Whitnee's journey with Christ

Booked any appointments lately? Haircut, wax, car wash, oil change, root canal, mammogram, air quality check?

What is the one thing most folks wait on after they have booked their appointment or paid for their service?

…..You guessed it right! They wait on their confirmation.

Receiving that confirmation tells you a few things. 1) You are all set, payment is secured and all you have to do is wait for the said date and show up to your appointment as scheduled. 2) You receive further instructions, access codes, or whatever other pertinent information you need. 3) This may be what is needed to ensure you keep your appointment for the particular service.

Receiving confirmation ensures you have done something correctly and now you can proceed to the next step. For example, I use StyleSeat to book the appointments for my hair. Now back in the day all I had to do was call or text but now hairstylist are getting “fancy” on a sista! Not only do I have to book online, I have the option to prepay or provide a deposit depending on which service I choose. Once all of that is done, I receive confirmation via text, email, etc. and I know she has me penciled in for the date of my choice. Without confirmation, no hairdo for me and that’s plain and simple!

Now that you get my drift on confirmations, let’s get to the reason for today’s message.

Today with God’s assistance I plan to provide a few examples of God’s miraculous power, provide “proof” for those who need signs and wonders, and confirm that the Holy Spirit is powerful!

On New Years Day while sitting in isolation I began to reflect on a song my daddy, mommy, and I used to love to hear Eva sing. It was entitled “I’m still holding on.” Out of that song came a motivational message that I posted on Saturday entitled “Purpose for my pain.” If you haven’t gotten a chance to read it, click here.

Well on yesterday the “strangest” thing happened. My brother, Regis, called to check to see how I was doing. As the conversation progressed he told me about the blessed time he had at church. He said Eva dedicated a song to momma and before you know it the whole church was pretty much crying. I felt a warm sensation over my body as he continued to talk about what transpired while in service. With excitement I interrupted and asked him if the song Eva sung was called “I’m still holding on.” He replied “no” but he still couldn’t recall the name of the song.

At this point I’m on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what song she sung so I decided to text her and ask myself. Growing impatient with Regis not remembering the song after he described the service to the “T”, I waited for Eva to respond.

Nevertheless I was still amazed at how God moved. First I thought well maybe Eva read my motivational message and that’s why she dedicated the song to my mom, and then it dawned on me, I had never shared my inspirational page with her nor was I aware that she would even be at NST on this particular Sunday or on the choir to sing in the first place.

This was nothing but the miraculous work of our Heavenly Father.

Scripture says in John 4:48, Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

For me I didn’t need any signs and wonders, I didn’t need to ask Eva had someone given her a heads up of what I posted, and I didn’t need any further confirmation besides God knew my heart and somehow, some way Eva thought about my mom and decided to sing one of my moms favorite songs, You Know My Name” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard.

Not only had she blessed those in attendance at NST, she blessed me by honoring my mom by singing this song, but also by taking the time out of her busy day to read my blog and even respond. It really made my day, I still smile thinking of how all of that came to be.

Another example was Saturday evening I got a phone call from a dear friend of mine. I hadn’t heard her voice in quite sometime but I was excited to talk with her and as always her smile radiated so beautifully, even over the phone. I tell you she has one of the biggest, brightest, most gorgeous smiles I have ever seen in my life. When I met her years ago I made sure to tell her, and try to remind her every chance I get. And then to add icing on the top, she passed that down to all 5 of her beautiful young black daughters.

You see I had written something to her in hopes of providing some encouragement, not knowing what her post entailed exactly but just knowingI was to be obedient to what God placed on my heart to write. By the phone call, I could tell this was another confirmation of what God was doing in our lives.

Now this next one might just blow your socks off but let’s tap in to some scripture for a second.

John 4:10 says, Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Yesterday morning my sister, Jackie, sent me a song entitled “I’m getting ready” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard ft. Nicki Minaj. If you haven’t heard it, I recommend you listen to it, and on repeat!!! I had never heard it so when I listened the words literally BLEW MY MIND!

I had to forward this song to my friends and I was so moved by it I listened to it throughout the entire day and even matched scripture and made a reel based upon the content of this song. To add more pizzazz to this, one of sweet friends who is a motivational speaker said she had been listening to song over the last month and it confirmed some things she was thinking as well. Shout out to Lavonda Bryson, if you are wanting some inspirational short messages from God, click here to subscribe to her YouTube channel. She is phenomenal and she is my friend!

These are just 3 examples of God’s miraculous powers. Some folks would say “it’s just a coincidence.” But there is no such thing, these were all acts of God’s Grace and His love.

Yesterday I mentioned an invitation from God. Scripture came from Isaiah 55. Looking at today’s scripture, here we see in John 4:10 that God was extending another invitation. When Jesus asked the lady for a drink of water, verse 10 says He did that so He could offer her the living water.

This was invitation to receive something much greater, much better than the water you or I could offer one another.

God started off my new year by allowing me to look within myself. He allowed me to search my soul and see what I had been missing. I had been missing several things but the most important piece that I had neglected to share, was my writing.

Writing had always brought such peace to my life. It was my way of trying to bring encouragement to others. A way to shed the light of Jesus and the love of God to others. In many ways I tried to spread the Good News by sharing my story and showing God’s love for me and my life.

I got blindsided and distracted. I lost my focus and the main reason why I started writing in the first place and why I purchased/created this website- to give glory to God.

I admit I got caught up and discouraged because I wasn’t getting many views, I didn’t feel like anyone liked or shared my posts, I don’t have but a handful of subscribers, and I felt like all I pour into it and being vulnerable was a waste of time. I allowed the enemy to fool me and think I was waisting people’s time and no one had the time or energy to read my long, drawn out, boring messages. I felt defeated. And then eventually I stopped writing all together. My focus seemed to be more about self and how I felt like a failure than why I started this thing in the first place.

Today’s featured post (shown above) is John 4:23.

In this scripture you see that God is seeking His people (boys and girls, young and old) to worship Him. Not fake and phony worship, but worship in spirit and in truth. It is by truth of the Scripture and by the power of the Holy Spirit that we should worship Him.

In other words God is looking at our hearts.

He is not looking at the likes, the comments, the number of subscribers, or the amount of views we have- no God is looking at Whitnee’s heart and the devotion behind the posts not what comes of it in statistical data.

Matthew 6:5-6 says, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, prayer to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

God is not looking for the marching bands, the paparazzi, or large crowds to show His Grace and His mercy, to show His love, His power. He doesn’t need that audience in return- He is after our own hearts. The rewards God has for us is one no man can match.

It took me being in isolation to remember what is important to God. Covid humbled me, being in quarantine is humbling me, being away from my beloved Rico and my boys is humbling me.

God was gracious to give me all of these signs. I’m just so grateful I saw His Grace and His favor on my life while I still have breath in my body.

Are you in a place in your life where God has been trying to reach you and couldn’t quite make the connection? Are you running and distracting and looking for a place to hide?

The Bible tells us we can find rest and shelter in Christ!

There is proof in God’s word- He loves you and I and He is calling us to praise His name and worship Him. He has given us many talents and many gifts. How will you use your gifts and talents to worship Him?

Praise Him with your voice, like Eva and Mariam. Praise Him in the way you speak, like Kelly, Dr. Neal, Uncle Kent, and Vonda. Praise Him in the way you smile, like Cherise. Praise Him in the way you affirm your faith, like Faith. Praise Him in the way you pray, like Yolanda and Ms Onnie. Praise Him the way you share, like Ms Rita. Praise Him in the way you write like Quinn and Angela. Praise Him in the way you serve others like Tatayana, Ms Finch, Terri, Angela, Stacey, Fran, Ojetta, Ms Valeria, Ms Valerie, Rhonda, Ms Wright, Kathryn, Brittney, and so many others. Praise Him by encouraging a friend to use the gifts God has given to them like Kelly, Jasmine, Morgan, Faith, Kim, Kami, and everyone else who has graced this page.

Are you excited for what God is doing in and through you already in 2022? I AM. And I’M GETTING READY FOR THE OVERFLOW OF BLESSINGS! He is about to blow our minds!!!!!! As I prepare to end today’s message, I give all honor and glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I humbly confess I am a sinner and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. Cleanse my mind, my mouth, my heart from all impure thoughts Lord. Remove the dead weight that brings no reference to Your kingdom. As we continue to walk into our destiny and fulfill God’s purpose for our lives, let us hold fast to His word and remember His promises. We don’t have to have signs and wonders to see how good our God is. The proof is in His word!

May we all grow in our purpose, our faith, our relationship with Christ, and build that intimacy that God desires to have with each of us. Give Him your heart today! 🙏🏾