The Prayer That Changed The Game For Me

The more I grow in my faith, the more comfortable I’m getting with surrendering the steps and outcomes of my life over to God concerning every area of my life. If He’s not orchestrating or approving the moves, the relationships, or the blessings in my life, I don’t want them or need them. After all, it would be insane for me to move forward without His consent. When I’ve made decisions without checking in with Him, I have, however, invited unnecessary stress, setbacks, pain, and humiliating moments into my life that could’ve been avoided if I’d just checked in with Him first.

His answers to all of our requests are usually yes, no, or not right now.

I honestly don’t like when I get a no or a not right now with different things I’ve prayed for, waited for, and felt ready for, but His ways are what’s best. Isaiah 55:8-9 reads, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

During different seasons when I wasn’t getting what I wanted, I felt like God was unfair. And I started questioning Him and wrestling with doubt. Now I have a things will happen the way He wants them to happen, or they won’t happen at all mindset. I no longer try to force outcomes and put my hands on things only He can do, change, or fix. Distinguishing where I need to surrender by stepping aside and giving Him the space to move has been challenging to navigate sometimes but has ultimately been what’s best. My prayer of surrender (and one that’s changed the game for me) has typically gone -- God, this is what I want. If this is what you want, let’s do this. If not, help me to trust you have something else in mind. You’re still so good even when I get what I want and when I don’t.

I won’t make a career decision without Him.

I won’t sign a contract or take a business deal without Him.

I won’t accept a relationship, a proposal, or a marriage without Him.

I won’t make a life-changing decision without Him.

And I won’t do life without Him.

I need His approval and confirmation first.

Surrendering to what God wants for you will always be better than what you think is best for you, even if you don’t like or fully understand what He’s doing in the process. The processing stage is necessary. It’s also the birthing place of transition. It’s the same place your endurance is being built, your patience is being strengthened, and your character and motives are being tested and developed so that you’re ready for what He has for you.

The question is will you go your own way, or will you align yourself with what God wants for you?

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken t...

Making Waves