No Matter What

We all fall from grace, but never from his presence and God is showing me no matter how many times I mess up that he will never leave me nor forsake me. Real talk, if it was not for him I do not know where I would be...as I matter of fact I know where I would be I would be dead, plain and simple. Everyone has there own testimony and we all have survived the storm to share our testimony with others to glorify and honor God. I am at the point in my life where I want to be happy and I want everything that God has for me because I know that there is more to life, but in order for me to get everything God promised me I have to be obedient and submit to his will. Everyone will not understand and it is not meant for them too, as long as you know and God know that is all that matters.

Everyone is at different places in there walk with God, but when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired you will submit to God's ways. I have tried it my way and it was not what God wanted for me. Proverbs 3:5-7 says, "I lean on, trust in, and am confident in the Lord with all my heart and mind and do not rely on my own insight or understanding. In all my ways I know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He directs and makes straight and plain my paths. I am not wise in my own eyes, but I reverently fear and worship the Lord." So no matter how the situation looks in the present I do not lean to my own understanding because, if it is in God's will it will come to pass.

He always makes a way out of no way and always provides a way of escape. He has done it for me countless times. You know we sometimes put ourselves in certain situations that we are not supposed to get involved with, but we ignore the signs that God will show us that that person, place, or thing that you are so determined to be with, go to, or do is not for us. It is not until we go through that mess and when we come out of it we say, "God, if I would have just listened to you from the beginning I would not be in this mess". Sometimes what we are looking for is right in front of us.

When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he has done for me...whew! I get joy just thinking about what he has done for me...

~Natarsha N. Wright

Dare to Dream

MLK said this statement ON HIS OWN FUTURE (April 3, 1968): "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. I won't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. " (Time.com)

It is never too late to fight for your dream! Do you have a dream that you want to fulfill? So why aren't you pursuing it? Look forward and not backward. If you are always looking back you will never see what is in front of you.

In Memory of Dr. King...The Dream Continues

~Natarsha N. Wright

What are you waiting for?

I am a huge Joel Osteen fan. He is an amazing speaker and he is just a real down to earth person. He has joy and peace that exudes him. I signed up some months to receive his daily devotionals "Today's Word with Joel and Victoria" when I was going through some test and trials. His word is always on time and no matter what I am going through I can find truth, healing, and encouragement in his word to get me through. During my prayer time over the past few months God has been revealing some things to me, but specifically he has been dealing with me in regards to some questions I have been asking about the direction of my life and while reading back through some of the devotionals last night I came across this:

Pursue Your Strengths

Today's Scripture “Do not neglect your gift…” (I Timothy 4:14)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
God has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. It’s up to you to not only to identify those gifts, but to be disciplined to develop those gifts. You have to learn to stay in your strength zone. What are you naturally good at? What do you enjoy doing? Take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses and as the scripture says, give yourself to your gifts. In other words, don’t spend all your time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don’t waste valuable days pursuing things that are outside your main gifting. Focus on your strengths. There is something that you’re good at naturally—something you can do that comes easy to you. Step out into your area of gifting. Are you good with people? Are you good with your hands? Do you have a great voice? Find ways to develop those gifts. Know that your gifts and talents are a part of your divine destiny. If you’ll be comfortable with who God made you to be, and thank Him for your unique gifting, you’ll not only enjoy your life more, but you’ll be ready to receive the abundant blessing God has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for equipping me with everything I need to be successful in this life. I ask that You show me how to develop the gifts within me for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

For more on Joel Osteen visit: http://www.joelosteen.com/

~Natarsha N. Wright
http://natarshanwright.blogspot.com

He Died and Then...

by Natarsha (Washington, DC)

It is written: John 3:16-21

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

"The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented himself as a living sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."

God's love is not self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationship-when you love someone, you are willing to give to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid with the life of his Son, the highest price he could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. In internal life there is no death, sickness, enemy, evil, or sin. When we don't know Christ we make choices as though this life is all we have.

In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. Receive this new life by faith and begin to evaluate all that happens from an eternal perspective. To "believe" is to put your trust and confidence in him that he alone can save us. It is to put Christ in charge of our present plans and eternal destiny. Believing is both trusting his words as reliable, and relying on him for the power to change. If you have never trusted Christ, let this promise of everlasting life be yours and believe.

To be forgiven of our sin, we must believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ. If you are not saved, want to be born again, in a back slidden condition, or you have not given your life to Christ it is not to late to have come to him and ask for forgiveness. God declares in Roman 10:9, that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord, " and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And yes, it is just that simple! Commit your life to God and see him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

You have tried everything else why not try GOD? Get to know God for yourself!

Prayer for today:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

God will give you hope for tomorrow, joy for your sorrow, and strength for everything you go through. -Martha Munizzi

SELF VALIDATION

by Natarsha (Washington, DC)

Be secure in who God made you to be. You do not need people to validate who you are or what you should do. Encourage yourself! Do not let one negative thing affect all of the other positive things that are going on in your life. You may not be where you want to be in life right now, but Thank God that you are not where you used to be. Your time is coming and you will be where you need and want to be in God's timing. Whatever you are waiting on and seeking God for, it is on the way. Be patient and wait on God. He may not come when you want him, but he is always on time!

Do you have a gift/talent that you are not using and should be? What are you waiting for? God has already given you everything you need to fulfill the gifts he has given you to use for his glory. Open your eyes, it is right in front of you all you have to do is go and get it!

Know who you are for yourself. Nobody can tell you who you are, but the ONE who created YOU! It is okay to hear what others have to say, but seek the voice that matters the most.

~Natarsha N. Wright

http://natarshanwright.blogspot.com