Striving To Be "Christ-Like"!

1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:11 ☆ this scripture looks at Hannah's journey from misery to praise. Waiting is one of the hardest things we must do. So much of life involves waiting, and in an age of instant products, waiting irritates us. But waiting is hardest when we see the clock running on, the years going by, and still our hopes and dreams are unfulfilled. Hannah knew about waiting. In a society that measured a woman's worth by her children, Hannah was barren. Year after year she waited in misery for the answer to her prayers. She had two choices: to be bitter or to continue seeking God's help. She continued to seek God's help and God gave her a son, whom she named Samuel, which means "God Hears" and in that moment her misery turned into praise. Just like Hannah, we must continue seeking God and standing on His promises that our prayers will be answered and heard according to God's will and time, knowing that our misery shall turn into praise.

Jesus said to lift up your eyes and behold the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest. He wants us to love and care for the lost. We must ask Him to break our hearts for the lost and give us a burden for their souls. It pleases God to see His children seeking His kingdom, not that of the world. Seeking to add lost souls to His kingdom, not seeking for self. If you dwell in the field, you will be out in the world, but not OF the world, being about your Father's business! And, God will deliver you out of all your trials, and from the enemy of your soul. When God says something, it has to happen. No one can change the word of God! Act 26:18  - "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." This is the verse that we can pray over our lost loved ones. That is how...

Four years ago, God led me to Clanton Church of God. After much struggling with getting settled, God finally gave me the word and vision that I needed to plant my feet and grow. I knew about a year after attending church there I would only leave/step away from the church for 2 reasons: 1). If the Lord called me home 2). If the Lord opened the door for a ministry position at another church. No. 2 has arrived. After filling in on the piano at New Life Assembly of God in Maplesville, for the last month and also seeing the need for a youth leader, God begin to pour into me my purpose and I have seen myself come out of full depression during this time. I have accepted ministry positions, continuing to play the piano for them and officially kick off the first class as the Youth Leader this Wed night. I will also be taking the position as teacher of the Sunday School teen class when the new quarter starts in June. Though after around six years of teaching Sunday school at the nursing home, I ...

I know life is full of disappointments and living as a Christian, there are even more frustrating times, because of the shape of this world and the enemy trying to keep the mountains in our path and trying to hinder and block God's blessings. So, when your job promotion falls through, when a relationship unexpectedly ends, when you are diagnosed with an illness, when you are struggling financially... I pray you find encouragement in this word. See, I have lived for the Lord long enough, and seen Him bring me through enough, and protect me enough to know that when plans get changed, when the upsetting tears fall from your eyes, when a long phone or face to face conversation ends and it seems it was pointless and nothing was settled... and when you shake your fists and scream out, why is this happening? You have got to come to understand that God detours, delays, demotes, or devises plans because He is either protecting you, preparing you, or planning something better for you... Just...

This is one card that I will never plan to discard. It was mailed to me 8 years ago or so by a dear sister in Christ who has always supported how the Lord has used me in ministry. It was a particular time of struggling for me both financially and physically; she took the time to write, out in a card, reminding me of everything she had heard me speak over women until that point and still refers to me as Kimmy: Woman of God. Inside the card was a check that met a financial need. Reading over this card this week has reminded me for every person not in my corner regarding ministry, God has strategically placed someone in my corner that has helped push me forward in Ministry, even when the enemy uses others to try to keep me sitting idling, God keeps helping me push forward, helping me know what direction to move in, when to speak and when to listen. This month, as I transition to new areas of ministry in my life moving forward, I am thankful God reminds me of those who are pushing me to do...