Tuesday's Praise note!!

Things have been testing me lately and I can admit to myself and to God that I have slipped, backslid, and left my faith somewhere. This wasn't easy to admit, but now I am back on the right track and trying to stay out of my own way! Negativity is a powerful thing that takes over my mind at times, I am now saying, "Get thee behind me satan!"
God is too good for me to be thinking negative thoughts! I have made made up my mind to stand on his promises on a daily basis, seek his favor, and most of all, thank him for all that he has done, given, and forgave!
I'm not perfect! I realize that! The good news is he blesses us in spite of our faults!! Over & Over& Over again!!! Isn't it awesome??? I love it!!!!
So for this Tuesday, I pray for peace of mind! I pray for forgiveness for all of us! I give thanks to God for keeping me and for the FAVOR that he has in store for today! I thank him that I can see, smell, love, hear, taste, walk, talk, forgive, drive, teach, and share! There are many more things that I am grateful for, but I have to go to work!

God is great, good, awesome, amazing, and fantabolous!!!!! If you don't know him, please get to know him. I know him! I'm still learning more about him, but from what I know through personal experiences, songs, stories, and other people experiences, He's all that!!!

I love HIM and he loves us all INSPITE of our faults.........don't you have some too??

I'm not perfect......but God can still use me!!

I have looked in the mirror, talked to myself in my head, and become angry at myself sometimes. The way I look, my personality, the things I've done in my past, the trhings that have happend to me in my past, my current state of life, all these things have made me unhappy. I've always known that we all have flaws, but today I have come to the realization that God can use my imperfections and my past to help me along my journey and to help others in life.

Joel Osteen's message this morning was titled, "God Will Use You with Your Limitations". This message challenged us to not to go through life being against yourself or beating yourself up because of the things in your past. Look at your flaws and tell them that they aren't going to hinder you any longer. I take this as a personal challenge because a lot of times, I feel that I don't fit in.....I'm shy, personality is different, I don't talk much, no kids, no husband, etc. But NO longer will I worry about fitting in. God made me who I am, he has laid a path for me. I'm not perfect but I am so thankful that I am not who I used to be. I can take various aspects of my past and see a lesson in it.

In the lesson, Joel showed how God has used those with imperfections and flaws. Example: Peter had a temper, Moses stuttered, David committed adultery, and many other. If God can use them, why can't he use us. We may not perform miracles, but we can make someone happy using the talents that HE gave us.

So today and for now on, I'm gonna use the imperfections, flaws, past, and talents to help someone along the way. If I can put a smile on someone's face, then I've done my job. Another important aspect that I will do for now on is to put a smile on MY own face. No more feeling bad about me, if I don't love me, how am I gonna love anyone else.????

So if you've ever thought Erica was a little weird, you ain't seen nothing yet!!

Loving the skin I'm in!!!!

E.

Giving God the Credit!

Yesterday's devotional of Our Daily Bread made me realize that I give God the credit, but I don't give him the credit. Sure I praise God in the morning, during the day, and late at night to myself and in the comfort of my own home. The devotional said I should testify to the goodness of God because he is simply good! Growing up, I have always heard that God is good! Indeed he is AWESOME! Within my 28 years of life, I have come to the realization that he is AMAZING!! I mean think about it.........look at all the wonders of the world, look at all the amazing sites, look at the human body and all the intricate details in its function. Truly, God is WONDERMUS!!!!
If you can't seem to look at the details around the world, take a look at your life. I have looked back on my life and I am just so thankful. If I had to post all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me, you'd be reading for hours. But, all the blessings the past 28 years has shown me that he is Good!!!

I am a person who keeps things to herself. Maybe due to the way that I was brought up or just bc I don't want everybody in my business. Maybe it's pride or just not knowing how to trust people. I look back at my life and I realize that I've been blessed. Blessed with family that maybe dysfunctional, but they are MINE!!! I love them!! There are many things that could have happen to me and my brother but look at us, we are both successful, intelligent, and law-abiding citizens. I thank God for the advice, encouragement, emotional support, and love from the family. It takes a village to raise a child and I am proof of that. There have been so many individuals in my life that I am so appreciative of.

I give God the credit for all of this and many many more! God is good, amazing, wonderful, awesome, and FANTABOLUS!!!!! If you do nothing else today, just give God the credit for your breath, strength, functioning body parts, job, family, friends, hair on your head, wet eyeballs, 2 legs, etc. There are so many things that I am grateful for, what about u?

God is Great and Greatly to be praised!!! I just wanted somebody to know!!