Moving Forward

"Moving" def. - the process of leaving one dwelling and settling in another. Leaving one area for another isn't always a bad thing!! It is really how we deal with our moves in life that make the difference. How many times when we move have we packed up useless things that we know we don't want or need and we still pack them up even though we will never use.

That is how we do sometimes in our spiritual moves. We just pack up the junk in our lives that we don't want to deal with and then label it stuff. We stick it in the corner in an attic or storeroom and think because we don't see it or deal with it that it won't affect us, well it does. No matter how far we hide our stuff away it is still there and it still affects our lives.

You may say to yourself...well I might need that stuff someday.  However the reality of moving forward is to let go of the stuff that is so over stuffing our thoughts and causing us to be unproductive in our lives. Do you have one of those junk drawers, that if you wanted to find something it might take you two hours and you are so frustrated that you forgot what you were even looking for, lol! Can you tell I have done this once or twice?

We sometimes over stuff our lives with excuses with why we can't move forward or well someday when I win the lottery, it will all be better? Just that in it's self is funny. 

Sooo... this recent move was really different for me in regards to the "why" "when" and "how"?  In a lot of ways it was exhausting working up till the time that we moved.  Then we had to moved our kids from a place they loved.  All these questions are really only because I don't know the roads that lies ahead BUT God knows!  That is something I can put my trust in for sure! Jeremiah 29:11

I know that a lot of my friends think we are nomads or gypsies but the truth is I wouldn't change it for anything.   Each move has brought me much needed personal growth in different areas of my life.  I know I have matured and changed for the better. God taught me so much with each move. There were times I felt this time is the hardest one I have ever gone through....but that wasn't true, it just seemed like it at the time. I have realized that the hardest thing we have gone through is usually the one thing we have never had to go through before...what's your thought?

Like Pastor David always says…"There are people there for a reason and people there for a season." I know there were seasons in my life I had to go through because it forced me to deal with the stuff I did not want to deal with or get rid of so I can really move on forward with my life. If I hadn't gone and been through the things I went through I KNOW I wouldn't be who I am today. The wife, mother, friend and minister. I am stronger because of the moves I have made over years. I am not saying that every move has been the right move but they have been the catapult to my growth up to this time in my life. 

Our hearts are completely surrendered to God and as with every move I’ve learned to "walk by faith and not by sight" and "holding fast to that which is good"...Matt.12:34.  I don't know exactly what lies ahead but as I do my part I know who holds the answer and I trust Him with all my heart. Proverbs 16:23 says... His heart will guide his lips...

Maybe you feel like you don’t know what is going on in your life right now.  Maybe you haven’t physically moved but something has definitely changed in your life and you can’t figure out your “why” “when” and “how”?  Can I encourage you to keep holding on?  God is ever encouraging and ever faithful.  His love and grace is beyond anything we can ever completely comprehend.  But GOD…He is good.  I really encourage you to put your complete trust in His ability and on His timing.  Allow Him to guide you in the direction and in the things he has for you to do.  Do not be swayed by your present circumstance.  Get rid of your excess baggage you have not dealt with and determine in your heart to move forward with your life no matter what!!

Making Decisions

    
How would you describe your life? Are you achieving what you desire? How does your future look? One thing I have learned is you will never change your life, until you change something you do daily.
You see, success doesn't suddenly occur one day in someones life. For that matter neither does failure. Each is a process.
What are you preparing for your tomorrow? Are grooming yourself for success or failure? An author once said "You can pay now and play later, or you can play now and pay later but either way your gonna pay."
What I can be terrible with is time management but the truth is Time is an equal opportunity employer, but how we treat time is not equal. What do you do with your time? I know some of the thing that we have had to go through over the years has been because of not treating my time wisely!
Some people make choices, then experience negative consequences, yet wonder why they can't seem to get ahead. I know I was one of those people that kept making the wrong choice and getting stinky results and wondered way. Why was so and so always seeming to have everything go good in her favor? She wasn't even nice and Lord, don't you know I love everyone and I am obedient to your Word. Yep, I said those exact words. I really thought if I was obedient to God's word and loved everyone all should run perfectly for me. As Bro Hagin would say " Bless her darling heart and stupid head." There is a lot more to things not working out the way we think they should, like decisions, attitude, and obedience.


Even when people would share with me about the choices I was making, I would make it anyway!! Don't ask why maybe I could blame it on youthful ignorance or well let's just say it ignorance no matter what my age. 

Here is something that really helped me about making decisions and hope it helps you.... 

• You don't make decisions because they're easy(did this a lot)
• You don't make decisions because they're cheap
• You don't make decisions because they're popular 
• You only make decisions because they're Right....

Seem simple right,not even! If we all followed this we would all be very much ahead of the game in so many areas. There are to many time we make decisions for the wrong reasons and that is what gets us into trouble. The only one I have to blame when making a wrong decision is myself. That is a tough statement because no one once to admit that there failure are because of things that we have done.

Who ever said Failure is a bad thing because according to the word "Failure isn't fatal or final"? We look at failure as a bad thing and yet in fact without failure we could never grow. John Maxwell well said" I had to learn how to fail forward". You might fail but it doesn't take you backwards but forward.

The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to Failure.

Even positive people have a tough time learning how to see failure positively,I should know because I feel like I am a fairly positive and it still is hard to look at failures positively. I don't want to make mistakes, I want to make all the right decision for not only myself but for my children. I am the type of person that want to please everyone but I know I am only human and the only way I can learn sometimes is to step back and fail forward!! That is the attitude I have chosen along this journey and I know attitude can sometime be the problem. John Maxwell also said"Your attitude colors every aspect of your life. It is like the minds paintbrush". That is powerful !! If our attitude paints every aspect of our life we need to look at what we are painting!

So remember as we go along our journey remember our Attitude is as important as our Decisions.
Ask yourself our we learning from our mistakes? If we are open to learn from our mistakes, it can be an invaluable tool towards us moving forward in life and achieving our dreams! 


Sincerely
D'Anna

Opposition

Even before I begin, I want to encourage you that if you are a leader or oversee people in any capacity to read Nehemiah chapter 1-4. Some of you are or have been confronted with problems and critics. Well where do we find instruction for our situations? The wise thing to do is seek solutions by looking at Scripture first, because scripture is sufficient guide to ministry and our lives.


As I was researching about opposition and  I questioned, who is the best to learn how to handle opposition from? There is one man in the bible I can think of that encountered opposition,Nehemiah. Most of you likely know the story of Nehemiah and his burden to rebuild the wall for Jerusalem.


Nehemiah faced intense, increasing opposition; fatigue; loss of vision, discouragement and fear. He had pressure from those who didn't like what he was doing.


For whatever reason Sanballat and Tobiah ( the two men in the bible that were the biggest oppositions to Nehemiah) didn't want the wall of Jerusalem rebuilt, they didn't like what he was doing?


Life in church today isn't much different. There is usually people that don't like what your doing or doesn't approve of how you are doing it. The reason behind this immediate opposition may never be apparent- in fact, there may not be any logical reason behind it- but that doesn't necessarily prevent us as leaders from being affected by it.


Can anyone else relate? I know I can identify with how Nehemiah's troubles. I admire him because he didn't let there hostility stop him. But the truth is the hostility didn't stop; it grow into something even more.


They began questioning his motives. Because either they didn't know that Nehemiah had the support of the king -or if they did know( they didn't say), or they lied.
Isn't that the way people are ? When they decide that they don't like you, they assume the worst motives. "She is just doing it to show off"or "what is she trying to prove" people say, what's more they rarely keep there opinions to themselves. I hate wasting my energy on mopping up after someones wrong assumptions.Have you ever wanted to quit because your motives have been questioned ?Or have you ever had your purpose questioned? Your ability? The quality of your work? Many of us might say,"I didn't sign up for this"and even look for a way out of whatever commitment we have made. Didn't stop Nehemiah- he just charged ahead.


Nehemiah endured;

• Name Calling
• Instilling doubt about his purpose 
• Ridiculing his ability 
• Mocking the quality of his work 

I've had some difficult personal experiences-some caused by me and some not-that are similar to what Nehemiah faced to rebuild the wall. Such as ridicule from other. Mocking the quality of my work and even Name calling -not fun at all. But as I said earlier it didn't stop Nehemiah and it hasn't stopped me.

Fact is why or what are the reason people quit? Getting people to serve faithfully in ministry is rarely easy. There are always more ministry to be done then people to do it,and more opportunities then resources.


There are always going to be critics and bosses( some legit, some self appointed) for what you do- committees, parents, co-workers, students and so forth. But compared to Nehemiah we have it good by today's standards.


"When God's people attempt to do God's work in God's way,there will always be opposition",there certainly was for Nehemiah. As he acted upon his burden to rebuild the wall, the pressure from those who didn't like what he was doing grew. First his enemies then even his volunteers and friends. But Nehemiah never gave up on the burden that God had given him.


So I want to encourage you that no matter what obstacle you are facing either in Ministry , work or just in your everyday life . Don't let go of the burden that God given you to do.  
What does burden look like to you and me ?  It's are passion to pursue your God given purpose in life.


What are the benefits to have a passionate purpose, it gives you strength,hope,focus and a radical persistent drive to stick with your purpose of life no matter the opposition.

Mood:Determined

My husband wrote this and it truly inspired me! So I thought I would share it to inspire others to stick with thing no matter what.... hope you are blessed?
Determination

mood: determined
Yesterday I read in the bible (in Acts) how God really used Paul in a great way. Paul sacrificed much and did some pretty amazing and impressive stuff. He was totally sold out to God, BUT then he was arrested! Huh? How many of you ever felt like you were doing everything right? Perhaps you felt good, strong, confident and maybe even good looking! Maybe even thought how much you really like your life because things are going so good. Then all of a sudden, your world crashed. Almost like you became a prisoner to your environment and parole isn't anytime soon. I definitely have. I even asked God "what in the world is going on?. I've done all this for you and this is the thanks I get? Am I not suppose to be going up and not down?".

I can only imagine how Paul felt during his few years in prison? Abandoned, lonely, discouraged, hopeless, maybe even questioned the outcome of his future? I think he did all of the above and more. However, something very interesting happened. He wrote most of the New Testament from prison. Could it be that when we think we are at our lowest point entrap to a prison of circumstance that we are the most capable of accomplishing something extraordinary? Could it be that God used Paul's circumstance to create a clear focus for his life? Was he forced to listen? The bible does say that the righteous live by faith. If our lives never had any challenges, we would not need faith. Faith is the tool we use to get out of the impossible situations. Faith believes that no matter what I am coming out of this mess. Even if your mamma, your daddy, your ex, your friends, or even your enemies do not believe in you. Faith believes it is possible. In spite of our situation, faith is going to be the tool we use to accomplish something extraordinary!

I know you are not a quitter and it is not too late. Set your determination on an all time high. Watch what you will do.


Raul