Open Doors Open Gates

 It is the year 2019, I continue to believe God for open doors, open gates, and thanking Him for the rains of Heaven. I find myself reflecting on my 'memorial stones,' Like Joshua, I had come to a place in my life back in 2008 where I had to choose to relocate-'move.' People that were placed there to guide me and teach me were stripped away. I moved out of a home of defeat, subjection, and suppression. Leaving with nothing but my faith.

As I sat on a loaner bed, fear gripped me and I began to doubt the commencement of a journey where I did know what the process it entailed. Then, the words of Donnie McClurkin's song came to me, "What if I told you to let go of the very thing you think you have to hold, would you trust me?" I jumped up immediately and began to move. I tool all I owned got in my car and left. 2008 was the beginning of my transition. Where all I had was my faith to trust God at His word. He is Jehovah Jireh (provider), He is Jehovah Shalom (peace), He is Jehovah Rohi (Shepherd), He is Emmanuel (God with us), He is El Shaddai (The All-Sufficient One).

I find myself at a place where a lot has been lost in 2019, maybe my marriage, some friends, and investments. The things that were lost I was not created to carry I was made to trust Him who gives and takes away. Elo him, the All-powerful Creator holds all in His hands. If I knew how it ended would there be the need for me to trust Him! 

In the movie, Matrix when Neo 'lost' his sight but this did not mean it was his end. The execution of his power was not in what his eyes could see but what was within Him. "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."- 1 John 4:4

As we end this year, month, week, and day, in a matter of hours; realize that it could have ended a whole lot different!!! The word of the Lord came to me as it did back in 2008 (10 years ago) Psalm 32:8- "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." We may not know how our story ends but know that our miracle and the writer of our stories want to meet us in the middle, in the face of our storm, amid the loss. Guess what, I am still standing and You are too. Stop judging your situation externally. The things that manifest themselves in plain sight could be a distraction from the real battle within. We were not meant to know how it ends but in knowing our God is the "first" and the "last". Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT.

In closing, we do know how it ends because we know who is writing our stories. I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6). 

In 2020 in God I will trust with all my heart, all my soul, and all my strength. I am ready for the next chapter Jesus. 

Let us consider...

• This is not the end of your story!!! 
• Who is writing your story? 
• Will you Praise Him in the storm?
• Satan may be culpable But you are capable guard your thoughts.
• Will you exercise a heart of gratefulness
• Will you stop playing with Goliat...FINISH him?