Destined for Greatness: Knowing Your Worth

Romans 8:37. …. we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Good Evening,

A lot of folks have been calling, texting, emailing and facebooking where is the blog? They questioned me as if I had given up, but nope I did not. I decided to allow the last message about Esther’s journey titled “Released by His Love into Our Next Assignment” to be the message of the day all of last week. Each day I study the Word and seek God in developing a blog for the day. Last week that message had me seeking out my next assignment.

On last Monday I developed the title for this blog “Destined for Greatness: Knowing Your Worth”. As I wrote the message out on Monday it seemed incomplete. It was a lengthy writing but it was empty. I just couldn’t seem to put what I had been hearing from God into a complete message. Over the week I heard many great messages, received many great signs, but still I wanted them all to come together. I learned that when in search for our assignments it’s not something we assign, but something we discover.

On Tuesday I tried to allow my experiences of the day reshape my writing, but it didn’t happen. I was busy day after day, until I realized that I am at a place in my life where I dictate to myself how my day is going to go and what I am going to do. Experience after experience in all areas of my life last week I realize I was the shot caller over my own life. No longer was I allowing people, places or things to get the best of me. Those around me that knew how to push my buttons and get me off track no longer were able to do so. Things that use to irritate me didn’t seem to bother me.

There were meetings I sat in and events I attended that made me think twice about all that God has been doing in and through my life. I had to make some tough decisions over the last week, but they all were for the best. I had to realize my mind is a battlefield. The battle of my life is in my mind. I had to reposition my thoughts to focus on where I believe God wants me to go. I had to look all my opposition in the face and determine that it was not going to make or break me. I had to deposit deep within my mind, heart and soul that God was in lead and that I was to follow wholeheartedly, because He has open doors that I know only He could have done.

Over this past month God has blown my mind and I am extremely grateful.

A day earlier from writing the message about Esther, I wrote about Ruth. I wrote about how her journey from Moab to Bethlehem changed her life forever. I wrote about how her story started out a disaster but as the story went along we seen how she was destined for greatness. We learned that no matter how it looks to us, God will and can make a way. Even in the story of Esther because of who she was, she was not able to take part in the selection for the new queen, but we seen in her story she was also destined for greatness. As we looked at Saul and his transformation into Paul we can see that he was also destined for greatness. We can go through the bible book by book, chapter by chapter, story by story and read about a lot of folks who were destined for greatness.

In this month we will celebrate the lives of many great African Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King, President Barack Obama, Louis Armstrong, Dr. Ben Carson, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Mary McCloud Bethune, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and the list goes on and on. They were all people who have also faced great challenges but they were also destined for greatness. They are also people who knew their value and knew they had impact on people and change. They did what was necessary to make a difference and bring about change.

What is your impact? How will you be remembered? What is your purpose God has established for your life? If there was only one word to describe you what would it be? The word I chose when I was asked that questioned was unique. It means one of a kind. I chose the word because I decided to seek out my differences and use them to seek out my worth. I chose to find out what was unique about me and how I could use my gift to help others get to where God needs them to be.

In the midst of helping and developing others, God has been healing and developing me from all the hurt and pain from my past. He has strengthened my self esteem and led me into walking into His confidence. God has placed me in a new place, on a new assignment, with a new motivation, headed towards my destiny because I chose to chase after Him. I chose to find out why and how I was created. I chose to live life as His Word says I was created in His image and likeness. I chose to love and serve His people, as He does.

I know and believe I am valuable, which means I finally know my worth. I finally believe I am destined for greatness. I like to say I am who I Am says I am and that means I am destined for greatness. I like to bless everyone I interact with, because I make it my business to put thoughts in their minds, a smile on their face and in their heart and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill their soul. I navigate ways to help others get to the places they need to in this life and lend a hand at all times regardless of payment. I know that my rewards come from God and I served from my heart at all times.

We have to get to a place when we follow our passion and allow God to move on our behalf. We have to get to a place where money doesn’t dictate anything to us, but we are in control of it. We have to get to a place where we can grow in love with someone and not allow lust to lead us into selling ourselves short. We have to get to a place where we are not used, abused and walked all over in any areas of our life. We have to get to a place where we walk in God’s confidence at all times. We have to get to a place where we can make ourselves happy and not depend on someone else to do so for us.

It’s time that we see who God sees when He looks at us. One song that I love to hear daily is Marvin Sapps’ song “He Saw the Best in Me”. It’s time we live as God sees us and know our worth. So today take a step of confidence and believe that in Romans 8:37 that we are more than conquerors!

Today is the day that we stop allowing people to determine what we will and will not have. It’s time we stop living life in a box and step out of it. It’s time we stop living life in a cycle and break it! It’s time that we take the necessary steps towards being confident in who we are in God and walk in His humility. It’s time that we master forgiveness and experience God’s peace and joy.

No longer should we allow people to label us or hold us back in our past! No longer should we use excuses about would haves, should haves and could haves! No longer should we be looking for a hand out! No longer should we sell ourselves short to a man or woman that does not have our best interest at heart!

Women no longer should we chase after men! If he is a real man of God, give him the opportunity to seek after you. Men no longer just settle for anybody, but settle for the one that completes you totally. In relationships love should be unconditional and we should grow deeper in love daily. No longer should we settle for relationships built on lust. It’s time to set some high standards by raising the bar and stick with them!

I challenge each of us to continue to write out our dreams, goals and desires, but also I ask that we tap into our worth! It’s time we know and believe we are destined for greatness! Our lives are also worth celebrating! We are not quitters, we are fighters! We do not have to settle for less, we want the more! We do not have to accept people using, abusing and walking all over us! It’s time we experience true love and relationship. It’s time we take and stand and walk with God and allow Him to show us our full potential!

We must walk in God’s confidence at all times and possess all things He has assigned for our lives! It’s time to stop assuming and come boldly after what you need, want and desire! If you know it’s of God, who can stop you? Who can take it from you? The answer is nobody! Reach towards the goal because you are more than a conqueror!

I want to deposit this in your mind, heart and soul that you are destined for greatness! You are somebody! It’s time you know that you are valuable and that God loves you and that He is preparing to do more than you could ever ask or think in your life!

Blessings,

Tennille L. Whittington

Prayer for Today

Lord as I read this I ask that you strengthen my self esteem, Lord I ask that You teach me more about how valuable I am in you, Lord I want to get to the place in my life when no one can use, abuse or walk all over me, Lord I am more than a conqueror, Lord up on my job have your way in my life, Lord in my home have your way in my life, Lord in my relationship have your way, Lord in my friendships have your way, Lord in my finances how your way, Lord today I step forward closer into Your presence for you take me higher in You, Lord I believe I am destined for greatness! In Jesus name, Amen!

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