blessedandanointed

[blessedandanointed]

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

[blessedandanointed]

“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” Revelation 5:1-4

[blessedandanointed]

God’s Got Me!

It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve had the opportunity to sit and just pour out my thoughts on paper. To be honest, so many ideas went through my mind, I couldn’t settle on just one thing to discuss.

I woke up early this morning, 5:45am, to join in corporate prayer for this period of prayer and fasting. It’s been a long week and it hasn’t been so easy to jump out of bed. Nevertheless, this morning I just got a strong urge to pray. As the prayer leader continued, we were pleading the blood of Jesus and speaking over the circumstances of our lives. I was fired up. My day continued on as usual, I listened to old worship songs as I traveled to work and I was just pumped! It felt as though The Spirit of God took hold of me and didn’t want to let go.

Little did I know that that infusion of strength is exactly what I needed to face the shock I was about to experience a few hours later. Bottom line, in hindsight, God was preparing me for what would take place next. My finances took a blow. A paycheque I was looking forward to, gone. No way of reversal or recovery. Sometimes, that’s what happens. We face “back-against-the-wall” situations in our lives. We turn to the left and the right in search of a way out, but…there’s no escape. Trapped…or so it seems. God ALWAYS makes a way.  

I’ve been facing financial struggles for quite some time now, and for the past 2 years, it seemed to move from bad to worse. At the beginning, I would always end up sitting in a pool of my tears asking God why? Why do I have to go through this? I don’t understand! Please make this stop, God, because I can’t handle it. What am I going to do now? I’ve tried my best, but my strength is now gone. I can’t take it.

This would last for days at a time. I would sustain this pity party, until I realized one day that God doesn’t move when we cry. He moves on our behalf when we have faith. We don’t gain the victory by tears, but sometimes through warfare (Psalm 144:1). The bible says in Matthew 11:12, “…until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Last night, I started listening to a message by T.D. Jakes called “God Has Made A Way for You”. I didn’t know the reason. The strong urge to pray, worship and war in the Spirit this morning. I didn’t know the reason. “Victory Belongs To Jesus” by Todd Dulaney, ringing in my mind all week. I didn’t know the reason. God knew.

After the phone call today, I cried for 2 minutes exactly because I was overwhelmed. Then I said to the enemy, “This won’t break me. I’m a child of God. God’s got this. I’m not worried, this mountain will move. This is just a scare tactic, because you, yourself are scared of who I’m becoming.” I continued in another session of worship in my boss’ office at work (she wasn’t there..;D). I felt at peace. All my worries and concerns, I laid at the cross, at my Saviour’s feet. Even though I have no idea how things are going to work, I am sure that I’m in His Hands.

[blessedandanointed]

“I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 #NIV

[blessedandanointed]

Overwhelmed with the Word

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed? Do you run to a friend? Take comfort in parents or siblings? Do you just cry alone, allowing all your emotions to sweep you away? The psalmist David said in Psalm 61:

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”

Today, I felt overwhelmed. The burden of my financial struggles weighed heavily on me as I received some news. It came to the point where I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry while at work. Tears filled my eyes, and at that moment, all I could say was, “God, I’m overwhelmed.” Almost instantly, I felt as though God was on my case (not that he wasn’t before). He was already working to fix my problem, and I felt comforted. As I sat there waiting for my next patient, the scripture above came to mind.

I’m currently on Day 16 of my 40-day fast, and while fasting it’s easy to remember to turn to God. I can’t speak for anyone else, but while fasting I feel more holy, sanctified, anointed and consecrated. So, when I felt overwhelmed, I turned to God. However, this isn’t always the case for me. I want to be honest with you for a moment. On an ordinary day, when I begin to feel overwhelmed, I let the emotions wash over me and I let them dominate my every thought. I begin to feel sorry for myself, and I want others around me to take pity on me and the struggles I face daily. When that happens, I feel validated and it brings a twisted sense of comfort, or at least the worldly definition of the word. However, at the end of the day, none of that fixes my situation or at the very least helps me in any way.  

Our first instincts shouldn’t be to always run to the nearest lending ear to complain about the situation or have a pity party. If we really think about it, those actions don’t actually help us or make it better. All we’re doing is adding to it’s destructive nature. The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 18:21, that death and life are in the power of the tongue. In Romans 4:17, we learn that we must speak life into our circumstances and that we must declare the positive outcome we expect.  

The enemy wants us to complain and murmur about the severity of our challenges, because he knows that if we continue to do so, we won’t break free from them, we’ll remain in bondage. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by THE WORD of their testimony…” Our words are powerful. So confess the Word. There are always verses of scripture that are directly related to what we’re facing. If like me, you’re struggling with debt, as a child of God, you should confess scriptures like Deuteronomy 15:1-6, John 10:10, Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and Leviticus 26:3-13; and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, is that God cannot deny himself (John 1:1; 2 Timothy 2:13).

Through God’s divine revelation and His Word, I’ve been encouraged and I hope you’ve been blessed too.

[blessedandanointed]

Exceedingly Great Grace

It's been a crazy week, but I'm thankful to God for all He's done. I'm still in the spirit of prayer and fasting, 33 days to go (Daniel fast to 40-day fast). After my post last week, I tried my very best to make time to pray throughout the day. In order to make things easier, I devised a schedule for my personal prayer points over the 40-day period. Over the past 7 days, there were some highlights I must discuss.

Stronger in Spirit. During this time, I mentioned that our flesh is made weak and in submission to out spirit. I definitely sensed the difference within the first 3 days. The thing is, once we remain committed to it, God sees our hearts and He ministers to us. Though, the transition from full menu to extended fasting period is always difficult as my body is continuously fighting me - I've finally settled into a groove (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Challenges. Personally, after I've fasted for a few days, I become complacent. It is an unconscious reaction for me, brought on by fatigue and too many disappointments. What do I mean? Well, after fasting for a few days, making mistakes and yielding to the temptation of sin, I become disappointed in myself. I beat myself up for not remaining "perfect" over the 12-hour period. However, the bible says in Romans 8:1 (NIV), "Therefore, there is now no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus." You see, guilt is only a ploy by the enemy to keep you distracted from our main goal. God does not want us to remain and wallow in guilt, He invites us to confess our sins and He promised to be faithful in forgiving us (1 John 1:9).

Testimonies. While driving home after a 12-hour night shift at the hospital, my best friend fell asleep at the wheel. I wasn't in the car at the time, and she couldn't remember how long she was out, but she woke up to a "Bang". The car swerved onto the opposite of the road into the highway divider. The beauty of this was that the only thing wrong with the car is one front tire (to be replaced), and my best friend left unscathed, without a scratch. Do you know what it means to fall asleep at the wheel on a highway? She didn't collide with anyone! The car wasn't totalled! She was unharmed! There are many people that would have died or been hospitalized. All I can think of is that scripture, Psalm 91:11-12. The NIV version says, "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." The enemy's plan may have been to destroy her, but God protected her.

Favour. Today was a rainy day in Ontario. I wanted to go to the grocery store to purchase a birthday cake for my best friend. I had every intention of walking (an additional opportunity to pray), but when I saw all the rain, I was discouraged. However, one of my coworkers were ending her shift, and I asked if she could give me a ride, and she agreed. On our way, the rain had somewhat ceased, and I thanked her for the ride but it started pouring again. To my surprise, she asked if I wanted her to wait and give me a ride back to work when I was finished! That's the beauty of being a child of God, I didn't even have to ask her. Isaiah 65:24 says, "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." (NIV)

These are only a few demonstrations of God's exceeding goodness, and I’m excited to see what He has next.

I’ll close with this: 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love him…” (NIV)

Until next time...;)

[blessedandanointed]

“Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.” Daniel‬ ‭2:20-22‬ ‭

[blessedandanointed]

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:7

[blessedandanointed]

Prayer and Fasting

I finally had a chance to catch my breath today since last Wednesday. It was a crazy week with work, aunt responsibility, kid’s birthday parties, choir rehearsals, meetings, church and life in general. In the business of life, sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on what’s truly important in our lives.

I’ve struggled many times, to wake up early in the morning for devotions. It’s our quiet time to hear from God, read His Word and commit the day into His exceedingly capable Hands. It’s vital for our spiritual lives, and every time we forsake it, we become weaker spiritually. However, the tricky part of it is this: it creeps up on us. Sometimes, we don’t realize it until we’re so far away, that we feel distant from God. We wonder, “Why can’t I connect? When did this suddenly become so hard?” and that’s exactly what we need to remember, because the enemy is subtle. He isn’t as conspicuous as the world leads us to believe.

Apart from prayer, we need to keep in mind that fasting is also a part of the Christian walk. It’s a sacrifice, and one thing I’ve learned from the Bible, is that God delights in our sacrifice (2 Chronicles 1:7). It isn’t higher on the scale, than obedience (1 Samuel 15:22), but still valued and rewarded. Fasting isn’t an act for God, He has nothing to gain by it. It’s for us, as children of God, to receive breakthroughs in our seemingly immovable circumstances. Matthew 17:21 says, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (NASB)

Not every mountain in our lives can be moved by praying or pleading with God (without sacrifice). Sometimes, we must fast so that we can have the victory over circumstances that otherwise refuse to budge. As I mentioned, fasting is a sacrifice, both physically and spiritually. It is the act of not yielding or succumbing to the flesh either in hunger or distractions, thus strengthening our spirit man.

In the month of January, for as long as I can remember, the churches in every location I’ve lived (Trinidad, Canada and the UK), fast anywhere from 2 weeks to 120 days, to set the tone for the year. This year, my church called a 21-day fast (aka Daniel fast), and today was my very first day. During my fast, I choose not only to abstain from food, but also from social media and anything else I know will distract me from the main purpose or goal of the fast. The first few days of an extended fast are generally the most difficult for me, especially coming from the holidays, with the wide variety of deliciously cooked food. However, it must be done because the moment we begin to see it as something optional, we’ve lost sight of its value.

As expected, today was quite challenging for me. Abstaining from food wasn’t even the most difficult part. Dealing with patients all day, I meet a variety of people that can test my patience. At times, although contained in the spirit of politeness, I immediately get agitated or angry, which are both sinful (James 1:19), and during times of fasting, my spirit is particularly sensitive to any type of sin (even if they’re characterized as “small”…btw, no such thing!). It’s a continuous struggle throughout the day, keeping myself in check. Another thing to remember about fasting is that it must be accompanied by reading the Word and prayer, or else it simply cannot be considered a fast (just a hunger strike!). So, it’s not just about performing the act, but in order for it to be effective there must be other check marks in place.

In my workplace, it is difficult to find the right place to pray without anyone hearing. Personally, I’m not ashamed of the act of prayer and fasting itself, I’m just self-conscious of others listening to the words I’m saying. I see it as something private between God, and myself and I never feel comfortable when others are around (not to be mistaken with corporate prayer).

You see, I want to be as transparent as possible concerning the real struggles I face as a Christian, and that includes fasting. A lot of the time, I end up feeling like I didn’t do it right, but honestly, I get back up the next day and try it again. I know and I’m fully persuaded that God sees our efforts, and once our hearts are fixed on Him, He gives us the grace to keep trying until we succeed. So, here I am hoping that Day 2 is better than Day 1.

Be encouraged and have a blessed night folks!

[blessedandanointed]

“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound...” Romans 5:20 

[blessedandanointed]

Flawed but Covered

Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” At times, it’s our experiences that make us understand and relate to certain scriptures in a deeper way. A few days ago, I met someone briefly, and my first thought was that the person was truly flawed. I placed myself in higher esteem, frankly because I thought I was simply a better Christian.

Early this morning, I was faced with a situation and ultimately given a choice. My reaction towards the situation was sinful. I asked God, “Why after all this time and all the growth I’ve seen, would I behave in this manner?.” The scripture Romans 3:23 immediately came to mind, and upon further examination, I was reminded of that particular instance where I was simply put, judging a fellow Christian.

We all need to be honest here. I’m not the only one in the world that thought or felt this way at some point on their Christian journey. We all know and understand that we shouldn’t judge others, in theory! However, when we are at a certain level of maturity and we observe babes in Christ, it is easy to think of ourselves as better, not remembering that we were once babes ourselves. I’m not saying that we should ignore certain actions taken by those we know to be Christians, by all means admonish, but the key here is to do it with love and the understanding that you too are imperfect.

The Word speaks very clearly on judging others. It says in Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Finally, we must be careful of where we place ourselves on the “holiness” scale, because as the bible says in Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” We must never look down on anyone struggling with certain sins. Our responsibility is to encourage growth and not destroy confidence. Furthermore, we must never forget where God has taken us from. We must never get to a place in our Christian walk where we believe we’ve made it and that there’s no more room to grow. Remember, the Word of God says in 1 Corinthians 10:12…“Therefore let him who thinks he stands, takes heed lest he fall.” (NKJV)

[blessedandanointed]

“The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” Deuteronomy 1:6-8

[blessedandanointed]

Welcome!

So, let me introduce myself. I’m a 25-year-old young woman passionate about God and His Word. He’s the center of my life and my world revolves around Him. My desire is to know Him in a deeper way. Intense right? Well, yes it is. I believe that’s the only way to serve God, all or nothing (Revelation 3:16). Through my relationship with God, I discovered my God-given purpose. I’m an aspiring Paediatric Surgeon and entrepreneur. After years of experience, I would like to open my own hospital, with a unique and top-of-the-line Genetics Research wing.

 Why discuss and write down my future plans? Habakkuk 2:2-3 says, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” It’s in the Word of God, and it’s been pressing on my heart for quite some time. There’s no better time, to record some of things God wants to do through me, than in a New Year and a new season.

 You may ask, why not just write a private journal? Why a public blog? Well, I want to share my journey. Many times, people write biographies after they’ve already made it. However, I want to share my journey with everyone, as it goes along.; through the emotional rollercoasters, the disappointments and the times where I have to accept that God is saying “not yet” or “wait”. It’s raw and in real-time, and I believe I already have a great testimony lying ahead of me.

 Welcome to my 25th year!

[blessedandanointed]

For this reason You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

1 Samuel 7:22 NASB

[blessedandanointed]

Happy New Year!!!

Welcome to my blog! It’s been such a long time since I’ve posted, but I thought the perfect time to start afresh would be on the first day of 2017. It is truly by God’s grace that I’ll remain consistent throughout this year. I want to be as diverse as possible with all my posts, with text, pictures, scriptures and music. I'm so excited to begin this journey, and I’m hoping that it’ll not only be extraordinary, but you’ll follow along with me. 

God Bless You! Happy New Year!