As I spent some time meditating this morning, I did a quick review of my life, and I realized that I had been very lax, in the type of lifestyle that I had led. It didn't really matter, what I ate; really didn't matter if I studied; didn't really matter, whether or not, I exercised; whether or not, I prayed; whether or not my relationship with the Lord was growing or decreasing! I realized that I had slid my way through life, not really being "matter of fact" about anything!! It just, "was, what it was!" (ever heard that saying?!). Well, let me tell you, what happens, when things don't really matter! And when you just allow things to be, ....just what they are!!!! It is the perfect formula for an unhealthy lifestyle! You made it to this point with no major goals, no positive mind set, and no real necessity, to include God into your "comfortable" lifestyle! Oh yes! It was cozzy comfy!! I didn't really do anything that I didn't feel like doing, and I pretty much did, what I wanted to do, regardless of spiritual back lash or the "time-to-time" guilt that would stop by momentarily!
But, let's go back to my conversation with the Lord! Something came out of my mouth that surprised me! I told God, that, I appreciated Him for where He has brought me! I told him, that because of the consequences of my actions, bad decisions, wrong choices, & failures; It brought me to a place of readiness! It brought me to a place of "healthiness"....."healthiness, in Him!"..... and in my life!
As we all know, problems have a way of bringing you to your knees; However, allowing God to have His way in your life, isn't always what we opt for, when we get up off of our knees! Just like, with a fad diet, you can find yourself right back, on the wrong side of His will for you! Well, I came to my senses, one day, and I realized that, I was making life, much harder than God had planned for it to be! And that I was the creator of more storms, than the Lord, had EVER, planned to send my way! And that I held on to pain, far longer, than He hoped, that I would! ....Sometimes I wonder! how many tears, were the result of my unhealthy lifestyle? How much pain could have been avoided? .....Had I not, been starving spiritually, would my choices have been different? (when you are hungry, you always select, for the moment, and not for the future!) ...Well,what I have found out was; that God has always been good, and that a healthy lifestyle had been laid out before me the entire time, but I had chosen the unhealthy things in life to sustain me!.....And as the saying goes!.."you are, what you eat"!!!! ......It is absolutely the truth! What you have chosen for your life's nutrition, shows, physically, mentally, and spiritually!!! One day, I made up in my mind that I was going to switch nutrition plans!!!! This was major! Because, this meant, that I was about to work towards transforming my body, transforming my mind, transforming my attitude, and most of all! transforming the most important part of all; and that meant! .............a transformed relationship with the Savior! Once upon a time, I was malnourished! not receiving the nutrients that I needed to be strong and healthy! Nutrients, such as healthier foods, prayer, fasting, and reading the Word of God, which, by the way, gives you, spiritual, Omega-3's (The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), all working to create a healthier you!!! How's your health? ...Are you feeling down? depressed? depleted of all of your energy?....Go to the Father, and ask him for an assessment! He's been waiting for you to make this appointment! And He's ready to give you a full consultation, on how you can be on your way, to a much healthier YOU!!
Wow!! Sitting here thinking, after one of the most powerful and inspiring prayer line calls, that we have ever had!!!!
One thing that God seems to reveal to me, more and more, is the absolute necessity for my storms! Looking back over my life; and I'm only talking about the last 10 years or so! I have had some heavy storms! I even have some "storm damage" as a result of some of those storms! ...Still, cleaning up debris! from some of those storms! But, when I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all that He has done for me!!! .....I tell you! I could be dead! I could be out of my mind! stuck in a habit, that I can't break! sitting in a jail cell, walking the streets, both helpless! and hopeless! ...But God!!!
As I sat in my car; having listened to (2) powerful, yet, painful testimonies, I realized that Praises were going up!! ........What?!? Praises going up? Where could it be coming from? .......I'll tell you, where it was coming from? It was coming as a result of pain!! ...Pain that didn't kill them, but made them stronger!! It was coming from pain! ....Pain that didn't "take" their minds, but "kept" their minds! ...The praise was coming from the pain! Pain, that the enemy thought would be the end of their story, but it was the beginning of their story!! .....I thought to myself! "the enemy is confused right now!" because like them; he thought he had me too!! He didn't know that when you know Jesus as "daddy!" definitions start to change! When you're a child of the Most High King! Pain means praise! and storms means strength!!! and tears bring triumph!
Check your status after the storm! Are you better? are you stronger? is your faith preserved? Is your joy in tact? ......I didn't ask you, was it tough?....I didn't ask you, did you cry? I didn't ask you, if it shook your faith? ...or if you laid in bed at night, confused!...Because I know that all of this may have taken place, during your storm, but check your status!!!! Go ahead, check for storm damage!...and tell me; now that the skies have cleared! ...where are you at now? ...now that the storm is over? Can you still see Jesus? ...after the storm? Can you still lift your hands in worship? ....after the storm? Can you shout Glory Hallelujah! ...after your storm? Can you say thank you Jesus!... after your storm? If you are still here! and you made it through, and you feel like you can go a little higher, and walk a little further! then go ahead and give God some praise!! You gave him praise before your storm!....and as long as he is YOUR daddy!!!!...He will give you a praise......after your storm!
