Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are

I've heard great advice about the company you keep. I work with a woman in Mary Kay who was the former VP of Marketing for Michael Jordan, the great NBA basketball player. She said Michael shared some valuable insight into the people she purposely surrounded herself with. First Michael imparted that you should NOT take advice from people you wouldn't trade bank accounts with. Secondly, he believes you will become the sum of the 5 people you surround yourself with.

Take a look around you and the people you consider near and dear to your heart. Are these the beloved ones that you regularly surround yourself with? If so, do you admire how they push you to be your best and praise you to success? If so, great! You're blessed to have caring people who will applaud you when you fulfill those hard to reach goals.

I stumbled upon another great verse in the Bible honoring the value of great friends. "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20)." This verse truly speaks to my heart, and it forces me to take a hard look at the company I keep.

As I've written in previous posts, God has shown me through the actions and reactions of others who my true friends are. It's painfully alarming to see God revealing the truth in people's hearts. But I am forever grateful that God has shown me who praises me to success and who truly cares for my happiness. It's beautiful, and it's been a life-changing experience to see the caring folks reach out to a friend in need. It's been a HUGE blessing to let go of the friends who only care to kick you when you're down...in more ways than one.

So today I stand here passionately proud of the company I have chosen to keep. These friends will soon hear of more miraculous blessings and the success God has bestowed upon my family and myself. For those I don't consider wise in their own lives and personal choices, all I can do is pray for them and for their hearts. I can only hope they surround themselves with people who truly care for their well being. I can only hope they surround themselves with people who's lifestyle choices would make them either want to trade bank accounts or are the kind of people they want to become the sum of.

Have I told you lately that I love you?

To my friends -- let me take this moment to let each one of you know that I love you and praise God for you. Every one of you cares about my progress, health and well being. You are concerned for me during the most trying of times. You raise me up and never kick me when I'm down. You walk in whenever the rest of the world walks out. Each of you surely pushes me to be better than my best. You challenge me to change the things I have the power to change. You're there on your knees along with me patiently waiting until God answers. You take the time to hear me out and attempt to understand the root of my faults rather than attacking the poor choices I have made.

You're there because you care, and I am forever grateful for you and for our friendship. I have said this once plus a thousand more times...each time with more meaning than the last -- I can NEVER repay each of you for your kindness. Please know that I'm asking God to.

Learning the hard way

Today was day 15 of daily devotional with my husband. Today's scripture reading is 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. I was in for a rude awakening immediately after reading. God spoke to my heart and I'm now understanding that as Christians, we MUST be slow to judge others but quick to judge ourselves. In my last post I did not obey.

I intended to put myself out there so that whoever reads this blog sees I'm nothing but an imperfect person trying to do what's right and good. I am and always will be a firm believer that nothing in my life just happened to me. God allows the burdens and joys as a direct result of the lifestyle choice I have made from the FREE WILL God has blessed me with. If I choose to live wrongfully, I will suffer consequences. If I choose to live righteously according to the Word, I will be blessed by HIS gifts alone.

Today's devotional taught me a valuable life lesson in my Christian journey, and I had to learn the hard way. Although I was quick to judge myself, I was much too quick to judge lifestyle choices of others. In the previous post, I allowed my impulsiveness to get the best of me, and I let that overpower what is right.

Only God can judge. Only God can condemn. It's hard for me to grasp that only God can expose the intentions of the heart. Only I can say my life is left to face consequences based on past lifestyle choices. I regret posting what was in my heart at that exact moment. There was no humility in my timing, and that's my bad.

The Answer Man

A while back I was on a marketing project to promote and assist in production of promotional trailers for a great indie flick entitled "The Answer Man" starring Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham.



This is a great romantic comedy with a great storyline. What I loved most about this flick is the resounding message that just now clicked for me. Jeff Daniels plays a reclusive, troubled yet gifted writer who authored a book entitled "Me and God," which redefines spirituality in an age where every walking, breathing being questions what's the meaning of life and does God actually exist? This book was a best seller and it's depicted that everyone who reads the text experiences a life-changing epiphany after learning about the author's "chats" with God. From what I understand, the author lives a life dodging friendly harassment from lovers of his work. He receives mail that he never opens from his fans on a daily basis. Everyone is searching for the author as they search for answers to their greatest questions about the meaning of life. Since it seems this author has published all of life's answers, Daniels is known in this flick as "the answer man."

I'm not going to attempt to be a film critic by boring you with every reason as to why you MUST watch this film. It's on Showtime On Demand right now. Order it (at no charge) and watch it at your leisure. Not only is it charming and enjoyable, you'll learn something about life...I can almost guarantee it.

There's a great dialogue between Daniels and a supporting actor. The other actor seizes every opportunity to question Daniels on important life questions.



Q: Why can't I do the things I want to do? There's so much I know I'm capable of but I never do. Why is that?

A: The trick is to realize you're always doing what you want to do. No one is making you do anything. Once you get that, you see that you're free and that life is a series of choices...nothing happens to you -- you choose.

This dialogue made quite a profound impact on me. For someone as ignorant to living life within reason as I've been, this was a huge realization! I always questioned, "Why God, did this have to happen to me?" It took this film to get me to realize God gave us FREE WILL. Things have happened to me as a consequence of my choices...good or bad decisions always reap a consequence. That's brilliant!

This struck a chord within me in light of recent experiences and lessons learned. I've written in previous posts that I've messed up in life so severely you can't even imagine the darkness I was in. But enough about me...what about you?

Take a look at your life and your choices. Are you happy with where you're at? Do you accept that you did what you wanted to do and your current standing in life is a direct result from the path you chose to take? Forget acceptance as it can be difficult to swallow. Do you understand that you're always doing what you want to do? Do you understand that no one is making you do anything? Do you get that life is a series of choices -- nothing ever just happens to you...because you choose? Do you get it? Do you get that?

Every lifestyle IS A CHOICE! Whether it's to live righteously as God intended or to live in dark waters because sometimes it's more appealing or flat out more convenient, your way of life is a freakin choice! Hear my heart -- I am suffering consequences in life because of stupid CHOICES I made. The world that tries to bring me down is a direct result from the poor decisions I selfishly made.

Then there are those who foolishly believe the opposite. They DECIDE on a lifestyle CHOICE they believe was not to their choosing. They think a certain choice is not one made but instead it was inherently imprinted on the fabric of their being. Instead they choose to live life unnaturally according to God's word, and they're left to suffer from that choice. It's not a state of just being -- it's a choice! You can choose to live life taking the road less traveled or finding the quickest path to convenience. Based on your decision, your life will be impacted. It's a freakin choice! Oh my gosh I'm so freakin heated right now. I am living proof that things in this life happen not because you ask them to but because you choose! Repeat this with me...life is a series of choices. Nothing happens to you -- you freakin choose! AHHHHH!

On a much lighter and enlightening note, I have another simply profound answer to my life. On Day 11 of daily devotional with my husband, I was rocked by another realization. Read James 1:19-25...whoa baby! I understand what you believe is not what matters most -- it's about what you obey. Many of us claim to read the Bible, but how many of us actually follow and obey the Word? You must understand as I have recently come to accept, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD UNTIL YOU OBEY THE WORD. Do you get that at all? Whether or not you accept this truth, it is the TRUTH!

If you want to be blessed in whatever capacity you feel you deserve a blessing, then you must OBEY! Don't question...don't linger...don't argue. Just OBEY! Once you do, you'll be blessed by God with gifts HE feels you deserve. Until that day of obedience, you will continue to choose your choice and will face the consequences -- good or bad.

Good luck to you. I will pray for you.

The Prosperity Gospel

I recently learned about the Prosperity Gospel and I'm doing further research on the topic. In the Prosperity Gospel -- aka Word of Faith -- those who believe are encouraged to use God rather than allow God to use the believer. It's also the belief that if you are "successful" in life then God is with you. From what I understand, the Prosperity Gospel is the antithesis of how Christianity is defined in the Bible.

In opposition to the Prosperity Gospel, Christian believers should seek the power of the Holy Spirit to live according to God's will...not according to convenience or primarily for your gain. Following the Word of Faith doctrine, faith cannot be viewed as such for this demands wholeheartedly trusting in God. Instead, Word of Faith uses spirituality to control the universe. Some argue "this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts." (referenced in Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff via gotquestions.org) Interestingly enough, even in the Bible we are warned against those who may follow this doctrine of faith and even Paul the apostle views practices like this as heresy. Reverting back to Prosperity teaching, followers do not let God work on His own. Moreover, this practice does not honor God as Lord of all because He cannot work until the believer allows Him to do so. However, I am a firm believer that prayer doesn't change God...prayer changes me.

I cared enough to look into biblical interpretations as I stumbled upon (www.gotquestions.org) and (http://bible.logos.com). Paul warned Timothy about evil in wrongful faith practices. In 1 Timothy 6:9, Paul warns of men who assumed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction.” Yikes...

Making an effort to understand the Prosperity Gospel is what brought me to look further into the verse listed above. I think about my own privileged and blessed life these past 28 years. At an early age, I was taught the importance of spiritual wisdom and having faith that God's ruling hand controls our fate. I've been blessed with more times of happiness than times of trials. Growing up, I had it pretty easy. In high school and college, I was quite privileged. In those times of "easy living," I truly felt God was with me because I had it so great.

But looking back to any times of sadness or difficulty, I can't say that I fully believed God was carrying me through any pain or discomfort. It's not that I thought HE left me, I just didn't acknowledge HIS presence and guidance through whatever storm I was weathering. After a while, I may have been convinced that having all of these blessings in my life, for all of my life, was when God was really working. When God blesses me with gifts and happiness, then HE must really be there. But when the going gets tough, I failed to acknowledge HIS guiding light and instead would rely on my own understanding and inner strength to pull me out of that predicament.

I always thought God was omnipresent when I was successful in life. I hate to admit, but I almost felt as if HE wasn't there unless I asked him to be there. Looking back, I would every now and then give my Lord in the heavens just a passing glance. I somehow convinced myself, "don't worry, God. I got this."

Then a tumultuous storm came, and for a while, I chose to fall into the darkest of waters by relying on no one else but my evil self. I was in true self-denial after convincing myself that I had it all under control. I believed I was in control. I didn't want to rely on God's warnings or His guiding light to break me away from sinful habits. I wanted what I wanted and let nothing get in my way. I controlled what I mistakenly thought was mine to manipulate. It was a terrifying place to be, and I'm now left to pick up after myself and the detritus I left behind.

Relying on yourself is dangerous...I know from lessons learned the hard way. It's only now that I'm understanding that I encouraged wrongfully using God rather than wholeheartedly allowing Him to use me. I have grown up to know that as Christians, we MUST let go and let God. I struggled to understand that fundamental concept. Only now am I beginning to explore it because only now am I looking to something greater than my own understanding to lead the way.