Healthy Balance

I grew up Seventh-day Adventist. A unique part of Adventist doctrine is the emphasis on health. We follow the Levitical laws concerning clean and unclean meats, while actually promoting a vegetarian diet. In fact, most American Adventist churches you visit won’t even serve meat. Adventists were among the first in America to come up with veggie food. While veggie burgers have become mainstream in the past few years, I’ve been eating it my entire life. And, Adventists live about 8 years longer than the average American.

We grew up with a knowledge of scripture concerning health. Your body is not your own but the temple of the Holy Spirit so honor God with your body. In whatsoever you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God. I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. All these scripture were preached from the pulpit. We had a health and temperance department in the church, attended health fairs, and cooking classes. Sometimes to a fault, health teachings could almost seem legalist.

Over the past few years, I’ve been more influenced by the Charismatic tradition. In this tradition, the most you hear about health is “God can heal you.” Lay hands on the sick and they will recover. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up and if he has sinned he will be forgiven. By Jesus’ stripes, you are healed. And, it is all true; healing is the children’s bread.

For a season, there was some reconciliation that I needed to do between the two traditions. I remember being in an Adventist church service and the pastor talked as though health and healing only came through your adherence to the health message. I left the service up in arms. What about faith and the supernatural? We have the same power and authority as Jesus, God is the one who heals all of our diseases! Then I watched those that preach healing, speak healing, and refuse to live or eat healing.

I remember being in the hospital room of a church member, a man of God. He’d had two heart attacks, and was in the hospital down the street from my job. I went to see him everyday. One day he stared off and said, “I remember God used to tell me, ‘You gotta take better care of your body. You need to start eating right and exercising.’ I just never did it.” He had one more heart attack before he eventually passed. Maybe a year later, God was talking to me about his goodness and how he doesn’t do bad things. He brought back to my remembrance that conversation in that hospital room. God began to minister to me that the heart attacks were not his plan and he didn’t do it; but, rather, God told him how to prevent them. It wasn’t a critique on this man’s spirituality, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But, rather, God was revealing his goodness and the balance.

I will forever believe in the healing power of God; in the same way, I’ll always believe in the blessing of obedience. The two are not at odds with each other. God’s laws are not arbitrary neither is his counsel. As Christians, we are not under the law, but rather grace. In his grace and goodness, God gave us counsel on how to do better. So, why not do it? The supernatural can and does supersede the natural. God’s grace makes up for what we lack; it makes up for our disobedience. But, grace is not an excuse for disobedience or a reason to remain in ignorance. God does not use his power override our laziness. God does require of us to do better. God has rule in every part of our life. He’s not just worried about whether or not you are doing the “big” sins; he’s working in us to make us better…mind, body, and spirit.

For all pastor's wives...Maybe he'll think before he speaks

This is absolutely hilarious. My dad is a pastor, along with my sister, her husband, and my uncle. And, go figure...I work in ministry too. This is too funny.

Ok...Here's the entire speech

I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to listen to the entire speech Obama made concerning faith and politics. While Dr. Dobson has really come against Obama like he's not a Christian, I think the entire speech will give you an opportunity to make your own judgements.

I did like the shirt...and Let It Go!

In the process of transferring 2 years worth of blogs, I was afforded the opportunity to look over my state of mind and emotions during this time. As I survey the changes, there is one thing I feel more that anything else…GRATEFUL. My heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness because I’m not there anymore.

As I strolled down memory lane, I remembered how I felt. I recalled the nights of salty rainstorms pounding my cheeks and the set of luggage that had settled under my eyes by morning. The pain, loneliness, anger, and bitterness flashed through my mind’s eye like an old time picture show. It was kinda like watching a movie. I could see the pain, understand why it was there, and sympathize with that disappointed baby girl; yet, I couldn’t feel it any more. Even as I recalled what brought me to that place, I realized the situations that sent me on an emotional roller coaster no longer captivated my attention; much less my emotions and thoughts.

I actually let it go. I had written poems talking about how I should let it go. Then, there were the blogs about why I was going to let it go. I even bought a shirt that said “Let It Go” with a scripture on the back. But, when depression, my temper tantrums, and crying spells hit, I knew the thing that I longed to do still eluded me. I remember that. I remember thinking I finally got it; that river of anger is gone. Then, the storms of life happened and that river overflowed its banks once again.

I guess that is why I’m so happy and grateful. I’m no longer carrying those deadly emotions so I’m really walking in abundant life. I can finally love, and I really love to love. I tried loving before, but was so sure that it was the source of my pain. I loved God and I loved other people, but I had forgotten to love someone very important…myself. Now, I love me, and that makes it so much easier to love other people. I’m happy. I dance and sing all day. The joy of the Lord is my strength, and I’m strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

During the exodus, God told the children of Israel to gather stones of remembrance. He wanted them to remember where they had come from and how far he had brought them. The feast of booths was dedicated to remembering. Sometimes, we have to take time to look back and remember. So, make sure you are gathering stones along the way. Remember the victorious battles; they will give you strength to win the war.

I must really really love Angela a whole lot!!!

I have spent the last few hours transferring 2 years worth of blogs to a new location. Why would I do that? No other reason, but Angela.



A couple of weeks ago, Angela tells me that I need to post my blogs in a new location (she did give me a list of suggested sites), because she no longer wanted to log onto myspace to read them. In fact, she doesn't even know if she wants to be on these social networking internet sites anymore...lol.

So, I, being the great and wonderful friend that I am, transferred all of my blogs to a new site http://preachagyrl.blogspot.com/. I guess I'll be posting all my new blogs there too. So please visit my new site http://preachagyrl.blogspot.com/. And, thank Angela.

The moral of the story is...

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matt 7:7

If we as people are fickle and moody, yet we know how to be good to our friends, how much more do you expect God to do for you.

Ok...so check out my new blog... http://preachagyrl.blogspot.com/

Actually, if you are reading this you are checking out my new blog...so thanks for stopping by!!!

Compelled to share

As some of you may or may not know, Monday was my birthday. I think that it is important to take time during this season to really seek God and his heart. I like to know the direction or promise for the coming year.

This past Friday, I went to a prayer retreat which was just awesome and anointed. The woman of God, Pastor Denise Ray, did a lot of teaching on consecration. I had really been feeling that in my spirit, and this really helped solidify what God was already speaking. During the retreat, we did a lot of soul searching in looking at things that are in our lives that displease the Lord. Now, while we did that over the weekend, when I got home, I was still seeking God in my personal time about the things in my life that may displease him. By Tuesday, God really began to deal with me on a particular subject...gossip. I am compelled to share.

I've never considered myself a person who gossips much. I don't try to look for drama or to pry in people's business. However, there are those times when news just comes and finds you. We passively participate in the gossip by listening to it, even if we never repeat it. Then, there are those moments when drama hits our life, or family. You know how it is when we fall out with one of friends, co-workers, family member, or even an ex. We end up calling all our other friends, the closest ones and tell them what all went down. It's the subject of conversation for the next week. "Girl, have you talked to so and so..." I've found myself disguising gossip in a prayer request, "Pray for my family because yesterday..." You notice how you will go on about that prayer request for 15 minutes, give all the details, and answer all the questions during the interrogation from your girls. Yet, we get off the phone without ever bowing our heads.

The truth is that it is all gossip. By the time we are finished telling it, the little drama we were dealing with when from a 5 minute skit to a 90 minute feature film. We spend 20 minutes telling the prayer request and not even half that time interceding. Sometimes we find this same thing as one church will bash another; or, one ministry attacks another. Some people have built entire ministries based on tearing others down, and proving that someone is preaching heresy (and this helps win people to Christ how? Oh, it doesn't. It takes the gospel...good news...for that.) This absolutely hurts the heart of God.

When we gossip and talk bad about people, our tongues come into agreement with the devil. Revelation 12:10 refers to Satan as "the accuser of our brothers" and he "accuses them before our God day and night." Basically, Satan goes before God and tells him how horrible we are. Every mistake, misspoken word, and every fallout that we have Satan is taking that before God. His purpose is to convince God, that we, as God's people, aren't fit and don't deserve heaven. When we put our mouths on people, we sit in the place of Satan and act as the accuser of our brothers. Our mouths are used for Satan's glory and not God's.

It absolutely hurts my heart to know that I've come in agreement with the devil to put my mouth on someone. Gossip is directly contrary to the heart of God. I'm literally writing this blog with tears because this hurts Daddy's heart. I've hurt my father's heart. We are our brother's keeper, yet, we kill him with our tongue.

"It is foolish to belittle one's neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.

"A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence."

Proverbs 11:12-13

When we screw up, like we all do, come to our God, and repent, he removes our sins. As far as the east is from the west, God removes our sins from us. He does not expose our nakedness; he does not expose our shame. Daddy covers me so the world does not see how messed up I really am. Daddy does not show your mess to the world, but rather he says, "I will heal your backsliding." God would rather heal you before he shows the world your sin. Love covers a multitude of sin. Daddy covers us with his righteousness cuz he knows ours is as filthy rags. God is love. Love keeps no record of wrong, it doesn't delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Love always protects, always trust, always hopes, and always perseveres.

That is Daddy's heart and gossip is directly contrary to it. If you don't know Christ, I'm really not talking to you. However, if you name yourself among the saints, KEEP YOUR MOUTH OFF OF PEOPLE. Stop talking about your girl who did you wrong, your ex, your crazy mom, and your deadbeat dad. Quit talking about these pastors and ministries, and stop looking for the next leader to fall. If something is wrong with the church, realize that you are the church so look in the mirror first. Then intercede. Pray church pray! Spend the time you want to be complaining, interceding.

I don't like to hurt God so my heart is really broken in this matter. This is a hard word and pretty uncomfortable, but it is so true. Him who has an ear, let him hear.

You know when you try to put this into practice you might upset a few people when you tell them you don't want to hear it or that you aren't going to tell it. They will get over themselves. I'd rather be rejected by men, than be rejected by God. *Sigh* That was draining.

Blessings...