Walking Together Towards God

                                          The explanation “I’ll try God later” doesn't match up at all against the truth of the gospel. The following was adapted from “A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF THE GOSPEL/ The Four Spiritual Laws”.  Please use your bible. Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws that govern your relationship with God. GOD LOVES YOU AND OFFERS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE .  John 3:16; 10:10 Since God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life, why is it that most people are not experiencing God’s love and the abundant life?  Because… MAN IS SINFUL AND SEPARATED FROM GOD. THEREFORE, HE CANNOT KNOW AND EXPERIENCE GOD’S LOVE AND PLAN FOR HIS LIFE .  Romans 3:23; I...

Sometimes I have to pull away or I will be pulled apart. I'm sure you know what I mean. When the pressure is on at home or work, everyone is demanding your attention or project deadlines are looming, you could be easily overwhelmed! I get easily irritated when I'm overwhelmed, even in ministry. It is great to pour out to others but necessary to get refilled as well.  Jesus sweetly calls us away into His presence,  away from distractions and the busyness of life, into His arms. I love that place. No appointment or preparation necessary. I can unload before Him, cry, release, laugh and really be myself, the way He likes. The way He created  me. How refreshing to be with someone who completely understands you! It's exhausting to pretend isn't it? Painting on a happy face when you'd rather be doing something else, talking to someone else or being somewhere else takes work! Friendship facades can go on for a very long time. This can even happen in marriage. But ...

"Your breath stinks" he said. That's hard to hear from your husband, especially if you are feeling super cute, your hair is on point and you have on his favorite perfume. You are hoping that you get to do one of your favorite married activities with him and he totally kills the mood. I KNOW I am not alone! I cried and cried. He hurt my feelings so bad. He is supposed to love & cherish me no matter what! But let's get real. Your breath stinks. That's a fact. That's real married life. It's hard to even think about getting close when there is something like that between us. It is not the most pleasant thing to tell your spouse, but honesty is more important than tolerating something that is wrong. So my question is, how come we can't take God's rebuke as his bride? Your sin stinks. He's just "keeping it real" with you right now. He kindly tells you that you need to brush, floss, swish and spit out that nastiness. Be hot or co...

Have you ever felt that getting married was a mistake? Perhaps you married the wrong person? Perhaps you married too soon? Maybe this was your idea and not God's idea? You did not realize that they were like that. You didn't know they had that habit, or that their life would change so drastically later on and affect you as well. Maybe you thought this family would look differently once you got married. Welcome to Zecharias and Joseph's world! Joseph had plans to marry a beautiful girl and to have beautiful children with her. He planned to marry a virgin. He planned to marry a woman without kids, or a "reputation". How about Zecharias. He had plans too. By this time, he had hoped to be a grandfather or maybe even a great- grandfather with an awesome family legacy! He had plans to be fertile and marry a woman who would bear him an heir - a son who would carry HIS name. But my how God disrupts our lives to bring His plans and His purposes. You may not regret y...

As I was doing some laundry over the weekend, I caught my son looking at the new Bible App for Kids. He was sitting in a laundry basket and enjoying himself. Then I heard the narrator talking about the Resurrection of Christ and the Holy Spirit opened my heart to something new in this situation. After Jesus had been buried Mary and some other women went to the tomb to put spices on his body. Think about this. When the Angels told them that Jesus was no longer there they were instructed to go and tell the disciples that Jesus was risen from the dead. They were the first who would share the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a calling! What a awesome command! I’m encouraged because they were told to tell disciples, not just anyone, but disciples.Disciples are people who follow Christ and encourage others to do the same. The gospel was given to dependable followers by women who were obedient. What if they had decided that they would sit at the tomb and wait around instead? What if they...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There is so much to be thankful for. There really is! I am in much prayer for my brothers and sisters in the Philippines this week. They are still suffering. That typhoon was huge and has disrupted their lives in an immeasurable way. The country has literally changed shape overnight. Those of us that were unaffected have much to be grateful for. I hope that you will take the time to support ministries that are reaching out to those who are now homeless, jobless, widowed, orphaned, or naked and are in much need of the Savior today. In my giving thanks I am also driven to my knees to look at the others who do not have as much as I do. We always say we are going to pray for others but do we really? Find that sometimes if I do not pray for people right away I become a liar when I say that I will pray for them. That is just unacceptable. So if I ask you for a prayer request and you give me one, know that I really am praying. And God has been answerin...

When I was single, I would often look up to married women who seemed to have it all together. They knew the Lord, had Prince Charming, a couple of kids, a pet and a beautiful home. I told myself that this was a dream that could be real for me. Very early I knew that I would be a wife one day. I actually looked forward to marriage much more than even having children (which is another reason why it was about five years later). I knew that I could do this wife thing: submission, sex and cooking. What I did NOT prepare for well was the cleaning! Now, I'm a neat person. I really am. I put things back in their places and most people are rather impressed that my home is not a pigsty considering that I have two boys that are eight and "about to be seven mom". However, my husband has one idea of cleanliness and I had another. We are both neat, but there is neat and there is "excellence". My hubby says to strive for what is excellent. We are stewards of our home and ...

God is my Source. He is the reason for and the reason why all things exist. When I think of the word source, I think of money of course, but I also think of my source of salvation and of life. I did a bit of a word study on source, resource and outsource. Here are their definitions: Source - a place, person or thing from which something comes; someone or something that provides what us needed or wanted; where something springs into being; origin Resource - a stock or supply; other assets for effective operation; something used for support or help; provision Outsource - obtained from an outside or foreign supplier; to send off to be done by people from outside the "company" God is the source in the sense of being the Creator. He also is the supplier. He gives us everything that we need to do what He has made us for. In addition to that, He sends others from outside to assist us in what He wants us to do. This can be in the form of unsaved helpers or even enemies w...

This morning I read Acts chapter 27 where imprisoned Paul and other shipmates were caught in a life-threatening storm and were so worried that they did not eat for 14 days! After a while, Paul prophesied that God revealed to them that their lives would be spared.This is what the Lord showed me: We are not in control. When we do not listen and obey the voice of God, He may allow the storms of life to redirect us. God is always merciful. His ambassadors have a different perspective in the storm. We can be optimistic and hopeful and fearful situations. We still have bread. God is maintaining us. When we fast, we do not worry about not eating later. We know that at least we have bread coming later on. While Jesus was here, there was no need to fast, but now that He is not, fasting is a discipline to keep us dependent on the Bread of Life and to recognize our true source of real sustenance. God will sustain and uphold us until we reach the destination that he has predestined for ...

So I have been working on something and it has finally been completed! I'm so very excited to introduce to you my new book entitled "The Titus Ten". https://www.createspace.com/4460079 www.wifestyleimagenetwork.com This book is a resource for Wifestyle Image Network women. It explains Titus 2:3-5 in a very practical way and gives examples from my personal life and others who have shared their stories with me. There are ten things in Titus that every woman needs to teach younger women. So even if you do not consider yourself older or younger, this book is for you! Please get a copy for you and for a friend. This is a journey through the bible that you do not want to take alone. Follow up video training that accompany the book will begin in December so buy  your copy now. I pray that this resource is a blessing to you and to the women in your life!

The blessings of following Jesus far outweigh the trials that He allows us to go through to refine us. Even in our sin and disobedience, His grace is ever sufficient.  It's daylight savings time. Someone had this idea to "save the light" of day by making everyone in the time zone gain an hour in the fall and lose an hour in the spring. This usually happens as we all sleep here in the U.S. We lose an hour of sleep and people complain about that because their internal clocks become disoriented. While we attempt to rest, our rest is stolen unless we prepare ourselves for falling back. Perhaps you already see where I am going with this. God knows that we will fall into sin. So he has made provision in not sparing His Son to die. The Son is gone; but when Jesus left this world, He gave us the Holy Spirit to direct us internally. You see, the Holy Spirit convinces us of the truth of the Bible and convicts us when we fall into sin. When we fall back, He redeems the time fo...

Earlier last week, my son was being chased around the house by his brother. I was watching the whole thing from the top of the stairs. One of our house rules is no running in the house. So when I confronted my son about running, he blamed his brother. "He was chasing me", he said. I responded, "Then stop being chased. You can choose to stop running and obey the rules. That is under your control". When I thought about that a short time later, it made me think about how we often blame other people and circumstances for our present failures in life. We seldom take full responsibility for our own actions even though we are completely under control of ourselves. I've heard it said that people may act a fool but your reaction shows if you are one as well. Then I thought about how the enemy likes to "chase" the saints. He likes it when we give him the credit for our hardships. "The devil made me do it." or "That devil is so busy!" Stop...

How do you know when God has His hands on something? It grows, it multiplies. Whenever God speaks a word, it is never just for a moment in time. No, He makes big plans that started before we were formed in the womb. His plans are never about just one person. He does not make a tree just to show it off, He makes multiple forests throughout the World to show His glory. That is why I am in awe of my Savior today! He has done marvelous things and that my soul knows well! So what am I talking about? I am referring to Wifestyle Image Network (www.wifestyleimagenetwork.com). The Lord planted this seed in my soul back in September a month ago. I had no idea what would happen. At first, there was just a pebble in the pond that left a ripple, but the ripple has been rippling ever since! As a matter of fact, I am seeing waves that I can surf on coming at me. I am waiting for the typhoon because that is how God works. When the ideas for the network were forming, I envisioned a web, an intercon...

When most people think of ministry activity and ministers, natural questions follow. Where did you get your training? What church or organization are you associated with? Have a license? Degree? Credentials? Experience? These are important questions that deserve a response.  As a matter of fact, even Jesus was questioned regarding His teaching because He had no formal education in Rabbi school and His disciples were "unlearned men". The Lord taught me a long time ago that everyone who follows Christ is a minister of the gospel. We are legitimate carriers of the Word of God to others by our lifestyles and our testimonies. Before the world was formed, God's purposes for you were established. Our authority to minister is backed by divine authority. We have God's stamp of approval! In John we see that those who are identified to be used by God are not the volunteers because of their great love for Him, but ones whom God has chosen. John 15:16 KJV Ye have not ...

For some, Sunday is gameday. Football specifically at my house. My hubby loves the game. As his biggest cheerleader,  I needed to get educated. I was not the groupie or the fan. But to know my man I need to understand what captivates him. Football is captivating. No, I'm not competing with the game, I'm learning about it in an effort to communicate with my husband better. One thing I learned early in the season is this. If your quarterback is injured (in our case - Brian Hoyer of the Browns), then you need a humble replacement who can still give the team a victory. In our case, that person was Brandon Weedon. It reminds me that if my husband is ever "down" or unable to make the call for our family, I can play the quarterback position. I think I'm pretty good actually. Lol! Another lesson is timeouts. Most games last three hours at a time. That's a long time to just watch a game. I've often told my husband that his time could be spent in a more pro...

God has a blueprint - the Word of God. It tells us what the perfect building will look like. He gives this precious plan to us and as we construct our lives accordingly, but there will be setbacks and times when we try to alter His masterpiece. In the end, He will compare His plan for your life to what you have done with what He gave you.  Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the  Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Keeping yourself pure of sexual exploits for your spouse is a noble thing. Even if you have given away your virginity, or it was stolen from you, God can re-new you for His purposes. God delights in making people new! He can still carry out the plan for your life! II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Most of us know that maintaining virginity and celibacy equals purity when ...

Once upon a time there was a wife. She was frustrated. She had a husband to care for and children to raise, a job to keep and a house to manage. It was overwhelming. She wondered if she was alone. She wondered if other women went through the same things as she did. She was busy. She was always busy doing something that she felt like God wanted her to do. But she was not focused. She was not doing whatever the one thing was that she could do best for the Lord. Then she decided to fast and ask the Lord what He wanted for her life. She came before God and told him that she would not move until He gave her specifics as to what to do. Wifestyle Image Network (W.I.N.) was then birthed in prayer and fasting. Sometimes in life we overlook the simplest things. Even as a Christian who reads the Bible, nothing in it is truly understood until the Holy Spirit reveals it to you in a way that you can understand. Just five days ago, God showed me a vision of Titus 2 in action. In just an early m...

This last vlog was hard for me to articulate. At one point, I was a bit emotional. But if the things of God do not move you, what can? This is a difficult subject, but necessary. I am a teacher of God's Word and I pray that this peek into my personal devotions is a blessing to you! Tru Image Wifestyle Vlog #3 Commitment vs Compromise Numbers 24, Revelation 2

Click HERE  to see us singing on our Google+ page. Our CD release concert is in November!! My mom, sisters and I have been singing together for many years. We have two CDs out "I'll Be Glorified" and "Acapella: Crystal Clear". Our third is being released later this fall. Not only do we sing but God has opened doors for us to minister the Word of God as well. My mother is an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My sister has authored books and bible studies. My husband and I are over the marriage portion of our ministry. God has been good to us and we just desire to know Christ, allow him to transform us and to make him known thereby transforming others.  You can find out much more about us at our website www.tru-image.org, on facebook (Tru Image), LinkedIn, YouTube (Trutube4U) and Instagram (truimagelsm).

Phillippians1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ". This morning I read first king chapter 1 and it was about King David who had become lax in preparing his successor to reign. How many times have we known of the promises of God to us, but fail to act on them?  God has promised David an everlasting kingdom. While he was cuddled up with a cute young thing in his old age, another person had begun to steal his legacy. Imagine how Bathsheba feels. King David had her previous husband killed and now she had to come and humbly ask him while he was snuggled up with someone who could have been her granddaughter about her son being the king after him. Could she at least get that justice? If this were in the 21st century, after that lawsuit, she would be Queen! But God did something better. He continued the royal legacy through her all the way to Jesus Christ Himself!! Solomon was B...

This morning I feel so honored and priviliged that God would use me in any capacity whatsoever! I had three people tell me what a great teacher I was. I was their favorite and they enjoy learning from me. I was flattered. But flattery is so temporary. My goal is to hear my God say "Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord". WOW!! In the Kingdom of God we have responsibilities. I have never understood how people can say that since they are now saved, they can relax. O no! Yesterday I attendee the Tye Tribbett concert here in my city and my sister was with me. Since it was at her church, she was asked to serve. She willingly accepted to serve instead of enjoying the concert as an attendee. She got up, gave her seat away and simply said "I GET to serve". What a humble attitude! Jesus with skin on. Her husband was also serving in the parking lot outaide missing majority of the concert himself. He willingly stood out there to manage ve...

Here is Tru-Image Wifestyle Vlog #2. I actually was not sure if the Lord wanted me to talk about this or not, but as I wondered over the last month, things began falling into place. A message here, a sermon there, quiet times and other conversations confirmed it. So please do listen. There is only one video this time...lol. Notes from this vlog: Scriptures: Isaiah 58, John 4, Psalm 23 Your only complete satisfaction is in Christ. Don’t expect perfect love, understanding and contentment from a man. He can’t do it. Concentrate on respect and being a helpmeet. Learn that man. Write down what you love about him and respect him for. Accentuate the positive. How can I help you? Marriage is about service and sacrifice on both ends, then satisfaction comes! R - Remember that you are a sheep E - Embrace intimacy with the Shepard! S - Sabbath T - Trust God! *Feel free to leave thoughts/comments about this vlog here or at TruTube4U!*

It's Labor Day weekend! Time to just sit back and relax right? No way! Not if you are a mom and wife like me. It's so strange but at my house when I wanr to "do nothing" is when everyone else wants to make plans. When I'm excited to "go and do" everyone is a homebody! Weird. So friends, next week is my next Tru-Image Wifestyle Vlog on google hangouts! You can rsvp for the event right HERE . Please pray that God will bless this event and that everyone who participates and/or watches later will be blessed! Thanks. Has school started for you? It has for me. I am taking a bible class and my nursing classes for my MSN. It's hectic because I'm also teaching fulltime. This is what I do to myself....lol! So the struggle becomes DISCIPLINE! I must be disciplined to wake up and spend time with my Heavenly Father, go to bed at a decent time each night, remain organized and sure to prioritize and re-prioritize my life as the Lord leads. But when I get bu...