Whitnee's journey with Christ

🎶 You don’t have to worry and don’t you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning, troubles they don’t last always 
For there’s a friend in Jesus, who will wipe your tears away 
And if your heart is broken, just lift your hands and say:

I know that I can make it
I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands 🎶 

Y’all it’s been a trying few days. Heck who am I kidding it’s been a trying few weeks, months, past two years. It’s been one hit after another and at times I just want to cry until I can’t cry anymore. Sometimes I do but then the pain still exists. I have to keep reminding myself, trouble don’t last always. I have to keep telling myself this too shall pass. I have to keep focusing on who God is and not my circumstances. Can I be honest? It gets hard sometimes.

I asked Jasmine yesterday if she thinks someone has a voodoo doll on me or is this just some sick joke?!! And you know what folks, it’s not just me. So many people that I talk to are going through so many things on the job, in their homes, with their family, friends turning on them, family not acting like family, there is doubt in relationships, money looking funny, kids acting out, etc. I mean all kind of things going on.

It’s easy to get caught up on all the bad and all the negatives but we should never forget who God is. NO MATTER WHAT!!!

I was sitting down in the kitchen staring outside thinking about some things that has transpired the last few days. My mind got weary and before I let the tears fall from my face I sung the lyrics to the song listed above. Music brings so much peace and joy. So does reading the Word, praying and mediating so I had a triple dose of that combination today and then God brought sweet rest.

Before I was able to close my eyes after a long day at work God placed it on my heart for my brother to call me. This has never happened before and how shocked I was that the tables had turned but that’s just how God works. He will use anyone and He used my brother to brings words of comfort to me. Out of blue Regis called me and said he had been thinking about us last night and we sat on the phone and talked for two hours- in all my years on this earth I don’t recall a single time I’ve ever talked to him that long. Normally after 25 minutes I’m banging my head against the wall or visualizing me banging his against the wall; yes we have sibling rivalry all the time.

Since my mom passed I’ve seen a different side of Regis. He is less selfish and self absorbed and more caring and emphatic. I can honestly say it finally feels like we came from the same womb because to be honest I used to think someone stole my mommy’s baby and gave her Regis because he was quite the peculiar and mean brother to me for several years. I used to think he hated me but since my mom passed away the beautiful thing that rose from her death- him showing he cares for me.

It’s nothing like a brothers love. His spirit must have said something was up and it meant the world to me that he took the time to check on me and give me words of encouragement without even knowing my situation. I ended up opening up some to him to let him know some of things I’ve been dealing with- he still doesn’t know the half. He was shocked saying he would have never known and to be honest when you live how I try to live you take it to God because it’s never too much for Him. I’ve never been the one to put all my business out there for folks to one day use it against me nor did I want to put a burden on anyone but I’ll admit this weight I’ve been carrying was starting to get pretty heavy.

Before we got off the phone Regis said, “there is strength in numbers.” It’s like a tidal wave came past when he said that. It made so much sense. Too often we try to handle things on our own and we shut people out when God placed those people in our lives for the very companionship, encouragement, shoulder, listening ear, or whatever it is we need. Instead of leaning on our loved ones we carry the load alone.

Did Jesus bare the cross alone?

That brings me to my next point. Psalm 46:10 had been on my heart and mind for the last few weeks. Every time I would begin to worry, overthink, doubt, or feel fear trying to take over my mind, God said, “Whitnee’ be still!”

Up until yesterday I thought God was telling me to slow down and be at peace but when I read Scripture last night and read verse 46 in it’s entirety I heard God tell me to stop fighting. He told me to stop worrying. He told me to trust Him instead of doubting myself because what I’m going through is bigger than you and I. What you are facing today is bigger than you. You see the enemy is after our minds, he wants to steal of joy, he wants to corrupt our peace. He wants to place fear in our hearts, but God is telling us to stop worrying and to trust Him. He is saying stop looking at the clock and how much time has elapsed but to trust Him and His timing.

You see God said what people meant for evil He will turn for our good. God wants us to know this morning that He is fighting with us and for us- we must pray, we must believe, we must keep the faith, we must trust, we must praise Him in the good, the bad, and the indifferent.

God can mend your broken marriage, He can bring your lost child back home, He can heal the sick, He can mend the broken hearted, He can deliver you, HE CAN DO ALL THINGS. Oh Lord He is our strength and our refuge.

I just got chills all over my body because before I wrote this message I had feelings of defeat all over my mind. I’ll admit I was a little weary but I kept praying, I kept trusting, I kept on shouting victory over my children, my marriage, my health, my finances, my home, my mind, my heart, my peace, my friends, my family, my job, my church, my community, my neighbors, Ukraine, and the United States of America.

Y’all I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried and how times I’ve had to get on my knees this week alone and cry out Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I can’t tell you how many countless nights I called on the Lord to help me Father. Y’all don’t know the sorrow I’ve felt BUT can I tell you this morning YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW MY PRAISE. You are going to know without a shadow of a doubt just how merciful and gracious the God I Serve is. No weapon formed against me shall prosper.

BILLS CANT HOLD ME DOWN, TAXES CANT STEAL MY PRAISE, THESE CHICKENS IN THE STREET CANT TAKE MY PEACE, MY CHILDREN WONT BE LOST IN THE SAUCE…I feel a breakthrough…I feel healing on the way…I see deliverance…it’s on the horizon….oh bless the name of Jesus.

A song that Eva used to sing comes to mind every time I have to encourage myself. It’s entitled “He’s working it out for you” by Shirley Caesar. I encourage everyone who may need to hear a song that will inspire you to lay your burden at Jesus feet to listen to this song. Shirley Caesar did her thing but boy she didn’t have anything on the NST choir. Man I tell you what!!! Eva, Mariam, Anissa, Fran, Beverly, Marlene, Carla, Cynthia, Alex, the late Leon, and more them people can BLOW!!! They would sing songs that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and boy Eva singing this song in particular brings back so many good memories. They don’t know how their voices bless me even today when I’m going through something.

The song says, God cares (I’m so glad to know He cares) and He is working it out for you.

I don’t know who today’s message is for but I know these words won’t return to God void. God is telling us to be still and know that He is God. Because we serve a God who is greater, who is more powerful, who is loving, and so much more it brings such comfort to know that He cares. We are not alone- there is strength in numbers like Regis said. My brothers and sisters let’s do better when it comes to checking on our people. Depression is rampant, confusion is a silent beast, feelings of abandonment or being alone are on the rise, and anxiety and fear are trying to set in. Stop by, pick up the phone, send a card, write a letter DO SOMETHING TO LET FOLKS KNOW YOU CARE and that Gods loves them.

While I’m sitting here rejoicing in how good God is and drowning my sorrow in praise, there might be someone who is contemplating taking their own life because feelings of being overwhelmed. Lord have mercy. Someone is slowly loosing it and they need our help, they need our love, they need our time.

The morgues are filling up faster than ever before- let’s do our part to give Roses while we still can. I pray today’s message lifts your spirits, encourages you to keep fighting the good fight of faith, inspires you to check on your friends and loved ones, and brings you a step closer to God.

God is concerned and He is working it out for You. Be still and trust God!