YIELD: Pause. Assess. Proceed. Produce.

First of all, I must let all readers know that my relationship with God is the loudest voice in my life.  It’s the anchoring influence over all that I do and all that I am.  Furthermore, it began through Jesus Christ.  Although this is a blog about trauma it’s also a blog about a relationship with the Lord.  I intentionally want each of you to know exactly what you’re getting into as you decide to read on.   Even with Christ, my story does not diminish the constriction and the grip of trauma on one’s life.  I didn’t receive a one swipe miracle followed by complete freedom.  There has been a step by step “trucking” process, which I’ll explain.  The process is still underway, therefore it’s brave of me to share a part of my story that is still unfinished.  I risk repeated failure and I risk mockery, but it’s a risk worth taking if even one person decides to commit to the trucking process. Even better, I’d consider it worth it if just one o...

Myth: You need a good credit score to thrive financially. Myth: You can’t rent a car or reserve a hotel room without a credit card. Myth: You can’t go to college without student loans. Myth: You need your credit cards to earn rewards. Myth: You need a credit card for unexpected emergencies. Myth: You must use debt for business start up and ongoing expenses. Myth: There’s no way to get a new car without going into debt.

When you intentionally show the love of Christ and it gets thrown back in your face, it hurts, but how should you react?  The bible has encouragement which we can choose to obey when we become discouraged while trying to minister to others.  1) Remember that ultimately God is our "boss" and it is him whom we work for.  Our reward is in him.  When people don't accept your labor of love God still does. (Colossians 3:23-24) 2) Keep loving!  Don't let rejection harden your heart and cause you to freeze up.  Continuing to love is challenging and it's natural to mistakenly put your guard up in order to protect your own heart.  Resist.  God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6:10 NIV) 3) Don't forget that the love you give in his name has eternal value.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we ...

I can be a good steward, but my faith is not in stewardship. We should tithe, but our faith is not in the act of tithing. Our faith rests in God.  I can put forth tremendous effort, but my faith is not in my effort.  My faith is in the God who established these practices for our benefit.  Our trust must remain in him solely, for His blessings toward us greatly exceed our investments of stewardship, tithing, and effort.  How can we then elevate works as the reason we may prosper?  We cannot.  God is the one who both propels and anchors us.  What do some of our forefathers say about how God sustains?  I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (Psalm 37:25).  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phillipians 4:19).

Does your life feel like a never ending cycle?  As seasons change and years roll by, we have to wonder whether or not we are advancing or moving forward.  Are we maturing?  The passing of time and age does not necessarily equal growth and advancement.  To move forward we must be teachable.  The book of Proverbs begs us to love wisdom and discipline.  We have to welcome correction, and even appreciate rebuke.  We should be open and sensitive to deepening convictions and then adapt to God’s latest personal instructions for our lives.  We have to copy the Bereans and search the scriptures for our own deeper understanding when we hear a striking message. Moreso, we have to apply God's word and make adjustments along the way.  Let's not be like a dog chasing its tail, with low standards of monotonous achievement.  Scripture gives a more graphic depiction, saying some are like a dog returning to its own vomit (Proverbs 26:11).  Don't part...

How have you been approaching God lately? With OBEDIENCE or with SACRIFICE? “God required animal sacrifices as a way for His people to temporarily atone for their sins and draw nearer to Him.” ~ christianity.com -Obedience is better than sacrifice. -Obedience is faith-based. Sacrifice is works-based. -Both can be necessary in some ways, however, one is greater. -Obedience is based on an intimate and mutually loving relationship between you and God. -Sacrifice can be given in a distant or non-existent relationship between you and God. -Obedience is proactive. Sacrifice is reactive. -Obedience points to Jesus Christ. Sacrifice points to the law. -Obedience is our response to the gospel. Sacrifice was a response to sin before the gospel. -Some have only engaged with God using the method of sacrifice and NOT obedience. -Obedience is God saying, “Join me in this. Walk with me.” Then we respond with, “Okay, let’s go!” Sacrifice is us pleading, “Let me make it up to you. Let me pay you back. ...

A couple of years ago I was followed when I took a walk at dusk in my own neighborhood. My neighbor who lives across the street diagonally from us saw me walk past his house on the sidewalk. He then got in his pick up truck and followed me around the neighborhood. He passed me a few times, turned around, and passed me again. I was listening to music and at first not thinking much of it. Eventually he even pulled up next to me as I’m walking, slowed down, and creeped nex t to me in his vehicle to match my walking pace. What was he doing? I’m not sure. My guess is that he was trying to get a closer look or on the phone giving the police a description of me. At this point I’m calling some one because I wasn’t sure if I was about to get snatched up. But yet because of the current events I did not run. I just looked straight ahead and kept walking. I was angry as well, thinking, “You are so-called trying to protect our neighborhood while you YOURSELF are behaving stalkerishly and scaring a...