Category: life

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life

Love, it’s not for the faint at heart…

The misconception about love, is that it always feels right and comfortable, and convenient. If we were in an animated film, that might work. WE are humans, and we mess love up.

If God is love, and people question God, what stops them from questioning love? Nothing.

God loved the children of Israel. That’s proven by scripture.

Did that stop them from turning their backs on Him several times? No.

Did He stop loving them? No.

When they got delivered out of Egypt, they complained that they should have stayed there.

God still provided.

When they were told to possess the land, that was inhabited, God delivered it into their hands.

God delivered them out of it all.

THAT’S LOVE.

Unconditional love. We throw that around a lot. Without condition. Meaning when you deserve it and when you don’t, I love you. When you turn your back on me, step outside of me, talk about me, wrong me, or when you disappear, I love you. This concept is easy to say and HARD TO DO for human beings. Our flesh wants to wrong those who wrong us. WE want to yell, cuss, and scream to show our frustration, love says to be gentle. Love says to pray for those who do wrong by you. Love says, let God handle wrath.

You want to be like Christ? Pray for those who are after you. In Luke 23:34, a dying Savior prayed for His accusers and persecutors. I thank God for Jesus. As tears stream down my face, I confess that this is NOT EASY. I don’t always want to love people who wrong me. But if I follow Christ, then I must pray and not spit back the poison they feed me. That’s at work, at home, at church, and everywhere else your feet take you. That’s love.

Don’t get mad, fall so deep in love that you never stop falling. Fall into a place with no ground, in love. Love for real (Romans 12:9 – Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.).

Ivy Out

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life

Really Quick *two*

Has God ever used you, and you asked Him why?

Me, yes ME! I do, a lot actually. In my mind, I am a small fish in a huge ocean. I am sooo grateful to know that God answers prayers. It still floors me that He listens to ME!

TGBTG…can someone design that shirt for me?? I seriously need one for every day of the week!!

IT’S ALL HIM. This is an humbling journey. I am grateful. Jesus help me to uphold the life You have called me to live. It’s a battle. I’m honest. But You alone are worthy!!

p.s. Sometimes, when I talk to God…I do so as if He is in jeans and a tee with a snapback (hat) on. I just talk straight. Hello God, it’s me again. HELP. (simple enough, right?)

Ivy Out

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life

I am a DEPENDENT Christian

A year ago, I received an email stating that I had a new leadership position! It stated that I was the new women’s ministry leader under my beautiful and wise First Lady, Torsha Johnson. I was beyond excited.

My journey to the interview began four years before. I had come to the church looking for the women’s ministry. The church I was rooted in previously had an amazing women’s ministry (s\o DODD at The Bridge). What I found out, was that the women’s ministry was not currently active.

Everybody say it with me: WHAT IS FOR YOU, IS FOR YOU!

In 2013, the job description went up, the interviews happened, and the waiting came again. JESUS has really been dealing with me in my season of “hurry up and wait” (HUAW). Did I like it? NO. Do I like it now? NOOOOO! Do I respect it, you bet cha! September 6, 2013 I received the congratulatory email. Tears streamed down my face in the middle of a work lunch. God answered my prayer. HE TENDS TO DO THAT! Not because I am so awesome, because HE IS. The next step would be a life changing one, I met with Lady J.

LISTEN: MY FIRST LADY IS AN AWESOME WOMAN OF GOD, PERIOD.

Not just because she is my first lady, she is just genuine awesome in a body. Seriously. Our first meeting was in October 2013. I met her at the discussed location with my pages of handwritten notes. My “Spiritual Kick” advised me the summer before to put my heart on paper. Thank God I’m teachable and coachable. That first meeting was so much more than the ministry. My first lady asked about me! Fancy that!!??! She was interested in the woman that I was/am. She even remembered the first time I met her, I asked her to pray for me. I had NO CLUE that that day would precede this one.

That meeting was epic. We were so excited for what God was going to do for the women’s ministry at
Higher D. At that time, God had not revealed the name. Then… HUAW struck again. For reasons unknown to me at the time, I had to put our plans on hold.

HAS ANYBODY EVER HAD GOD GIVE THEM AN ASSIGNMENT AND THEN SAY….BUT WAIT A MINUTE?!?

Ugh, the flesh had a field day with that one. I went through some personal warfare, relational warfare, and the excitement turned into frustration.

ANYTIME YOU TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF GOD AND PUT THEM ON YOUR SITUATION, YOU ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM AND THE PAIN. THE SOLUTION IS ALWAYS REVEALED AFTER YOU RE-FOCUS ON GOD.

After I crawled back to God on my knees, praying and living my Jesus-centered life (verses my flesh complaining life), things begin to SHIFT. Although I only saw the surface of the shift, God’s calendar is always on time. More meetings happened and a relationship formed. Did I mention that my first lady is awesome?? Somewhere I begin to see her as “Naomi”. I have always professed to be a Ruth and Naomi type of woman. Always seeking Godly mentorship, usually finding it in spurts. My Naomi, without my asking, without a conversation, began to pour into me. ::if you are a shouter, here is your cue::

Fast forward to June 2014. The enemy must know that God wins NO MATTER HOW HE ATTACKS. He has to, because he started attacking me. The closer I got to July, the more things seemed to shift around me.

JULY 2014 both God and Pastor J said, “Go”. Lady J and I got together again…and plans were put down on calendars.

OH HAPPY DAY! NO REALLY….CUE “HAPPY” AND DANCE!!

The Concert of Prayer(COP) was approved by the church and given September 9 and 10th as go dates. The core team was assembled through prayer, invitation to interest, and finally answered prayers. More meetings, phone calls, and emails, and then ::cue drum roll:: THE FAST.

EVEN AS A MEAT AND POTATOES CHRISTIAN (as opposed to just milk), FASTING WAS HARD FOR ME before 2011.

Slowly but surely, God began to work on me and my level of sacrifice. This past Lenten season my church fasted for 40 days. So guess who also fasted for 40 days?? ME. The VIRTUE core team decided on what we thought was a 7 day fast. Hello to women who didn’t count on a calendar. We actually scheduled an 8 day fast…new beginnings and extended it to a 9 day fast to cover both COP’s. Normally that wouldn’t have mattered to me, but when Pastor J began his CHURCH ON FIRE series in September, my spirit leaped. We, like the 120 before Pentecost, were praying for 9 days. We were sacrificing for 9 days through a fast. We were on one accord and seeking after GOD.

The result?

THE LORD WAS THERE.

The Concert of Prayer was a revival.

Revived in areas covering our PASTOR, ALIGNMENT/PURPOSE, OUTREACH, FAMILY, MEN, WOMEN, AND HEALING.

Two nights in a row, the Lord’s train filled the temple! The building was filled with the Holy Spirit, and more importantly, our HEARTS were filled with the presence of God. I can’t explain it, I just can’t.

AFTER DAY ONE of the COP, I encountered frustrating detail after frustrating detail at work. Awe, we’ve angered the enemy….we brought the church together on one accord with God as the focus. We were being the church and he lashed out.

NO WORRIES, MY GOD NEVER LOOSES A BATTLE. DAY TWO OF THE COP WAS EVEN MORE POWERFUL.

I learned something pivotal on this journey. I am a dependent Christian. I am NOT an independent woman. WITHOUT GOD I CAN DO NOTHING. That’s not a cliché. That’s my life. I am only here because God lead me to the right place at the right time. I am only a Ruth because Naomi choose me. I am blessed when I follow, when I submit. Unmarried women are submitted to God. Married women are submitted to God and then their husbands. My Naomi is married. She is a walking example of the woman I want to grow into. Why? I can SEE God in her. I want to be that when I grow up J ! I want to be a woman that people see God in, instead of seeing me.

Hi, my name is Andonnia, and I am a dependent Christian. Are you?

IVY OUT

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life

JUST IN CASE IT SEEMS LIKE I DISAPPEARED….

THERE WILL BE A NEW POST THIS WEEK. Please grant me a little grace, it’s teacher prep week. I have to make sure that my environment (classroom), my plans, and my heart is ready to receive my new class of eighth graders. 

 

New Post To Come!

 

Sincerely, 

 

Ivy Out

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life

Set Your Mind (and a guard over your lips)…

I think I’ve heard so many quotes about thoughts and speech in my lifetime that I can feel them coming. Once I hear them coming, it’s sad to say, I think I tune them out. Well, I used to. Today was one of the days when all of those seeds took root and began to harvest. 

I began my morning with three text messages (and prayer of course). I hate for the little notification bubbles to sit on my phone, so of course I began to read them. While the first one brought a smile, the next immediately arrested me. Someone I knew, and revered, had gone home to be with the Lord. Wow. I am starting to think that I’ve taken lifespans for granted. I just expect some people to live forever. I just need them to be here. Ptah(<sassy mouth noise>), I am not Abba, El Elyon, or anything comparable to Christ…so I call NO shots. 

I then proceeded to flow in instinctive written communication of my feelings. I didn’t break down in a terrible fit, which is common of my youth, but I was disturbed. I had so many questions. I had actually just asked a former business partner, and current make up client, about her. I began thinking of things I wish I said, questions I wish I would have asked, and thinking about hugging her one more time. I can still see her on stage giving her testimony and encouraging the ladies to “suit up”. I posted a message, on two sites, and then when the responses began to come in, I felt “some-kind-of-way”. I could probably create an entirely new blog about that feeling, but alas I will move on. I remember distinctly, asking friends to pray for her family (and to turn prayers away from me). 

Why? Simple, in this matter I didn’t hurt the worst. I wanted to direct the prayers to those who needed them most. I then did something that is only common in this particular season of my life. I changed my message to that of prayer and joy. Don’t get me wrong, I did think of her several times today, but not in a sob-stop-living-kind-of-way. I lived today with her in mind. I put my faith into practice. 2 Corinthians 5:1 says we have a home not made by human hands…I know in my heart that God can take care of His children without any help from me. I chose to trust God to tend to His children, and their prayers, and I sought after joy.

I really did enjoy today. I paid bills (grown up ritual on paydays…isn’t that horrid? j/k It’s a blessing to have funds to pay them.), did some girl stuff (attended to the pair of hands and feet that God gave me), and saw people who always lifted my spirits. The simple things in life always resonate the most. 

I culminated the public portion of my day but reminding (or encouraging) others to encourage someone. Most of the time, we have no clue what people are going through. WE cannot take any day, hour, minute, or second for granted. Smiles are NOT always good indicators of mood. So, I too challenge you, make it a practice of giving out genuine encouragement. Smiles are free, sharing videos or pictures of substance is free, scripture is free to us (but it cost Christ His very life, that we might be saved!) and available to share (don’t have a Bible: http://www.bible.com), so many resources that we can share. 

 

With LOVE in my heart just for YOU!

 

IVY OUT

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life

WORK OUT…YOUR FAITH

A (5)

 

This time last year, I was seeking God for a job. I had peace about leaving my last position (which I absolutely loathed), but I didn’t have a job lined up for 2013-2014. I had to exercise my faith. 

Let’s look at what exercise does in the natural. I am working on it, but I am not as disciplined as a few others… I have friends who are fitness competitors. Exercise is a regular part of their life. I watch them transform their bodies by using resistance, repetition, and  assistance to activate muscles so that others could see the definition of their bodies. Then they hit the stage and showcase their results with others who have worked equally as hard.

Don’t bring the physical to a faith fight. You have to operate in the spirit, much like they have to in the gym. We have spiritual weapons, the one I highlight today is PRAYER. Prayer is essential in any spiritual exercise. Resist the urge to live only in what your two eyes can see, pray repeatedly (Matthew 7:7), rely on assistance from the Holy Spirit and be a light reflecting the power of God. Matthew 5:16 reminds us that our light is a beacon for others to see the work of God in us. 

This summer, I have a job to go back to (that I actually like), a ministry assignment (that I am growing in), a business (another way I can tap into women everywhere), and lots of writing to do. I am a blessed woman because I exercised my faith…with prayer. 

 

When will you start working out your faith?

 

PHOTO taken by Charlene of Ickthys Photography

 

IVY OUT

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life

Love: A Badge of Honor

As it often does, curiosity drove me to research. That research birthed a child, TA DA! It’s this blog. It’s about time curiosity lead a woman TO God. (Some of you will catch that later…)

I often hear the term “Elect Lady” in churches. Well, I hear it referenced to first ladies or women in the ministry. However, when I read 2 John, this entire epistle (letter) is addressed to “her”. Now forgive me, I have no clue what drove me to 2 John. I read it in something, I’m sure. This Elect Lady and her children, according to my research, referenced a church. How befitting! Eklektos (Greek term for chosen) actually is defined as chosen by God or prominent. Isn’t that the Biblical depiction of Christ’s bride? The church. It’s a body of people. Its the body of Christ. The extension of the work God started…. an entire post on its own. For the sake of time, the church is NOT a building. Ok? 😉

In this particular letter, around verse five, Paul is urging them to love one another as commanded by Christ. So of course my handy-dandy-study Bible gave me the scripture reference to the new COMMANDment given by Christ in John 13:34-35. So I hop on over and read familiar words. A church I was a part of when I first moved to Houston used to recite a portion of this verse every Sunday. In John 13 Jesus is explaining to the disciples that He would be glorified by the Father, and in sum, He would be leaving them.

As recently taught by my Pastor (Pastor THJ!), I’m glad Jesus sent the Holy Spirit that can be with me, with my parents back home, and everywhere at the same time!

BUT, right after Jesus explained His departure, He gave a new COMMAND. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, that doesn’t leave room for interpretation, does it? Any military readers want to chime in here? COMMAND… something we MUST do. Are we on the same page?? Awesome.

The command was to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS CHRIST HAS LOVED US. Heavy huh? Did He ask you to save the world? Kinda, He asked you to love people. What a mind blowing concept. Get this, there’s more. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)

Yup, PRESTO: You’re Christian ID Badge of Honor is LOVE. Now the beautiful thing is, we are to love because we were first LOVED. I typed were, but I really mean AM. We ARE loved by God, so we are to love others. Love them when they are nice to you, and love them when they are rude. Love them when they love you back, and when they have no clue who you are. That rude customer service rep who isn’t trying to help you at all, yup love him/her. The person who is too close to you in the line at Chipotle, yup, love him/her too. The person who’s beliefs are completely different from yours, be it moral, spiritual, or otherwise, love HIM/HER too. Love doesn’t mean you agree, condone, or promote that person’s agenda, beliefs, or behavior. It’s the COMMAND that CHRIST gave HIS children as a sign…get this…that WE ARE INDEED HIS CHILDREN.

WE, the Elect Lady AKA the CHURCH, have a job to do. WE have to get better about this love business. It’s serious business. So much so, that I get excited when I encounter it. Instead of it being the norm, it is now the anomaly. WE have work to do. Will you join in with me? Let’s love on purpose! Godly love people, don’t pervert what we are commanded to do. (That’s another blog… one who perverts the word is NOT of God.) When you see fit, which is all the time, love on one another. Encourage one another. Spur another believer in spiritual growth. Be like Christ: L O V E somebody.

P.S. Can you be a love bug and share this with someone else? I see all kinds of things go viral. It would be LOVEly for a message about LOVE to go viral too. Just a thought;)

Loving EACH of you,

IVY OUT

Categories
life

Are We “Just In Casing” God?

Is my faith a pool of a positive emotions, or a house built on the Rock?

Often times we build in plan B because we aren’t certain if plan A will pan out. We can invest time and money into training and preparation for the original direction, but weigh the odds by the public results of others. When we do that, the level of risk and uncertainty seem to cast a shadow over us. This new overcast then prompts us to pack umbrellas, even though there is no rain in the forecast. Now, including the extra weight for rain prep, we are carrying the weight of plan A, the worry from plan A, and the pain drain of finding something else. The umbrella has become the pre-cursor to plan B. I’ve been in places where I was reminded that there are other letters of the alphabet. In other words, if this doesn’t work out, there is always something else. However, what is this doing to our spirit?

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He is the only plan. Period. Salvation is a decision and a heart change. Walking out that salvation takes daily work. However, how many of us have checked the “trust-my-Savior meter” lately? Do we really trust Him? Or do we “just in case” Him. Do we pray for things, then come up with alternatives before He has answered our prayer? Do we trust Him until we grow weary of trusting? If we don’t see things pan out with our eyes, do we shut down our heart because we don’t know if Christ will come through? Do we give Him things at the alter and then pick it up when we leave that place? I’ve been guilty of this on several occasions. If you are honest, you probably are too. Thank God for grace that is never EVERY MORNING. 

I don’t mean to insult you, and this post won’t be long, but do we just in case Jesus? Have we lost faith in the One who has already done sooo many great things? If you scoot on over to Romans 8:34-39 we are reminded that God loves us forever. We are can not be separated from Him. If you believe that Jesus is indeed interceding for you, there is no alternate plan. The true test is obedience while we wait. He’s gracious enough to continue sending tests until we pass them…all. 

 

Stay encouraged. 

Ivy Out

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life

What was on my mind in 2013…

I ran across this handwritten post dated 3.11.13. I felt it was only right that I share it. 

 

“Sometimes we neglect to see the importance of our journey. So many blessings. So many obstacles. Usually sharing of ourself puts us in the ‘realistic box’. Its easier for people to accept us if we are real to them and not a ‘perfect being’ . People see you happy but don’t know your hell. Happy is a choice. It doesn’t mean you aren’t going through. You are choosing to see God’s perspective for you’re journey. Or even easier put, you’re choosing gratitude over depression. Choice we were gifted with. Use it wisely. James 1:5 – Ask God for wisdom.”

 

Ivy Out

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life

Grown Up. Not in age… in wisdom. Wisdom comes from God…

In this place, my default is worship. After realizing that I’ve been complaining about stuff only God can change, I stopped. Waking up and spending more time gathering things for others than self, finding the amazing framing of colors surrounding the dawn sky mesmerizing because only God can paint it that way, I realize that I am truly growing up. 

Not growing perfect. 

Not growing superior. 

Growing up. 

I can almost feel the scolding when I am thinking, walking, or talking wrong. Not that I’m at the “just don’t do it” phase all the time, but I know the chastisement is near. I can also feel the shifts as they roll in. I’ve felt the season changing for a while (blogged about it back in January) and today felt like fresh wind. It had some ups and downs because we now have four school days left, but the highs carried me into tonight’s worship. My alone time with God. It usually starts in the car because of long commutes, but it started in my classroom. I sat down to gather my things and started singing. Now if you know me, really know me, you know I don’t like to draw attention to my voice. However, I posted twelve seconds of this little song service. When I got in my vehicle, I turned on Pandora (to my Tye Tribbett station) and kept on singing. I cried all the way home. I parked and started shuffling in my car seat once I made it to the garage. 

Why am I sharing? Simple. You don’t need an audience of people to worship and praise God. I am NOT against corporate worship, but you should have the kind of relationship with your friend Jesus that you can just go to Him anywhere. IF not friend JESUS, then what about mother or father JESUS, brother JESUS, doctor or lawyer JESUS…. He is what you need. He answers prayers. Seriously. The suddenly type, the not right now type, and the confirm His Will and Word type, Jesus answers prayer. 

The beginning of my evening was just adoring Him. By the time I got home I was crying out to Him. I want Him to know, that I know, that He is my only solution…. He can heal my family. He can better my situation. He can direct my life. He can improve certain things about my job. He can FIX ME. He can… insert what you need the Lord to do. Just seriously bring it to Him. Unload it at your worship place. Let it all go into the hands of the Master. 

walk away lighter. 

Great Night.

ivy out.