Whitnee's journey with Christ

Over the last few weeks I have come very close to wanting to throw in the towel and give up but mommy and daddy didn’t raise a quitter. I’m a fighter and in this world I know only the tough survive. I have a secret, I’m not tough at all. Matter of fact yesterday I cried so much and felt a little overwhelmed one might think I’m a wimp. Although I got tired because everything being thrown at me at once; I didn’t give up. Most importantly, I didn’t give up on God.

Some folks are so quick to judge you and question your faith when you tell them “it’s a lot on my plate and I’m tired” so I’ve learned to stop talking. I just smile and say, “I’m fine how are?” But God knows my heart and He knows me- He knows how much I can bear.

On this journey of patience and understanding, I’m learning how to endure. When the old Whitnee’ would say “bump this” and have a quitter attitude the more spiritual grounded Whitnee’ just continues to give it to God. I SURRENDER ALL TO JESUS!

God knows what I face and He knows what all I am responsible for and He knows I’m tired. This morning I’m thankful to thank God for His sweet rest. It allows me to rest in Him and feel at peace. With all the busyness and chaotic moments, I find great joy knowing God is my Help and I can call on Him and just be free.

I admit I’ve tried to do so much without bothering anyone that the last few days I’ve had no choice to drop it all. Yesterday I was at a point I couldn’t cook, I couldn’t clean, I couldn’t clean my moms trachea, I couldn’t wash clothes, I couldn’t do anything but scratch my head, cry, and just rock myself to sleep. Ever had those moments. I mean had things gotten so hectic in my life I couldn’t even find time to write. My quiet moments with the Lord hasn’t ended in happy writing where I can write words of encouragement for others; it’s been going to sleep out of exhaustion and waking up exhausted most days.

I can write about it now but it hurt me because I never knew how taking care of your mom, working full time, being a mother, and a wife COULD WEIGH A SISTER DOWN! I just wanted to crawl under a rock and hide- but heck I would be too tired to crawl. So what do you do?

Well I took it to the Lord in prayer. You see the enemy has tried to still my joy since I got back from being in the hospital with my mom 30+ days. It’s been trial after trial, financial crisis after financial crisis. Well when the only transportation I had decided to clunk out on me I literally was about to have a panic attack. For a second I almost snapped, but that’s when I just dropped everything and prayed and cried, cried and prayed.

I don’t write to you this morning to get brownie points or to have your sympathy but to say I empathize with others who are with me on the journey of patience and understanding. I empathize with those who feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. But I also have some Good News for you this morning.

You see when we feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders; we serve a God who has strength like no other. We serve a God who will allow us to lay our burdens at the alter. We serve a God who will lessen our Lord BUT we must surrender it all to Him. We have to stop wanting to wear so many hats when it comes to God and always having our hand in the “cookie jar of responsibility” and allow God to be God. Some of us don’t want God to be great because we so busy trying to do everything we won’t allow Him to intercede for us.

Lord have mercy, do you know what I’m saying? Don’t leave me hanging. Am I the only one who always has the “I got this attitude” and don’t allow people to help you. Y’all sometimes it gets so bad I don’t even let Rico help me. For example when I have a lot of groceries and he tells me to go sit down, I’ll load both arms up like octopus arms and do it without wanting his help unless I got tired from walking down all the aisles in Publix lol.

Can’t blame it on daddy but he did raise Regis and I not to have to depend on people because some folks will talk about you like a dog if you ask them for something so I just do what I have to do. But I thank God for blessing me with parents who taught me who I could depend on and who would never let me down. I’m talking about my friend Jesus Christ. I find great comfort knowing that I can depend on Him at all times.

So as I started dropping some of my load I felt the pressure being released. Just a piece of advice: don’t ever feel like you are burdening God or mistake who God placed in your life to help lighten your load. Just because you get burnt one time doesn’t mean you have to stay out of the kitchen; it just means you put on gloves and you know how to handle things the next time.

The moral of today’s message is to encourage someone who may be close to a burnout. It could be a financial burnout, spiritual burnout, relationship burnout, decision burnout, or whatever kind of burnout- God said trust Him and surrender it all. Read Isaiah 40:29-31.

He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 20:29-31 NKJV

Allow the Lord to be your Healer. Allow Him to be your God. Allow Him to be your All in All. Surrender it all to Him. Trust Him. Allow Him to encourage your heart. Allow Him to do what He said He will do.

In conclusion, God told me to tell you this morning to relinquish all of what you have been holding on and allow Him to work in your favor. God is all powerful and all knowing and He knows that it’s time for some us to rest so He can work. We will keep running this race of faith but we have to allow Him to be our Help. Don’t judge me because I “rung the bell” yesterday, to be honest I thank God for His wisdom because I didn’t want to burn out instead I called on my lifeline to help me. He gave me sweet rest. If you have a problem this morning- allow God to be your solution.

You won’t regret it. He won’t give up on you so please don’t give up on Him. God is ready and God is able! Allow God to care for you and to love on you. HE CAN AND HE WILL!

Thank you for caring for me Lord. Thank you dear Father for coming to my rescue when I was too tired to do anything but God I’ll never be too tired to stop praising Your Holy Name. You are worthy God! Thank you for allowing me to ring the bell before I got faint. Lord I trust You with my life. I give you my mommy, my husband, my children, my job, my home, I give you all of me!