My Strength is perfected in weakness... 2 Corinthians 12:9

This thought is amazing to me. In my weakness Christ is MORE glorified! This is completely opposite from what we've learned from the world. This world feeds our pride and we are led to believe we have to be something more than what He has called us to be in order to be appreciated and noticed. But here Christ is saying through our WEAKNESS and in our HUMILITY we are to present ourselves to Him so that His STRENGTH can be perfected in us. Only in recognizing and surrendering our weakness will we be made strong.  

2 Cor 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for the sake of Messiah. For only when I am weak, then I am strong!!! 

We can be confident in the strength and ability that He provides because our part is minimal. Here in 1 Corinthians 3 He’s showing us that we are merely planters and waters. ONLY ABBA is able to give the increase. Neither the planter nor the waterer are anything but all glory goes to ABBA and to Him alone.

1 Corinthians 3:6,7 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 💕

John 9:41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains. 

It's the acknowledgement of our weakness and our need for His Strength that's needed to enable us with the ability to accomplish anything. These verses should give us a new kind of confidence because being fruitful is then not based on our ability to produce. It’s based on our understanding and ACKNOWLEDGMENT of our weakness and then surrendering to the ONLY One that can give Strength and Power.

So we need only recognize and see our feeble state for what it actually is and seek Him daily for the guidance and strength that we need. He sees us as we really are and the weakness that we possess and He is wanting to strengthen us and enable us to do the work He has called us to do. Isaiah 40:29  He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might He increases strength 💕

The Bible tells us Christ first was crucified in weakness but now He lives with the power in which Elohim provides. We too, for though we are weak in the flesh it is through the power of Christ in our hearts and His manifestation in our lives; that gives us the power needed to overcome our weakness and reign with Him for eternity 💕

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters... psalm 23:2

Woke up this morning feeling unusually sad and a little bothered. Nothing in particular happened the day or night before so I wasn't real sure where this was coming from. Nevertheless, I didn't want to dwell in it so I prayed and asked God for His Strength and sent my good friend a message and asked her to pray for me as well.

After I started with the usual day to day routine. I read my Bible, spent some time in prayer, made breakfast, played with the baby, and started homeschool. I sat down and asked God to lead me in His plans for us this day. My daughter mentioned she wanted to go to a petting zoo and I figured that would be easy because there is one not too far away. Then I remembered on the way home from the grocery store yesterday a sign for a Lavender Farm. I'm not big into lavender but for some reason that sign really stood out in my mind so I looked it up and we got everyone ready to go.

This farm was one of the most beautiful and peaceful places we have ever been too. It's called White Oak Lavender Farm W.O.L.F in Manssanutten Virginia. With the smell of lavender everywhere, hammocks for everyone, and perfect 70 weather with a gentle breeze you felt like you were sleep walking through the entire place.

I even got to play and ALMOST beat my husband in a game of life size checkers 🎔 Next time...

I think I could have won if this little person didn't keep distracting me 💙

She kept asking to take pictures near the flowers. I couldn't stop noticing how beautiful God made her and He made her in my likeness. I think I got a glimpse of what He feels when He looks at us. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

This little boy is happy no matter where He is. God teaches me so much about contentment and patience in all circumstances through my son. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you 💕

They placed these hammocks right over the lavender bed. With the breeze blowing us in the hammocks and the smell of calming lavender everywhere. Me and my husband couldn't move for a couple of hours it was so relaxing! But she was a little too small to really enjoy them lol. 

So they played around the pond...

And he just wanted to play in the rocks 💙

So glad I waited on God and didn't allow my feelings from the morning to set the course of my emotions for the rest of the day. I had no idea God had so much in store for me today! To think, I would have missed out on all the amazing blessings he had planned. Only God can give the true peace that all of our hearts long and seek for.  Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage! I have overcome the world." 💕

We are not on this walk alone. We have a ABBA who loves us so much and plans all things for our good. Yes, in this world we will have trouble. But the one who have overcome this world is asking to live in our hearts so that He can give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. We need only to follow and surrender our will to His gentle and peaceful leading.

Psalms 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters 💕

My prayer💝 ABBA thank you so much for your leading. Your not only leading us in stillness and peace ABBA. But you are leading us on a path that leads straight to your presence for eternity. And I'm so thankful that in this life where trouble surrounds us you still delight to give us glimpses of your love for us. Please ABBA prepare us now to be fit to live in your Holy presence forever. Thank you so much for your love ♥

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares Yahuah

Pro 20:24  The steps of a man are from Yahuah, What does a man know about his own way? 💕

That's an excellent question! What does a man know about his own way. I have been thinking about this for some time and asking God to show me where do I end and He begin. But here in Pro 20:4 He shows us we can be confident that He is leading us in the way He has already chosen and prepared for us. And when we walk according to His will we bear all the good fruit and blessings He has in store for us.                                                                                                                       

His plan for us is perfect. He knows us better than we know ourselves so we can be confident in His ability to lead us. Oftentimes, it appears or it may seem as though I am making the decisions in my day-to-day life. It's easy to be deceived into believing that I am leading myself. But we have to remember we are but mere man and Pro 21:1 reminds us that our lives are in the hand of our creator and He is able to turn us as He wishes. He doesn't want to force us but He wants us to AGREE with His plan and trust He knows what is best. But we have to have a willing heart and TRUST that His way is better even if we can't see or understand at the moment.

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahuah; He turns it wherever He wishes. 💕

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a man are established by Yahuah, And He delights in his way. 💕

What a joyful thought to know and understand that as long as I surrender my will. I have a Father in heaven who establishes ALL my paths. John 3:8  “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”  You see, similar to the wind we feel it and see the effects of it but we don't know from where it originates. Although I may not see the clear direction and understand completely how He is able to direct and guide me in the plans He has for me. I take joy in knowing that He is more than able to accomplish what He has spoken. That's where our Faith really becomes alive to us, when we get to view a first hand account of where our surrender meets His establishment of all our steps.

note: Wind and Spirit have the same underlying Hebrew and Greek words.

Faith= the confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Isaiah 52:12  But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will protect you from behind. 💕

Alot of times when God shares something with me, I have a very hurried mindset. It's almost as if He told me too late, and now I have to hurry and get it done since I'm so far behind. And yes, while we shouldn't be slack concerning the things God has given us to do, we still have to remember He is the one that will perform the end result. We need only to be still, Surrender our will, Trust, and Follow His leading. Isaiah 52:12 reminds us there is no need to make haste decisions. Be diligent, Yes, in obedience! But, if He has promised to go before us we can rest in confidence knowing the crooked places have been made straight for us and we need only to be attentive in listening and following Him to the place which He has prepared for us.

Exodus 23:20 "Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.  💕

Isaiah 45:2  I  will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I shatter the gates of bronze and cut down the bars of iron.  💕

Oh, if we had a heart to understand the depths of His love for us! Would we ever trust our will more than His? If only our spiritual eyes could be opened and we could really see Our ABBA and His infinite love for us.  If we could understand fully how His thoughts are constantly toward us thinking and longing for our benefit. Psa 139:17-18 How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You 💕. How could we not surrender our will to this kind of outpouring of love? What better plan could we possibly have than His when His love and His concern for every detail in our lives is far greater than we could even imagine. His plan is perfect, and it is my joy to surrender to whatever He has planned for me. Help us surrender our will to you ABBA. Lead us in your perfect plans🎔

Give thanks! 1 Thessalonians 5:18; In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you

As I read this verse I can't but stop to reflect on my day. I was so consumed by all the things that were going wrong. In my apartment building each resident is assigned two parking spot. When I was leaving for work I noticed that another tenant was parked in one of my spot. I immediately allowed the enemy to take a foot hold of my thoughts and all day the parking spot was at the top of my thoughts. Without realizing, it prevented from embracing God's love and blessings that He provided for the day. 

Now laying in bed thinking how horrible my day was; my loving Father in His mercy quiets my mind and peacefully shows me all that He has done for me throughout the day and the peace I missed because I didn't have a heart of gratitude. First Thessalonians 5:18 reminds me to always have a heart of thankfulness and to trust God's perfect molding of my character in each situation I encounter in life.

Let us not allow the cares of this world to cloud our minds from the bountiful blessings God provides for us each day. We will most certainly regret it in the end. 

"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Mark 4:19

-Yonique Coley

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares Yahuah. Isa 55:8

I'm so thankful for this lesson God has been teaching me. He's been showing me that I can't put my expectations on Him. I have to let Him show me who He is by the way that He leads me and learn from Him this way. Isa 42:16 "I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone."  

We only get disappointed when things don't go as we expected or like we assumed He should do things for us. We should never expect God to work according to our Earthly expectations based on the former things. God told me He is doing something new! Isa 43:19 "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.  

I can't look at how He's dealt with me before when my back was away from Him and I was headed down the wrong path. The path that leads to death and the path that leads to Life does not look the same. It doesn't bear the same fruit. Thank God He has seen fit in His mercy to lead me to the path that gives Life. So I won't expect the same results, I will observe, be still, and know that He is Elohim. Psa 46:10

My prayer: ABBA help us to see You as You lead us. Help us to not cling to unfair expectations of You that was sown in deceit. Let me have confidence that in every way your leading me, you love me enough to lead me straight to Your Presence, forever. Your ways are perfect. Your ways are not my ways. I will trust in all that you're doing to lead me home. ABBA, I love you so much.

Keturah <3