I Have Seen Him Work

Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.

I am not sure how restful my nights are, as I awake most morning with my mind saturated with a million thoughts, a list of things to do, and revelations that came through the night. On Monday morning after only five hours of sleep, I woke up thinking, “I wish I could bottle up some faith and distribute it.” If it were that easy, all of you would have a few ounces of the faith highlighted in Hebrews 11.

Today, I want to make this Testimony Tuesday in an effort to help strengthen your faith.

I am currently in the midst of one of the biggest faith walks of my life and if I had faith to disperse, I would probably have to maintain every ounce I had for the weeks and months ahead. In sharing the circumstances of this walk, I have found myself giving mini-sermons on faith:

“How many times in your life do you really get to activate your faith?”

“We can trust God with little things, but when do you get a chance to step out on the water?”

“You have to decide whether you’re going to stay in the boat or you if you’re going to walk out on out. “

“Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean God can’t do it!”

No matter the sermon, some faith walks must only be shared with other water-walkers. Like Peter, you might want to walk out on the water, but it is impossible when fear overrides faith

(See Matthew 14:22-33). If you tell people who normally choose to stay in the boat, you might hear:

“You gonna drown.”

“You better get back in this boat.”

“Did you see how rough those waves are?”

“You have a nice, safe boat here; I can’t understand why you would possibly want to go in that chilly water?”

In those moments, you must remember who made the winds and the waves. Peter had to remember who invited him to “Come.”

Today, I cannot package faith and distribute it, but I can tell you that you just have to step out one foot at a time. Because I have seen God work on my behalf in so many areas of my life, I cannot do anything but trust Him. My degrees, skills, gifts, affiliations or sense of humor cannot do for me what He can. I have not only seen God open doors, but He’s replaced roofs and rezoned neighborhoods so that houses with larger doors could contain those things He had for me.

As I was writing, God reminded me of the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20). I could only imagine what some of the bystanders had to say as the woman made her way to Jesus. “Why doesn’t she get off that ground?” someone said.

“Does she really think she’s going to get through all of those people? I told you she was crazy,” her best friend said from afar. They had a whole lot to say, but obviously, they had no healing powers at their disposal. No matter what they said, the sick woman realized her situation would change if she could just get in where she could fit in. Jesus recognized her faith and healed her. (Matthew 9:22)

Can you operate in faith even when others around you cannot believe? When they call you crazy? When they question you, your faith and your God? Can you trust Him when you cannot trace Him? Today, I am thankful that one of my greatest possessions in this world is my faith. I do not know what I would do without it. If you took away my degrees, I would figure out how to make it in this world. If you took away my faith, I would become what the old saints sang about, “a ship without a sail.”

Today, I pray for people who have lost faith and hope, and for people who no longer believe in themselves. If you are a water- walker, I pray that you will share your testimony of faith to encourage someone else.

As for me, I am going to stand in faith as I walk and run on to see what the end is going to be!

Hallelujah!

P.S. Feel free to share your testimonies in the comment box below.

Arlecia

Don't Wait Another Day - It's Not Promised

I am thankful to find revelations in my day-to-day experiences. This past weekend, I traveled to Norman, Oklahoma, to participate in an academic conference. It is a time where scholars fly hundreds or even thousands of miles to shake hands and make presentations that last no more than 15 minutes. After a 13-hour flying day on Sunday, I did not think it was worth it. Thankfully, God used an experience attached to the opening reception as my true reward.

On Friday evening, our group traveled to Oklahoma City where domestic terrorism took place nearly 14 years ago. As a junior in college, I watched television as events unfolded at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. On Friday night, I stood on the grounds where 168 lives were taken and over 800 people injured. The lighted memorial is an amazing site to behold; however, it was in the museum where I heard God. Museum visitors take a chronological tour through the events of the day. Video of the news reports replay, survivors tell their stories, and then there are the images that remind you that the events of April 19, 1995, involved more than a building. Children were orphaned, spouses widowed and dreams remain unfulfilled. A rumpled calendar from someone’s desk and a personal Bible found in the rubble are examples of the artifacts on display. While I had noticed other group members sniffling and shedding tears, I was good. That is, until I viewed the memorial space for a couple who died that day. Along with their photos, family members chose two small Bibles with a bronze plate that read:

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

I read the passage and I was out for the count. The server at the hotel restaurant as well as someone at the museum hinted that it was an emotional place. That night, that space also preached a few sermons with topics ranging from loving your neighbor to realizing that life is but a vapor. What words were left unsaid and how many “I Love Yous” went unspoken that morning? How many phone calls were never returned?

That night, I was challenged to consider how others would remember the life I lived. Would people remember me as a Christian? What artifact would my family donate to represent my dash?

I am not sure how the Lord has spoken to you after reading this post, but I pray you will take a moment to consider the things you must do that cannot wait another day.

Today, I pray for the survivors, loved ones, rescuers, and people of that city whose lives were forever changed.

Arlecia

P.S. At the outdoor memorial I looked for the space of brothers Aaron Coverdale, 5, and Elijah Coverdale, 2. I've always remembered their grandma, who looked like someone who could have attended my church or lived on my street. She dropped them off that morning, and after the bombing their father walked the streets with their photos. Aaron and Elijah were among the 168 victims.

For info on The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, visit http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/index.php

“Be grateful. Because there's someone else who's worst off than you.” -Walter Hawkins

A few Iowa winters ago, I was walking up the hill and lamenting that it was frigid and snowing. As the wind snatched my breath, God sent me a heavenly text message reminding me that the situation could have been worse. I looked ahead and my eyes spotted a young man in a wheelchair. He, too, was making his way up that same hill. His chair had no bells or whistles, so its movement was dependent upon his arms that maneuvered the wheels forward. His lower back was exposed, but he did not procrastinate as the snow fell. I wanted to pull his jacket down. In hindsight, I wanted to cover his back because I needed to repent for complaining. Instead of thanking God for the little legs that eventually reached their destination, I wanted to curse the snow and that cold walk.

God brought this story to my remembrance to remind you that no matter how bad you think your situation is, someone else would love to walk in your shoes. You may consider your kicks too tight, too old, too scuffed, or simply out of fashion. Yet, someone else would call them a blessing.

God knew what today’s lead story would be even before the reporter learned about it. He knows what is going on in the earth. He knows what you need. He hears your prayers and your cries.

Today, thank God for the little things. Everybody’s change is a little strange and money funny, but I am thankful that my Father claims every beast of the forest and the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalms 50:10). Walk in faith and profess that Jehovah Jireh shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19).

Until next time, walk in your blessings!

Arlecia

1-800-WonderfulCounselor

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor…"

This past weekend, many of us laughed out loud as we watched Dr. Phil attempt to counsel Madea. At the end of the scene in “Madea Goes to Jail,” it was clear that Dr. Phil had not gotten through to Perry’s character and somebody was going to “get got”!

If you know anything about Mable “Madea” Simmons, you know nobody can handle her issues but Jesus.

Today, beloved, that might be a Word for you: Only Jesus can handle your issues.

While Madea’s therapy session was ordered by the court, so many of us voluntarily seek counsel from friends, mentors, loved ones and professional therapists. All of those individuals are invaluable when it comes to helping us make some decisions; however, sometimes there are things that only our Wonderful Counselor can help us resolve or solve.

Maury helping you locate your baby daddy won’t fix it, Oprah cannot write a check for it, and Dr. Phil does not have a cute catchphrase for you to consider. In the words of the old choir song, “Jesus can work it out, if you let Him.”

Today, ask God to order your steps and your stops. Ask Him for Wisdom. Ask Him to show you the way that you should take. Ask Him who should be in the inner courts of your life and who should be out on the porch. Ask Him, what to say. Ask Him to operate as the Prince of Peace when you feel like someone in your world is about to “get got” (or cut)! Ask Him, and he will prove Himself as a Wonderful Counselor!

Continue to walk in your blessings and pass this inspiration along to someone who is always asking you for your opinion!

Arlecia D. Simmons

Keep Walkin'

Job 1:21 KJV
[Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

No one wants to lose what we have worked hard to accumulate. We’d hate to lose our car, our job, our home, our clothes, our jewelry, or the electronics that bring us joy. But what would you do if God took it all away today? Within the past few weeks, we have seen reports of suicides, murders, and other acts of violence resulting from the economic meltdown.

What would you do, if unexpectedly, everything you value and held near and dear simply disappeared? What if fire, foreclosure, repossession or theft caused you to have a Job-like experience? Job's children and livestock died, his friends only wanted to come around to identify the problem, and his body was under attack. By contemporary standards, Job was a hot mess. However, Job did not throw in the towel.

I was in the middle of my schoolwork when God prompted me to consider, “Could you praise me if I took it all away?”

In the days ahead, we may lose some things that we never expected to.

Last week while watching the BET Honors show, Tyler Perry, who was once homeless and hopeless said, "I lost a job to gain a business, I lost an apartment to gain a house." Like Job, God gave him double for his trouble. Is it possible that God is purging something out of your life to prepare you for an abundant blessing? If so, could you say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

When I get hopeless, I do not have to think back to Job, but I am reminded of my ancestors who woke up one day as slaves and woke up the next as free men and women. Some of them stayed on the plantations and continued working the land while others just started walking. They didn’t know where they were going, but they kept walking. They didn’t have money, but they kept walking. They didn’t have food to eat, but they kept walking. They didn’t have a change of clothes, but they kept walking. The 40 acres and a mule never materialized, so they kept walking. And at the end of the day, they had their minds to think, a song in their souls, and their faith in God.

People of God, keep walking. Keep believing. Know today that God is in the midst of whatever you are going through.

I bind the spirit of anxiety, depression, fear, frustration and suicide; and in the matchless name of Jesus, I loose faith, hope, joy, peace, and God’s restorative power. I call forth healing in the minds of your people, God. And when it’s all said and done, you’ll get the glory out of it, Lord. It is in Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

Continue to walk in your blessings as God walks with you every step of the way!

Best,

Arlecia

Walk it Out

Psalm 37:25 (KJV)
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread"

Walk it Out

This week, I wanted to write about love in honor of Valentine’s Day, however, the spirit commissioned something else.

I was standing in the mirror the other day and thinking about my plight to find a teaching job in the midst of budget cuts and workforce reductions. As I washed my face, I replayed CNN reports in my mind before a still small voice said, “This is the time that the people of God will have to activate their faith.” There is no need to focus on all that we lack. This week, God said we are just gonna have to walk it out. Walk out, that is, our faith. It is not that hard when there is money in the bank, you are happily married, you are in good health, and there are few worries. But how much faith exists when you get an e-mail, such as the one below I received on December 16:

“Due to the very uncertain economic circumstances facing higher education currently, ------ has decided to temporarily hold off on all its full-time faculty searches for this year. As you know, many institutions have placed hiring freezes or other similar limitations on new faculty lines for the upcoming year due to anticipated drops in enrollment and/or endowment revenues…
We will retain your application as part of the candidate pool. I will provide you an update on the status of this search as soon as we are able to make a judgment as to whether it will continue this year.”

Where that “Now faith… (Hebrew 11) now?

What do you do when you receive a message like that? What do you do when there is a foreclosure note on your door? What do you do when the diagnosis is incurable? What do you do when your bank account is negative? What do you do when those you depend on cannot be found? What do you do?

You must activate your faith.

Oh, I love the old hymn, “I Will Trust in the Lord.” We sing it with zeal in our homes and places of worship, but now it is time to live it. This semester, my campus group is reading a book by Philip Yancey titled, “Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church.” This week, we read the chapter about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and how his faith in God was strengthened and his assignment confirmed after receiving one of his first death threats. Yancey discusses this “hinge moment in his life” and shares Dr. King’s account of realizing that his religion and his God had to become real.

While our hinge moments may differ, each of us, like King, must begin to trust God like never before. Although President Obama is working diligently to activate a stimulus plan, it may take time before things get back to what we consider normal or favorable. Until that time, we have to trust God even when we cannot trace him.

What comforts me during this time of uncertainty is that I’ve seen God work time after time. I’ve seen him work when my tuition was due. I’ve seen him work when the rent was due. I’ve seen him work when my car was in the shop and the bill was more than what was in my possession. I’ve seen him work when the doctor had no answers. I’ve seen him work when I had $7 in my account and I resigned from my job to return to school. Time after time after time, I’ve seen God work. Who couldn’t walk it out when you have seen him work it out? Beloved, do not be weary, do not be dismayed, and do not look at our current afflictions as the end of the world. There is no need to throw in the towel now. Walk it out!

Possibly, this is the time for your faith to be built up. Yes, the job search may be frustrating and I may feel discouraged some days. I may even have a brief pity party, yet at the end of the day when all of the e-mails are received and sent, I know that God knows what I have need of.

Profess today: “God I trust you. I believe that all things are working together for my good (Romans 8:28). I am going to walk it out because I know you are walking every step of the way with me.

Continue to walk in your blessings!
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P.S. Enjoy your week and don't forget to send a card or gift to the one you love. If you won't be on the receiving end of any treats on Saturday, rest assured that Jesus loves you and so do I!

This week's photo was taken on Sat., Feb. 7 at a Red and White Ball held by my sorority sisters in another part of Iowa. I enjoyed the fellowship!

Water Your Own Grass

THE 10th COMMANDMENT
Exodus 20:17

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbor’s."

I recently had an interesting experience that ignited the fire to write this entry. I was out at a cultural event with one of my friends, and we were searching for artwork for her office. We chatted with a young Kenyan artist about his art, admiring his work and talking about what he did as a 9-to-5. The small oil paintings were, in my opinion, very affordable; however, I joked that I did not come prepared to spend my rent money. I prompted my friend to buy one of the pieces we admired. She was a tad hesitant, as she had a particular size in mind. We debated for a few minutes before the artist chimed in, “if she buys it then you’ll be jealous.” I proudly looked at both of them and said, “I don’t covet.” We hung around for a few more minutes and abruptly left after my attempt to hook up my friend with the artist. Hey, she could get dinner and I could get a discount. I am just saying. (Smile!)

We did not purchase anything that day, but we took his card and will probably contact him later. “Wow,” I thought. That was a major proclamation to make. Is it true? “Do I covet?” There were a number of crazy things that happened that day, but I am still thinking about that one moment. “Am I jealous of others?” “Am I not satisfied with my own blessings? Hmmm…something to think about.

"Thou shalt not covet..."

The enemy is so cunning and knows how to present us with just the right images to initiate a little envy. By now, most of you are aware of the social networking sites Facebook and MySpace. I joined Facebook a few years ago because we talked about it daily in one of my classes. I never imagined how it could complicate my life. While it has been a great tool to locate old classmates and co-workers, it provides those images that may cause you to covet. You flip through profiles and see where people are employed and what they have accomplished. The profiles consist of photos that prominently feature exotic vacations, attractive spouses, and some of the cutest kids. “Sheeee’s married?” Click.Click.Click. “She’s married to him? He’s fine. Where did she find him?” Click.Click.Click. “Wow…so that’s what she’s doing now!”

Scholars have already started to analyze the users of sites like Facebook, and Oprah is even planning a show to discuss the site. While this is not my area of research, it would be interesting to examine how users felt after “making friends” and observing their success based on the info provided. Would you see your glass as half full or half empty after placing your life side-by-side with others in your online circle?

As for me, I will keep oohing and ahhing while learning of all the amazing things taking place in the lives of my “friends.” While I am not sure what my life looks like to others, I have concluded that I have a great life. It could use some adjustments, but in the grand scheme of things, it is a blessed life. While I may long to be married with a family, I recognize the many benefits of singlehood. I can easily eat sleep for dinner or a Lean Cuisine entrée for breakfast. “Should I exercise before or after I watch The View, or can I just ask them to change the channel when I arrive?” I come and go as I please, shop without permission when funds are available, and I moved nearly 1,200 miles away from home because I wanted to. Instead of thinking about daycare and diapers, I have been dreaming about a strand of natural pearls I saw in a boutique on Miami Beach. Oh, and I have been thinking about teaching in Africa.

“Wow,” you might say, “that sounds exciting.” Well, it is, some days! Everyday is a challenge and blessing. When I think I do not measure up, I remind myself that I have an arsenal of gifts and talents that others spend money trying to obtain. I also recall the words of a poem I once recited, “Desiderata”: “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”

For too long, we have tried to keep up with the Joneses. Now we realize the Joneses could not keep up with themselves. I have decided that I cannot worry about what others have, but I have to keep my eyes on my prize. I have to make sure that what I desire to have is God’s will for MY life. These days, it is easy to think about how someone else’s life might be better. But be very careful. The old folks say, “You never know what’s going on behind closed doors.”

“You don’t know how they got it and you don’t know what they have to do to keep it.”

This week, acknowledge what God has given you. Do not look across the yard, the church, or your cubicle. Look in the mirror and profess that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and endowed with God’s best!

Continue to walk in your blessings!


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