Which is it...

...advice or warning?

That was the question that kept going through my mind as I pondered on a Business name I saw.

Are you God's Battle Axe?

Last month, our theme in church was "I am God's Battle Axe" based on Jeremiah 51:20.

Focus on your destination

Last week, on my way home I got on to the same bus with one of my neigbour's daughters. As we approached our stop, I assumed that she would have pulled the cord to request for the bus to stop at "our" stop. All of a sudden I noticed that the light hadn't lit up so I quickly pulled the cord.

When the bus stopped, I alighted and expected that she would also get off the bus. As I walked home alone, the Holy Spirit said to me

"Mind your own journey...focus on your destination." 

I kept pondering on this till I got home that day. I started wondering how many times I have erroneously assumed that someone else and I had the same goal or destination in mind.

Here I was saying that we had the same stop only to realize that we were not going to the same spot. Yes, I used "spot" on purpose because getting off at the same stop with others doesn't mean that you are going to the same spot. Now let me quickly mention that there was another stop after the bus did it's loop in our community that she could also get off at. So on the flip side, the fact that she didn't get off at the same stop as I did, meant that she would eventually get off at a later stop to come to the same "spot" i.e. street as I was going to.

Transposing this to everyday life, we cannot live our lives based on another person's schedule. Even if you are inspired by someone and aspire to be like them, we must remember that we are each unique and not a replica of anyone else. If you try to copy someone else, the best you'll be is a "second version" not an original.

I'd be happy to coach you on how to chart your own unique path and fulfill your purpose in life. Contact me via email: sapphireandberyl@gmail.com or inbox me. The 1st ½ hour will be free...

'Went', 'Sent' or 'Kept'?

A few years ago I  had in interesting 'Thank you' situation. As I pondered on it, because it really bothered me, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to Jesus' experience in Luke 17:11-19; let's read:

11 While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee.  12 As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance;  13 and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were [miraculously] healed and made clean.  15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying and praising and honoring God with a loud voice;  16 and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan.  17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten [of you] cleansed? Where are the [other] nine?  18 Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?”  19 Jesus said to him, “Get up and go [on your way]. Your faith [your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power] has restored you to health.” (AMP)

He then went on to expound this saying that when it comes to giving God (and men) thanks, we all fall into one of three categories:
- Went
- Sent
- Kept

Some of us, take the time and effort to "go" directly to God to express our gratitude and appreciation. When it's a human being, we want to thank, that person hears our voice - either face to face, via a call or even a voice message. These are in the 'Went' category.

The 2nd category are those of us who use an indirect medium to express our thanks without expressing it ourselves. As an example, asking someone to thank God or a person on your behalf without having direct contact with the Him or the person i.e. without reaching out to God or the person ourselves. For me, depending on the depth of the relationship, text messages fall into this 'Sent' category (pun intended).

The 3rd category is the 'Kept.' Essentially, we fall into this group when we do not even bother to say 'Thank You.' These people keep the thanks to themselves.

As I meditated on this, it occurred to me that the word that represented each category was further in the alphabet; almost as if it was commensurate to the level of effort required at each one: K ->S ->W.

At the end, all I could do was ask God to forgive me for when I have 'sent', or even worse 'kept', my thanks to Him or to others. I pray for grace to be in the 'Went' category more often than not.

Note: I recognize that sometimes the line between the 'Went' and the 'Sent' categories are blurred. However, I know that we know when they are not the same. Whatever happens, don't be or stay in the 'Kept' category.

May you and always have multiple reasons to say 'Thank you' to God and others.

Happy Thanksgiving...may it not just be a day in your life, rather a way of life.

P.R.O.S.P.E.R. to prosper (3)

This Psalm encapsulates how we P.R.O.S.P.E.R. to prosper

1 Praise the Lord! Great blessings belong to those who fear and respect the Lord, 

who are happy to do what he commands. 

Positioned and Obedient

2 Their descendants will be given power on earth. 

Those who do right will be greatly blessed. 

Righteous and Obedient

3 Their family will be very rich, 

and their goodness will continue forever. 

Prosperity for Posterity

4 A light shines in the dark for those who are good, 

for those who are merciful, kind, and fair.

Planted, productive and an example,
expression and extension of God’s blessings

5 It is good for people to be kind and generous and to

be fair in business. 

Planted and productive

6 Such good people will never fall. 

They will always be remembered.

Stable and Resilient

7 They will not be afraid of bad news. 

They are confident because they trust in the Lord.

Stable and Resilient 

8 They remain confident and without fear, 

so they defeat their enemies. 

Stable and Resilient 

9 They freely give to the poor. 

Their goodness will continue forever.

They will be honored with victory. 

Planted, productive and an example,
expression and extension of God’s blessings

10 The wicked become angry when they see this. 

They grind their teeth in anger, but then they disappear. 

They will never get what they want most.

Psalm 112 (Easy-to-Read Version)

P.R.O.S.P.E.R to prosper...(2)

A few days ago, I started sharing tips to prosperity that I was taught recently...this is the continuation of that piece...

Reminder: How to be beautiful

A beautiful friend shared this with me a few years ago and I shared it then

Sharing it again because we need reminders.

Share these Beauty Tips and show your beauty - it looks good in and on you.

P.R.O.S.P.E.R. to prosper...(1)

I don't know about you but I desire to prosper in every area of my life. Recently, God reminded me and a few other people of 7 things we need to do/be in order to prosper and I felt led to share them with you.

Online dictionaries including Google define "Prosper" as "to flourish physically; grow strong and healthy; to be successful or fortunate, especially in financial respects; thrive; flourish."

Looking through the Bible, it is certain that God also wants us to prosper - and this is how to...

Mirror, mirror

A few years ago the phrase "Mirror, mirror, on the wall..." came to mind. I cannot remember the related fairy tale and that's not what this post is about. It's about what your mirror really tells you - and us.

Proverbs 27: 19 says "Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart." (MSG)

Your face is really how you show up...wherever you are or go. However, your face always  amplifies what's really in your heart (and life). Let me explain..

Raise your standard...

#GivingPays

Compensating? For real???!!!

A few weeks ago I saw something that shocked me - and very few things shock me.

I was passing by a store and noticed that they were advertising a "Compensating Cream" in their window. I'm not really into creams so it wasn't the fact that they were advertising the cream that shocked me it was the context. Let me see if I can find a picture (without disclosing the brand) - I sure don't want to pay any "compensation" to anyone - pun intended.

What do you see...

...when you look?

Not needed...

...or is there a need?

This post was triggered by this conversation that took less than 5 minutes:

Look at that log!

A few years ago, during a quiet moment while on a bumpy road trip, the Holy Spirit started speaking to me as I was thinking of how I felt about the way someone talks to others. As I pondered on various instances, I remembered feeling "Why does this person talk to me/others like this? What an arrogant person!" Then the Holy Spirit said to me: "Look at that log!" Huh? He continued "It's only a proud person that will feel bad when someone speaks down on you." What?! Where did that come from?

He then reminded me of this passage:

Matthew 7:3-5 - ³ Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye? ⁵ You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye. (CEB)

I heaved a sigh...and wanted to change the topic but He stuck to the topic. He started by reminding of a message by Pastor Adeboye decades ago when he said that if we remember that we were formed from dirt, we would be humble. 

He went on to explain that when you think about dirt, it does not respond or react when or to the way it is treated. We step on it, spit on it and do so many other things to it and no absolutely complaints.
Needless to say, it sure was a timely reminder because sometimes I get irritated when I think or feel that someone is being arrogant or inappropriate in the way they speak to or relate with others. Admittedly, I cannot categorically say that they are or they are not - maybe the issue is with me. So I guess the question for me is "Do I think too highly of myself and enlarge someone's speck without dealing with the log in my eye (maybe in my head too)?" I better look at that log and deal with it.

The Till will tell...

...not the tag

A few weeks ago, I had a different "till will tell"* experience and wanted to share it. Where do I start? I don't know if I ever told you that my husband has better shopping skills than me. Well he really does. In fact, I first learned and saw this "till will tell" firsthand from him...and I keep "forgetting" the lesson and then he teaches me again.

It has been said that people don't fail because they tried but because they gave up. Similarly, at least for me, sometimes I don't get deals on purchases because I give up too quickly. Actually, I feel as if I even give up before I enter the store. If you didn't already know or haven't read one of my prior post, or figured it out yet, I really don't like shopping. Now hold that thought when you look at the cartoon.

As much as I don't like shopping, when I go with my husband he reminds me to be patient and not drop items until we get to the till to confirm whether the price tag is current.  The minute the till "tells" me a favourable price, I sometimes go into overdrive and get into impulse-buying - which in my opinion is worse than not shopping.

The way I see it, no matter what the till "tells", we must exercise self-control. A good price does not mean that it is a good "prize" for you and your family.  

Reference:

* http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.ca/2010/12/till-will-tell.html

Check your connection

A few weeks ago, I noticed something really strange...

#HaveFaithInGod

Oh my - what did I just see...

...and learn?!

I really love learning...by observing and in other ways too.

I had a learning moment the day after I had the "Am I vain?"* experience which I wrote the post on(and I published at a later date- as I'm doing with this one).

Which are you?

An asset or a liability?

This question dropped in my heart when I read this verse in the Complete Jewish Bible.

Proverbs 31:11 - Her husband trusts her from his heart, and she will prove a great asset to him.

Another verse that focuses on the both sides of the "Balance Sheet" is:

Proverbs 12:4 - A worthy wife is her husband’s joy and crown;                                                     the other kind corrodes his strength and tears down everything he does. (TLB)

I know that not all women are married...so we are not focusing on wives here. What I see in these verses is every woman can either be an asset or liability. So by extension, you don't need to be a wife to be an asset. How do I know that? Simple...to be an asset to someone else, you have to first be an asset to yourself.

So what does it mean to be an Asset not a Liability?

As a visual learner, this picture does a good job distinguishing assets from liabilities well for me.  

In other words, assets "add" to you and liabilities "take from" or reduce you.

One quote that has helped me clearly be and remain an asset is  "The value you add comes from the values you hold" - Anonymous

The values we hold show up in different ways. The first indicator of the values you hold is how you treat yourself. Did you just say "Huh?!" Yes, you read me right. People will not treat you any better than you treat yourself. Treat yourself as an Asset: take care of yourself, be intentional about improving yourself each and every day. My advice, take Warren Buffet's advice =>

Another indicator of the values we hold is how we treat others. Assets always treat others as assets. In other words, we treat people with respect. Be a Builder of others - now this could involve correcting them but definitely not corroding them. It has been said that "A rich man in the midst of poor people is a poor man." Likewise, if you invest in yourself and are an Asset in the midst of liabilities, guess what you really are?

You may not be able to do everything for everyone, but you can do something for someone. And when each of us does something for someone, together we have done many things for many people. Be an asset!

On point

Am I vain?

This question came up when 2 very different things happened

After I got ready for the day, one of my children said "You can't wear that to the bus stop." "Why ?!" was my sharp response. He went on to say "It's not 'busstoppy'." "Who will see me in it? " I asked...but didn't push for a response as we needed to head to the bus stop and I'm sure you know that I didn't change.

While on the train, I looked at my dress - which I like - and noticed that it had some "pimples." Of course, that was evidence of the fabric and usage. As I alighted from the train, I wondered some more about what my son said and appreciated the fact that he cared enough to look at me and what I was wearing - something they have learned from their father. However, that's not to say that he had a valid point, if he even had a point. On second thoughts, I said to myself, maybe I should convert this to a "Friday" outfit - whatever that means. As I pondered on that thought, I wondered, "Am I vain* - in caring how others think I look?"

The answer to this question and its irrelevance came quickly - very quickly. As I walked into the office, the receptionist said to me, "I like your dress." At that moment it was obvious that "No" I am not vain and "Yes" it is important to care about I look...and to care a little about how others think I look after all I am God's ambassador. Talk about vindication.

Later that day, something totally different happened. I saw a lady who I saw last week...and get this she was in exactly the same outfit! Jewellery and all. What?! Why? were the two questions that popped in my head. I quickly reprimanded myself. After all, what was my business with that? Yes, what's my business? Was that a trace of being vain? Hmm...

I thought about it some more and decided that I'm definitely not vain - just observant. Guess what I learned from these 2 experiences?

1. Yes, you're right - I'm not vain.
2. It is so easy to be vain if you do not rein your thoughts and actions.

May God, by His Spirit, continue to keep us - I mean me - in check.

Reference:

* Vain - "having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth." (Google)

How still is still?

At the end of each year, God gives me a Word to take me through the coming year.

2 years ago the Lord He gave me Psalm 46:10 -

God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be praised in all the nations; I will be praised throughout the earth.” (NCV)

As if to be sure that I got the message, He sent me a water bottle with the verse on it through a Pastor and his wife. Later that year, a sister-friend came to me and said "I saw a notebook and thought about you..." I was happy to hear that someone thought about me and screamed when I opened the envelope...because this ==> is what I found in it. Obviously God was thinking about me as He always does - and repeated His Word to me.

Interestingly, the same Pastoral couple who gave me the water bottle gave my family a piece of Wall Art for Christmas. Do you want to guess what it said?

When I received it, I turned to Mrs. Pastor and recounted what God had said to me and how He has used them twice to reiterate it and how he used another person too.


Talk about reinforcement via repetition...


Then last year, He gave me this verse for 2018 is Exodus 14:14 
"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (NIV)


Now it was evident that being "still" would be key to my #victory in 2018.


As this year has progressed - challenges and all - I've continued to remind myself that God has instructed me to "Stay/stand still."  According to Google, "Still" means "not moving or making a sound" (as an adjective) and "deep silence and calm" (as a noun).
 
In my opinion, I believe that I have done a really good job in being still but now and again I have asked myself "How still is still?" I noticed that I was really carefree ("free from anxiety or responsibility"*) and care-less (without a care) not careless ("not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors"*) in my attitude due to my trust in God.


Now and again my husband would say to me "their strength is to sit still."** Even though I agreed with him, the question "How still is still?" was still top of my mind. As I pondered on this, the Holy Spirit reminded me that being still does not mean that I should be inactive. Actually what He said was that I must keep busy "sowing" from a place of strength not from a place a stress. Now that made sense to me because the deep calm and confidence that you will get a harvest comes after you have sowed...

 
As I was pondering on the best time to publish this piece, 2 interesting things happened:
First of all, I saw this Tweet...(italics, mine)
T.D. Jakes (@BishopJakes) tweeted at 9:22 AM on Sun, Mar 04, 2018: When you serve you see more. God magnifies Himself. We often misinterpret the scripture. If we're waiting on the Lord, it doesn't mean that we wait and do nothing.  https://t.co/jUe8MHGuqL #TPHOnline #PrinciplesOfService #SundayMorning (https://twitter.com/BishopJakes/status/970333568919658498?s=09)

And then the next week I had training in another office. When I went to get tea, I wanted a different mug - after all I'm unique. Then I saw this mug that was spot on. As I made my tea, a lady came in and said, "Oh I love that mug..." We chatted a bit about how being peaceful is powerful. I said to her I find that being still in a storm is a source of strength...for me it has been.

So I encourage you to cultivate the habit and attitude of stillness - especially in the busy-ness of the world. You'll be amazed at how energized you are to do what you need to in those moments. "Be still" 

References:

https://bible.com/bible/105/psa.46.10.NCV

https://bible.com/bible/111/exo.14.14.NIV
*Google

**Isaiah 30:7 - For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. (KJV)

#HaveFaithInGod

Are you a WoV?

To wow the world as a WoW (Woman of Worth), you need to first be a WoV (after all, “V” comes before “W”).

The four things which “WoV” could stand for are interWoVen:

1. “Woman of Virtue” – Google defines “virtuous” as “behavior showing high moral standards.”
   Our go-to Bible verse when we talk about a Virtuous Woman is Proverbs 31:10: “An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.” (AMP, italics mine)
   Essentially, being a Woman of Virtue is not an end in itself…just a means to an end. Using different words, (to make it as easy as ABC for me), we must be Able, have good Behaviour and be Connected to God to be virtuous. Then, we can be(come) the next dimension of a WoV...
2. “Woman of Value” – the verse clearly tells us that a Woman of Virtue is also a Woman of Value – not a vain one.  BTW, the Lord expects the man (born-male) to find her. Our go-to verse when we talk about a woman being found is Proverbs 18:22. Let’s read it in 2 versions:

• A man’s greatest treasure is his wife— she is a gift from the Lord. (CEV)
• The man who finds a wife finds a good thing; she is a blessing to him from the Lord. (TLB)

This means that to be a gift and a blessing to one’s husband, you must already be blessed…as you cannot give what you don’t have. To be a Woman of Value, one must have value before becoming a wife, because a wife is found “As is”.

3. “Woman of Vision” – Proverbs 31:21 tells us how she is a Woman of Vision: “She doesn't worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.” (GNT) Note that she has prepared herself and her family for whenever it snows – which as we know can happen in any month of the year

Verse 25 goes on to say, “Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared]” (AMP). This is another pointer that this Woman of Virtue and Woman of Value is also a Woman of Vision.

 

         4. “Woman of Victory” – Synonyms of “Victory” include “Success,” “Triumph,” “Win,”                      "Conquest”

         Proverbs 12:4 says:

• A virtuous and excellent wife [worthy of honor] is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him [with her foolishness] is like rottenness in his bones. (AMP)
• A worthy wife is her husband’s joy and crown; the other kind corrodes his strength and tears down everything he does. (TLB)
  This verse is not saying that a wife “sits on her husband’s head.” Of course not! Imagine how that will weigh Him down if that’s what the verse meant. A crown indicates success and is a sign of victory. It’s noteworthy that even the woman’s husband says, “There are many fine women in the world, but you are the best of them all!” (Proverbs 31:29 - TLB)

Are you ready to wow the world as a WoW (Woman of Worth)? If yes, be committed and determined to be a WoV (Woman of Virtue, Value, Vision & Victory)!