~ God......Your Provider ~

Yesterday I was laid off of my job. They were gracious enough to let me work a couple weeks from home part-time so I am grateful for their flexibility. I will tell you that I felt relief yet excitement at the same time. The old Monique would have just panicked and cried and had a huge pity party thinking on all the negatives. I do need to work do not get me wrong. We have bills to pay so I do not have the luxury just yet to stay home and not work BUT sisters, I do know that God is up to something and I am too thrilled.

I am excited because I get to bear witness as to what God will do in my life within these next few months. Do I know what he will do? Absolutely not. But I do know he will take me on a journey and I just know it will be good. Sure I probably will have some trials but I will tell you that I am not focused on that. I do not even want to know what his plans are. My prayers are that I am obedient to his plans and sensitive to his spirit when he calls me to act. I do not want to live this life for me and keep having to wonder about our bank account. I trust that the Lord will somehow provide for us in that area, he always has. A job loss is not the most unfortunate thing IF you switch your perspective. Any loss for that matter is not bad, IF you focus on what God’s promises are for your life.

·         God promises that I will prosper – Jeremiah 29:11

·         He promises me rest – Matthew 11: 28-29

·         He gives me power when I am weak – Isaiah 40: 29-31

·         He promises to supply ALL my needs – Philippians 4: 19

·         He will give me peace if I listen to him – Proverbs 1: 33

The list really can go on and on. Fact of the matter is God will provide. He is constant, faithful and loving. So in this situation I choose to see it as a blessing and not a hinderance.

IF you are going through a challenging time right now, I encourage you to look to your Father and focus on what he promises, not what this world will. This world will chew you up and spit you out alive BUT he promises life….

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Jesus, you are for me, Father. You said in your word that you will not abandon me. You said that I am your child and that you will supply all my needs. I choose to focus on ALL that you are and not ALL that I do not have. You are my provider, my stronghold and anchor. I am nothing without you. I love you Lord and I cannot wait to see what you have planned. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

~ Take up YOUR Cross ~

Jesus said in Mark 8:34-38 that we as his believers must take up our cross if we want to be his followers. So this means that we must forget about ourselves and get out of our comfort zone. We die to the way that we use to live and put on new perspectives that is of the Lord and daily fight the good fight of faith. What always felt so good in the flesh will not no more, now is the time to suffer. Jesus talks about if we want to save our lives that we must destroy our life it and give up the very life we live for “the good news” (Mark 8:35). I don’t know about you but all this is kind of scary right? All the talk about death, sacrifice and forgetting me? As a new believer, this had me thinking that following Jesus was just too much. Sounded like I had to live a life of so much discomfort and that seems crazy right? May I explain some things?

If you have read any of my previous posts I talk a lot about being sooooo rebellious as a new believer. I had the whole gospel wrong. If someone was outside looking in they would have thought the gospel was about making Monique feel good. I was all about me. I wanted to become a Christian so that I can see what God can do for me and the crazy life I created for myself. I will be completely 100 percent honest. I wanted a new me, new marriage, new peace, a new life all together but I did not know that I needed to work with the Lord to change me. I thought being a Christian was this sense of entitlement. Like you know when you are a child of a King, you just automatically are born into a kingdom. You get the robe, new fancy gold, and an area you reign over? Well, I thought in my warp way of thinking: “I am now a child of God” where are my benefits?” I had no idea following Christ came with a great deal of suffering and sacrifice and when times got hard I bailed. I did not like how I was feeling in trials and I just thought it was too hard to “take up a cross”.

I thought what does that even mean anyway? Take up a cross? Like how can I even do that? Duh Monique, it’s metaphorically speaking. The cross represented the ultimate sacrifice Jesus was nailed to. The cross represented love. True love….Jesus died on a cross for me. For my sinful life so that I can have a new life. When I focus on the cross and all that it exhibits I can follow Jesus knowing that I am honoring him and all that he did for me. I am to nail my past to that cross and stop looking at the things I nailed to it and endure daily, fighting for what is true in Christ. When I start to “feel” a certain way I give that “feeling” to the Lord and do what the Holy Spirit tells me which 9 times out of 10 will make me feel uncomfortable. But when I switch my perspective to the cross. In that moment, I remember the ultimate sacrifice and know that my little feelings are nothing compared to what Jesus endured. So I pick up my "metaphorically speaking" cross and I carry it with pride honoring my RISEN Savior. I die to me and step by step (daily, every second) I carry that cross knowing that my Father is well pleased in my service to Him. He smiles when I die to me and put him first. 

Sisters, I had to switch my thinking about what the cross meant. How did I do that? Every day in the word sitting at the feet of Christ asking him to fill me with wisdom and his presence. Praying that he gives me his perspective and not mine. Taking up our cross each and every day is hard and yes we will suffer but at the end of that suffering is a beautiful exchange and a eternal reward that this earthly life cannot give us. Sisters, this earth is not our permanent destination, heaven awaits us.  When we follow Jesus we enter HIS kingdom and we are safe but we have to constantly follow Jesus. We cannot follow Jesus when it is convenient for us only. We are no longer this world’s (meaning we don’t just do what we want living in sin) we belong to Christ so we should change. We are his children BUT we need to act like it to. We cannot live messy just because grace exist (that’s another blog post). J

I see taking up my cross daily as a privilege and when I do take up my cross my Father meets me right where I am. He gives me all I need to with stand its weight. We should never be ashamed to carry such a high honor. Jesus says in Mark 8:38 “don’t be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people! If you are, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with Holy angels”. I don’t know about you but I find it exciting to live a life following Jesus and carrying my cross daily. I do not want Jesus to be ashamed of me.

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter

Lord, Father God…..I am nothing without you. You came into my life and made me new. You saved me by dying on the cross for me even when you did not have to. You made it possible that I am in right standing with my Father. When I sit with you each day Lord, please open up my heart and mind to your word so that I can be convicted. I want to follow you at all costs and I will take up my cross daily knowing that I am doing so in your name. I cannot do this alone and I need you every second of the day. May I never lose my passion for you. Thank you Jesus, for my salvation. I Love you!! Amen. 

~ A Heart for Jesus ~

I remember when I started to desire more of the Lord whole heartedly and started to care more and more about what Jesus loved vs. me. I remember being so very excited. I was so refreshed BUT when adversity hit I fell flat on my face. I was so defeated, negative and angry. I thought life would change immediately because I was a “Christian” who was saved. I did not know that my new decision would slowly transform me. I thought this was instant. I had too many expectations of the Lord in the beginning of my walk with Him. I was demanding. Like, “Lord, what you are going to do for me today?” and when he did nothing (so I thought) I was pissed. I went back to my old thinking and would drink heavily. It truly was a vicious cycle. 

I was under attack a lot and I did not understand why and I thought it was God teaching me a lesson for being bad all those years. It was not until I understood my enemy when lights went off. I finally understood that I have a true enemy who hated me with so much passion. I was falling victim to his attacks and did not realize the power I had. I believed each lie he told me.

When my prayer life changed and when I starting truly studying God’s character is when life started changing. I started to invite the Holy Spirit to come fill me and show me how to live a new life in Christ. When I opened up the word of God I prayed first. I asked God to make his word come alive in my heart. I wanted a renewed mind, a new mouth and I wanted to be someone who reacted to adversity differently so bad. I wanted help but did not want to put the work in. It was easier to cry and complain and feel sorry for myself at times.

I asked God to help me have his heart and eyes. I asked God to help me hate the sin I used to love. I asked God to change me fully. I prayed this over and over and over until I woke up declaring God’s promises. But I also went through trial because I was shedding new skin and God needed me to stretch my faith so it was this struggle for me. I started to renew my mind and did not know that was happening. Suddenly I became confident. God’s word daily started to make sense. I read in many translations and was engulfed hours and hours alone just me and him. I started being really intentional about my time with Jesus. I made him a priority before the day started. I knew if I did not the enemy would come try and play uninvited. 

The enemy really is not that intelligent, my sisters. He tries to steal the very seeds God plants in us but he really is not all that smart because he forgets that we were purchased with a heavy price tag. He forgets that Jesus, our RISEN Savior already defeated him. He tries to confuse us with his games. You have to realize and be confident in the fact that you are not his property and your life is NOT any of his business. You belong to Jesus as a believer! You will fall BUT God will pick you right back up and set you on HIS path again. You have got to trust that no matter what. 

Sisters, when you understand that your steps are ordered life becomes so exciting. You wake up with a new hunger each day. Each day becomes a gift you slowly unwrap and you start to see life with a different set of eyes. THAT my friends!?!?!?! Is what you call a beautiful l exchange…..

What use to be hard is not anymore because of Jesus. The life you had before does not matter because of Jesus. You no longer live in shame and condemnation. You are new because of JESUS.  Those burdens are lifted. You are free and you start on a lifelong journey with your Father because of Jesus. Will you make Jesus the center of your life? 

I encourage you today. If you are been wrestling with something and need clarity. Pull back from it all. Leave all distractions and sit with your Father for days in fast and prayer. Your thoughts will be cleared and you will start to be focused and there is where you will hear from your gracious King. He is close to those that abide in Him.

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Lord, you are my King. You love me and you see me for who I am. You are my Creator, my way maker, the anchor for my soul, and my steady hand. You are my rock and fortress. You’re my protector and guide. I worship you. Today, I ask for nothing. I just need to know how can I serve you Jesus? Who can I bless today? I press into you Jesus with all my being. Amen