“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
When God restores you, you will never be the same. Having a true encounter with God, changed my entire life. He renewed, redeemed, and restored me. He healed my brokenness and instilled in me strength and peace that I never knew existed. I felt like God was giving me a brand new shot at life—a chance to walk, work, and live for Him. I thank Him daily for giving me the opportunity to get it right because He could have let me die in my sin. I thank Him for opening my heart, my mind, and my eyes. I thank Him for His goodness, grace, and mercy because I know I didn’t deserve it. I thank Him for this journey. I thank Him for being what I needed—everything I searched for. I longed for something that was there all the time. That which I thought I needed to make me feel whole or complete…...I discovered that I really didn't need it at all. I was chasing a dream and making myself miserable in the process.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 KJV
When I truly surrendered my all to God, everything started to make sense, and everything started to fall into place. I sought God and He answered me. At that point in my life, I was tired, mentally drained, and just wanted peace. I tried it my way and that wasn’t working, so I gave it all to him. And as time went by, He began working on me. I became intentional about the way I lived my life and the time that I spent with God. One day, I pulled out an old notebook and I started to write down different scriptures, words, and phrases. There were times when I would write headings on blank pages in my notebook and just leave it. I would spend hours writing (day or night). Little did I know that the things that I was writing would turn into blog posts. Writing is my therapy. It is my personal devotion and one on one time with God. I allow His Holy Spirit to give me the right words to say.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12 KJV
When I started this blog, I had no idea of how to create a website or how to put all of this together, but I stepped out on faith and I knew that with God’s divine guidance, He wouldn’t let me fail. The process was tedious. There was a lot of research and late nights, but I persevered and completed the tasks set before me……and here I sit a year later, still going strong. To make it a full year and keep this blog going has been nothing short of amazing. To get notifications that people around the world are taking the time out of their day to visit my website is humbling. I do not do this to boost myself up, but I do this in hopes that something that I have written can inspire, uplift, and encourage someone else. To let someone, know that despite the storms that we face in life, there is always hope.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 KJV
In the process of restoration, I had to face a lot of painful things in my past that were keeping me spiritually bound—there was also repentance and forgiveness. I didn’t understand at the time what was happening, but God simply said, “I needed you healed, and I needed you whole, to get you where I need you to be.” God was preparing me to live a life totally and completely dependent on Him. God was restoring me to worship Him in spirit and in truth. There was no more trauma, shame, and bondage.
I am not perfect……far from it, but I am striving for perfection in God’s sight. I am aware of my flaws and shortcomings, and I work hard daily to become a better me. My goal is to make heaven my home—to live holy and right while I am still here on this earth. For I know that greater is coming. I cannot afford to go back or give up now. Despite the circumstances, I must keep pushing forward and hold fast to my faith in God. In everything that I do, I will ALWAYS give Him all of the glory, honor, and praise. My joy, my peace, my health, my strength, my deliverance, and my salvation — I owe it all to Him.
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10 KJV
