.....::::: A WOMAN'S WORTH :::::.....

Hi everyone!!!! Anyone who knows me knows that I am an avid social networker! What that means is that I love everything about social media. I love the fact that we can interact and “communicate” with people around the world even if this form of communication is somewhat artificial and not concrete. So basically, I was on Instagram the other day and saw a picture with a very powerful quote that got my attention…

“It’s best to wait for God’s very best. Because second best is not good enough for His daughter.”

Wow…I read that and was touched. Why? Because we live in a society (not all of it) that makes our women believe that they deserve anything but the best. But to truly understand what is best for you, one must know what it is that God wants for you and how He sees you.

Since God is our Father, what father wouldn't want what is best for his child? Then again, what father wouldn't want what is best for his little girl? To all you girls, women and ladies out there, God cherishes you and loves you so much!!! In my opinion, one of God's greatest creations, if not the greatest, is the woman. Why? Because you are just beautiful, strong and awesome! Let no one tell you otherwise!

God doesn’t want your existence to be defined by anyone but Him. We live in a world where we give women the idea that they need a man to be someone in today’s society. But that isn’t true! And far from the truth I might add! There are countless women who have excelled without the presence of a man in their lives and even those that do have a man in their lives, still strive to not conform to this way of thinking. For example, one of the women I respect the most, my older sister, is one of those women. To make a long story short, losing both our parents at a young age was tough but not once did my sister call it quits. She strived to prove everyone wrong and where did it lead her? She is happily working and has her own house and a successful career. She did that without necessarily needing the help of a man. I am not saying that being dependent is wrong. No. What I am saying is that instead of seeking the attention or the presence of a man to define you, lean on God. He is the ONLY one I know that can heal you when you are broken, give you rest when you are tired and fulfill your needs when you don’t even know what they are. Instead of needing a spouse and, in some cases, kids to find your worth as a woman, realize that success is measured only in following God and making the most of where He has you in life. With God shaping your perspective, there's no such thing as failure.

But how does the Bible see or portray women though? Well you will be shocked…IT COMPLETELY DOES THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT SOCIETY TELLS WOMEN THEY ARE! (Did you like my sarcasm?…No? Not funny? Okay…I tried…)

Proverbs 31:10-31 "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 23Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 24She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” 30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Yes, the renown proverb recited by many and even used as a model by most women around the world. The Bible acknowledges and celebrates the priceless value of a virtuous woman. Pay attention to verse 10 though: “She is worth far more than rubies.” So basically, to back my claim that women are one of God’s most amazing, (if not the most amazing) creations, Proverbs 31:10 states that women are worth far more than this very precious, expensive and valuable stone! When someone tells you that you are worthless, remind them that you are worth more than rubies but that no amount of money can buy you! Know your worth! The Bible rightly exalts women against cultures that distort, degrade, and debase them. But like I stated, not everyone sees this…

It is sad because women are actually used and abused more today than at any time in history. How so? Well trafficking women, making them sex salves and trading them like animals for sexual slavery is something that is very much alive and visible in the world that we live in. Literally selling women for money or favors is allowed today. Prostitution is one of the world’s most infamous sources of revenue. There is also the pornography industry that turns women into objects and victims. Here in America, the so-called more "civilized" places, men routinely use women for no-consequence, no-commitment sex only to leave them pregnant, without care and support. Even ancient cultures were no better...some Greek philosophers, yeah, the ones considered to have the brightest minds of their era--taught that women are inferior creatures by nature. Woah…what?! These people TAUGHT others that women, one of God’s greatest creations were INFERIOR…!!!!??? This has got to stop! But it can only stop when women understand what it is that they are TRULY worth! KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!

Enough of the negatives, let’s revisit the positives again because there is still so much!!!

In the very first chapter of the Bible, if you pay close attention, we are taught that women, like men, bear the stamp of God's own image (Genesis 1:27; 5:1-2). So basically, men and women were created equal! The role that women play is a VERY IMPORTANT ONE! Wives are seen as venerated PARTNERS and CHERISHED companions to their husbands, not merely slaves or pieces of household furniture (Genesis 2:20-24; Proverbs 19:14; Ecclesiastes 9:9). Even in the 10 commandments, God commanded that children are to honor both father and mother (Exodus 20:12).  

Jesus Christ, God Himself, loved and respected women. Jesus’ disciples included several women too. Don’t believe me? Read Luke 8:1-3. What did it mean to be a disciple though? It meant that you were a personal follower of Jesus during His life on Earth. For example, the twelve Apostles. But they weren’t the only ones to follow Jesus. His disciples that were women consisted of Lazarus’ sisters (Mary and Martha), Mary (His mother), Mary Magdalene and the list goes on. This was a something almost unheard of among the teachers of His day. Being the revolutionary that He is, Jesus even encouraged their discipleship by showing everyone that their service was something more useful than staying at home (Luke 10:38-42). When I think about it, Christ even revealed His own identity as the true Messiah to a Samaritan woman (John 4:25-26). We should follow His example because He always treated women with the utmost dignity--even women who might otherwise be regarded as outcasts and rejected (Matthew 9:20-22; Luke 7:37-50; John 4:7-27). He blessed their children (Luke 18:15-16), raised their dead (Luke 7:12-15), forgave their sin (Luke 7:44-48), and restored their virtue and honor (John 8:4-11). Thus He exalted the position of womanhood itself. (http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/a265/the-biblical-portrait-of-women-setting-the-record-straight)


To finish up this post, I just want to say that the most significant women in Scripture were influential not because of their careers, but because of their character. It doesn’t matter how much money you make because that doesn’t define you. It doesn’t matter who you date or marry, because that doesn’t define you. It doesn’t matter what you have done in your past, that doesn’t define you! Regardless of what the world tells you, that you need makeup to be beautiful, or you need to dress a certain way or your body needs to be a certain way, don’t buy into that! God is an artist. He creates masterpieces. True works of art! Be proud and embrace the fact that you ARE ONE OF HIS MANY PIECES OF ART!!! That is why God doesn't want you guys "testing waters" before finding your "Mr. Right” for example. He wants you to stay focused and pure while He prepares you to embrace and receive your other half. Ladies, a father does not want his daughter with just anyone. He wants his daughter to be with the BEST! And what is the best in this case? Someone who is a mirror image (at least tries to be) of God. Be vigilant though! What you might think is best for you at the moment, may not be what God wants for you. Why would He let you compromise following Him for someone who will make you stray away from Him by doing things you shouldn't? Stay blessed, God wants the best for you ladies and know your worth!!!


"True feminine beauty is not about external adornment, "arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel"; real beauty is manifest instead in "the hidden person of the heart...the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: EVERYBODY NEEDS A HERO :::::.....

When you think of the word “hero”, what comes to mind? What is a hero exactly? A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Now what is a super hero? A super hero is a benevolent fictional character with superhuman powers, such as Superman. Besides Superman, there is Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, The Green Lantern, The Green Arrow, Wonder Woman amongst MANY others. But what qualities must a hero have? 

A hero must be willing to sacrifice for his or her cause. A hero must show signs of determination, loyalty, courage, dedication, selflessness, conviction, focus, gallantry, fortitude, compassion, and bravery. The Bible states it best when it says in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” In my opinion, this is what makes Jesus Christ the greatest hero that this world will ever know. Why? Because He willingly laid His life on the cross for those He calls His friends. 

What makes Jesus Christ a hero…? No…a SUPER HERO?! Well THAT’S EASY!!! Let’s start in the garden of Eden. 

In the Garden of Eden, we find Adam and Eve after they have been created by God Himself. Fast forwarding a little, we find the same Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit that they were warned not to eat. They were tempted and fell to Satan’s plan. Enter THE hero!!! In John 3:16-17, it states that “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.” Some might read this and wonder what that has to do with Adam and Eve but the reason those two verses are so important is because the entire gospel comes to a focus right here! Man was separated from God by his desire to act on his own. However, God already had a plan in motion to overcome the effects of the rebellion. Enter Jesus Christ. 

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No…IT’S THE CROSS?! Jesus Christ is a good guy of course. Like many super heroes, Jesus goes by many aliases; Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Word, Lamb of God, Christ, Savior, Rabbi, Teacher, Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah, and many more! Like most super heroes, Jesus has one enemy; Satan. Throughout the Bible, there is a never ending struggle between the forces of good and evil but let me tell you, I have read the ending and God wins!

Jesus demonstrates various traits of a hero throughout the Bible. Jesus never made any mistakes. He knows all, created all and has authority and power over all. John 1:1 states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” What this means is that He couldn’t make mistakes since He already knew everything. Even though Jesus was fully human, He was also fully God. Even though He made Himself fully human, He never stopped being the eternal God who always existed. Rest assured that since this hero knows everything, He knows you too! He knows when you need help, when you need saving. He will be there!

Christ was also fearless. He willingly gave Himself to be crucified for us to fulfill the Will of God. He never possessed a spirit of fear and neither should we! “For God has not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7). Jesus was also even-tempered. When you think of an angry super hero, you may think of the Hulk. Let’s face it, Jesus did get angry but not the same kind of anger that we tend to get when something goes wrong for us. Jesus displayed righteous anger for the misuse of God’s house, He never possessed selfish fleshly anger. 

For those who follow and read comic books, we all know that super heroes have their weaknesses. When we think of Superman, we think of his near invulnerability but even the fictional Superman has his own weaknesses. For example, Superman almost instantly becomes weak when exposed to green kryptonite. But Jesus Christ on the other hand has no weakness. He has powerful words that still cause people’s heart to change towards allegiance with the Kingdom of God.
Satan tempted to weaken Jesus in the wilderness but could find no weakness in Him. Every time satan would tempt Him, Jesus replied by stating the scriptures. 

Super heroes also tend to wear masks to hide their true identities. Some super heroes, like Spiderman for example, wear a mask to avoid placing their loved ones in danger. Jesus didn’t have to wear a mask. He was transparent. He didn’t need a created identity or a double-lifestyle. He simply walked with God. Because He was fully human and fully God, even the demons knew His true identity. This is shown in Luke 4:34-36. Jesus has the authority to drive out demons and destroy them. Though He did tell them to be quiet because it was not the right time to let it be known, this scenario proves that Jesus Christ truly is Lord. 

A hero is also compassionate. On numerous occasions, Jesus showed compassion towards people’s signs of faith. But you can imagine, Jesus had to be a busy man. He constantly healed, prayed and taught. But that’s what makes Him so amazing til this very day! He is never too busy! Jesus connected with people. Even though He would find time to pray to His father, He loved helping others and found time to help those in need. 

Super powers…Superman has super strength and the list goes on…Wolverine can regenerate and has adamantine claws…but Jesus has the greatest power of all…the right to call Himself God! God controls everything right? From the very dirt to even the weather. Speaking of weather, some super heroes fight during the storm but in Mark 4:35-41, Jesus told the storm to calm down and it obeyed. He controls the elements. Unlike Thor, Jesus didn’t need weapons because He IS God’s ultimate weapon against the enemy. 

And last but not least, a super hero always defies the odds. Jesus did exactly that! Jesus defeated death. He defeated the one enemy that heroes all succumb to. Though He accepted to take on the punishment of sin for all mankind, He rose after 3 days and foiled Satan’s scheme! The reality of the resurrection brings joy! Because He defied the odds and rose from His death, we can be assured that He will accomplish all He promises. 

In the beginning, I said that Jesus was a super hero. And in it’s definition, it says that a super hero is a "benevolent fictional character […]”. But that is wrong! Jesus is real and He is eager to save you. Jesus was not your ordinary person. He is fully human yet fully God and He died to save you. He was determined to trade His life for yours. We all want to be saved by someone, at some point in our lives. Let Jesus come to your rescue. Not as your “Superman” but as your Savior. How can Jesus Christ save you today? I pray that He saves you from any shape or form the enemy may come in to try and harm you. Everybody needs a hero! Just call on Him!

Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

.....::::: CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE? :::::.....

Ever look at yourself in the mirror and think, "wow, I have changed?" Have you ever realized the changes your body goes through over the years? Amazing right? It's even more amazing when others can tell the difference as well! The same thing goes for your walk with Christ. Have you ever worried about whether or not you really are a Christian, if you have changed or are you in the same place you were before you experiemented Him?

But what is a Christian though? A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him or her. Some people believe that to be Christian, one must be perfect. But that is far from the truth.

No one is born perfect. Whether you are a believer in Jesus Christ or not, no one comes close to perfection but Christ himself. But how do you differentiate your lifestyle to that of those who are not Christians? What makes your walk any different than others?

In the Bible, in Ephesians 5 verse 8, we are called to live as children of the light. The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians to leave behind their sinful ways and their old life of sin. Yeah...I know it's hard, especially when everyone else around you is doing the cool and seemingly fun things but at what cost?

Living the Christian life is a process. It's an everyday thing. Yes, we do fall short of God's glory everyday but that shouldn't be the reason one decides to give up and do what he or she wants while screaming, "yolo" to the sky. Being a Christian means that our new nature and identity are found in Jesus Christ. Although we have a new nature, we don't automatically think all good thoughts and express all right attitudes right away. But that is the beauty of it! If we keep listening to God, the beautiful change is bound to happen with help from the Holy Spirit.

Looking towards the future, you can't help but feel positive and optimistic! Why? Because our old way of living life before we believed in Christ and His mission on Earth, death on the cross and His resurrection, is COMPLETELY in the past! Like clothes that have become too small for us, we should outgrow our old sinful lives and find peace and tranquility in Jesus. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He was the replacement for your old life! Our "old self," our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from our past. We need no longer live under sin's power. For us to return tk the things we used to do in the past is basically making Christ's actions on the cross be for nothing. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots and we may even sin but our sin does not define us! The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Jesus Christ.

To conclude, we need to seek the One who can help us change. The way the world we live in functions, it does the exact opposite of what God recommends that we do. Instead of loving, society often discriminates. Instead of finding joy in God, it tells us to find joy in almost everything but Him. Instead of being at peace, patient, kind, good, faithful and gentle, the world demonstrates the opposite. And when it comes to self-control, it tells us that we "only live once". Think about a time before your walk with Christ and look at yourself now. Do you see the changes? And if so, how are you helping others seek that change too? Even if you can't see the changes now, hope is not lost. Let God speak to you today. Have a blessed day and stay in faith!

Ephesians 4:17-24 "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

.....::::: WHY SETTLE FOR LESS? :::::.....

We humans are a very incredible and perplex creation. From us being able to take action and even the emotions we are able to feel; everything is just so amazing! God really did an amazing job! But the choices we make don’t always reflect God’s character though. It often leads me to ask this question: “When your standards are fulfilled, why settle for less?” 

What does settle mean exactly? To settle is to accept or agree to something that one considers to be less than satisfactory. In this post I will give you 5 examples of how NOT to settle for less. Crazy thing is that the 5 examples are actually true stories. Haven’t you noticed that when you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for? Pay attention.

First, I have a friend named Bray. He dated this girl named Sandy for almost 3 years. Bray loved Sandy. He did anything and everything for her. He would work a part time job and most of his paychecks were either put into providing for her (even though she had a job already) or to spend time with her. He put so much energy into their relationship that he even began to lose friends until she was the only friend that he had left. Of course, like every couple, they had their differences but their differences were always resolved because Bray looked at the bigger picture; his love for her. At that point in time, neither Bray nor Sandy’s faith in Jesus Christ was solid. So then came a very crucial moment in Bray’s life. Bray decided to enroll himself into University. What this meant for Sandy was that she would spend less time with Bray. So what did Sandy do? She settled for less. After almost 3 years of love, regardless of the hardships, she cheated. She cheated on Bray because she would see him less than usual (even though Bray made the effort to still see her as much as he did before getting into University). She had everything she could ever ask for in a man but wanted more, regardless of who she hurt in the process. Hmmm can some of you relate? Moving on…

The second example is actually that of Adam and Eve. We all may know the story but there is so much more to it than what we may know. Adam was the first human being on Earth. Fortunately, God didn’t let Adam be alone for too long before presenting him with an ideal companion and mate, Eve. They were complete, innocent, one and without a hint of shame. One of Adam’s first conversations with his delightful new companion must have been about the rules of the garden of Eden. Even before God made Eve, He gave Adam complete freedom in the garden, with the responsibility to tend and care for it. But one tree was off limits, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam would have told Eve about this, so when Satan approached her, she would send him running. Wrong! Even though she knew, even though she had everything she could ever ask for, she did what? She settled for less. Wait…how is this “less”, you might be asking. What is one single fruit compared to a whole garden? Does that answer your question? Eve ate the fruit and then offered some to Adam. At that moment, the fate of creation was on the line. Adam then ate the fruit as well. Man was separated from God by his own desire to act on his own. Hmmm…

Then there was David! David was a shepherd, poet, giant-killer, king, ancestor of Jesus - in short, David was one of the greatest men in the Old Testament of the Bible. He is remembered and respected for his heart for God. God even referred to David as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22). But do not be fooled, David was a man. He made mistakes as well; enter Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the wife of a man named Uriah the Hittite. But how is she linked to David? She later became David’s wife. She is most known for having committed adultery with David (king at the time). Like I stated before, we tend to make crazy choices. David, a man after God’s heart, ancestor of Jesus, greatest king of Israel, settled for less! He could have had anyone he wanted, but he chose another man’s wife. He settled.

Like they say, “the apple never falls far from the tree…”. What this means in this context is “like father, like son”. David had a son; his name was Solomon. Solomon is our 4th example. He would go on and ask God for wisdom. But choice after choice, one could really ask if Solomon put into action what he asked for. Before David died, he told Solomon to obey God’s laws and to “walk in His ways”. Just because Solomon had this wisdom, it did not make him immune to making mistakes. He had been given great possibilities as the king of God’s chosen people, but with them came great responsibilities; unfortunately, he tended to make mistakes and neglect his responsibilities. How? He made many agreements with foreign leaders by marrying women that did not worship God but idols. He even allowed his wives to affect his loyalty to God. Solomon, one of the wisest of them all, settled.

And last but not least…"you and I". If you have read the Bible or not, it is filled with promises of the things God has in store for us. All He asks is that we stay obedient and have faith. But when those two things don’t really sound fun anymore, especially when others are doing the opposite, we settle. For example, God asks us not to have sex before marriage. Sex is an act reserved for those who are married right? But as time goes by, you get impatient. You are tired of waiting for the person God is reserving for you, and since all your friends are doing it, why not?! Well…let me tell you…you just settled! All that does is “open doors” that should never have been opened! Especially if you don’t see yourself getting married with that person. God is more than happy to give you what you NEED in His timing but we tend to settle for the “right now” instead. 

So basically what this post was intended to show you was that regardless of the situation, either in love, at work, promises that were made etc, do not settle! God has a plan for you. Be patient and have faith. If you already received, believe you received or have received confirmation that “something” or “someone” is God’s will for your life, why would you go after something less? Why choose the number 3 at McDonald’s when you’re on the road, when God is saving a juicy steak for you when you get home? Think about it! Stay blessed and in faith!