2013 at a glance

2013 started out with a suicide attempt after feeling the weight of the world was on my shoulders, but God snatched me out of the hands of the enemy and gave me another chance. Then it evolved to time behind bars after being pulled out of my character by people who merely thrived off my anger and frustration. The enemy orchestrated yet another plan to take my life...but he failed! It continued and was followed up with a physical attack in front of my home, set up by someone who has hatred for me for absolutely NO REASON, a break-in of my vehicle while celebrating life and love with my family then an attempt to break into my home while I bust my butt (working 2 jobs) to take care of me and my kids. Not to mention being falsely accused of harassment and receiving absolutely no justice from the justice system.

I was quickly reminded that upon entering this year God told me that THIS YEAR would bring about clarification, confirmation and understanding! God told me that the decisions that I made THIS YEAR would be detrimental to my future successes. I read my Bible more, I prayed more, I fasted, I developed a relationship with God like I've never had before, which made my hardships manageable because in my time of need I knew who to call and depend on. I believe that 2014 will bring about manifestation of blessings...replacing all the things I lost in 2013 because of my faithfulness and commitment to God.

It's not easy...THIS YEAR...I prayed for my enemies, even as they slayed me. I gave the hard things to God, I've forgiven those who used me and turned their backs on me when I needed them the most. I've allowed God to be my refuge even when I wanted so badly to retaliate against those who have done me wrong. I've opened my heart to love and allowed God to mend the broken pieces of my heart and entrusted it to someone who loves God and understands the concept of loving another as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it...

If I ever doubted before, THIS YEAR I recognized who GOD is, and He's truly AMAZING! I experienced His power and His presence for MYSELF! I saw where he brought me from and even had opportunities to see where he's taking me to. WHO WOULDN'T SERVE A GOD LIKE MINE?????

I look forward to all that's coming in 2014...MY GOD HAS NEVER FAILED ME, so I believe that the manifestation of my blessings are coming because I endured hardness as a good solider...I didn't faint, so it's REAPING TIME!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

Stay tuned for praise reports in 2014!!!

Love always

CeeRich

Loneliness VS Being Alone

Being alone and loneliness are two different things. Recently I have been spending time alone and during my alone time I identified how being alone felt different now, than it felt months ago. It made me realize that there is a difference between being lonely and being alone. I started to write down what it felt like when I experienced loneliness. Here is the list I came up with:

•Lack
•Something is missing
•Depression
•Emptiness
•Incompleteness
•Isolation

I have studied Psychology for the last several years and I have a better understanding that loneliness is a state of mind. Loneliness is an emotion brought on by feelings of separation from other human beings. Loneliness is the feeling that you are alone in the world and that no one cares or is concerned about you. You can be in a house full of people and still be lonely, you can lay next to your spouse every night and still experience loneliness. Loneliness is isolation that is felt very deeply to an individual. Loneliness lead me to attempt suicide, loneliness lead me to react irresponsibly, loneliness lead me to believe that my situation would never change and that NO ONE WOULD EVER UNDERSTAND! Loneliness is a tactic used by the enemy to fulfill his mission to STEAL, KILL & DESTROY!



I have been delivered from the spirit of loneliness, and there are times that I am alone so I jotted down how I felt experiencing my ALONE TIME:

•Fullness
•Completeness
•Freedom to do what you want
•Aliveness
•Expansion
•Being enough


I am a witness that feelings of loneliness leave you feeling empty, hurt, and stagnant. In order to move from loneliness to feelings of being alone, you have to understand that being by yourself is not saying you are not worthy. It is, however, an opportunity to appreciate yourself, grow, and evolve. Use that alone time to get to know yourself again and to develop a relationship with God. Utilize this time to meditate, read your Bible, open up to God about your fears, your flaws and your desires. James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

The Bible also says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
So God can use your loneliness as an opportunity to draw you even closer to him. Learning to be fulfilled with ourselves in his presence. Hearing from Him concerning our lives without interruption. Isn't God AWESOME!? That even during dark periods he can turn it around and make it work for your good. That's why I serve Him...trust Him, and love Him. There is no one like Him in all the world.

If you are experiencing loneliness as a Christian the Bible tells us in Romans 12:2  That we are not to be conformed to this world, "but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." We have to set our minds on the things of God, and continue in our faith and not operate based upon what we can see and feel emotionally. We must Trust that in every situation, God is with us and that he will never leave nor forsake us.

It's your choice how you feel. Will you be alone or feel lonely?


Love!

I will rejoice

I have learned to accept and come to terms with the known fact that ALL THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON! I am no stranger to seeing God work things out for my good and for His glory. I think about when I was a young child and my parents were addicted to drugs and alcohol. I remember going to church and praying that God would deliver them from their addictions. I remember going to shut-ins as a child and petitioning God to put my family back together. Although it took some time for things to manifest, God answered my prayers. I recognize that the burden to pray is one that I have been blessed with. Even during my times of trouble I recognize that I have cried out for the very people who wish harm upon me. I can't say that I'm always obedient to the things that God instructs me to do, but he placed a burden upon me to pray for my enemies. Its one of the hardest things I've ever done, and even when I finished crying out to the Lord on this persons behalf I questioned WHY DO I HAVE TO PRAY FOR HER???? Matthew 5:44 reads "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (NIV) It is definitely easier said than done, but trust me it is possible. I trust God, and I believe that just like he delivered my parents that I too will be delivered from the hands of the enemy. I SHALL HAVE THE VICTORY! If he did it before he can do it again, and as I rejoiced then, I will again REJOICE!

Love!

Keep Calm & Trust God ALWAYS

Thinking of some of the events that have occurred in my life, I found myself trying to figure out where did I go wrong. I questioned God on why he was punishing me and what did I do to deserve what was happening to me. In this season I have found that God speaks to us through various forms, and that we should not take it lightly when we believe that we have just heard a word from the Lord.

While I was working and the situation I was dealing with was on my mind, I changed my radio station and the man of God was preaching about the children of Israel once Pharaoh had freed them from slavery. God instructed Moses every step of the way. God instructed Moses in Exodus 14:1 "Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told."

Late in the midnight hour God had given me instructions and had led me to take actions that I thought initially would vindicate me, however just like the situation with the Children of Israel it created even more drama and chaos in my life. When my enemy found out that I was on to her plots, plans and schemes, her heart too was hardened and she came after me, yet again. I began to pray and question why these things were happening and where did I go wrong? I questioned my obedience to God and my ability to hear Him clearly and questioned if my actions were based on fleshly desires or were they really instructions from God. The children of Israel cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” How many times do we question the things of God? How many times do we think we have it all figured out? How many times do we try to complete our own will instead of allowing His will to be done??? God is strategic and he knows the beginning from the end. His plan is always bigger and better than ours.

Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” This is the same message I received following my incident. God is setting things up so that once he delivers me from it, I'LL NEVER HAVE TO BE FACED WITH IT AGAIN! From that I found peace, and remained calm. Trusting and believing that God will fight for me and that the Egyptians I see here today I will see no more FOREVER! So I praise Him and rejoice now, for I know that God is with me and that all that is happening is a part of his master plan. The devil believes that he has won the war, but that was just one of many battles and I'm still STANDING!

Extremely BLESSED!

Disregarding the Guarding

Experiencing pain from a romantic relationship can cause years of suffering, and turmoil for a person. I can admit that when I first found out about my ex-husband's infidelity I confessed that "I'D NEVER LEAVE MYSELF VULNERABLE AGAIN" I said time and time again, "I'll never put all my eggs in one basket". At the time I was hurt and emotional and felt the need to guard my heart and my emotions as a result of what had taken place in my relationship. After some time, I eventually attempted to give a relationship another try. BURNED AGAIN! I was manipulated, lied to, cheated on and yet again, I had opened my emotions up to a person that I felt was trustworthy of my heart. But this time, because I hadn't allowed myself to be totally "IN" I was able to walk away without the emotional baggage following. I then thought...By George I think I've got it! NEVER GO ALL THE WAY IN...then you'll never be hurt when it doesn't work. RIGHT!? WRONG....SOOOOOO WRONG!!!! That was part of the reason it didn't work...TOO GUARDED. Wouldn't let him in and he knew it!

Once I started to pray and ask God to heal me and to make me whole...I don't think that at that time I really realized exactly what I was praying for. Reading God's word and understanding it I began to understand that this is not the way to live. Yes, in Proverbs 4:23 the Bible says "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." And I believe that we should be guarded in all relationships, not just romantic ones. But we must also recognize that if we remain too guarded that there is no way that we can allow others to share the love, and adoration that we have to give.  Believing that you should only allow yourself to open your heart to "THE ONE" is deceptive. You can't shut down part of your heart and not shut down all of it. You can’t block all the negative emotions and still have enough space for the positive ones. It’s impossible to have a life overflowing with love in all areas when your heart is blocked up with fear and anxiety about being hurt, or hurt again.

At the root of any healthy, true relationship, at the heart of every heart, is VULNERABILITY. And vulnerability can’t exist when you are focused on living out a particular set of rules. I have come to recongize that the best relationships actually offer us the safety and love to explore the full human experience. We are given the opportunity to be present in all circumstances, even the uncomfortable ones. Relationships offer us opportunities to actively grow, to recover from pain, and pursue love. All relationships invite our hearts to walk through disappointment and joy. And if truth be told the more intimate the relationship, unfortunately the greater the disappointment BUT THE GREATER THE JOY!

I’ve experienced heartbreak and pain, disappointment and devastation. At times I have lost my faith. I have loved people who have hurt me. I have hurt people who have loved me. I am still walking out the difficult steps of particular grief and some days it hurts like HELL! But, through it all I’ve discovered that my heart is stronger than pain. My ability to wholeheartedly love and be loved is ever expanding. I feel so much joy, peace, affection, freedom from shame, and I have found a faith worth living out every day. I can proclaim my love without fear. I have a heart that is full of redemption, and I'll never allow the sufferings of my past hinder my future.

I choose today to have a heart that is unguarded and absolutely alive, and if you really want to be in healthy relationships, stop “guarding” your heart and start using it. Walk through the mistakes you will make and learn from them. TODAY IS THE DAY! Let's DISREGARD THE GUARDING!

Confessing Love from this day forward!
CeeRich

Season of Uncertainty

Uncertainty is the state of being uncertain; the instance of doubt or hesitancy; unpredictability; indefiniteness.

Have you ever thought to yourself: "I'm not where I used to be, but I'm not where I'm going"? Have you ever felt that you're not even sure where you are right now?

Uncertainty is that middle place of connection between origination and destination. During these times you are faced with storms, delays, stress, apprehension, insecurity, fear, doubt. But be mindful that Jesus too was faced with a moment of uncertainty while in the Garden at Gethsemane. In Matthew 26:39 Jesus prays saying "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Uncertainty will often cause you to question yourself, and sometimes God, especially when it appears that you have entered into a time of suffering. But we must remember that we have all suffered, cried, questioned or felt victimized by something or someone at some point in our lives. And these are the times to fight back and continue to weather the storm and trust God! SCREAMING: "LORD NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE!" Because truth be told it's not about me or you, but to God be ALL the Glory!

Daily Confessions

It is important that we confess the blessings of Jesus Christ upon our lives, as it is also important that we renounce evils spirits that may attempt to attack us as well. Read the Daily Confession and speak these confessions into your life today and always. This is a new day. Be encouraged and make today your best day yet!

I set the course of my life today with my words: I declare today that I will not be defeated, discouraged, depressed or disappointed.

I am the head, I have insight, I have wisdom, I have ideas, I have authority. I exercise my authority today with my words and I decree a thing and it is so.

Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)…the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in me… (Romans 8:11) I give glory and honor on earth to God by completing the work He gave me to do. (John 17:4)

My God will meet all my needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19) therefore everything I need has already been provided.

As I speak words today, they come to pass (Job 22:28); they go before me, they bring the things to pass that I desire; and they stop all attacks, assaults, oppression, and fear from coming to my life.

God is on my side today and, therefore, I cannot be defeated. His favor surrounds me today as a shield. (Psalm 5:12).

I expect favor today from heaven and from the earth as provided by God.

Jesus had favor with God and man (Luke 2:52), and as He is so am I on this earth. (1 John 4:17)

Therefore, I have favor today with God and man. I expect and receive favor in my home, favor in my job, favor in my business, favor in my ministry, favor with my finances, favor in every deal I am involved in.

I have the wisdom of God today.

I will think the right thoughts, say the right words and make the right decisions in every situation I face today. My mouth speaks wisdom and my heart is filled with understanding. (Psalm 49:3)

I ask for, and receive, an abundant supply of wisdom and understanding today from God (James 1:5)…wisdom from above, wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, unwavering, willing to yield, without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)

Wisdom and understanding are better than silver and gold and nothing I desire can compare with them; therefore, I make it my ambition and desire to have understanding and wisdom; therefore I know I will have all of the other desires of my heart. (Proverbs 8:10-11)

My words go before me in securing my divine health and healing… I will not be sick today; I will not be sad today; I will not be broke today; I will not be confused today.

I have health today; I have joy today; I have all the money I need in the name of Jesus.

My steps are ordered by the Lord… (Psalm 37:23)

I have a covenant with God and by the blood of Jesus I release my divine protection and divine provision.

I expect to have divine appointments today, to run into the right people, and to be delivered from the wrong people.

Any adversity, attack, accidents and tragedies that were headed my way are diverted right now in Jesus’ name.

Now I speak to: every mountain of fear every mountain of discouragement every mountain of stress every mountain of depression every mountain of lack and insufficiency And I say, “Be removed and cast into the sea in Jesus’ name!” (Mark 11:23)

I expect the best day of my life spiritually, emotionally, relationally and financially today in Jesus’ name.

Happily Ever After

Thinking of all my loved ones that are preparing to be married and recently married, I think back on the day that I was married and the lack of knowledge I had about what I was entering into at such a young age. I have learned a LOT from my experience. Although my marriage was not a success, I guarantee you that I won't enter into another marriage with the same mindset as I had in the first. People tend to think that marriage is a mere fairy tale and that they will live HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Not understanding that marriage is a FULL-TIME JOB...It's work and can not be neglected.

I think about the women with their white gowns, flowers, make-up etc., in preparation for the day that they expect to cherish for the rest of their lives. The men in clean tuxedos and shinny shoes, fresh cut, clean shaven and smelling good...LOL! If only that was how the marriage would go. The reality of things is that the couple should dress in combat boots and army fatigues. Women should put their hair up in a pony tail and grease their faces with Vaseline. Magazines, movies and television shows has given the false perception that its all gonna be perfect...BUT its not. You must remember that marriage is an imperfect person, joining with another imperfect person. So why in the world do we expect them to be PERFECT???? It's never going to happen. Entering into marriage we must understand that it's two imperfect human beings that have love for one another and have made the conscious decision that they are going to get up everyday and still choose each other in spite of what they are going through. Even when it's a bad day, or a sad day, I STILL CHOOSE YOU! In a marriage you have to know that life happens and keep moving forward.

That's where me and my ex husband went wrong. We had unrealistic expectations for one another and when we failed to meet those expectations for one another it resulted in a whirlwind of hurt and resentment. Which resulted in the lost of love, respect, commitment and loyalty. Even in the Bible it tells us that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We ALL SIN AND FALL SHORT...including YOU!!!

So don't get me wrong...Marriage is beautiful and has so many benefits, and I myself desire to remarry one day. But I know that I won't be ignorant to Satan's devices, I'm all too familiar with his schemes. So I don't doubt that it's possible that in marriage there will be disappointment, anger, sadness, loneliness, or hurt. When those feelings are present I know to seek God the father and to lay my burdens upon him. I refuse to give in to Satan's plan to destroy my marriage, my self-confidence, my sanity (been there done that)....because we all know that the devil only comes to steal, kill and destroy.

Happily ever after isn't a fairy tale...It's simply a choice.

Love!

Joy Versus Happiness

On a quest to discover how I could be so at peace when there is clearly chaos all around, I realized that I have truly found the JOY OF THE LORD. I don't think I've ever really understood the scripture in Nehemiah 8:10 when he stated that "the joy of the Lord is your strength" He instructed the people to not be sad, because this was a day of the Lord. I look back over events in my life and it amazes me that even with all that I've been through and have experienced, nothing or no one can steal my joy. Now have I always been happy about what's taking place in my life...ABSOLUTELY NOT! But that's why we are to experience joy versus happiness, which is found in Christ.

One may ask, what's the difference? Happiness is a temporary emotional state of being. Happiness is experienced during contentment and satisfaction to something that is pleasing to one's flesh. Happiness is not permanent and does not bring about inward peace and contentment. However, JOY....OH JOY!!!! Joy is a state of being...NOT AN EMOTION. Joy is related to happiness, but it is a much deeper experience. Joy is beyond self and it connects us to that which is GREATER than we are or could ever be. We hear people say all the time..."I just want to be happy" and in the quest to find happiness they focus on themselves, but when someone wants to experience great joy they must move beyond the self-centered preoccupation and seek those things that will bring about an inward, spiritual satisfaction to not just themselves, but to others as well. I read somewhere a comparison that stated that "happiness is a solid and joy is a liquid". My interpretation is that happiness is momentarily and occurs in chunks and blocks at a time...its sporadic and not constant. But JOY on the other hand is free flowing, and constant once you have it it doesn't come and go based upon life's circumstances, its ALWAYS PRESENT.

Who wouldn't want to experience something like that?! I DO, AND I AM!!! Cause with all that I've been through...THE JOY OF THE LORD IS DEFINITELY MY STRENGTH!!!!

 Be Blessed!

Bearing the Cross

I was prepared for my divorce to be finalized and a new chapter in my life to begin. Unfortunately on September 19, my children's father and I were unable to come to an agreement and it was scheduled for pre-trial in February of 2014. TALK ABOUT SALTY! Oh yea...VERY SALTY!!! But I know that I'm doing what is best for my children and not what's ideal for me and what I so desperately want. So with that I questioned why all this was happening.

I was reading Isaiah 53 and it talks about how Jesus died for our sins so that we can again be reconciled with God after this life in earth. Jesus, he who is without sin carried and was weighted down by the sins of man and conquered death and the grave for a bunch of UNWORTHY sinners. The Bible says that we as Christians are to pick up our cross and follow him. We must DIE to out fleshly desires and be like Christ. We must be willing to sacrifice our lives and things we want and desire to follow Gods will and plan for our life. He knows the beginning from the end and we must trust that the end shall be much greater than we could have ever imagined! 

So when I question why things have happened the way that they've happened its obvious that I am carrying my cross, dying to my own selfish wants and desires and allowing God to speak to my heart and lead and guide my footsteps in the right direction. He's never failed me yet, why would he start now????

MORNING!

The Storm

So in the recent days I see that I have entered into another storm as the devil attempts to attack my mind and make me believe that trouble will last forever and that the God I serve doesn't love me, otherwise I would not have to endure the things that I am currently enduring. However a friend of mine created a CD for me a few months ago and while riding in my car the song came on and it was so fitting for my situation that it resonated in my spirit and I played in on repeat throughout my day. So today's blog entry in simply the lyrics to the song. ENJOY!

"I told the Storm"

Even though your winds blow I want you to know
 You cause me no alarm cause I'm safe in His arms
Even though your rain falls I can still make this call
Let there be peace now I can say go away
I command you to move today
 Because of faith I have a brand new day
The sun will shine and I will be okay
That's what I told the storm.

 I told the storm to pass storm, you cant last.
Go away, I command you to move today
Storm, when God speaks;
Storm, You have to cease.
That's what I told the storm.

 I told the storm (No weapons formed against me shall prosper I don't have to worry about a thing)
I told the storm (I'm more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, and he's gonna bring me out alright)
I told the storm (It's amazing grace that's brought me safe thus far, and grace is gonna lead me home)
I told the storm (I stood on solid ground and told my storm and you need to tell your storm today).

 Wind stop blowing
Flood stop flowing
Lightening stop flashing
Breakers stop dashing
Darkness go away
Clouds move away
That's what I told the storm
Death can't take me
Job can't make me
Bills can't break me
Disease can't shake me
You won't drown me
My God surrounds me
That's what I told the storm

SPEAK TO YOUR STORM TODAY!

Evil doers

Last night as I was walking into my home a woman attacked me for reasons I'm unsure of. I don't for one minute believe that this was not a direct attack of the enemy to take me out yet again or at least set me up to take myself out of the game. But I'm reassured that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME WILL PROSPER! I know who my enemy is and it's not the lady who attacked me, nor the person who was behind the malicious event but the devil and his tactics! But he must know that it's not gonna work to take me away from my purpose and destiny. I WIN IN EVERY SITUATION because I have God on my side. Vengeance is mine saith The Lord, so I'll turn this too over to The Lord and allow him to fight all my battles!

Love!

Only what you do for Christ will last

I'm reminded today of a saying that my Grandmother would frequently say "Only what you do for Christ will last". As I check my motivation for the things I do I ponder is God getting the glory from this particular thing in my life...if not, what is it good for? Sometimes we read things and hear things but don't meditate to take Gods word and allow it to saturate our spirit. 

Recently a chain of events have taken place that unbeknownst to me was designed to TAKE ME OUT...in various areas of my life. My initial revelation of these events brought about anger, confusion, fear, and anxiety. None of which are emotions that God intended me to experience. I had to stop and think for a minute and remind myself that regardless of the tactics of the enemy I serve a God that loves me and will not allow any weapon formed against me to defeat me. My reaction could have been to act out...but I instead chose to pray. And that's what God expects from us because He is here to fight against the enemy on our behalf. Don't believe me? 

Psalms 37 reads: "Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. But the wicked will die. The Lord ’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke. The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die. The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread."

So when we are operating in God and according to His perfect plan and will for our lives He will continue to take care of us. He will take care of those who attempt to bring us down as well and continue to remove those hindrances from our lives...the Bible says that they'll disappear and we'd wonder whatever happened to...? So as believers we must make sure that we are doing the will of God and all will be taken care of. Do you believe it? I DO!

Be Blessed!

A Beautiful Suprise

Entering into this day, I stated earlier in the week that I was unsure of how I would feel. Given that this day is almost over and I am preparing to go to bed, I reflect on this day. It started with a text from a mutual friend of mine and my soon-to-be ex-spouse that stated "Happy 9th year wedding anniversary" I replied "really!?" and he stated "Y'all are still married". Which is the truth. Originally I thought that I would be haunted by the thoughts of my failed marriage and would experience some type of anxiety, anger, sadness, loneliness...SOMETHING! But I didn't. After the initial shock of the unexpected text message, I continued on as if it were a normal day. I found myself attempting to be sad about the situation at the time, but quickly reminded myself of how much God has done for me in spite of my current marital status. I reminded myself that all things work together for the good of those who love God and immediately dismissed the spirit of sadness and depression that could have overtaken me today. Who would've thought that on a day where you expected that you'd possibly be an emotional wreck would turn out to be peaceful, productive and fulfilling....WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SUPRISE!

I read today that "We are not defined by our past failures or by disappointment, or by the rejection of others. We are defined as children of God, born again to newness of life and endowed with every spiritual blessing and accepted into Jesus Christ." This is what gives us the victory in our daily walk with Christ. I am walking according to my faith in Jesus Christ instead of being driven by my emotions.

I don't know for certain all that God has in store for me, but I trust Him. And so I decided today even if it hurts or feels uncomfortable that I will continue to trust God. Even when I don't understand, I'll trust God. Even when its difficult, I'll trust God! Because He knows the plans He has for me! So I continue to love my life and everyone in it!

Stay Blessed!

Child Custody Agreements: Advice from a Mom Who Learned Her Lesson

As I get closer and closer to my court hearing I have been battling back and forth on how to handle the custody disagreements that I have with my spouse. I ran across this article and it helped me. Although I feel that I am doing what is in the best interest of my children, my spouse feels that I'm being vindictive and spiteful. I have been fasting and asking that God remove all selfish desires from my heart and for Him to allow me to see things His way so that His will is done not according to my own satisfaction. I just want to do what is best for my kids...and NOTHING MORE!

Take a look at another woman's story:
Child Custody Agreements: Advice from a Mom Who Learned Her Lesson

Are you a Luster or a Lover?

Often times people misunderstand the difference of lusting after and loving another person. True love is identified as a choice to love and extend trust to another person whom we understand is imperfect. To expect that anyone whom you are in relationship with will be perfect is INSANE! to say the least.

When a person is filled with lust there is a strong desire for selfish gain and compensation for what the other lacks in their life. Lust is not something that screams LONGEVITY, because when things get tough lust will be first to go.

Entering into a relationship people must recognize that they must first identify are they doing it for the RIGHT reasons. Is it the choice to love? Or a lustful desire that is longing for companionship at any cost.

Introduction

I would first like to introduce myself and let you know who am I am the reason behind the start of this blog. I am a 29 year old female that is currently experiencing dramatic life changes, but through my life changes I have decided that I would recommit to the greater cause and rededicate my life to Christ. I am serious about my soul and the purpose that God has for my life, as well as the souls of those that I was sent here to reach through my testimony.

As I look at the calendar and I identify that tomorrow is September 11th and so many people identify tragedy with this date given what occurred in 2001. I for other reasons have another association with this date as it would mark 9 years of marriage with the spouse that I am currently divorcing. I have mixed feeling about what I will feel tomorrow. Although others will mourn the lost of loved ones, and injured heroes etc. I will be remembering that life as I have known it for the last 9 years will come to an end as of September 19, 2013. After 9 years of marriage just 8 days after we should have celebrated the joys of being married, we will stand before a judge and swear under oath that our marriage is irretrievably broken.

I have used writing as a form of healing, and I believe that others can benefit from the things that I have experienced and will experience going forward. I read several blogs and articles concerning divorce, remarriage, etc. and I found them helpful during my time of need. So I trust and believe that there are people out there who seek this information and can be blessed through my trials and my triumphs. One thing that I have learned for sure is that I AM NOT ALONE!

Until next time...sincerely,

CeeRich