Go Against the Grain

I’ve probably mentioned this before, so for those of you who have heard it before bear with me. When I was a young child I wanted to be a fashion designer. I made my own clothes. I made clothes for my Barbie doll. I fashioned jewelry out of wire. I did these things because I enjoyed doing them and no one told me that I couldn’t do them. No one told me I couldn’t pick up the wire they fell to the ground when the telephone company worked on the telephone lines and use it to make colorful jewelry. No one told me I couldn’t make my Barbie’s clothes.  Well my mother did tell me I couldn’t cut up my socks to make clothes for my doll unless they had a hole in them, but that’s a different story. No one told me I couldn’t make moccasins out of an old blanket, or create my own way of embroidering. No one told me I had to use a pattern when I wanted a maxi skirt because everyone else had one.

Have you ever watched a child play or listened to them tell a story? They have the wildest imaginations. They think they can do anything.

When do we lose that sense of imagination, that creativity; that drive to do whatever we believe we can do? For some of us it’s never. Some of us live with that childlike faith and belief throughout life. But for many of us reality hits us at an early age. Someone speaks words of discouragement that stifle our imagination. It may be a teacher that doesn’t understand our creativity, and rather than encourage it we may be labeled as disruptive in class or inattentive.

What is our role as parents or caregivers? When a child wants to spend more time exploring their creative genius than completing and turning in homework assignments, or studying it’s a parent or caregiver’s responsibility to ensure there is balance. An education is important and a gift should not be neglected.

1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Each of us have gifts as I’ve previously stated. I admire anyone that follows their passion, anyone that refuses to listen to no you can’t, anyone that perseveres in spite of the naysayers, anyone that perseveres against the odds, anyone that invests, time, money and effort to fulfill their destiny.

In my book Who Told You That You Were Naked, Reclaim Your God-given Birthright (due to be released later this year) I ask the question who told you that you cannot do or be whatever or whoever God has told you that you can do or be.

I think from time to time, we are all guilty of allowing others to dictate who we are and or what we should do, or what we should be. We may be influenced my well-meaning family, friends, coworkers, or even social media.

Have you ever thought about what you could do if you allowed yourself to let your imagination go free, if you allowed the Holy Spirit to truly take control, if you yielded your vessel completely to God?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Go Against the Grain

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

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You Are Amazing

Oftentimes we say we are waiting on God, when He is actually waiting on us. He tells us to do all we can then stand. Are you doing all that you can do, or are you standing first and waiting for God to move?  

When you delve into the word of God you will find He has given us the power to get wealth. He tells us not to neglect the gift that is in us. If we meditate on His word and follow it we will make our way prosperous and have good success.

God requires us to take a proactive role and be an active participant in the wonderful life He has predestined for us. Faith without works is dead. You can believe until you are blue in the face, but if you truly believe you will take steps towards your belief. Are you sitting on the recipe for the best cheesecake anyone has ever tasted? How will anyone know about your cheesecake if you never share it? Do you have a clothing design that will revolutionize the fashion industry? Perhaps your life has changed by implementing an idea God has given you. Wouldn’t you like to see others benefit as you have?

No man, when he lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light (Luke 11:33). What is the light that is in you? Is it hidden in a secret place, stuck in your mind, your dreams, your vision board, or have you taken that light and exposed it for all to see? You have been given whatever gift(s) that is in you for a reason. It’s not just for your benefit but for the benefit of others.

God has so much in store for each of us. For as we read in 1Corinthians 2:9 eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Life happens. We have all had experiences that may have ended with not so favorable outcomes. Some of us have had more of these experiences than others. What each of us has in common is the option of how we choose to react to our experiences. We all have a choice. We can let life get the best of us, or we can make the best out of life.

I’m sure you have heard stories of people who have overcome unsurmountable odds to achieve greatness. Perhaps you yourself know someone that you thought had great potential that never appeared to have reached their full potential. Maybe you have not yet reached your full potential. It’s not too late.

What’s preventing you from reaching your full potential? Are you letting your past failures or someone else’s recent successes hinder you from moving forward? You are the only one that can prevent you from doing what only you can do. Don’t settle for less. You are amazing.

 

Be Excited But Don’t Be Anxious

As I was praying one day, seeking the Lord concerning His Plan for my life He began to reveal things to me. As He spoke to me he said “It’s okay to be excited but don’t be anxious.” 

Sometimes during our journey, especially when we know we have heard from God we may have a tendency to become anxious. We have a vision and we are ready for it to manifest. In our eagerness to see our desired end we may become discouraged. 

We may lose sight of why we are doing what we are doing. We become focused on what we have defined as success, when success is each step we take towards our goal.  

We place undue pressure on ourselves. Instead of resting in God and His ability, we try to accomplish His Goals within our strength. When you think about it, what sense does this make? We must have faith and believe, but our belief must be in Him and His ability to work through us. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief Hebrews 4:11-12. Our labor should be to trust in Gods ability rather than in ours, and as you are aware it does take labor to believe when things all around you are causing you not to believe.  

We think we are running out of time. If things don’t happen the way we expect them to happen when we expect them to happen we begin to second guess ourselves, but we are actually second guessing God.  We think we may have missed our time. What we must remember as we read in 2 Peter 3:8 but, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Be Patient. He will bring everything He has placed in you to fruition in His time. 

Paul said in Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Learn to be content wherever you are in your journey. Every step that you make takes you closed to your destination. What may appear to be a step back may be a step that is required to ensure your foundation is firm. Have you ever taken a step forward as you were walking, felt as though you were losing your balance and quickly took a step back? God wants us to stand on that firm foundation, the Rock that the gates of hell shall not prevail against.  

You will experience trials and tribulation during your journey my friend, but be of good cheer. Be excited, but not anxious for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.