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MY TRANSPARENT
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 How much are you worth to you? You are most certainly valued by God but how much are you worth to YOU? Why is investing in yourself so powerful? This world sometimes leaves us feeling as though we have been kicked around, empty, and wondering if it’s all worth it—or if we are worth it. We get stuck into feeling guilty that all of our energy, time and efforts should be placed on our marriages, our children, in our home and on a whole host of other things before we can even begin to invest in ourselves. Our Father is concerned about our well being. Investing in ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually is crucial for a thriving and abundant life! Investing in yourself, sends a powerful message to yourself and others that you value you and the potential that you possess. You are showing you and others that you are important enough to use the energy, space and time to grow and create results. This is a valuable lesson that I learned for myself. I was a person that invested so much time into my family and those I loved and often times put myself on the back burner. I was saying yes to their needs and no to my own. And after I saw very clearly that putting that much energy into others consistently and never investing into my dreams and desires, I was allowing myself to be victimized, and being the victim ain't hot all the time. I had to learn to say yes to me! When you’re willing to say yes, and take that leap of faith to invest in yourself, the Father will provide you with amazing rewards. His ROI (return on investment) will exceed your expectations. And I am a living witness to this, I have accomplished quite a few of my goals by investing into what matters to me most. You are precious, your worth caring for and investing in yourself can be one of the best returns on investments you can have. Whether it’s investing in learning a new skill, pursuing your passion, developing yourself personally or professionally, tapping into your creativity or hiring a coach; it is our responsibility to take the time to develop our gifts and talents, so we can best serve others. Investing in yourself is an example of loving oneself, and backing you boo is the best investment you can ever make! - Have you invested yourself physically, emotionally or spiritually? I can help you invest in you to get the best out of you. Visit my Empowerment and Mentorship page to find out how you can put faith with your works to get your abundant life! ⁸ If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.
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 This past weekend had to be then most rewarding weekends that I have experienced in life. We hosted The Sanctuary Ministries first Feast of Ingathering (found in Leviticus 23) on October 19, 2019. I was assigned a very risky and bold task, to gather the Body of Christ for The Sanctuary’s first celebration of the Feast in a brick and mortar, (we have honored this season in prior years via our virtual tabernacle). When I accepted this task, I knew first-hand the challenge that laid before us, as many consider this to be a "jewish" celebration, but I am in the season of taking the risks to be obedient. In my study, I learned that in Hebrew the word for “feast” is “mo’ed,” and one of its important meanings is “appointed time.” I knew that this risk was unpopular, but I knew that it was the appointed time and I was willing to take the risk. Risk very simply are actions that exposes one to the possibility of loss or injury. Well, risks shouldn't be something that we as those that know Him should be afraid to take. We serve a God that is a risk taker. God apparently thinks the risk of creating and empowering free creatures was worth the chance He took on creating us, mankind. His risks, are judiciously chosen for the possibility of promoting abundant life. But they're still risks. So I took on the risks despite what I felt and what people said, I knew that I had to do this for HIM because He told me in Scripture that it was supposed to be done. And everything that I calculated could happen taking on this risk happened. As we drew closer to October 19, 2019, it crossed my mind to cancel and return my life back to normal, but nothing is “normal” about a life with God. He requires us to die to ourselves and keep our eyes on doing the impossible. Thank God my tribe kept me focused on moving forward with the plan. I had so much going on personally the month leading up to the event and I did not feel well the week of the event. I was moving slow and was low on energy. So the night we arrived in the hotel I still had to print material for Saturday's event. I was tired. I was worn out. And I just wanted to sleep. But Monte reminded me of the importance of making the copies. So he encouraged me to the business center in the lobby of the hotel and that's where my risk intersected with my appointed time. As I sat in the hotel lobby at about 2.30 am on Saturday morning printing the material for The Ingathering, I was getting an eye full with the lobby traffic that occurs in hotels on a Friday night. As I watched the traffic, I noticed a woman in a beautiful African print dress getting out of a Lyft. She was with two guys and they seem to follow her lead. I wanted to take a glimpse at the dress without being so obvious. So I kept my eyes straight ahead until she was right in my peripheral, and right when I looked in her direction, that's when I realized just who I was looking in the eye, the same woman I saw on Sister Circle talk show early Friday morning as I was working on the material that I was now printing -- Yo-Yo the legendary hip hop recording artist who stomped into the 90's with Ice Cube, actress and teacher whose music I loved growing up and nicknamed myself Yo because of her influence. I admired Yo-Yo growing up, as she was outspoken, tough, never scared, didn't take no mess, "intelligent black woman," who didn’t fit molds, and who was concerned about awakening and advancing her community. I saw myself in her. I couldn't believe how the heavens aligned that Saturday morning, this was an appointment that I was right on time for. I could not let her walk by me without expressing to her how she inspired me. She graciously stopped and expecting this encounter to be brief, I quickly shared that we had the same name, and how she put the Yolanda's on the map. I shared my favorite songs and why they were my favorite. She listened and we engaged in laughter and compliments. She complimented me, referring to me as a queen and having a light. I complimented her on still being fearless and using her gifts with her School of Hip Hop after she took a break from the industry, how she reinvented herself with Love and Hip Hop and being a solution to a big problem in the music industry. Before I knew it we were in the lobby vibing, connecting beyond the music but in a spiritual and meaningful way. In our conversation she repeatedly used a word, fearless. This resonated with me as I started my ministry quoting that I was "living fearless." I hosted "Fearless Life Brunches" to encourage other women to be fearless. I knew that this was a "God Wink." As our conversation was coming to a close, I ask why she was in Charlotte, NC, she told me. She asked why I was visiting Charlotte, NC. I shared with her that I was an ordained pastor and told her about The Ingathering I was hosting, and that's when she informed me she wanted to be there -- I could not believe it. She wanted to support my efforts despite all she had on her busy schedule. She stated she desired to support me because she loved my light. And she was a person of her word. She made an appearance at The Ingathering Fellowship Lunch and surprised everyone, as I did not share with everyone my appointed meeting. This really made me like her more as integrity and being loyal to your word is everything to me as I strive to be a person of my word. When I walked through the door with her, the expressions on the folk’s faces was priceless and she did not disappoint. She greeted everyone at The Ingathering personally, spent time sharing her testimony of faith, the new things she is doing, and she gave us a taste of her most popular song and my life anthem since high school, "You Can’t Play with my Yo-Yo." That fellowship hall went up a little higher and my heart soared. As I walked Yo-Yo to her car afterwards, she expressed to me that she could feel the love in that place. When Yo and Yo-Yo get together love happens! As I think back over that epic weekend and the success of The Ingathering, I realize that if I had started questioning my capability to pull off this momentous HIStorical event, questioning the support and the resources needed to move this risk to completion could have instantly paralyzed me and could have ultimately prevented me from taking the risks to advance and serve the KINGdom and its people. There are so many stories of risk takers in the Scriptures and all of those stories involve a degree of dependence, that was on Him. However, the enemy tries to get our thoughts in a loop of fearing right or wrong choices so we never move forward, but we must not lean to our own understanding and make the choice to do His Will. When we take the risk for the right reason that's when we see the desires of our heart, we experience joy, favor leans in our direction and we become more than conquerors. I am overjoyed I took the risk and followed through, The Ingathering is by far one of the most FULFILLING events I've ever hosted in ministry. And Yo-Yo showed up just in time to remind me of who I was and have always been - a divine risk taker whose never scared because she knows who holds the key to every door and the spaces at every table. Leading up to that day everything was not smooth and easy but the day of we experienced an intimacy that allowed peace and fellowship to flow, the sessions were fire, folks testified of being set free by the truth, some found their identity and the Word brought new life! Yes, this is risky business but it is very rewarding!
If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.  I played Blessed Assurance for our worship song in The Sanctuary Worship this past weekend and it brought back such good memories. When I was young I would sing this song in church with the youth choir and I would hear my father belt this with confidence as he led us from the pulpit. I also have fond memories of hearing my grandfather telling the congregation to turn to a certain page in their hymnals and leading us off with that same confidence that my father had. I never understood why they sung this song with such confidence and meaning until I became a grown woman, and had fostered my own relationship with God. The words to this song have a whole new meaning. When I think of having trust and feeling safe in a relationship it really is to have a Blessed Assurance, meaning to feel confidently assured that this person is who they say they are, will have my back and they have my best interest at heart. When you're assured in anything, you are confident about that thing. Your position is not to worry that it will work out, if it is what it says it is, or is who they say they are; you trust it! The Scriptures teach that we can know with absolute certainty that we have the life of God within us (1 John 4:13). This confidence is not based on inner feelings or outward signs. Rather, this “blessed assurance” is founded upon the promises of a faithful God and His inspired Word and it depends not on the amount of our faith but on the object of our faith–Christ Himself! Hebrews 10:22-23 says, "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. . . .Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” This means being confident in my leader, God, and the gifts, talents, and knowledge He has placed in me. I know that without Him I am nothing. What does your confidence rest on? What were you put on this earth to be or to do? What is your story, what is your song? Believe me your story and song is what God uses to give you beauty for your ashes. (Isaiah 61:3) God and His Spirit that dwells in us gives us the power to overcome worry, stress, anxiety, low self esteem, and all the 'isms that I don't have time to name. Today as I look into the horizon of a big unknown future, I have a Blessed Assurancee that says I am not ashamed of my story, and I will sing it with confidence. Not with confidence in me, but in who I worship for being a Blessed Assurance! If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.  Can you be in God's will and be miserable? Well, yes. But you can also be in tremendous peace. For people who are saying, "I'm in a tough situation right now because I believe it's where God wants me, but I'm miserable, frustrated and unhappy," there's good news. When God asks us to stay in a difficult situation, He provides a special grace for us to get through it. It's the kind of grace that leads others to look at us and think: Wow! I can't believe they're dealing with this and still have such peace! That's faith! When we say things like, "I just don't think I can make it," we're essentially giving up, when we could just as easily trust God to help and sustain us. I have been in difficult situations that I know were God's Will for my life, and I wanted to react in my flesh to remove myself from the most uncomfortable situations. But in these uncomfortable situations is where I grew and matured in my faith. What I learned, and it was the most valuable lesson, was that when you stop fighting the Will that's when you will feel the mot fulfilled. If you are anxious, tense, or concerned about anything in your life, begin now to relax, let go, and let God fill your need. Learning to trust God for His grace on a daily basis will help you keep your thoughts and mouth in line with His Word. No matter what seems to be missing from your life—be it a much-loved person, a special place, an activity of great value, or a feeling of well-being—know that when you pray God's light and substance and divine activity will move in and through you. God's creative process is awaiting your acceptance of its productive, healing action. Let your thoughts be lifted up. Let the presence of God dissolve your fears and doubts and remove every unbelief. God's love and goodness will always fill every need in your circumstances, every hunger of your heart, every longing of your soul for peace and assurance, and every good desire for your well-being. Although it may now seem you are separated from that which has been your greatest avenue of comfort, security, or supply, remember: God is always there to help you. No matter how great the divide may seem between you and the solution to your deepest desire, begin now to relax from the strain and effort of questioning, planning, and reasoning. Take a few moments today to pray and ask our Father for His help to help you not to allow the uncomfortableness and uneasiness of the unknown prevent you from finding peace in the midst of His Will If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda.If this thought has been profitable to you, please share with your friends and family. Like or click the social share button or leave a comment in the box below for Pastor Yolanda. |
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