Who do you THINK you are?

SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL TRUTH

When I came across this little picture it resonated with me. It is the scripture Proverbs 23:7: As a man thinks so it he.

Has anyone ever asked you this question : 

Who do you think you are?

That question  used to bother me greatly because I did not KNOW who I was and I did not KNOW what to think of me except bad things. It seemed to ALWAYS be introduced or followed by an attitude from the person asking the question. I was NEVER a threat to anyone. I just wanted to be left alone because I was never any value added to any situation or conversation. 

Have you ever felt or thought this way about you?

Well, join the club. You are NOT the only one!

I am writing to let you know that this is NOT the end of your story. It is Only a part. A part that can be overcome by learning to speak and think differently about you!!!

Jesus Christ has done His part by giving His life as the Ultimate sacrifice. He wants to continue by walking with each one of us through the process. Therefore our participation is required. 

First step make a decision that YOU want to change. You are no longer satisfied with the status quo of your life. The key in both  sentences is Y-O-U!!! You have to make an investment in You! God already has by sending HIS one and only Son, Jesus the Christ.

Let's be clear I am talking about internal change. 

* You are the executive or leader but you feel unloved or you do not deserve to be or belong where you are or you feel insignificant even though on the outside you seem to have everything together. There is something missing. Who are you really?

*You are the one who has always barely scaped by or had just enough because this was what your Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, etc did and you believe this is all there is for you. So you are stuck trying to feel the void within you. You are dealing with feelings of being unloved, you don't feel accepted or you don't belong. You don't deserve more. You are insignificant in your eyes and everyone's around you.

If either of these scenarios are stepping on your toes then you are dealing with an identity crisis. Are you ready to make an investment in you!!! 

So, if this post resonates with you leave a comment or email me at womenofvalour15@gmail.com and we can walk through together into Your breakthrough!

You are loved!

You are accepted!

You are significant!

Thank you for visiting our Blog!!! 

GIVER OR TAKER (Part 2)

Welcome to Women of Valour which is about

YOU

experiencing your freedom in Christ, being set free,

experiencing the love of God, and opening your blinded eyes

Isaiah 61:1

The fun I thought I was having does not compare to what I have found in my personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and God. Through the process, I found out that God and Jesus are BOTH Giver and Taker. These are some things we have been given by God through HIS Son Jesus Christ: freedom, peace, love, joy, forgiveness, and acceptance, etc. I needed each one of these desperately in my life. These are some things that have been taken: pain, guilt, shame, condemnation, self-hatred, unforgiveness, rejection, etc. I needed each of these taken from me desperately. You may be desperate as well. Please keep reading.

 There was a book that began to shine some light on just how destructive my life was. It was called the “Bondage Breaker” by Neil Anderson. This book is packed full of God’s Word and truth about who we are in Christ. You may be desperate as well. God used it to show me how HE saw me. He also used it to start putting holes in the walls I had built up around myself for protection against HIM and other people. The funny or sad part depending on your perspective was the enemy (devil) and I would try and refill the hole with a lie instead of me trying to believe the truth. I knew the Scripture that said, “the enemy was a liar and the Father of lies. (John 8:44)  But the lies I believed were truth to me. It is really sad to me now to KNOW and understand that my previous belief system was based upon lies and not the truth.

I have met many people who have previously and are currently experiencing the SAME LIES in their lives. The lies are the same but they are played out differently in their lives. The enemy has strategies to take us off course using lies. God has HIS plan to bring us back to the right path. God acts like the GPS to reroute us when we miss the correct turn to lead us to HIM and truth.  

God’s Word started to penetrate because I could not just cover up the truth any more. God would speak to me through dreams, visions, music, movies, cartoons, etc. My mind would recall the Word of God. The Bondage Breaker was God’s way into my warped mind. I started to see glimpses of God as Love instead of the disciplinarian and judge. I started to see Him as the Forgiver of ALL of my sins: BIG and little ones. This was stretching the truth which was a lie as well. There are no BIG and little sins. God only sees sin which has been taken care of on the cross of Jesus Christ. What is God trying to use in your life to help you see HIS Truth?

TESTIMONY: My truth were lies. First, my truth was I was unlovable. God showed me in many ways that HE loved me through HIS SON Jesus Christ. Second, my truth was I could never be forgiven for the sins I committed knowingly and willingly against God. He showed me that He had already forgiven each and every sin. Third, my truth was I was unacceptable and rejected by God. I did not belong or fit anywhere or with anybody. God showed me that I am accepted by Him and belong to Him as HIS child.  Here are some actual truths:

v  I am loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16)

v  I am forgiven by God (Ephesians 1:7, I John 1:9)

v  I am accepted by God (Ephesians 1:6, Romans 15:7)

v  I am a child of God (Galatians 3:26,I John 5:1)

Due to my belief system of lies, it took a long time for the foundation of my belief system to be rebuilt. It took work on my part to believe and accept the truth. But, just as a man woos a woman he is interested in God is wooing each one of us. The time frame can be long or short it depends on you. God loves you now today. God has already forgiven you for every sin you have committed, are committing, or will ever commit. God has accepted you for who you are right now. He is trying to show us who HE really is not the lies we have believed about HIM. Just because it took me a while does not mean it has to take you that long. You can trust, believe, and accept the truth today. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me accept the truth that I am loved, forgiven, accepted, and a child of God. Show me the lies I am believing instead of the truth.

QUESTION:

What is God trying to use in your life

to help you see HIS Truth?

I pray something you read touched your heart to walk closer to God. 

Please share a comment or email me privately

Womenofvalour15@gmail.com 

MIGHTY HAND OF GOD (MY 9/11 EXPERIENCE)

Welcome to Women of Valour which is about

YOU

experiencing your freedom in Christ, being set free,

experiencing the love of God, and opening your blinded eyes

Isaiah 61:1

As I thought about 9/11 yesterday and reflected back on my own experience that surreal day. I am still in AWE. I had forgotten about the feelings, shock, death, panic, etc. The pictures yesterday brought it ALL back to me. I had been in the Air Force for 14 years when it happened. I was stationed at the Pentagon and was inside on that frightful day. I worked in the basement level of the Pentagon. We had heard about the Twin Towers being attacked. As we watched the video, it was like watching a movie: "Independence Day" or "Terminator". We KNOW they are not real. This video did not seem real to us as we gathered around the computer screen. We started discussing how the Pentagon would probably be the next likely target for terrorists to attack. Little did we know, that the plan was already in motion. 

We did not know anything had happened. There was someone running through the halls screaming the Pentagon had been hit with a bomb. I know there are conflicting stories as to what actually hit the building. All I know is the building I worked every day had missing offices and floors because if this incident. People were EVERYWHERE trying to escape the smoke and debris. Cell towers were down so we could not contact family members and they could not contact us. All anyone could do was watch whether on TV or at the actual sites. It was a VERY chaotic time frame, even until a VERY LONG time afterwards. 

My Pastor at the time worked in the Pentagon as well. We worked on opposite sides of the building. But, somehow we ended up about 2 feet away from each other. This was orchestrated by GOD. I was trying to call my Momma who watched CNN religiously back then. I was also looking around for my Pastor. She was doing the same calling her husband and looking for me. I heard her voice and turned around and it was her sitting on the ground. We hugged each other for a long while. We stood there with everyone else in disbelief that our building was on fire in front of our face. 

Everyone was told we could only use the Metro (equivalent of subway) to go into Virginia. We could not get to our cars. So, we went into Virginia to her husband's job. That was a struggle trying to get to and then find space on the trains. When we finally made it to his job it was continuous nonstop CNN. We were bombarded with the pictures of the attacks from that day over and over again. We watched it over and over again and then over and over again. 

We finally started home that evening and they dropped me off at my car which was at the Metro station in Maryland. I thanked them and got into my car. I just sat there with my head on the steering wheel. I could not start the car. I looked up and asked God "How am I still alive when soooooooo many are dead in the building I work in everyday". I heard "The Mighty Hand of God". I just broke down and cried, for the first time I showed some emotion. I later found out I was in shock but did not know it at the time. My body and mind went on autopilot. I drove home and sat on the couch watching it over and over again still not really believing it. 

I got out of the military the very next year. I could not do another year in the military or that building. I watched the building I worked in become a tomb. There were escalators, elevators, offices, hallways, etc. rebuilt but it was never the same for me. Later, that year I had to start deciding if I was going to reenlist. I was praying and asking God what should I do? I believed HE told me to get out. Although, nobody else believed it but I did. I had so much peace about the decision. I did not see it as me throwing away 15 years, which is what everyone kept telling me. I saw it as me trusting God for the next part of my journey. 

The next part of my journey was to become a teacher. I have taught students from preschool to the college level. Through the process, I truly don't know if they taught me more or if I taught them more. I was blessed to teach at each level. God has touched many students and parents through my obedience to HIM. I trusted HIM and HE did and has not let me down. If you choose to trust HIM, HE won't let you down either.

As I look back now, I see how God used that frightful and painful day for me and soooooo many countless others to propel me into the destiny HE had setup/planned for me. (Jeremiah 29:11) There were students that I have touched that only God could have orchestrated. Many times out of our deepest setbacks and pain God can, will, and is using it to set us up for the next phase of our journey with and for HIM. God is NOT moved by our right or wrong choices. HE just uses them to propel each of us to HIS intended outcome. But, we have to choose. 

A new part of this journey has been added. Women of Valour, God is using this ministry to touch people's lives. It is truly NOT about me. It is about bringing darkness to the light. God is using my own life experiences good, bad, and the ugly as a testimony and testament to HIS goodness, grace, mercy, love, peace, etc. to each one of us. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, show me God's Will in the midst of my setback and pain. Since, You did it for Andrea I choose to believe You can do it for me too.

Question:

What is your setback or pain that God wants to use 
to place you in another part of your journey with HIM? 
Will you let HIM do it?

I pray something you read touched your heart to walk closer to God. 

Please share a comment or email me privately at

www.womenofvalour15.blogspot.com