What a Difference a Few Years Make!

The last few years have been some of the most difficult ones of my life. The difficulties have come personally, professionally, financially, medically and spirituality. There have been days when I've had to decide between buying a loaf of bread or a roll of toilet paper.  There have been days when all I could do is stare into the face of my doctor, because I just could not believe there was yet a new challenge to overcome.  There have been more days than I am comfortable remembering that I have had to tell my son we could not afford his basic needs. There have been days when getting to my knees seemed too large a task. There have been moments when there was no voice to praise or pray until something happened.  I have wanted to, planned to and waited to give up - but did not. 

The last few years have been some of the most challenging ones of my life.  I have transitioned some relationships I did not believe up for negotiation. I have released some relationships that I thought were designed to strengthen and mentor me.  I have seen relationships with some very close to me become of a troubling nature. Perhaps you have experienced those shifts and their positional noises. These noises are heard in the very edgy and mean attitude of an answered phone call. These noises are heard when your car has broken down yet again, been junked or repossessed and instead of hello - you are greeted with a myriad of reasons why you should not seek transportation assistance there.  These noises come when the noise in your financial accounts don't shuffle and clang from abundance quickly when you move into business ownership. I have seen how many different ways you can be called a burden and a bother without a word being muttered. 

The last few years have been some of the most spiritually stretching and rewarding ones of my life.  I have had more THAT'S THE SHO NUFF TRUTH RIGHT THERE moments than I can recount here.  What I have learned is that - do unto others as you would have them do unto you has nothing to do with the way people will reciprocate your kindness and sincerity; it has more to do with you choosing to live out the fruit of the spirit - even when years of compassion, giving and caring is returned with sarcasm, and, well downright nasty attitudes. Yet, when you stop crying long enough to allow God to whisper some SHO NUFF TRUTH in your ears; He teaches you the things that come from each of those hard moments to build your character and to detox your woes. Then, in His sovereign moment, God will turn the noises into praise.  I have struggled with God and pouted (wow have I pouted), but I have learned to be a blessing in more than one manner to those who have rebuked, laughed at, mocked, cursed at and rejected me. I am learning to do it with a cheerful heart; realizing that I shift the impact of their negativity and increase significantly my position of being blessed to be a blessing.  

I have learned that true provision has little to do with finance and more to do with internal power, spiritual gleaning, and manifesting of your faith and divinity.  You see the widow in Second Kings had provision every step of the way, she, like I and so many of us often miss it. The widow had provision in her sons who were there to undergird her in a season of struggle and able to go out to gather the vessels. She had provision in her neighbors who had the vessels. She had provision in the mouth of the prophet who provided the formula and release of her anointing. She had provision in the home that she could shut the door on while her anointing was prepared. When she tapped into all of the provision already around her, then God provided sufficient financial provision in the selling of the oil until He released abundant provision in the land around her.  That's a SHO NUFF TRUTH RIGHT THERE I have come to understand.   I have seen God allow my body to be attacked by one thing after another in the last four years and yet, while some days have been shaky, nothing has stopped me and I am assured that healing already resides within. 

The last few years have been what they have been and I am sure the remnants may still cause some tears and some frustration - but I am peaceful in the valleys, peaceful on the mountaintops - I am content in God.  The last few years, months and moments may have been some of the difficult, challenging, stretching years, months and moments EVER - but you will get through them. You will be increased in your divine power and you will be positioned for blessings that overtake even the most difficult tears.  I speak it over your life and I receive it in mine.  Now, let's wipe away the tears of today and be exceedingly, abundantly, amazingly peculiar people shattering every thought that comes against our purpose, our passion, our anointing and our calling!  Be overtaken by your blessings today!