Released By His Love Into Our New Assignment

Psalm 26:2-3 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.

1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Good Afternoon,

Today I want to keep us encouraged to follow after God’s own heart and experience His love. Yesterday we learned about Ruth and how God’s love positioned her for her new assignment. Today we will focus on the book of Esther and journey through her story to bring us one step closer in God doing a work in and through us with His love. Both of these women stepped out on faith, relied on hope and allowed His love to lead them into something new.

In the book of Esther we find a woman who is without a father or a mother. A story twisted by favor and fate. She is adopted by a relative who mentors her into God’s assignment for her life. She was a woman who had to hide her true identify as she was sent into the king’s quarters to take part in his search for a new queen. I like to think of this story as Esther being in the right place at the right time to be used by God’s love for her people.

During a banquet King Ahasuerus wanted to show off Queen Vashti and she refused. The queen’s disobedience caused the king to divorce her. This is the start of his search for a new queen. Although Esther was not of his people, she had Mordecai, who served as her protector to guide her into his selection process. Because she was a Jew, she did not qualify to be apart of the selection, but in the end it qualified her to risk her life and save her people.

In the beginning of her journey Esther did not know she would be positioned by love to be used to save her people. Once an adopted girl under the direction of her cousin Mordecai and living amongst her people with very little, suddenly she was released to experience God’s love and turnaround in her favor.

This teaches us that some times our obstacles can be used by God to work miracles in our situations. We can see in this story that it didn’t matter to God where she was from because he still could do a work in and through her life. So I want us to realize that same thing is possible for our lives. It does not matter where we come from, it does not matter what our situation may look like and it does not matter if people say we don’t qualify. If God has a plan for our lives it will happen in due time.

In this story we find that after being led into the king’s quarters Esther goes through twelve months of beautification and the king finds delight in her. Out of all the women he could have chosen, he favored her. When she has her night with the king he falls in love with her and places her above all the others.

This part of the story reminds me of how we give our lives over to God and think instantly it will change for the better. The reality is that we must all go through a beautification process before we take ownership of our promise. God needs to take time with us and recondition our thoughts, heart and soul before we are fully be released into our new assignment.

This story is a story of love and selfless devotion. It is filled with romance, bravery and honor. Esther was made queen and took brave steps in her position to save her people. Because her true identity was never revealed the story paints a picture that Esther was sent into her assignment and through love she was positioned to be able to save her people.

She risked her life by stepping out on faith to save her people, but because God worked on her behalf she was able live out her purpose. In those days no one, including the queen, could appear before the king without being summoned. For her to do so was a death sentence, but she risked it because she valued her people and knew that the king was the only one that could stop the hit put out on her people.

Today I encourage you to seek God and ask Him to position you according to your purpose. I encourage you to allow God to lead you into being in the right place at the right time to experience your turnaround. I believe that it was through God’s love and purpose for Esther’s life that she was released from her people and through His love was able to save them.

Do you doubt yourself today in the areas of love and happiness? Do you think that God has no plan for you? Do you hold yourself back from the plans God have for you because of where you are from? Are you holding yourself back because you feel you don’t qualify?

As we see in this story God qualifies us for our assignment and it’s through His love for us that we are released in order to fulfill His assignments for our life. So seek the Lord and position yourself today to be released into your new assignment in 2010!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord I asked that You align me according to my next assignment, Lord I ask that You lead me to the right place in the right time to be used to my full potential, Lord only You know the purpose You have for my life, Lord I am ready to step out on faith and experience You love, guidance, protection and trust in You, Lord I cast all my cares of the past and I step forward towards my goal, Lord I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, Lord I know that my life serves more of a purpose, Lord I know that You can do a new work in me so I can be used to Your honor and Your glory, Lord give me the bravery of Queen Esther as I submit wholeheartedly to You today! In Jesus name, Amen

Redeemed by Love: The Story of Ruth

1 Cor 13:4-8, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Good Afternoon,

Today I would like to encourage us to focus on God’s love. Although our bad situations may seem to be getting the best of us, I would like to remind us to be strong and allow God to work on our behalf. This message is to show us that God's love for us will redeem us!

As we look at the book of Ruth, we will see that it starts out with what I consider a bad situation. You have three women widowed because their husband’s have died. As we read the story we find out that they all have situations that were getting the best of them. We can all relate to having bad or tough situations.

The oldest of the three, Naomi, chose to return home to her native land and leave the two younger women in Moab. The women decided to journey with her, until she persuades at least one of them to stay in Moab. Ruth decides to travel the journey with her. Ruth becomes aware of Naomi’s God and wanted a chance at something new. Ruth leaves behind her past and steps forward into her future. On yesterday I challenged us all to step out into something new.

Where are you today with your relationship with others? Are you stuck in your past afraid to proceed forward in a new direction? Is there a Naomi in your life that can serve as a mentor to help you get to wherever it is that God needs you to be? Do you have a hardened heart because of past hurt or pain?

As Ruth journeys to Bethlehem, this would be the start of God’s process to redeem her through His love for her. Although Ruth’s life didn’t seem like much in the beginning, we found out in the end that because she was willing to step out on faith and experience God’s love, she is redeemed by Boaz. Ruth left Moab a place that meant her no good and entered Bethlehem a place that would change her life forever.

Where is the place that God has been trying to lead you out of? Have you asked God about His direction for your life? How much longer will we allow ourselves to suffer, when we know He wants the best for us? When will we give in and wholeheartedly experience His love. It’s time we leave our Moab and journey to our Bethlehem.

The book of Ruth is only four chapters long, but there is a vital message in the story about love and how God’s love can bless our loves by redeeming us. In the end of the book we find Ruth married to Boaz, with a newborn son Obed and in the lineage of Christ. In this story we can see a picture that displays Christ’s redemptive power. When Ruth follows her mother-in-law she takes steps of faith and courage in seeking out a new path in serving God. Ruth was a women changed to operate off of God’s love. Ruth served from the heart and favor in the eyes of her redeemer. Are you ready to be redeemed?

Today I want you to know that God has a place for you in His plan. I want you to know that your situation will and can turnaround. I want you to realize that despite what has happened in the beginning of your journey, if you trust in God, He will make a way. His love is truly the greatest gift of all! Today I encourage you to step out on faith as Ruth did and press forward in being redeemed! God is ready to redeem you too!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord I ask that You place me on pause, Lord I ask that You allow me to reflect back over my journey and connect with all the places I no longer wish to be, Lord highlight the places of Moab in my life and lead me in stepping forward into my Bethlehem, Lord I put my trust in You today, Lord I trust You will redeem me too, Lord today I align myself according to Your will and way for my life, Lord no longer will allow fear being loved or fear loving someone, Lord I ask that You keep me encouraged and protected as I journey out and I praise You in advance for redeeming me! In Jesus name, Amen!

God's Love: Try Something New

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Good Evening,

For two days I have been trying to write a blog and tie it to this week's message about love. I tried to focus in on a story in the Bible to relate it too, but I kept getting sidetracked. In order to do so I had to be real with myself.

Most women often chose the book of Ruth. Every woman is awaiting her Boaz to sweep her off her feet. Then there is the book of Esther, where she has her one night with the king and so on story after story there are examples of love between a man and a woman. In every story we can connect our story in some way to their story.

God has shown me in my own walk that I had a wall up. I was blocking the chance of even being loved by someone. I have been keeping myself so busy lately that I haven't had a chance to enjoy myself on a regular basis. Even if I met the man who God lead to me I wouldn't have known it. Sometimes we are so stuck in our ways that if a blessing was in front of us, we would miss it.

Sometimes we say that we are trusting and seeking God for certain things and when He sends them we still have a checklist of what we want and don't want, verses what or who we need. We pray for God to show up and show out in our lives, but because of our stubborness we overlook Him when He does show up.

In these past few days after seeing The Book of Eli, I made up my mind that I want more of what God had for my life in the areas of assignment, love and relationship. I want to live out my purpose and experience true love and happiness. I'm so grateful that I chose to give up my old ways and follow God. Through His love I am able to see a clear picture for my life. One area I didn't let go was breaking down my wall and allowing someone in, but not anymore.

In the book of Ruth, her heart was change to operate off of God's love. She was once a women who didn't know God, which meant she didn't know love. But once she had her experience with God her life was never the same. Despite how her situation looked in the beginning she hung in there. Ruth served from the heart and allowed God to change her. She was changed by allowing herself to be changed. She was open and willing to try something new.

In the end we all know how her story goes, but tonight I want us to seek God to position us for our story. I want us to seek Him and ask Him to help us see the person that He sees when He looks at us. It's time to stop beating ourselves up and stressing over the should haves, would haves and could haves.

Ladies and gentleman it's time to stop thinking about when is it going to be your turn to be made whole, when is it your turn to be loved, when is it your turn to get married, when is it your turn to experience a good healthy relationship. The time is now, God says ask and you shall receive!

The first step is allowing yourself to be open to change. It's time to try something new!

For so long I kept myself busy. When I didn't have anything to do, I made stuff to do, but not anymore. I have made up my mind that I need some time for me. I need to take time and love myself like never before and position myself to be loved by someone else. It's time for me to press forward in a new direction.

Whether you are single or married, I ask that we all seek God tonight to learn more about His love. As we all prepare for bed, I ask that we reach out to Him to experience something new. I ask that we all pray to God to spark change in us, so we can also experience His love like never before. Singles it's time you get direction where love is concerned and married couples it's time you learn how to utilize His love to strengthen your marriage.

I want us all to remember that God loves us and wants the best for us. It's time for us to try something new!


Blessings,

Tennille L. Whittington


Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord open up my heart, mind, and soul to change, Lord allow me to experience Your love with open arms, Lord I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, Lord spark a change in me and allow me to see who You see, Lord position me to where I need to be tonight! In Jesus name, Amen!

I Love You Lord

1 Cor 8:13 But the man who loves God is known by God
Good Evening,

This week I would like us to focus on God's love. We will examine different stories of God's redemptive powers throughout His Word. We need to understand that if God is love than in order to have love, experience love and give love we need to give our hearts over to Him.

Today's blog is short and sweet. It's time for hearts to be healed from past hurt and pain. As we examine His love stories written in His Word we will see how we can connect our story and plan out our path. We will learn how to trust God and rely on His direction.

Something to think about:

What does God want from you?

Do you know the true meaning of love?

Do you know how to use and receive His love?

How often do you use those three words I Love You?

This week we will examine the meaning of true love. That love is God's love. The scripture reads but the man who loves God is known by God. Love is His greatest gift!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

Lord as I read this I ask that You unharden my heart, Lord I ask that You lead me out of heartbreak and pain, Lord I ask that You teach me the meaning of true love and keep me focused on moving forward to be in love with someone wholeheartedly! In Jesus name, Amen!

A Love of My Own

1 John 4:7-12 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Good Evening,

Tonight I want to encourage each of us to strengthen our relationship with God and learn the true meaning of love. The world we live in seems to be filled with so much of the opposite. The only way we will ever value love is if we experience God's love.

Through building my relationship with God on a daily basis I was able to heal myself from a hardened heart. Through reading His word, prayer and serving His people I was able to learn and understand the true meaning of love.

The closer I walked with Him gave me the ability to allow my heart to heal from all my past hurt and pain. Now that I have experienced God's love in my life I will not settle for anything less. I am grateful daily that I chose to step out on faith and follow His lead. I am grateful that God was able to heal me.

I encourage us all tonight to tap into the God's love. I want us to know and believe that His love is everlasting.

As we pursue our hopes, dreams and desires I want us always to remember that God loves us and wants the best for us. There will come times when people will try to knock us off our path, but we have to remain faithful to our God. We have to trust in Him enough to know that He loves us and will always protect us.

It's time that we spend more time with God and learn to love ourselves wholeheartedly. It's time we take better care of ourselves. It's time we love on others and lead them His way, in order for them to experience His love too.

There are alot of people walking around without a voice. They are feeling alone, afraid and unworthy. It's time that each of us take a stand and lend a hand in making a difference in their lives.

I'm thankful that I have found a love of my own in Him. I have finally tore down my wall of bitterness, hurt, pain and fear. I am ready to walk with God in preparing myself to be loved by someone else. I believe He will send a man after His own heart to love me unconditionally.

I encourage you tonight to seek the Lord for change and allow Him to love on you, so you can love on someone else!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington


Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord today I step closer to strengthen my relationship with You! Lord I step closer to experience Your love! Lord teach me how to love more of myself and to love someone else the way You love me, and I ask that they will love me the same! Lord I am done with lust and I am ready to experience the true meaning of Your love and relationship! In Jesus name, Amen

Dynamic Dreams - The Writing on the Wall

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Good Afternoon,

Today as we come to Daniel 5, I want to encourage us all with the scripture that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. I would like us to keep in mind that we must keep Him first in all that we do.

As we come to this chapter we find that King Nebuchadnezzar's son King Belshazzar is having a banquet. During this banquet he uses some of the sacred items that were taken from the temple in Jerusalem for his guest to drink out of as they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly the king saw fingers of a human hand writing some words on the wall. As the king watched he became frightened. He called on all the wise men. The king learned nothing from his father's encounter with God. He called on all the wise men and none of them could interpret the writing on the wall. He was reminded that he did not call on Daniel. He was reminded of how Daniel helped his father.

He then called on Daniel and asked him to interpret his dream. He told him that he would make him the third highest ruler in the kingdom once the dream was interpreted. Daniel told the king to keep his gifts and bless someone else with them, but nevertheless he would interpret the dream.

He told him about his father and what God had done to and for him. He told him that he did not learn anything from his father and that instead he was against God. He told him that he was praising gods, but not once praised God who holds his life in His hands.

He told him that the writing meant his days were numbered and would be brought to an end. After the writing was interpreted the king proclaimed Daniel the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night the king was slain.

What has God been writing on your wall? What has He been speaking to you about this week?

I did not choose this chapter to scare you, but to encourage you. The writing on our walls today is Phil 4:13. I chose this scripture to encourage us all to move forward with the Lord. No matter what your circumstance or situation is I want you to give it over to the Lord and allow Him to lead you into His purpose for your life.

Despite what happened in the generations before us, in the home, in the workplace, in the church, or in your finances; the Lord is saying we can do all things through Him. In life there are always lessons to be learned from all of our situations. It is always best to move forward with the lessons we learned from the past and not allow them to stop us from pressing forward in our purpose. It is always best to put God first.

Remember this scripture along your journey this weekend as you walk with God and celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I want us to continue to tap into our dreams a little deeper today and think of the impact it may have on our community, region, country and around the globe.

What if Dr. King did not have a dream? What if he did not believe he could do all things through Christ? What if he decided not to fight to live out the purpose God ordained for him? What if he would have allowed fear to stop him?

It is because of his purpose that we are able to have a better chance at life.

What will be the impact of your purpose?

It is time for God to use us for His honor and glory to our full potential! He wants what is best for us.

If He is humbling you today, seek Him and ask Him the purpose behind it all. It is time to step out into your purpose in Him and He will lead the way! It is time to impact the world!

Always remember you were born on purpose, with purpose for a purpose!


Blessings,

Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord position me deeper into the impact of my dream, Lord lead me to the people, the places and things needed in order to bring my dream into a living reality, Lord surround me by people who can be transparent to the impact I will have on my community, my region, my nation, my country and around the globe, Lord I give you all the honor, the glory and the praise! In Jesus name, Amen

Dynamic Dreams: Grounded Faith

Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God

Good Morning,

I hope and pray all is well. I would like us to continue focusing on our dreams and moving forward. Today we come to Daniel 4 and in this chapter we find that King Nebuchadnezzar is at it again. The king has another dream and still gives the glory to himself and his gods. This is a story that leads to his conversion and acknowledgement that God is the Most High God who lives forever.

What I want us to learn from this story is that we must remain grounded in our faith and rely on God. We cannot become prideful as we grow higher in Him and forget Him along the way. As new doors open I want us to remember who is walking in us and that we are not walking alone. God is the creator and ruler over all things, we must at all times give Him all the honor and glory, because pride leads to destruction.

Daniel is called on once again and interprets the king’s dream. The king had a dreamed about a big tree that was high, beautiful and fruitful. It reached the heavens and spread throughout the ends of the Earth. A watcher, a holy one came down and ordered the tree be chopped down, leaving only stumps and roots in the ground. The holy one describes a man losing his senses and becoming like a wild beast of the Earth for seven years.

After the first three chapters and Daniel’s confidence in His God and all the glory the king gave to God for the interpretation of the first dream and the fiery furnace situation with Daniel’s friend, one would have thought the king learned his lesson. As we move forward pursuing our dreams, goals and desires we must remain grounded in Him. We will learn that the moment we become prideful God will humble us.

Even as the king had his dream, it didn’t reveal that he would be completely destroyed. It revealed he would be cut down to size. It revealed that he would be transformed into a beast and serve out his time until he gave God the glory and acknowledged that He was the Most High God. Sometimes God will humble us and cut us down to size because we become big headed and we begin to abuse our God given power.

The part of the dream I would like us focus on is after the tree was cut down to size the stumps and roots were to remain in the ground. This is letting us know that God was not trying to destroy him, but humble him into being restored in Him. Daniel used his gift to counsel the king into changing his ways and giving God the glory, instead of self-promotion, but the king did not obey his wishes. Twelve months had passed and then the dream became a reality.

Have you ever been cut down to size? Have you ever got beside yourself and God had to humble you? You could have been the star player on a sports team, you could have been the team lead in the office, you could have been the center of attention everywhere you went and then instantly it all turned around.

Sometimes we become so focused in our abilities that we forget about who gave us the abilities. We get so wrapped up in taking full credited for things and we forget how to give God glory for opening the doors and presenting us with the opportunity. God uses humility to keep us grounded, but in those moments we serve as the stumps and roots in the ground, awaiting to be restored. We must value the humbling experience and always see the positive things in it. When we are humbled we can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we move forward in living out our dreams and going higher in God, I want us to remain grounded in our faith and in Him. I want us to consider ourselves the stumps and roots of the tree and allow the humbling experience we may be facing today to allow us to grow in our purpose. Today you may be set back, stuck or cut down to size because God is trying to tell you something. Maybe you have being abusing your power in the home, at the school, in the workplace, in your relationships or even in the church.

We have to keep in mind that the higher we get to our next levels in all areas of our lives, we cannot forget about God. We do nothing in our own strength, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Daily we must stay grounded in our faith and trust in God at all times!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord we position ourselves to stay grounded in our faith, Lord we thank you for our humbling experiences, Lord we know and believe we can do all things through You, Lord we know there is nothing we can do without You, Lord we believe that You are the creator of all things, Today we give You all the honor and the glory, We thank You for opening new doors and allowing our lives to be restored in You! In Jesus name, Amen!

Dynamic Dreams: Fiery Faith

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,





Good Afternoon

On yesterday we learned that we are unbreakable. We learned that our situations make us stronger. We learned that we are not easily broken. Today we will learn despite our situations we must continue to keep the faith.

I would like to continue focusing on Daniel's journey. We saw examples of how Daniel stood confident as He walked with God and despite his test, he remained faithful. Today we will learned about his friends and their confidence in God.

As we come to Daniel 3, we find that the King Nebuchadnezzar has ordered everyone to worship his god statue when the music plays and anyone who refuses would be thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who had been appointed over Babylonian affairs refused to worship the gods and the gold statue. This sent the king into a rage.

How many times has someone try to get you to act outside your character and the moment you don't give in, they threatened you? How many times have you been placed in front of someone who used scare tactics to knock you off your path and you gave in? We will find that no matter what the king was saying these men kept the faith and did not bow down to the king or his gods.

He ordered that they be brought before him and asked if what he heard was true. He told them he was going to throw them into the fiery furnace and asked “what god would save you then?” They told him that they were not going to and that they were not worried because they knew their God was able to deliver them. They told him even if He doesn’t, we still won’t serve your gods or worship your golden statue.

Today I encourage us all to get to a place where we would have the fiery faith of these young men and despite our situations not give in because our God is able to make a way! Despite how our situations look and may seem, we need to know we serve a God that is able to do more than we ask, think or imagine! So today it is time to stop allowing folks to get the best of us and rely on God because He wants the best for us.

Moving along in the story we find that the king was even hotter at their response and commanded the furnace be turned up seven times higher. He called for his strongest soldiers to throw them into the furnace. As they threw them in the flames leaped and killed them, leaving Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bound in the furnace. At this point seeing all of his men killed by the flames the king should have realized he was making a bad decision, because the three men were not harmed.

To the king’s surprise he called out “didn’t we throw in three men?” His advisors responded “yes.” Have you ever been in a situation where someone pulled every trick out the bag to get you to do what they wanted you to do? When you didn't do it they threatened you with all kinds of things. Well in this situation we will see how God is also able to work in our lives. I want us all to know that no man can take from us what God has planned for our lives. We must get to a place where we put our trust in God.

The king was amazed because he knew he threw in three, but he saw four men and none of them were affected by the flames. The king called them out because to him the fourth man looked like a god. He yelled “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God! Come out! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.

As I read this story I think about all the different things we are faced with in life. We have all been thrown into the fire on our jobs, in our homes, in our schools and in our churches. It has become the way of life for some folks. They will abuse their power on Earth and think they can do whatever they see fit if people don't bow down to their ways.

Today God is saying have the fiery faith of Daniel’s friends and trust in Him and you too will be called to step out of the fires in all areas of your life. We can learned from the three men that the fires are not meant to hurt us, they are meant to allow God the opportunity to show up and show out in our lives. We have to strengthen our faith because the same God that made himself available to show up for them will also show up for us. When they think they got us where they want us, our God will turn it all around in our favor. It will all be for His glory.

One would have thought that the king knew who God was and what He was capable of after Daniel revealed the dream to him in Daniel 2. I say that to say be mindful that the same ones God rescue us from one day will try us again another day, but we must remain faithful to Him. He will always show up and show out on our behalf and He needs us to trust in Him. It is time to step out with fiery faith towards your goals, dreams and desires! I have been sent to tell you that along your journey you may be thrown into fires, but God will not allow you to get burnt!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord lead me in strengthen my faith, Lord I want to have the fiery faith of Daniel’s friends, Lord I am ready to step out of the fire on my job, in my relationship, at my school and in my finances, Lord there are a lot of Nebuchadnezzars in my life and it’s time they recognize who you are in my life, Lord it’s time I get positioned to where You need me to be! Strengthen my faith today! In Jesus name, Amen!

Dynamic Dreams: U/n/b/r/e/a/k/a/b/l/e Faith

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Good Afternoon,

Today I wanted to encourage you in the area of your faith. As we take the necessary steps in following God to bring our dreams into a living reality we will be faced with opposition. Some of the attacks that will come are going to be too much to bear, but I want to remind you that we are unbreakable. No one can take what God has promised for us. Lean on Him and He will lead and protect you.

As we learn about Daniel we will see that he stood on His faith and trusted in God despite his situation. Daniel was taken from his land and brought into a foreign land where he was tested time and time again, but he remained confident in doing what was right. He knew the Lord would make a way, despite how rough it may have seemed. We have to get to the place where we don’t believe in the wisdom of man and put man before God. We at times put off our trust in God because of our situations and circumstances and we want to please those around us, because we don't what them to break us down. Today may the Lord add strength to our areas of weakness.

When I read the book of Daniel I see a man who was faced with so many threats to break him down along his journey, but each test just pushed him forward. Each time they tried to get him off track, they just positioned him higher along God’s blueprint for his life. In the beginning of the book of Daniel, they wanted him to defile himself by eating of the king’s table. He refused and God granted him favor in the sight of the commander of the officials. If we take the time to do what’s right, God will grant us the same favor in the sight of those who try to persuade us to do wrong.

I want us to focus on the word unbreakable. It means impossible to break and able to withstand rough usage. It also is an article or object that is not easily broken. I placed a forward slash between each of the letters in the word unbreakable in the title of this message to represent our test. Each time we have a testimony it moves us forward, but the test cannot break us, they can only make us stronger.

Through Daniel’s journey God gives us an example of a man who would rather lose his physical life than to defile himself and go against God. Daniel was threatened time and time again, but each time he remained confident that God would stand on His promises.

As we approach our dreams today I want each of us to trust in God enough not to allow potential dangers to hinder us from moving forward. When fear sets in we tend to get sidetracked and our mind gets the best of us. God is saying today that we are not easily broken and that we must keep the faith. May He strengthen us in the areas of our relationship with Him, relationship with others, in our finances and in living out our dreams.

He is saying that He created us with talents to be able to move forward and prosper at all things. Let’s remember the one servant in Matthew 25:14-18 who hid his gift and not live as He did. Let’s tap into the power on the inside of us and allow each test to push us closer to our testimony! We will stand on God's word at all times and allow each test that comes our way elevate us higher in Him!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord I believe I am unbreakable, Lord I believe You have equipped me to do all you need me to do, Lord today I believe in myself enough to step out on faith and move forward, Lord continue to position me for my destiny, Lord continue to surround me with the resources needed to do what I am called to do, Lord I stand before You today giving You all the honor and the glory for speaking to me and encouraging me to step higher in You, Lord I trust that You will take care of me, Lord I have no more worries and release my cares to You, Lord I was created on purpose, with purpose and for a purpose and now it’s time to live it out! In Jesus name, Amen

Dynamic Dreams: Trust in God

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah

Good Evening,

Today I hope and pray we realize that God’s choices for our lives are clear. As we take steps to write and work our plans today I want us to reflect on the book of Daniel. In this book we learn how God was able to use Daniel through the gifts He placed on the inside of him. We find that he was positioned to be used for God’s glory. Daniel had the ability to interpret dreams, just as Joseph did in Genesis.

Daniel was among those sent out of Israel to serve in the king’s palace in Babylon. His first great test came when he interpret the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Out of all the magicians, enchanters and astrologers, he was the only one that could do what the king had asked. You see God gifted Daniel in a unique way, because the King never told Daniel his dream, but Daniel was able to successfully interpret it with the help of God.

Just as Daniel interpreted the king’s dream with God’s help, the same help is available to us. God is available to position us and help us utilize the gifts he placed on the inside of us. The magicians, enchanters and astrologers who the king thought would be able to do the job based on their position were all unable to perform this task. We have to realize that sometimes God sends us to certain places because we are the only ones that can complete the assignment. We don’t need a title. We just need an opportunity. We don't need to get upset, afraid or frustrated, we need to just seek God.

I find it amazing that after the king had put out a hit on all of the wise men to be killed because they failed to interpret the dream, that Daniel was confident enough to step to the plate. God used Daniel to do the impossible. He used him to interpret the king's dream. What all the other wise men were saying was impossible, he was able to perform. When the men came upon Daniel and his friends, he questioned them why the king had put out such a harsh decree? Instead of being afraid he asked the king for more time, so that he can use his gift.

Daniel took the necessary steps in reaching out to God along with his friends. He trusted in God to make a way. Have you taken time out to plead to God in prayer over your gifts? Have you asked God to show you how to develop your plan? Have you put your trust in God to lead you where He needs you to be? Have you given up easily on all your hopes and your dreams? If so, today is your day of turnaround!

It’s time tap into the Dreamgiver and allow Him to speak to us through our dreams and give us a vision for our lives. As we walk through the book of Daniel this week, we will see that God will position us in such a way that we will be used for His glory and help those around us. By allowing God to position us and seeking Him to lead the way we will learn how to use our gifts and get elevated to our next level in life.

As Daniel was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon, he asked that his friends be appointed as administrators over the province of Babylon. It’s time you realize your gift is not just about you. It’s time you realize that God needs you to follow His lead in order to get the more He has in store for you. In the process of your blessing, He will also bless those around you.

It was because of his gift and the trust he put in God that he was made ruler and placed in charge over all the wise men. Have you ever thought about how your gifts can be used if you allowed yourself to be positioned to where God needed you to be? We need to realize that there is something unique on the inside of us that only we can do? We need to realize what are gifts are and how God would like us to be used for His glory?

It’s time that we tap into our gifts and trust in God. Daniel put His trust in God and allowed God to lead him along his journey. So put your trust in God and watch Him show up and show out at your job, at your school, in your marriage, in your finances and in your dreams. He led you to certain places for a reason. You must trust Him and be obedient like Daniel and follow His lead.

Daniel gave God all the glory and did not promote himself. Once God reveals our plans to us, I want us to remember to keep Him first and to give Him all the glory. It’s time we put our trust in God and allow Him to lead us higher in Him.

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington


Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord I want to do all that You have created me to do, Lord position me today surrounded by the people, traveling to the places and around the things I need to bring my dream into a reality, Lord as You gifted both Joseph & Daniel with interpretation of dreams allow me to see Your clear choice for my life, Lord I want to be used for Your glory! I submit myself wholeheartedly to You! In Jesus name Amen

The Choice is Clear

Acts 9:6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

Good Evening,

I know God has been speaking to us in many different ways. We have found ourselves questioning ourselves because of all that has been taking place in our lives. I'm not sure what the title of the message was at your church service today, but I do know that God wants you to know that His choice for your life is clear. I can guarantee at some point since before the new year He has been speaking to you about the direction He wanted you to take in 2010.

Each year as we approach the new year, we begin to plan out our resolutions. Maybe we prayed about them first, but most of the times we just identified things we would like to change verses asking God what He needed us to change. The key thing I would like us to focus on in this message is that God wants what's best for us.

We have been equipped to hear from God since we were created. It's time for us to tap back into His power in our life and hear Him clearly. It's time we understand His voice and His direction for our lives going forward. Before we even entered the Earth His choice was clear for our lives. He just needs us to be on one accord with Him and accept the call on our lives.

This past week we talked about pressing forward towards our goals, tapping into our gifts and emptying ourselves of all the unnecessary things in life. I would like us all to get to the place where we are allowing God to fill us with Him, in order for us to live out this life to the fullest in Him. Today God spoke confirmation through many ways during service at my church about what He wanted for our lives. He wants us to know that His message has been made clear. It's time that we move forward to a whole new level in Him.

As we looked back at Saul's conversion, we can see that it happened while he thought he was traveling to Damascus with the intent to do harm, but in the midst of what he thought, the Lord stepped in and had His way in His life. He told him what he was going to do from that moment on. His choice was clear for Saul's life. After all Saul had done wrong, the Lord was still able to use Him as a vessel to bear His name. What greater reward do you have than to live out the call on your life? You know all the hell you have been through and God wants you to know today that it was just to position you for your conversion. God never wanted to hurt you, He loves you and wants what's best for you.

You have been praying to God for some time for a relationship, discipline over your finances, a job, direction in going back to school, going higher in ministry, getting married, getting promoted, tapping in your purpose, living out your dream, and maybe having a child. I can go on and on. You know what you have been praying and believing God for and today I am sent to tell you that He has made the choice clear.

God has been speaking to us over and over again. God has given us every sign needed to point us in the right direction. God has sent us the people, to the places and given us the things needed to get us what He needed in order to position us to where He needs us to be.

We could have been reading His choice in an email, facebook or a street sign. We could have been told from the pulpit, a stranger, a family member or neighbor. God sends what we need at His time and in His way. I don't want us to miss out on God when His choice has been made clear for our lives because we are stuck in our ways. I want us all to get out of our way and allow Him to have His way in our lives by responding to His call on our lives.

It's time to go to the next level on your job, in your relationship, at your school, in your finances and towards bringing your dream to life. It's time to write your plan, work your plan and then measure your plan. This week we will continue to walk in building our dreams according to God's plan for our lives. This week's message on dreams will be through the book of Daniel.

Remember today God is saying the choice is clear. He is saying trust in Him and move forward. Too much thought will cause fear to set in, but instead follow the Lord as Saul did and allow Him to transform you into Paul. It's time you allow God to use you to show someone else the way! It's time that you experience love and happiness in your life! It's time you are made whole! It's time you are healed completely! Your choice is clear!

Blessings,

Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord dive into my mind, step into my heart and settle in my soul, Lord I submit to You today, Lord the choice is clear, Lord I choose You, Lord no longer will I seek out my friends and family, Lord no longer will I ignore the call, Lord no longer will I allow myself to become distracted, Lord my storage is empty, Lord I am available to You, Lord I am ready to live out my call and be who You have called me to be, Lord I am ready to use my testimony to show someone else the way! In Jesus name, Amen

Running on an Empty Tank

Acts 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Acts 9:6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

Good Evening,

For the first time in my life I appreciated running out of gas and being stranded on the side of the road. On yesterday, I found myself in a rush to get my errands completed so I could get to Jericho and experience God move in my life. This week was the revival for both First Baptist of Glenarden and Greater Mount Calvary. The guest preacher was Bishop T.D. Jakes.

On Thursday Bishop T.D. Jakes taught the “Eschatology of a Tormented Soul”. I declared the enemy had been destroyed in my life! It was a moment of pure breakthrough in my life! I knew that all that I had written in my blogs, Facebook posts and prayers and daily inspirations had all been confirmed. I believe that God's promises for my life have been before my eyes all along, but I was too full of unnecessary things to receive them.

On Sunday Pastor Tony Lee preached “Stronger with Each Tear”. He preached about the life of Mary J. Blige and how her new album had so much meaning according to her journey. He taught about so many things I could relate to that caused me to shed tears, as I suffered from hurt and pain over my years. I believed I had shed my last tear that day and my struggle was finally over.

On Wednesday he preached the “Pathway to the Power of the Holy Ghost”. He talked about being on one accord and getting everyone to their next level by tapping into Holy Ghost power. Well on this particular day after updating my blog titled “Dynamic Dreams: Working the Plan”, I was not feeling too great. My detail to a new position started this week and it was a long busy day for me. I got to Bible Study a little irritated. I was not irritated with anyone in particular, I was upset with myself. I had thought about Sunday’s message and I begin to focus on getting to my next level, but I realized I hadn’t giving myself completely over to God.

As Pastor preached his message on Wednesday, I heard it completely, but as he was speaking, God was speaking to me. I had been praying that God place His mirror in front of me and allow me to see what He saw in my life. I prayed for God to change me completely, but as He continued to show me signs, I continued to question Him. I continued to ask why? When? How? Where? Each time a new sign came that related to what I believed God was trying to say to me, I would miss it because I remained focus on something else.

It reminded me of Saul’s conversion. On the way to Damascus Saul was stopped in his travel by Jesus. Saul was blinded for 3 days in order for the Lord to do a new work in him. So on Wednesday, I felt I was at the place of my conversion, where the Lord was telling me enough is enough, stop questioning me! Stop focusing on all things that are not of God and focus on what I need you to do! I believe I was so irritated on Wednesday because the next 3 days would be life-changing as I walked into my breakthrough.

I already mentioned about destroying the enemy in my life under God’s Word through Bishop T.D. Jakes on Thursday and also confirming my Pastor’s Word this week. On Friday I got off from work all excited because my blog was coming along great. I finally felt I was walking in my purpose to encourage all. My message for that day was “So What You Knew Me When”, it was my testimony and it prepared me for my breakthrough. In the past I had allowed fear of letting people into the book of my life stop me from answering the call of God on my life, but as I typed that message the fear was destroyed!

I was headed to pick up my children and take my daughter to my sister’s house in Bryan’s Road, Maryland. Along my journey I realized before picking up my friend that I needed to get some gas. I was so excited about what I believed God was doing in my life I forgot all about the gas. It was finally coming together. God had given me a glimpse in 2006 of my destiny.

I traveled from Landover to Forestville, from Forestville to Temple Hills and then from Temple Hills to cut off on the side of the road in Accokeek. Now you can imagine how many gas stations I must have past along the way. Similar to our lives, how many times does God send us signs and we just overlook them, because we are easily distracted or pride gets in the way? How many times does God alert us, but yet we fail to hear or believe Him? How many more days will we live as Saul?

The first thing I could do was laugh out loud, because I had already had a vision of me being stuck on side the road. I already knew that I needed to get gas. I had every sign needed. I just kept talking and joking all the way down Route 210. It wasn’t until I past the last gas station that I realized I never stopped for gas. Immediately after that, my friend asked if I was pushing the gas. Before I could respond the car cut off. All I could do was laugh.

Now you may be reading this and saying to yourself how could you laugh, you were stuck on side of the road. Well I finally realized what God was doing in my life. God had humbled me to the point of no return. God had spoke to me from many different men of God this week and they all positioned me to where God needed me to be. God had been working on my stressed mind, hardened heart and weak soul for a long time. God had been sending all that I needed for a long time and yet I had the nerve to question what He was doing in my life. God needed me to see that finally I was empty of all of my hurt and all of my pain. In the words of my Pastor and Mary J. Blige, He needed me to see that I am stronger with each tear!

In the back of the car my 1 year old daughter Trinity was even in good spirit. She was praising the Lord. She said “Hallelujah for my mommy” over and over again until my sister came to my rescue.

We made it to Jericho and yes it was packed. We got into the sanctuary just in time. Seeing so many people all coming together to praise God and be apart of the experience was a great feeling. I was proud of myself because I kept my cool. It was because I saw the good in being stuck on the side of the road, in the dark and in the freezing cold. I believe everything in life is tied to God’s purpose for our lives. I asked the Lord to speak to me through the service and He showed up and showed out on Day 2 of my transformation into my breakthrough.

That night Bishop T.D. Jakes preached “He Touched Me.” He gave a message that confirmed my very blog “So What They Knew You When.” He preached about so many great stories of the Bible and how God used people everyone would least expect. The message was so good and confirmed so many great things for my journey. The best example that he gave for the night was when he spoke about the H1N1 vaccination. He taught on the fact that the vaccination was the very infection the doctors were trying to protect us from. He talked about how Aaron was a total mess up, but God used him. He talked about how David was a total mess up, but God used him. He talked about how Paul once was Saul but God still used him.

The point of the message was God had to use someone that was not in a position to judge and that God uses someone who has experience to help people get through the very thing they went through. What is it that you have experience? I need you to know that God needs to use you to. You have people assigned to your life as well.

I left out of Jericho filled only with the Holy Spirit, there was not a bit of sadness, frustration, irritation, or doubt in my mind. I believed God was going to do what He said He would do in my life. God showed up this week to do a great thing in my life! Just as the Lord said to Saul in Acts 9:6. I believe my week was the start of the new work God was about to do in and through my life. I have never been this happy in my life. I have the biggest smile on my face even as I type this blog.

On the last day of the 3 which is today, I went over to Spirit of Faith Christian Center to their “Women Walking in the Word” fellowship. I was invited by Ms. Tamika Lathon and I went with my friends Tia and Cheryl. God really showed up through these women of God and this was the icing on the cake. Through Pastor Dee Dee Freeman and Pastor Wendy Treat, God told me what I need to do, as it is written in Acts 9:6. Every Word God has spoken to me this week was confirmed. I had entered into my breakthrough. God had healed me totally.

God needed me to realize I was empty. He used my gas tank in order for me to realize I was empty. Every sign was there in my life, but yet I remain focus on things out of my control. God said come boldly to His throne of grace and live out your purpose to me today. I praise Him for He is good! He has done a marvelous work in me. I am thankful that I am in my breakthrough. I am thankful I finally am who God has called me to be. I no longer am hurt and I am no longer in pain, because that tank in my life is empty.

The only thing I am full of is the love of God! By God's grace and mercy I am healed completely. God had to humble me through my journey, just as He did Saul, now I can live out my life as Paul lived out his. I hope and pray you allow God to do the same for you. It’s time you run on an empty tank!

Blessings,

Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord my tank is full of hurt and pain, Lord my tank is full of heartache and stress, Lord my tank is full of all things ungodly, Lord I need You to help me empty my tank, Lord I need You to help me get out of my way, Lord I am ready to step into my change, Lord I am ready to so what You have called me to do, Lord I am ready to write my plan, Lord I am ready to work my plan, Lord I am ready to measure my plan, Lord I step to You boldly, I am ready for my release, Lord lead me and humble me, I ready for my conversion! In Jesus name, Amen

So What You Knew Me When!

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Good Morning,

Happy Friday all, today I would like us to travel towards the end of Joseph’s journey. When we get to Gen 42 – 45, we will see that there is a famine in the land and Jacob and his family are in need of food. Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt in order to get what they need, unknown to them Joseph is who they need to see. I love this story because it paints a picture for us to see that we need to be mindful of how we treat others. We never know when we will need them. We don’t even know if one day they will be over us. It also teaches us about compassion, selflessness and forgiveness.

With all that he had been through when his brothers came to Egypt, Joseph could have done so many awful things to them, because of his position, but instead he blessed them. He was not recognized by his brothers at first. When Joseph told his brothers who he was, they all laughed. At that moment if he would have given in to them and allowed their laughter to push him into harming them, they would have had a hold over him, but instead Joseph helped them . Joseph treated his haters well. In this part of the story we see his haters are his family members. So the saying is true. The ones closer to you can hate you the most. Our enemies can be our family and friends.

For a moment just think about all the times you gave in when someone pushed you the wrong way, when they treated you badly, when they told you the opposite of what God told you, when they got you to act outside your character, when they pissed you off to the point of no return and you wanted to take them out! Do you remember?

Well what if Joseph would have punished them instead of helping them? What if Joseph would have not forgiven them? Do you think God would be pleased? Do you think God could continue to use Joseph if he had not matured? What is it that God is telling you to forgive your enemies for? What is it that God is using in your life to do a new work in you? Because of His fear of God and his confidence in obeying His every word we can learn a great deal from Joseph's journey.

When Joseph's brother came to Egypt I would like to think he told them "so what you knew me when you hated me so much, so what you knew me when you locked me away, so what you knew when you sold me into slavery, so what you never thought my dreams would have come true, so what you thought you got rid of me! He said "well look at me now! You did so much to stop me, but your hate did not stop me it elevated me, it positioned me, it put me right where God needed me to be." He did it in such a way that was helpful to his haters, just as God had planned.

In my own life God has been speaking to me about destroying fear in my walk and pressing forward. I know and believe He wants the same for us all. For the past 3 days God has been speaking to me about this blog. He said “it’s time you forget those things that are behind you and press forward.” I had to sit back and think what was the major things that were hindering me and could very well be hindering you. My end result is my haters! They want to keep me stuck, so I can't do all that God has called me to do. Well today is your day as well to tell your hates to back off! God is in control and nothing you can do or say will stop me from fulfilling God's plan for my life!

Don’t you get tired of folks always trying to rain on your parade? Don’t you get tired of folks always bringing up your past? Yes I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of it too and I am thankful God has shown me another way. Don’t you get tired of folks always throwing shade and blocking your success? It’s like the folks don’t want you to do good, they don’t want you to excel, exceed or be who God has called you to be. Don't you wish you could stop having haters, but instead celebrators? Well I guess that's just asking to much!

Today I look my haters in the face eye to eye and I say so what you knew me when I use to live in darkness, so what you knew me when I use to party all the time in darkness, so what you knew me when I use to do this and that in darkness, so what you knew me when I had a low self-esteem, so what you knew me when I didn’t love myself, so what you knew me when I love someone who didn’t love me, so what you knew me when I settle for less than the best, so what! God has repositioned me in His light!

You know folks are always trying to figure you out. They are always trying to figure out what makes you tick and what makes you upset. They are always trying to find out the latest and the greatest news on you to use against you. I took a writer’s workshop with Brother Leonard Pitts. He is a member of my church and also an awesome writer. He gave us an assignment “Who Am I”. I’ll admit today I never completed that assignment, but today I will make it my business to put it in detail and send it off to him. It’s never too late. I never completed that assignment because I knew deep down inside what I wanted to put on that paper, but didn’t want anyone to look at me differently. Well today God says it’s not about what people know about us, it’s about what He sees in us. It’s about what He knows about us.

So yes you are correct I am a 29 year old single mother of 4, yes I have been through my share of trials and tribulations, yes I have done some uncalled for things, yes I have hurt some of the people I love the most, yes I have 2 baby daddies, yes I agreed to allow my oldest 2 sons to live with their father and it doesn't make me less of a mother , because he has every right to be in their life full time, yes I drive around in a 92 Honda Accord and it’s paid for and no I am not struggling, I do not have to keep up with the Joneses, yes I had my first child in the 12th grade, yes I never went to college, yes I have been the victim, the abuser and the accuser, yes I have had my day with breaking the law, yes I haven't always been responsible, yes I have been disrespectful, yes there was a time in my life I didn’t care about nobody but myself, yes I was my worst enemy, yes I have a good government job and I am closer to 6 figures than half the folks twice my age, let’s say about 30K shy, yes older generation I am a fierce young woman and a sister got it going on, yes I am on my pathway to success, yes I take time out of my busy schedule and give back to the community, yes I am at church almost everyday out the week, yes I include God in all that I do, yes I am in an Executive Leadership Program about to travel like a speeding light up the corporate ladder, yes I will be who God has called me to be! In the words of my pastor Rev. Tony Lee "I am a good recyclable"! I want you to know you are too!

That's just naming a few things good and bad! In the words of Pastor Jamal Bryant “I’m not bragging, I’m just testifying.” I say to my haters today you think you know me, but you have no idea. In the words of Rev. Al Sharpton “you don’t have to go fishing on information about me, come to the source I’ll give you the bait you need!” We don't need folks throwing salt in our game. We need to reposition ourselves to the called of God on our lives and focus ahead and love our enemies, God will do the rest!

I want us all to get to a place where we no longer are afflicted or tormented by our enemies. I want us all to get to a place you are not embarrassed about your journey. I learned the hard way that God was humbling me through it all. I learned that hard way that some things had to take place in my life in order to help someone else. I learned the hard way that I couldn’t do anything without our Heavenly Father. I learned the hard way that I allowed my haters to block my destiny. I learned from Joseph's journey that is a better way to respond and treat your haters!

In order to get through whatever your going through today you have to release your all to God! So what they knew you when you use to smoke drugs, so what they knew you when you use to be a stripper, so what they knew you when you were locked up, so what they knew you when you weren't a good person, so what they knew you when you were a drug dealer, so what they knew you when you were a bad parent, so what they know more about the bad side of you than anyone else, so what they have all the information that can hinder your journey, so what! I say this to you today because that is the enemy trying to hold you back from what God is calling you to do. God can still use you through all that you have done. You are not the only one who ever messed up. God used many people of the Bible and many people we look up to today that He had to transform into who He called them to be! Take a stand today and tell your haters in love step off!

Well I want my haters to hear me loud and clear in 2010, you can’t stop me from obtaining what God has already ordained for my life. You can’t stop me for boarding this train that’s headed towards my promised land. In the words of Paul, I press forward leaving my past behing me! I am headed towards my goal. I'll always pray for you daily and the next time you put my name in your mouth, be sure to be praising and thanking the One who sent me! Be sure to give God all the glory and the praise. You have no hold over me, so what you knew me when?! Look at me now!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord remind me who I am in You, Lord I have haters all around me, Lord it's time I press forward with You towards my goals, Lord no longer will they hold me back, Lord no longer will they hinder me, Lord no longer will they afflict me, Lord the next time they have my name in their mouth I want them to be giving You all the glory & the praise, Lord I give myself away to You totally and ask that You bless my haters! Lord I know I can be use for Your honor and Your glory, Lord just as You used many of Your servants from the Bible and now on the Earth, Lord have Your way along my journey today! In Jesus name, Amen

Dynamic Dreams: Measuring the Plan

Matthew 25:14-18 Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

Good Morning,

This morning I would like us to continue focusing on God’s plan for our lives. I want us to get a step closer in developing our plan and working our plan. I would like to share with you today how to measure your plan. It’s very important that we measure our plan and position ourselves for the more God has in store for our lives.

In Matthew 25:14-46 Jesus is speaking of a story about 3 servants that were given talents, each according to his ability. In this parable He references money, but we can use this parable and have been taught time and time again that it can be substituted for other areas of our lives. I would like to focus in on this scripture for a moment and connect it to our plan. In the beginning of our lives, just like in Joseph’s life, God gave us gifts. He gave us desires that we could accomplish with Him. Some of us He gave a few and some of us He gave less. We learned yesterday that we all were born on purpose, with purpose and for a purpose.

We all can relate to this scripture. Some of us have tapped into our passion and moved forward with all that God has given us and others have taken what God has placed on the inside of us and as the last man did in the parable, we hid it. Well as I mentioned earlier this week it’s time to come out of hiding. We will focus in on our plan, we will develop our plan, we will work and measure our plan. I believe I was led to inspire each of us on a daily basis because we all need encouragement along our journey. I am not willing to waste another day not doing what God has designed me to do and God wants the same for you. He no longer wants you to focus on things that will not benefit the purpose He established for your life.

As we look back over the story of Joseph’s life we will see that along his journey he had great successes through it all. We will see that because he remained faithful to God, Joseph was able to excel in all areas. Even though he went through all that he went through, it was all about his maturing process. God gives us gifts for us to use for His glory to be revealed. We must learn to stand on faith and submit ourselves wholeheartedly to His Word. His guidance is all we need, in order for us to enter into our promised land. We must be patient and allow God to humble us, in order for us to get to where He needs us to be.

Today I want you to evaluate your plan and measure it against your tasks and accomplishments of each task. If you have not already written your plan, you still have time to do so today. If you have a plan and you set it aside, the time is now to pick it back up and press forward towards your goal. When we measure our plan, we can actually see the benefits along the way. It helps us do away with the unnecessary things that hinder us along our journey.

Measuring the Plan

The first thing we have to do when we are measuring our plan is to identify the pros and cons of each goal and the developmental task we have completed against the goal. We have to examine what’s working and what’s not. If the developmental task is not working for us then we may need to research another way to get us to our end result. We may have to take identify several task to each goal in order to get mature in that area. So we may need to evaluate ways to reach each goal. One developmental task may not get you matured in that area, in order to accomplish it and get to your next level.

For example if your goal was to become a business owner. Let’s say you want to start a nonprofit. Your developmental task would be to research nonprofits, by reading books and attending training. Now if you are a hands-on person like myself you will need a lot more than reading and attending forums. You may need to contact some nonprofit business owners in your area and get yourself a detail or internship. You may even have to volunteer in your free time and put to work what God has given you. It’s a lot easier to volunteer and/or step out on faith when it’s your passion. So make sure when you are planning, working and measuring your goals that they are things you would like to do.

As apart of my Executive Leadership Program, I had to evaluate my plan and realign some of my goals over the past few weeks. I had to think about how many talents God had given me and incorporate them in my plan. I realized why I was frustrated, stressed and overwhelmed at times, because my focus was in the wrong place. I had to think about my love for community outreach and my willingness to help someone else. I decided to edit my plan in such a way that would allow me to grow with my passion to help others and at the same time help me mature in all areas of my life. I went goal by goal identifying what was working and what was not working.

I came to realize once I measured some of my goals and accomplishments a lot of them had nothing to do with my passion, a lot of them had nothing to do with the talents God gave me, a lot of them were things I allowed myself to get sidetracked with. I had to take a serious step towards aligning myself with God’s purpose for my life. I believe each of us has heard from God. I believe God has told each of us about our gifts. He gave them to us in the beginning and over time we developed a sense to know what they were, by understanding what we liked and disliked over time.

So today I challenge you to sit down with your plan and measure each goal and examine the benefits. Will they help you get to the next level? Will they position you for a new job? Will they give you the experience needed to get to wherever you believe God will have you to be? Have you talked to God lately and asked Him, where do you need me to go? Are you growing in the workplace? Are you growing in the home? Are you growing at school? These are some of the questions I had to ask myself and I would like for each of us to get serious with the plan God has for our lives and move forward. May God lead you forward today with your plan!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today
Lord I come to You in this morning asking Your forgiveness, Lord I want to be who You have called me to be, Lord connect me with Your plan for my life, Lord I want to live out my purpose, Lord place Your mirror in front of me, Lord allow me to see what You see, Lord I know I was created for much more than what I believe today, Lord send forth the angels that are assigned to my life, Lord reposition me, Lord lead me out of hiding, Lord show me how to increase my talents, Lord show me how to utilize my passion, Lord get me up out the way, Lord have your way in my life today, Lord when I measure my plan, I want Your glory to be revealed, I want souls saved and hearts cleanse, I want to do all and be all that You have called me to be, Lord I expect You to show up in my life today and show out, Lord no longer do I want to hurt You, Lord no longer do I want to waste Your time, Lord I am all Yours from this day forward, Let’s work Your Plan for my life! In Jesus name, Amen

Also check out:
Writing the Plan
http://unique-encouragement.blogspot.com/2010/01/dynamic-dreams-writing-plan-working.html

Working the Plan
http://unique-encouragement.blogspot.com/2010/01/dynamic-dreams-working-plan.html

Dynamic Dreams: Working The Plan

Philipian 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Good Afternoon,

I hope and pray that we all are one step closer to stepping into our breakthrough! On yesterday we talked about writing our plan. I hope you have positioned yourself to take time out and write your plan. It's time to write out God's vision for your life.

We focused in on some of the characteristics that Joseph possessed. We talked about all the hell Joseph had to go through, in order to get through. We talked about his trials and tribulations. In a sense we compared our journeys with his journey. We also talked about our goals. We brought to the top of our minds our goals for 2010. We examined our goals to create ways to develop our plan.

Today I would like to go a little deeper in Joseph's journey and examine what is written in Phil 3:12-14. In the scripture Paul writes about pressing forward towards your goal. Despite all that Joseph experienced he remained faithful to God and pressed forward towards his goal. As I mentioned on yesterday, he didn't have a written plan, but his plan was in the visions that God had shown him. Daily he took steps necessary at times unknowningly towards his goals.

Joseph was a young man who took steps towards what He believed and when situations along the way turned for the worst He pressed forward with God. He didn't allow being locked away to stop his faith. He didn't allow being sold into slavery to hinder his belief. He didn't allow false accusations to make him forget who His God was to him. He didn't allow going to prison to cause him to become bitter. I can go on and on. What I want us to realize is that every step along his journey was for purpose. God's glory was revealed through it all. From his story we can learn valuable lessons about being submitted and settled in God. We can learn about remaining faithful and obedient to His Word.

We have to believe God's promises are forever. We have to open our minds and position ourselves for purpose. I have learned over time that we are born on purpose, with purpose and for a purpose! I have learned that some times we don't have to open our mouths, we don't have to know what's going on, we don't even have to be the one they expected to show up, but if it's all of God's purpose things will happen in our favor. We need to remain focus on what's in front of us and not be consumed with everything else. It's all about your position. Reposition yourself!

There has been times where I have written a plan and took the necessary steps to move forward and never really heard from God. I began to get frustrated because nothing seemed to go my way. It was simply because it was not apart of His plan for my life. That's the main reason I want us to get in touch with our passion and get in conversation with God to lead us into bringing it into a reality.

Now there were other times when I heard from God and would make a plan, but I always seemed to get sidetracked. Each and every time God would show up and point me back in the right direction. I believe He does this for all of us, but you see we have to understand when we hear from God. We have to understand and know His voice. It's like a baby responding to their mother's voice. From inside the womb a baby begins to recognize their mother's voice. Because God is our Creator and He is Spirit and created us in His image and likeness, we have the ability to recognize His voice clearly. The more we comunicate with God in prayer and deed we will recognize His voice.

Working The Plan

The first thing you have to do when you take the necessary steps to work your plan is you have to set your mind on your goal. It's similiar to running a race. At the start of the race you have your mind set on reaching the finish line. With each goal we have to identify where we are in our lives as it relates to the goal and where we want to be. It's easy to figure out the beginning and the end, the challenge is all that falls in between.

I like to think of the in between stage of our plan as the maturing stage. It's a rippening stage. It's a process that causes us to become better at what it is we need to do. It's a process that causes us to be stronger and able to take on more of a challenge the higher we grow. It's a time of success and failure, heartache and pain, joy and sadness, experience after experience, but the best thing we all need to do is focus on God and He will lead us through and over it all. We must focus in on the good in all things.

Today I want you to examine where you are and where you want to be. Yesterday we focused on writing out the plan. Well now it's time to work your plan. It's time to register for school, it's time to job hunt, it's time to update your resume, it's time to invest in some books, seminars and webinars. It's time to use your free time wisely and focus on working your plan! I am keeping it real when I say it's not going to be smoothed sailing. There has to be test, in order for us to have testimonies. All in all I want you to keep your eye on your prize and have the confidence of Joseph and know who you are in God and who your God is and what He has promised you. No one can take from us what God has for us!

I took the necessary steps last August when I enrolled in the United States Department of Agriculture's Executive Leadership Program. I let my employer know of my interest and I was nominated to take part in the 9-month training. During this lifechanging experience I am able to focus on where I was and where I need to be. Successfully I can say I am off to a great start. It's been 4 months since the program started and I have already attained so many great things.

I had to learn to stop beating myself up over what I should have, would have and could have done with my time and my focus. I had to stop worrying about what was written in the last chapters of my life. God showed me a new page, a new chapter and new beginnings for my life. He showed me going forward how to love myself, invest in myself and want more for myself in order to help someone else.

In the above scripture Paul writes about forgetting what is behind us and pressing forward towards our goal. How many of us know that it's easy to write things down on paper and it's also easy to talk a good game, but when it comes time to walk it out, all hell tends to break loose.

Today I do not want you to focus on the hell that has taken place in your life, I don't want you to focus on all of the pit stops you had to make along the way, I don't want you to focus on all of the people who where standing in your way, I don't want you to focus on your past failures, mistakes, mishaps or concerns. Right in this moment I want you to focus on your goals, dreams and desires. I want you to call out to God and ask Him to help lead your way. I want you to not just read today's prayer, but I want you to absorb it in your mind, heart and soul and allow your spirit to grow to it's next level in Him. It's time you work your plan and no longer let your plans work you!

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today:

As I read this Lord today I need You more than ever before, Lord I don't know which direction to go from this point forward, Please Lord speak to me today, Lord lead me in focusing my mind, my heart and my soul in the right direction, so Your Spirit can take lead of my life, Lord reveal to me more of my plan, Lord reveal to me more of how to work my plan, Lord I forget all things that are in my past, Lord I press towards my future, Lord I was born on purpose, with a purpose, for a purpose, Lord I shake my haters off today, Lord I close the doors to my enemies, Lord I open the doors to my opportunities, Lord I am who You say I am, Lord I can do what You say I can do, Lord lead me forward, upward and settled in You, Lord on this day I submit wholeheartedly I am ready for my dream to be a living reality in You! In Jesus name, Amen!

Dynamic Dreams: Writing The Plan

Jer 36:2 "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken"

Good Afternoon,

Through Joseph’s journey we can see that despite his situations time and time again, God’s promises for his life came to past. Joseph went through trials and tribulation, but in the end he ruled over Egypt. Joseph had some unique characteristics that we need to focus on so we can position ourselves for our dreams to become a living reality.

Joseph was respectful, faithful, obedient, and responsible to name a few. He displayed the character of God. Just as Joseph was created in God’s image and likeness, we are too. We possess those same characteristics and today it’s time we tap into them and believe in ourselves. I would like to continue focusing on our dreams today. I would like us to position ourselves to write a plan for the visions God has given us. Once we develop our plans, we will be able to take the necessary steps to work and measure our plan.

Now back in Joseph’s journey, his plan was written in the visions God had shown him. God had gifted him to interpret his dreams, as well as the dreams of others. So Joseph didn’t sit down daily and journal, but he did spend time daily with God. God lead Joseph along his plan and into his destiny. Today God wants to lead you along your plan and into your destiny. It’s time to reach deep within and pull out your goals, dreams and desires and write your plan.

I want you to get out a sheet of paper and begin to think about some of the things God has been speaking to you. Write down all your goals, dreams and desires on the piece of paper. This week we are going to take steps towards putting together a development plan for our lives. I know some times sticking to what is written is hard, but there is nothing to hard for our God. With Him we can do all things. This year I want us to reposition our thinking, walking and talking by putting God first and allowing Him to lead us along our journey.

Writing the Plan

The first step in writing your individual development plan is to define your goals. Take the time out and write out what you are trying to obtain from your plan. You should establish different goals for different areas of your life. Some of the goals that are in my plan are to deepen my relationship with God, elevate my career in government, position myself for marriage, obtain a degree and start a business. What are some of your goals? Place them all on your paper.

My plan ranges from 3 to 5 years and then from 5 to 10 years. It’s always good to have short-term and long-term goals. Things that would normally fall under short-term would be those things you expect to take place in a short period of time. Your long-term goals would be those goals that will be achieved over a longer period of time.

The next step would be to tie each one of your goals to a developmental task. Based on your goals what are your strengths and weaknesses? Put your goals in order by your weaknesses to your strengths. Now look over each of your goals and identify ways to strengthen your weak areas and how to develop your strengths.

For example if you have a passion to motivate people, but you are not good with public speaking, then you would research and add to your plan to read books or take classes on public speaking. Another example would be if you wanted to own a business and sale merchandise, but you lack the experience and knowledge. You could add to your plan that you would take a few hours out the week to spend time with people in that market of what you are trying to sell and gain the knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the business. For every goal there should be a developmental task and a timeline to measure against.

Ex.
Goal
Start a Nonprofit

Developmental Task & Timeline
Research Nonprofits in Maryland 1/10 – 6/10
Attend Workshops TBD
Purchase/Read Nonprofits Books 1/10
Sign-up for daily web alerts 1/10

Goal
Communication Skills

Developmental Tasks & Timeline
Enroll in Public Speaking Forum 3/10
Take Online Webinar on Public Speaking 2/10

We need to take time to focus on our goals and once they are established, we can move forward. It’s time to write down you plan! Once it is written, it is easily to follow and easy to measure your success. Look forward to “Dynamic Dreams – Working Your Plan” blog tomorrow.


To request a template to create your plan, email me at Tennille.Whittington@gmail.com.

Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

As I read this Lord allow my mind to be renewed, Lord allow my soul to be changed,, Lord allow my heart to be cleansed, Lord I am ready to follow the blueprint You designed for my life, Lord I am ready to put a plan in place, Lord I am ready for you to lead me higher in You, Lord put me in touch with my goals, dreams and desires, Lord blow my mind today, Lord I want to be redeemed, Lord I want the more out of this life, Lord I want to be all that You have called me to be, Lord all I need is You, Lord I know I am only steps away from my dreams coming true, Lord I promise to be faithful, Lord I promise to follow You, Lord forgive me for my shortcomings and forgive me for giving up, Lord today I believe in me, I love more of me and I know that I will be all that You have called me to be! In Jesus name Amen