No More Excuses

 

Pastor Steven Furtick said, "You can have a good heart and horrible habits, but your good heart can’t overpower your horrible habits. If you don’t like the product, you must change the pattern that is producing that product."

Not eating right is producing a product I don’t like 😞 -- so I must change the pattern that will produce a new product. Don’t just keep making excuses. Change the behavior to change the results. 😃

Don't Bother Me

The song Lean on Me, fell in my spirit and I immediately began singing. Then I searched the internet for the lyrics and watched some videos on YouTube.

Sometimes I like to share songs on my Facebook page when a song is laying heavy on my heart. But I was leery about sharing this one. I thought, “Someone may see it and want me to do them a favor or something.” I felt convicted because I know what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42 NET)

To deny the opportunity to help someone in need is selfish. There will be times when we don’t feel like being bothered. And we know there are those who will manipulate us if we let them… and take our kindness for weakness. Turn them over to the Lord.

I published a blogpost back in November called You Mean I Have To Love Everybody?

I’m quite embarrassed to say that the struggle continues that I described in that post. It is much easier to sing the lyrics, than it is to walk them out.

I confess once again that I keep coming up short in loving my neighbor as myself. I don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, and who is at work in me.

The Lord said to apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

We must trust the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what we cannot. Because where we are weak in human effort, the Lord makes up with His supernatural power. If our desire is to please God, Holy Spirit will provide the ability to accomplish it.

In those times when we really don’t feel like being bothered, He will instill His will because it is our desire to please Him. 

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NET)

 Voice of the Dove, Dee Richardson

Ready - Set - Don't Go Yet

 

Pick Up The Ball And Run With It
First, Make Sure the Timing Is Right

Often times we expect that when God announces a change in our lives it's gonna be activated immediately. We're ready to pick up the ball and run with it. But He may be giving us something for a future appointed time. Now might not be the right time for it to be activated. He's just giving us a heads up that it's time to get prepared for it. From the time David was anointed to be king, many years passed before he wore the crown. Don't become discouraged in the process of development on the way to your purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Voice of the Dove, Dee Richardson

Memorial of My Pastor

It’s been 16 years since Pastor LeRoy Lott was buried. He was my pastor when I came to Christ in the Spring of 1999. True Faith Church did not judge me for my short skirts and lipstick, they just accepted me and loved me as Christ drew me to Himself with cords of lovingkindness. It really doesn’t seem like that long since he’s been gone. I know that he has been missed, and for sure his absence has left a void. He was a great preacher, he called his sermons fireside chats. They were definitely fiery. 

I recall one of his sermons about God telling Ananias of Damascus to go and pray for, and baptize Saul of Tarsus. Ananias was a little leery because Saul had been persecuting the saints in Jerusalem. But the Lord told him that it’s okay now because Saul was not persecuting saints anymore, he’s praying now. By this time, Pastor Lott has come down from the pulpit and was preaching under a mighty anointing. “He’s praying now!”, he belted out. 

Not long after the Lord saved me, I was thinking about the change God had made in my life. I noticed that some in the Bible received new names after their encounters with the Lord. Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Israel. Saul became Paul, and I became SugarSweet. Wow! God gave me that name through Pastor Lott. For a long time I thought that God was calling those things that be not as though they were, because I surely did not feel like a SugarSweet at all. 

Right after Pastor Lott died, I saw a vision of church members working out in the field. Everyone had their heads down and was diligently working with their tool to tend the field. I happened to look up and saw Jesus coming down the path toward the field. Pastor Lott looked up and saw Jesus, as He waved at Pastor Lott to come to Him. He dropped his tool and went to Jesus. He put His arm around my pastor’s neck and they both turned and walked back up the path together. 

I know he is in heaven enjoying Jesus, hallelujah. Save a seat for us Pastor Lott, as Fred Sanford used to say, “Elizabeth, we’re coming to join ya!”

Voice of the Dove, Dee Richardson

Another Go-Around on the Potter’s Wheel

The Lord showed me a vision a long time ago… I was walking down a path and passed a tree stump and had a vague feeling that I had been there before. I couldn’t remember so I shrugged my shoulders and continued down the path, passing others and seeing their faces. I came to the tree stump again and stopped… trying to remember where I had seen it before. I still couldn’t remember so I shrugged my shoulders and continued down the path again. A third time, I came back to the tree stump and said, “Now I know I’ve been here before.” At that precise moment I looked up to see other people that had been on the path with me, going on up to higher ground and I shrugged my shoulders and continued back down the path once again. 

A mentor named Sharmaine once said to me, “There is a temperament, a character, a compassion, a long suffering and many other traits of God that have to be downloaded within you to sustain you in what God is calling you to do ultimately.” 

This download is accomplished through testing and trials that the Father permits, or in some cases He orchestrates in order to prepare us for the purpose He has planned for us. 

The reason the Lord sent me that vision is because I was not learning the lessons He was trying to teach me. The tree stump represents the end of the trial, that I kept coming to and not getting the understanding that the trial should’ve taught. So as others leveled up through the same trial, I would go back through it again.

Proverbs 15:31 (NKJV) The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise.

Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” 

Recently, two dogs moved in next door to us, one to our immediate left and one to our immediate right. Long story short, they LOVE to bark, both of them, very loudly. I prayed and prayed that the Lord would rebuke the devil for putting these dogs here to torment me. I even spoke with one of the owners. Nothing! Finally, I heard the voice of the Lord say, “I put the dogs there! I am trying to teach you endurance. Where I’m taking you, you will experience many loud barkers. You need the stamina and endurance to face it.” What an aha moment that was. Now when the dogs go on a barking frenzy, I just start thanking Jesus. Winston Churchill said, “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” I am learning to just keep going despite the noise. Some days I put on loud music to block them out, but I keep going. 

The apostle Paul said, “We are God’s workmanship (handiwork, masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus for good works. God is saying, “I am trying to work on you, but you are like that lump of clay that the potter cannot get to act right. 

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NLT) The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as He told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the LORD gave Jeremiah this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

One day I happened to see the NIV version of Jer. 29:11 which records the Lord saying, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." When I saw those words "not to harm you" I stopped dead in my tracks and just stared at it for a long, long time. Why did I think my God meant to harm me? It was like someone had slapped me upside my head or something. Another aha moment.

James 1:2-4 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

I heard someone say in a song, "Don't question God, just accept what He allows, you're better off anyways."

Voice of the Dove, Dee Richardson

The 46th President

Yesterday, America inaugurated the 46th US President, Joe Biden. I must say it is like welcoming Spring after a cold, hard, unrelenting Winter. We made it. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, and I believe it is early morning in America. The sun is not out yet, but it’s morning.

My prayers for Joe Biden the morning of the inaugural were deeply fervent and earnest. I believe our God has heard our earnest prayers and we will see Him at work on behalf of Americans.

As I listened to the priest say the opening prayer at the inaugural ceremonies, he said something that captured my attention, “malice toward none and charity for all”. As the apostle Peter encouraged us, let us lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. Let us not hate either president… past or present. The apostle Paul said to pray for men in authority so that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives.

After Richard Nixon resigned from office and left the White House, newly appointed President Gerald Ford said in his inaugural address, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”

When I start to see trees budding in early Spring, I am hopeful that soon I can return my coat to the back of the closet because I will not need it for a while. Everyday that I see more and more leaves, my hope gets brighter and brighter.

The 23rd Psalm has been laying heavy on my heart these last few weeks. In particular, the verse that says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because the Good Shepherd is with me.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23

God bless the United States of America

You're in Good Hands With Jesus

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me is not a true statement!  Bones can mend but a broken heart is hard to cure.

Nevertheless, your heart is in good hands with Jesus. He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father,

I pray for the person reading this prayer, that You will please heal their broken heart. It has been said that words cannot hurt, but unkind words can leave deep scars. It is written in Your word that You heal the broken-hearted and bind up their wounds. We give our brokenness to You and pray You will restore joy and peace where the enemy has sown destruction. Shower Your love upon the person reading this prayer and let them know You are still with them, and still God whom no foe can defeat. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Validation Through a Like Button

We post, and we wait for a reaction... thumbs up, heart emoji, hands clapping, a sad face, or a comment. But what if no one reacts to your post? Does that make you feel dejected? Do you come back over and over to see if someone has liked the post?

I had to have a frank discussion with myself that my worth and value is NOT tied up in a social media post. In fact, a while back I shut down the comments on my blog site for that very reason. I post to help someone, whether they acknowledge me or not. If I have something laying heavy on my heart, it must be said so that at least the one person God wants to reach will hear it.

Be confident in you!  Don't let algorithms ruin your day.

 I like to create designs in an app called Design Home. Others vote on your designs and if you get 4 stars or more, you have earned free furnishings to add to your inventory. I noticed a while back that if I got a 3-star rating, I felt disappointed... dejected. One day I went back and looked at my design and thought that I still really liked what I created even though it didn’t get 4 stars. From that day on, I decided that if I liked the design, it doesn’t matter how many stars it gets.

Because the social media platform is built on others seeing what’s on your mind, it can be disappointing when no one acknowledges your post. Don’t let that overwhelm you. Keep being you. Keep on keeping on. Go back and look at the post and if you still like it, then all is well.

 Remember, “You have an audience of One, and if He applauds you then take your bow.”

 Voice of the Dove, Dee Richardson

 

Welcome 2021!!

2021 -- It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.

Bye 2020

Movin' On to 2021