T.H.I.N.K.

As I quietly rolled in 2023 I spent a lot of time reflecting on highs and lows of 2022. On New Year’s Eve 2021, I remember hearing a prophetic word that included... 1) In 2022 there would be a reckoning of sorts and 2) to pay close attention to what you speak because it would come to pass. Periodically throughout the year, particularly while I was fasting, I heard the same thing from various sources over and over, making me become much more aware of the words that I spoke.

• Am I speaking life or am I speaking death over situations, dreams, relationships, etc.?

• Am I building bridges in gaps of understanding in difficult situations, instead of adding to the criticism or division by choosing a side?

• I also wondered, “if everything that I spoke came true, would I be happy with the outcome?”

That’s a scary thought… So even though not perfect, I did my best to speak only positive things and to shut my mouth when I was having frustrating or negative thoughts. I’m not gonna lie, some curse words slipped out here and there through some big life and world events, but I have largely shifted what I speak into the world and into my own life.

As I mentioned in my last blog, others have commented that they noticed at times that almost immediately things that I had spoken happened right before our eyes. I’ll tell you that feels great when it’s something that you have been hoping for, but what do you do when you start seeing things manifested that may be what you prayed for but is not at all how you expected it to look? It may even cause people you love pain! Well I can tell you it sucks… it has hurt tremendously to see people in my life have to live with consequences of their actions, words or decisions, yet have the discipline to stand down and not try to fix it or impose my feelings/thoughts into their situation. Have you found yourself in this position recently?

I have been avoiding writing this post because I didn’t know how to communicate this important lesson without violating the privacy of people that I care about, yet I’ve had to watch them fall and suffer in recent months, weeks and even days.

I am learning that everyone has their own journey and that to interfere, even when you must watch their suffering does more harm than good. Right before COVID hit in February 2020, I attended a workshop on how to open and facilitate a group home with a few ministry partners. Until this past month, I had forgotten about a testimony that a therapist shared during her lesson about setting and holding boundaries when dealing with people in crisis. She explained that trying to be their savior will not only burn you out, but they will become codependent with you, and it will “deny God the opportunity to show up in their life and their circumstance.”

Here is the story that she shared. It was 4:45pm, just a few minutes before her shift was over and one of the residents in the group home came running to her hysterical and in crisis. The girl begged for her to stay and talk with her because she didn’t believe she would make it through the night. The therapist knew that she was in a safe space so it was not a life-or-death situation that would require her to stay so she told her that she would be back in the morning, and she promptly left at 5pm. Well, she came in the next day to learn that overnight the resident had had an encounter with God that changed her life! She shared, that had she stayed that person wouldn’t have been alone long enough for God to step in and show himself in her situation. That was powerful then and even more so now that I’ve had to apply it in multiple situations within the past month or so.

In all situations, it required discipline to exercise restraint, yet demonstrate compassion for their pain WITHOUT JUDGEMENT. Yep! That has been tough. I have been prompted even when I didn’t want to, to pray for some people and now watch from a distance what it looks like when for God to answer that prayer, He must take extreme measures to disrupt the pattern of dysfunction to hit the reset button and guide them into a do-over.

I’m still watching, and it still hurts, but it gives me peace that I see God’s hand all over each of them and their respective circumstances. I will also say, I am extremely grateful for the mercy that God has shown me in my seasons of wandering in the wilderness and hard course correction(s). I am even more grateful that He dealt with my issues and mistakes privately and not publicly, while teaching me to extend the same grace that I needed at my worst moments in life.

I don’t know about you but from where I’m sitting, if you made it to 2023 it appears to me that God is not allowing us to continue in the same patterns that we’ve gotten away with in years past.

It’s time to clean house ya’ll! Get your priorities straight! Get your health right! Stop making excuses for why you are still stuck in the hamster wheel and figure out what habits/lifestyle choices are not serving you in the RIGHT WAY and decide to do something different! At the very least, start paying attention to what comes out of your mouth!

Happy New Year! Love, Peace and Abundant blessings to you all!

Until next time...