to us as we drawer closer to God. Before I answered the call of God on my life, I want to be a sportscaster. Yea, I want to be a sportscaster. I just thought since I loved sports, I loved talking about sports, and I knew about all the major sports in America why not pursue a career sports broadcasting. I went on to school, joined the broadcaster club, did an internship with a local news station, became a member of the National Association of Black Journalist and graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communications. I was will on my way to becoming the Oprah Winfrey of sports broadcasting.

Armed with my degree in hand, I was ready to take the media world be storm. But God had other plans for my life. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8

See after being away from home for so many years, I should not have been apprehensive about starting out in another state but I was. Yet, there was some apprehensive there. Furthermore, there was something on the inside of me telling me to come home. I knew coming home to Washington, DC was risky for my career being DC is one of the top media markets, which means it is very hard to get into as a fresh face journalist. So, I found myself during odd jobs in between job interviews for media outlets.

After being turned down more times than I can count, I found myself one night on my knees crying out to God for some guidance. I was at my wits end, tried of being rejected and honesty I was tried of seeing everyone else prosper in their chosen career fields but me. That night I asked God, what plans do You have for me, why was I here on this earth. I knew He had a plan for my life because I read in His book of life and I believed it.

The next day while I was sitting at my desk, God brought to my mind an article I wrote as a freshman in college. I wondered what it meant, I did not have to wait long for God’s response, He said to write a book based on the article. My response was to tell God, I was not going to tell the world my business. See the book I was told to write was how God had seen me through the dark days and how He was sustaining me through His Word, love, grace and mercy. I still hesitate at the thought of putting everything I had been through into a book for all to read. But then God brought to my mind the prayer I prayed from the night before and said, “this is my plan for you.” To use your talent of story telling, writing, the testimony I have given you and the spiritual gifts I have bestow upon you, I am going to use you to minister to my lost sheep. WOW!!! As a babe in Christ I was blowing away at the thought of God using me. Furthermore I was intrigue and wanting to know more about these spiritual gifts that God had bestow upon me. God answered my intrigue in the form of a Bible Study class on Spiritual gifts. I learned what my gifts were, what they were meant for and how to operate in my gifts.

The spiritual gifts God has bestowed upon me are the gift of encouragement, the gift of evangelism and the gift of prophecy. See in order for me to write, I have to have something to write about (God), I have to have a purpose for writing a book or this blog (so others will have a right relationship with God) and I have to be encourage myself (Holy Spirit) to write, to be an encouragement to others I thought evangelism had to be a face-to-face thing but God said I can uses your writing, as longs as I am in it, to reach those I am seeking to reach. The Apostle Paul wrote letters of encourage as well as evangelistic letters to the different churches and people throughout during his time. Not only telling them about the glory of God but also teaching them about a right relationship with God.

After spending time with God and in His Word I learned more about His plan for my life. I accepted the call of my life to be used for God’s glory and most importantly I want to operate in the plan and purpose God had predestined for me. He had a plan for my life way before He placed me in my mother womb. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5 My life was already laid out for me before I was a thought in my parent’s mind.

I know in my heart as well as in my mind God called me to ministry in the writing form, why do I need a back up plan when God clearly says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind."1 Samuel 15:29 So if the Father promised you He had a plan for you and He showed you that plan for your life, follow Him. He will lead you to where He wants you to be in all areas of your life not just your career. As long as I follow the plans God has for me I do not need a back-up plan.

So, that is why I told my friend she does not need a back up plan. If God instill in you’re the drive, the will and the purpose to do something, DO IT. “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” Philippians 1:6