Have Enough Faith

Matthew 14:29

 

29So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

 

 

Many people focus on Peter's fear and doubt from seeing the winds and his slipping. But the fact of the matter is, Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat and walk on water. It didn't say he tried to walk on water. Scripture says, he walked. Peter did what no one else had the courage to do. Peter had enough faith in Jesus that being on the water didn't scare him. It was the storm that came which diverted his attention. He didn't want to loose his balance on his way to Jesus. He forgot the reason Jesus was there. In that moment, Jesus was to hold him up. When you stepped out of the boat, out of your comfort zone to do whatever it is you normally wouldn't have done, who held you up? Who braced you so there would be no fall?  I recently visited Trinity Broadcasting Network's The Holy Land Experience. I had a chance to visit the recreation of walking on the water with Jesus. I was so excited when I saw it! People were allowed to actually step into the water in the exhibit. They even had the recreated boat Peter was in. Visualize yourself getting out of the boat and walking on the water to Jesus. What is that walking on the water moment for you? What step of faith have you taken, are taking or will take very soon? Jesus is on the other side, waiting for you. Have enough Faith.

 

 

 

 

Another Special Event

Good Evening,

 

I hope this message finds you well. For those of you in the Washington, D.C. area, I will be vending at the upcoming Liturgical Arts Concert on Saturday, November 7th. Please see the flyer below. Admission is FREE! Bring your family! I hope to see you there!

 

Blessings to you!

 

The Importance of Casting

John 21:5-6

 

5Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." 6And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

 

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines cast or casting as 1) throw, fling; 2) direct <~glance>;  3) to deposit a ballot formally; 4) to throw off, out or away: discard or shed; 5) compute, especially to add up; 6) to assign the parts of a play to actors, also to assign to a role or part;  7) to shape a substance by pouring in liquid or plastic form into a mold and letting harden without pressure; 8) to make as a knot or stitch by looping or catching up.

 

When film, TV and theater production companies what to fill a role, they put out a "casting call" or they make known their need and sees who may be interested. When Jesus asked Peter, Nathanael, Thomas and brothers James and John if they had any food they replied no. Jesus wanted them to state there was a need. Remember, God spoke things into existence. Jesus also spoke things into existence. What was needed had to be verbalized. The word says in the book of James, "You have not because you ask not." Then Jesus gave direction on where to "cast" or throw the net in order to get what was needed.

 

I had a client who had a need before his goal could be met. He thought his goal was being held up by the need. But in affect, failure to verbalize the need was what held him back from achieving the goal. God had planned for his goal to be met but not verbalizing the need and then asking God where to go delayed him by several weeks. We had a brief conversation and God showed me something. We had already had a discussion a few weeks ago but he hadn't moved on it. So it had to be said in a way he understood. God met the need just as quick as it came out of his mouth. He was so elated. Bless the Lord for what He has done! Why is this important? God did the same thing with me a few years ago. I had a need that I thought was holding up a project. Once I verbalized the need, God met the need immediately. Casting where God directs is designed to broaden the vision. What need have you failed to verbalize? Is Jesus trying to draw it out of you?

Special Announcement

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I am happy and excited to inform you that Divine Voice Magazine will be available for purchase in Books-A-Million within the next week starting with our September/October issue. I did an article on my experience as part of Oprah's Belief Team discussing and promoting her upcoming 7-day series. I also did an interview with Rob Howze, Founder & CEO of Camp Fit Realty TV and my experience with the Camp Fit kids over the summer. There's so much inside- get your copy!

 

 

He Will Do It!

Psalm 37:3-4

 

3Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

 

Trusting in the Lord means that you may not always understand when He says to do something. It may even be the opposite of what you would do. But trust what He says anyway. Isaiah 55 says that your thoughts are not His thoughts nor are your ways His ways.

 

Case in point, more than three years ago the Lord instructed me to do something that I struggled with for months. What He desired me to do was the opposite of what I would normally do and not my way. But I eventually had to trust the Lord's prompting on what He desired of me. It was a faith step because I didn't understand it. It was confirmed by a minister of the Lord that I was doing God's will and my faithfulness would be honored. At the time, I did not understand how necessary the move was. My focus turned to the vision God gave me and the dreams I had as a little girl. One dream was already accomplished by God's favor. As the Lord continued to grant me favor, He instructed me to reach back and extend that favor to others. Fast forward to August 2014. I was an attendee at the African American Author's Expo with two of the five first author clients under Get Your JOY In The Morning! LLC.  I said to one, my next goal is to start a publishing company and I hope all of you will eventually come with me. By October of that year, a dear friend said, "with what you already do, why haven't you started your own publishing company?" I said, "it's coming in God's time."  He said, "well I will pray that God makes a way for you to do it."  When I shared with another close friend, at that time, they said, "Amen" meaning they stood in agreement according to the will of God. Fast forward to 2015. I bless God for being introduced to the Publisher & CEO of The Divine Voice Magazine (www.thedivinevoicemag.com). As my relationship and with the magazine has grown, God began to re-ignite that goal. As He did it in me, so He did in the Publisher & CEO of The Divine Voice Magazine. One year to the day, during the African American Author's Empowerment & Expo, I am truly blessed to say that Get Your JOY In The Morning! LLC has partnered with The Divine Voice to create Divine Voice Publishing (www.divinevoicepublishing.com). I am the author liaison and mentor for Divine Voice Publishing. For those of you who have expressed previously your desire to write and become published authors, God has now opened another door of more favor that I may reach back and assist others who God has given a dream and a story to share. I can only help those who are willing to trust in the Lord and step out on faith.

 

Please see below for submission guidelines and the special we are running. You can send your manuscripts directly to me or submit via www.divinevoicepublishing.com. I look forward to seeing more of you achieve your purpose and dreams you never thought were possible but delight yourself in Him and He will do it according to His will.

 

 

 

 

    
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Event Announcement for Saturday, August 15th

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It gives me great pleasure to share with you that I will be at the African American Author's & Empowerment Expo THIS Saturday, August 15th in the Baltimore area.  There will be books and workshops for the whole family. I will be giving away a FREE children's coloring book with the purchase of my second book, "Shh Don't Tell." Get Your JOY In The Morning will be available too. I will also be making a MAJOR announcement! I look forward to connecting with you! See the flyer below for details.

 

 

 

"A Game of Focus"

John 10:10

 

10The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

 

In the film, Focus, starring Will Smith, Will plays a conman, a thief, named Nicky. In the film he teaches a young woman, named Jess, a few "simple" tricks on how to steal from people. He said, "stealing is a game of focus. The mind is slow and can only focus on one thing at a time. If I draw your attention to my hand or whatever I'm looking at, you can't see where my hand is." Nicky then gives a physical demonstration as he with one hand has Jess look at it with him while with his other hand he snatches a possession from her person. Now Jess was able to utilize the techniques later under the direction of one of Nicky's partners. There was a team of them.

 

God had me remember the scene in particular because of some events which happened recently. When I recognized the scheme and called it out for what it was, the enemy literally sent something else as an additional diversion. The hope was that I would forget what God said would be happening. Why am I sharing this with you? Well, Jesus said Himself what the devil's tactic is. For someone reading this, God is doing something and the devil sent a diversion hoping you will focus where he wants you to focus so he can attempt to take the blessing God has given you right off your person. However, God ALWAYS has a "contingency plan."

 

In the film, The Devil's Advocate, starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reaves, the devil is played by Al Pacino and goes by the name John Milton in one of his human forms. And Keanu plays Kevin Lomax. In There is a scene on the roof top with a strange waterfall. John Milton was "interviewing" Kevin Lomax for a lawyer position. John said to Kevin, "I'm wondering about how you will be under pressure. For some people, when you apply pressure, they focus. Others they break." In the word, God says He uses everything referencing Romans 8:28. So basically the pressure, diversion, distraction that the enemy attempts to use as a method to break you and steal your blessing, God turns it around because He knows you better than the enemy does. He knows the pressure, the diversions, the methods of thievery will only cause you to focus that much more if you are willing to listen to Him. Are you focusing? If you focus, Jesus will give you the strength to smack away the hand of the enemy as he attempts to put his hand on what does not belong to him, whether it be a physical possession/blessing or that of your peace, joy, etc. FOCUS!