Half Truths

Dear readers, it's been a year! I miss you too :)

Many things have happened since my last post.I graduated from university, got a job in the industry I wanted, got a new place,,grew as  a person, loved hard, overcame my fears and insecurities,  I celebrated my birthday, I cried, I smiled, I laughed, I rejoiced,  I mourned, I danced, I sinned, I repented etc. In a nutshell, God has been so faithful. Yay God!

Shout out to my amazing friend Yide, who has been on my neck about going back to blogging. I love and appreciate you honey.  I am also thankful for all of you who have been asking about the blog. Your words of encouragement and testimonies have made me pick up blogging again.  Yay for friends who keep you in check, support and encourage you :)

Today's blog is about something that has been on my heart.  It's the issue of  lukewarmness. It breaks my heart to see people in a bid to be politically correct or please everyone, sugarcoat/water down the word of God.

A very popular pastor/motivational speaker was on the Larry King show and said said some pretty outrageous things. When asked about those who don't believe that Jesus Christ is the way to heaven, He responded saying "I don't know if I believe they are wrong" Uhm, excuse me "Pastor" but in John 14:6 , Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me". He also said He believes gay people are going to go to heaven because none of us are without sin. I guess this means we are all going to heaven. This made me so mad. Stop trying to please people and be politically correct. Homosexuality is a sin. Like every other sin, it leads to hell. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, this preacher also said "The reason some churches don't grow and have been stagnant is because people are already beaten down by life. We need people telling us that God is on our side" Yes God is on our side but not on the side of sin!

A lot of christians like to dance around sin all in the name of not judging others. Now y'all know I LOVE everybody. I love you so much I want you to make heaven. So you know I am not saying this from a place of condemnation, when I say NO SINNER will enter the kingdom of heaven. I didn't make this up. The Bible clearly states that.  So whether your sin is lying, stealing, fornicating, adultery, it's all the same.

People are quick to yell "Don't judge me" You see, I am not judging you. I am judging the sin. God has already passed judgement on the sin, and I am only re-echoing it. The truth is we are ALL sinners! There is no one without sin. Does this mean no one is going to heaven? NO!  No one is perfect but that's why we need to repent. To say 'you are a thief, so you are going to hell' is wrong. I believe that is condemnation and is incomplete. If that was the case, we are all going to hell.  If you are unrepentant, you will go to hell. Imagine those who had condemned Saul to hell.  Saul persecuted Christians! He was a MURDERER. The truth is he was destined for hell but he did a 180 turn, repented and decided to follow Jesus.

In sharing the gospel of Christ, we need to be loving, yet firm. Yes God loves us all. He is good, kind, loving, gracious, forgiving. he is our friend and lover. He is also a righteous judge who punishes sin. Let's stop feeding people half truths. Grace abounds, however you can't intentionally and habitually sin and expect to make it to heaven. The truth is no one is perfect. However, as christians we should strive to be as close to perfection as we can.

Whenever I hear preachers who always preach feel good messages, warning bells go off in my head.  Jesus didn't die on the cross for me to be passive or try to paint a pretty picture. The cross wasn't pretty. It was gory!  I will not make light of the sins that nailed Him to the cross.  I believe there is only one way to the father and that is through Jesus Christ. If your pastor is preaching something contrary to that, you need to leave!

I am all for churches having a come as you are attitude. It is an amazing approach really. However, if people are coming as they are, they shouldn't stay the way they are.

God loves you so dearly, He sent His son to die for you. He doesn't want you to perish but to have eternal life.

You are loved <3

Submission? Pssh! I am not a doormat.

Hey everyone :)

Today, I am going to be blogging about SUBMISSION! This is a conversation I have had so many times and people's responses are usually the same "Oh gosh, no! I hope your husband won't walk all over you". "I pity you, your husband will just turn you into a doormat." One girl even started calling me "Mrs Submissive" LOL.


Before we go any further, I would like to say I am referring to submission in a Christian marriage. Let that be at the back of your mind as you read this post :)

Submission has become such an ugly word, it makes me sad. People have gotten submission in marriage so wrong. Submission is not being a doormat, having no opinions, servitude, or subservience. It is not a sign of weakness, rather it s a sign of strength. It's easy to be rebellious but it takes strength and discipline to be submissive. I do not believe that submission in this context is the same as docility.

My understanding of submission is  letting the man takes the role of the leader in the family. He leads. Let that sink in for a bit. So when it comes to making major decisions, a wife should let her husband  lead. *GASP* 'What if he is wrong?' This is why you need to be sure of who you are marrying. You need to trust his leading. If I am to submit to you, you had better submit to Christ. I, along with our children will follow you as you follow Christ. I need to know that you have sought God before making decisions concerning our family. Also, I would hope that my husband would consult me, and prayerfully make decisions. See that? We are partners. Yes he leads, but he confers with me and then reaches a decision, and I submit to that. Submission is about trust. You submit to your husband as unto the Lord.

The truth is, one can make you submit. You make a choice to submit. Just like no one can make you respect them. If you have to tell someone to submit to you, there might be a problem. Just like you can't tell someone you must respect me, you can't say 'you must submit to me'. 

My mother, God bless her, is my example. To be honest, I don't recall my mom ever telling me "You must submit to your husband" However, in her relationship with my dad, I have seen her be submissive. Now if you know my mother, you know she is not docile, or passive. My mom is a firecracker!  However, when a major decision had to be made, she always referred us to dad. Now that I am older, I realize that her asking us to go ask Dad meant she supported us but wanted my dad's opinion and he had the final say. She obviously could influence his decisions but she ultimately left the decision making to him. Sometimes, he would say no,and she would back him up. However, she would go talk to him and he would change his mind. However, if mum said no, then dad was definitely backing her up and saying no too. So I guess, ultimately, mum held the cards. LOL.

What about him? Why should he make major decisions? Shouldn't he submit? Why should he have it so easy?

Men, submission doesn't me your wife is a doormat, or someone to be controlled. Submission doesn't give you the right to hit your wife, or rape your wife.  I once had a conversation with a  young man who justified raping his wife by saying he is the leader and God expects his wife to submit to him. Oh and according to him, there is no such thing as raping your wife because she is yours.  Say what now????? So ridiculous. 

You are a team, and with teams, you sometimes have a team leader. Now the team leader doesn't go about making decisions anyhow without speaking to the team members first, and usually, when they differ in opinion, a good team lead would compromise. However, he/she still makes the final call. Another example would be a pilot and a co-pilot. While they are both on the same team, in case of an emergency, the pilot makes the call. That's how I believe it should be in marriage. If both of you wan to lead, there will be chaos. 

The Bible doesn't say the husbands should submit to their wives, but the men don't have it easy. Their mandate is way greater than ours. They have a mandate to love their wives like Christ loves the church. Christ loved so much he gave his life for the church. That's the kind of love husbands are called to have. Christ isn't about control, intimidation or manipulation! 

So when people say to me "Oh gosh, no! I hope your husband won't walk all over you". "I pity you, your husband will just turn you into a doormat.", My response is, I believe in a Ephesians 5:22-25 kind of marriage. So, it's okay. God has got me :)

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Eph 5:22-25)

The truth is, it's easier to submit to a man who loves you as Christ loves the church and  to love a woman who submits to you. In my opinion, if you are not ready to submit to your husband, you are not ready for marriage. As a man, if you are not ready to love unconditionally and selflessly, you are not ready for marriage.  

P.S Dear future Husband, while I am VERY willing to submit to you, perming my hair is not up for discussion. LOL. Just kidding! (Not really)

As always, please feel free to share your opinion :)

God bless you guys!!!!  <3

Beneath My Smile ( Life Update)

Hey Everyone!

It feels like it has been forever since I posted. I know I kept telling those of you who reached out to me about being MIA, that  I would post soon.  I promise, I have not just been slacking. I was just going to edit something from my draft, and publish it. However, I want to be really honest with you, and sort of give you an update about what's been going on and a couple of things that contributed to me being MIA on the blog.


It's been a rough couple of months and I honestly was in no place to blog. I struggled a bit in my walk with God. The enemy is such a liar. Thank God for restoration,  I went through a period of not desiring God, and I could say I took all the steps and did all the stuff I wrote about in my post about desiring God, but that would be a huge lie. The truth is, I did NOTHING! I went to church, sang all the worship songs, but they meant nothing to me. The sermons didn't really do anything for me either. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes, I really enjoyed worship and the sermons were good but I could not connect.It was like there was a fence around my heart. Nothing could break those walls.

I was still in a rut when Zee's one year remembrance  rolled around. It was a really really hard week for me. So hard, I had to take to Facebook to ask people to pray for me. Now, I am the kind of person who can be described as a happy bunny. You can usually see me smiling, running around with kids and joking. I don't like to bother people with my problems, and I like to be strong for others. However, on that day, it was not a day to be strong. I could not do it on my own. I was so torn apart, her mum had to console me. I spent the entire day weeping like it had just happened. Then the lies came. I began to question God. Why did You let this happen?

I am so grateful that God had prompted me to go to church the Saturday before and the Pastor was doing a series called 'God in control'. I was reminded that even when life doesn't work out the way I expect, God is always in control. It wasn't so easy to accept that though. My faith was tested the entire week. However the Pastor had prayed with me that Saturday, and his prayers as well as the prayers of everyone who read my Facebook status and reached out to me carried me through the week. Zee's mum said something to me that day "Please don't cry my darling. We love her but God loves her more. Will we then say God is not good?" What great faith! I do not claim to have all the answers I was seeking. but I have decided that in the good times and the bad times He remains GOD! No matter what life throws my way, God is ALWAYS good and reliable!

Now, If you have seen me in the past 6-8 weeks you're probably like WHAT? No way she was going through anything. She was smile, jumping up and down or cracking jokes when I saw her.  The truth is, sometimes, beneath the smile is  hurt, pain, anger, disappointment, struggle, anguish, etc.
I am ashamed to say this but I will be honest and say in all of this, I missed the mark. I backslid.  I was in a rut guys. I was a complete mess but Jesus pursued me. The creator of the universe in spite of my mess, my weakness, my cold heart, my sin was relentless in His pursuit of my heart. I didn't do anything but He fought for me until He won. I am eternally grateful for His perfect relentless and unendling love.

So, the next time you think to yourself, or say to other people. ' that girl is so extra with her Jesus thing', or 'no one can love Jesus like that when it's not her that gave birth to Jesus', remember that I love Him because He loved me first.  You don't know my story bro. LOL. Yes, I am totally throwing shade at some people. Not Christlike I know but God is still working on me! I kid! No, God is still working on me. However, I am kidding about throwing shade :D

That's about it ladies and gentlemen! That's what been going on with me but all is well now, Glory to God! Please continue to keep me in your prayers, because like you, I also have struggles. Remember you can also leave your prayer request here, so that I, as well as other readers of the blog can pray for you. Prayer works!

Now for the song of the week:
I am chose this song because well, I love it! If you like it too, the band is going to be in Toronto this Sunday. Check out this page for more info. If you decide to come, please let me know! My concert buddies are not available that weekend. I promise I am fun to go to concerts with. LOL.  The song is Alive by Hillsong Young and Free

Enjoy the rest of your week!
God bless you .
<3

Let's talk about Music

I really like music. Like really! Not as much as I like food, but it's really close. Music is food to my soul.

I grew up in a household where secular music wasn't permitted. Okay, maybe permitted isn't the right word. I should say 'encouraged'. Channel O and MTV were blocked in my house. I  grew up listening to a lot of Don Moen and Ron Kenoly. Pause! Song break! "Sing Out the Lord is near, Build Him a temple Here! A palace of praise, a throne of thanksgiving made for the King of kings!" What do you know about old school gospel music? Hehehe!

Anyway, I got older and became exposed to other kinds of music. First song I ever really knew was 'Boo' by Usher and Alicia Keys. LOL. I loved that song.  Sean Paul was my absolute fave. Till this day, I can't listen to a Sean Paul song and not move my body just a little until I realize it's inappropriate. LOL.

So what is the big deal about listening to 'secular music'?
I do not think as a Christian you only have to listen to 'christian songs'. I really like songs that exalt God I do. It is what I mostly listen to. Like 90% of the time. Infact, all the songs on my phone are songs that glorify God.This doesn't make me a better Christian. It's just the result of a decision i made 3 years ago. However, sometimes, I just like to sit in my bed, with a box of cookies, a glass of milk, and listen to/watch my Westlife playlist on YouTube. I know it's so sappy but  I am such a cheese ball. I really like love songs. The make me so happy. Not all though. I do not like John Legend's 'All of me'. Don't shoot me yet. I know everyone and their sister loves it. How is it that Oprah loves it and I don't? Well, I think it is too intense. LOL. The line 'You are my end and my beginning' just really bugs me. It's like, he's gonna hurt you, then hurt himself if you decide to walk away or something. LOL. Anyway, I digress. I am going to go straight to the point in the next paragraph. I promise.

I think when it comes to music, you should examine the lyrics of the song. Does it dishonour God? This has always been my yardstick for knowing what song to listen to. If your fave artiste is singing songs that outright discredits Jesus as the Saviour, or sings songs that encourages sexual immorality, you need to do a heart check. Why are you listening to those songs? Do the songs you listen to feed the lust of your flesh?

There was a song I used to like a lot. Sounds like Hot Pot! *wink* In high school, my friends used to look at me and pull me up to dance every time this song came on.It was MY song! LOL.Ah! Thank Jesus for Redemption. Anyway, I was shopping a couple of days ago, and the song came on. While in the fitting room, I found myself dancing and singing. I suddenly felt convicted. How was I supposed to walk up to the girl who worked at the store or anyone in the fitting room to talk about Jesus after they had just heard me sing and seen me dance to those songs that clearly went against what I believed.

I went to church on Saturday and the Pastor said something about the music we listen to and I felt convicted all over again. Why do you listen to the songs you listen to? How do the songs you listen to make you feel? So, you just like the song because of the rhythm and you don't really dwell on the lyrics but how does it make God feel? I always think about how my actions make God feel. And I know in my heart that while I never really paid attention to or dwell on the lyrics of the hot 'pot' song, it didn't glorify Him or make Him happy. How can someone outrightly discredit Jesus in his song, and you as a christian, still buy their album, go to their concerts and promote them? It's ridiculous, Really! I know it could be a struggle to give up your kind of music but you can do it by His grace. It was a bit of a struggle for me but I had to make a decision and I went rogue! I did not want to have any song that didn't glorify God on my phone, Westlife included. Hehe. It was some kind of detox and for a long while, I only listened to the songs on my phone and iPod, and I can honestly tell you it helped me so much in my walk with Christ. When my mind wants to wander off to unholy territory, I am easily convicted because I have been feeding my mind with edifying songs.

Okay, I am done :) If you are looking to expand your christian music library, you could check out some of my favourite artistes/Band - Vertical Church Band, Christ Tomlin, Elevation Worship, Bethel, Paul Baloche New Life Worship, Hillsong, Ron Kenoly, Don Moen, Jesus Culture, Kari Jobe, Misty Edwards, Jaye Thomas, and Tye Triibbett. I am  not a huge fan of rap but if you like rap, you should totally check out PurposeMC on Noisetrade!If you like Techno, check out O'Neil Donald on Noise Trade. O'Neil and PurposeMC's albums can be downloaded for free too. So cop their albums :)


Verse of the week
Philipians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise

Video of the week 

We sang this song at church this weekend and it's my new favourite song. It's been on repeat for the past couple of days. It''s called Forever by Kari Jobe and Brian Johnson.

Forever He is glorified
Forever He is lifted high
Forever He is risen
He is alive, He is alive

We sing Hallelujah, we sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

God bless you all! 

Have a great week :*

Loving Others

Can we agree that some people are just difficult to love? You try your hardest but you just can't seem to win with them. How do you love that boss who is racist? How do you love that colleague who actively try to bring you down? How do you love someone who persecutes you because of your faith? How do you love someone who despises you for no reason?

One of the things my daddy taught me growing up was that 'Love is a choice'. I choose to love regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation, nationality, etc. I used to think I was such a lover of people. However, that was so far from the truth. It wasn't until I cried to God to search my heart and reveal those things which were not of Him, that I realized how cold and unloving I was. I was very friendly and loved my friends, however, I wasn't loving towards all.  I came to a whole new understanding of 'Love your neighbour as yourself' which according to Jesus is the second greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:36-39)

I thought real hard about it, the foundation of Christianity is love. So if I call myself a christian, but I do not have love, who exactly am I following? I shouldn't love people only when they are good to me, but those who persecute me. I choose to love that high school friend who after years of not being in touch popped out of nowhere to badmouth me just as I choose to love those who affirm me. (Matthew 5:43-48)

One thing I have learned in my walk with Christ, is to love everyone regardless. It's not always easy. Sometimes, I want to respond in a way that is contrary to love, and I just remember, love is a choice, and I choose to love. Now let me be honest with you, once in a while, I loose control and I don't respond in love but hey, no one is perfect right? :)

Remember that I didn't get to this point on my own. I know I said I choose to love but it took God opening up my heart. If you struggle with loving a particular person, honestly, go before God and ask him to help you love them. It is after all, the second greatest commandment.

So this week, when you are faced with opposition, disappointment, discouragement, hurt, anger, remember, LOVE IS A CHOICE.

I burst out singing this song while typing this up, so I thought to make someone smile with this throwback. Hehehehe. Isn't Bubbles the cutest? She says 'You can't hurt me with the things that you do, I'll pick up dandelions and I'll give them to you" LOL.

Verse of the Week 
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels,but do not have love,I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)


Song of the Week
Sinking Deep by Hillsong Young and Free
This song brings me to tears most of the time. Here's an excerpt of the lyrics. I hope the song blesses you. Have a great week <3

CHORUS
I'm wide awake
Drawing close
Stirred by grace
All my heart is Yours
All fear removed
I breathe You in
I lean into Your love
Your love

VERSE 2
When I'm lost You pursue me
Lift my head to see Your glory
Lord of all
So beautiful

Here in You I find shelter
Captivated by the splendour
Of Your face
My secret place 

Song of the Week : Raised to Life

Hey Guys!

I absolutely love worship songs! There is just something about ascribing all honour and glory to the Lord through music. People usually wonder how they can go about expanding their Christian music library. Look no further, Hephzibah is here! You're welcome! LOL. So, twice a month, I am going to post my song of the week.

In the spirit of Easter, I decided to post this beautiful song by Elevation Worship.  I love love love this song! My favourite part of the song has to be the bridge:

Sin was strong
But Jesus is stronger
Our shame was great
But Jesus you're greater

Hope the song blesses you.

Have a great week! xo
<3

Are You your Boo's Boo?

Hey lovelies!

Hope everyone is doing well. It's almost Easter!!!! It's my favourite season. Actually, it's a tie between Christmas and Easter. Let me think about it and get back to you on that. LOL. Anyway, I have changed the music on this blog to reflect the season. These are some of my favourite songs,  so I hope you enjoy.

I would like to share an article I read earlier this year. Apparently, the writer is unknown. It is really long but I found it funny and sadly true. While this article is directed at women, I think the same goes for men too. I have copied and pasted, as I don't have time to edit it. Enjoy!

Brother Unmarried walks into the church, goes into the balcony and sits in a certain spot. Several unmarried women notice him at the same time but none say anything. The women in question are Sister Blue Shoes, Sister Black Shoes, Sister Red Shoes, and Sister High Heels. All are single, over 25 and quite available and hopeful for a husband.

The next week they look up and notice him again. The brother is alone again---, and no ring on his left finger. And he's not bad to look at either. On top of that, he's toting a bible that looks quite worn. He must be serious about the Lord!

Week three, he appears again, Bible in hand, eyes focused on the pastor.

Week four.......he must be a new member of the church and he sits in the same general area
week after week after week.

But there is only one problem - He's not very sociable. He just keeps his eyes on the service! Church is over and the pastor says, As you depart, hug your neighbor. And wouldn't you know it, he turns around and hugs Sister Blue Shoes. Then as he heads for the door, he smiles at sister Red Shoes and waves goodbye to Sister Black Shoes. As he heads out towards his car, he politely begins a conversation with Sister High Heels who is walking in the same direction and wishes her a pleasant day as she arrives at her car. Brother Unmarried gets into his car, turns onto his favorite gospel station, and heads home.

He arrives home, walks through the door and immediately calls his fiancée (Sister Chosen) who is presently in her last year of medical school in Alabama. He loves her dearly. They have known each other since 7th grade. And they had agreed that after she completed medical school they would marry. Fortunately she will graduate in just 7 more months.

Wow. Time's flying. He already has purchased the ring and will present it to her on her graduation day. The wedding plans are complete!

Hello .... The sound of Sister Chosen's voice awakens him from his daydream. He goes on to tell her about the fact that he is enjoying his new job and that he has found a good church. In fact, he is thinking about joining the church but wants to wait for her to come to town so she can visit the church and see whether or not she likes it.

They talk for another half hour and they end the conversation. He smiles to himself, thanking the Lord for such a wonderful woman!

MEANWHILE in Sister Blue Shoes' House........

Sister Blue Shoes has been excited for the past several weeks. She just cannot stop thinking about Brother Unmarried. And she cannot stop meditating on the fact that out of all the women in the church whom he could have hugged, he actually hugged her! No, that could not possibly be coincidence. No way. That was fate! The Lord led him to sit in front of her that Sunday and it must have been the Lord who led him to turn around and hug her! Sister Blue Shoes cannot contain her excitement a moment longer.

She calls her best friend. Check out the conversation:

Sister Blue Shoes: Girrrrl, you are going to be a maid of honor soon!
Best Friend: What's going on, Blue Shoes?
Sister Blue Shoes: That brother I was telling you about---the single
brother who's been attending church every Sunday. Girl, he was sitting beside a single woman in church today. In fact he was surrounded by single women but when the pastor said for us to hug our neighbor, he hugged me. Can you believe that? He could have hugged the sister who was sitting right beside him but he chose to hug me. ME, girl!
Best Friend: Now, that is nobody but the Lord!
Sister Blue Shoes: I know! And the strangest feeling went through me as I was hugging him. I felt like I was hugging my husband! It's God. He spoke to me and told me that I was hugging my husband!
Best Friend: I stand in agreement with you on that!
Sister Blue Shoes: He's mine. I claim him in the name of Jesus. I know he's mine!

Meanwhile, in Brother Unmarried's house....

Brother Unmarried is still thinking about his fiancée, Sister Chosen. He wants to call her back and talk some more but it's getting late and the phone bill is going to be astronomical again this month! He thinks about it and....oh, well. Fifteen more minutes won't hurt. Before he knows it, he's calling his future queen yet again!

And in Sister Black Shoes' House, Another Scenario...

Dear Diary,
I just met my future husband this week. I had been checking him out for the past several weeks. I had a feeling in my spirit that he was my husband when I first laid eyes on him but it was confirmed today. As we were exiting the church, he looked me right in the eyes and waved at me!!!!!!!!!!! Whew! Now, of all the women in that church, he waved at me. It's interesting because he waved in a very familiar manner, as though he has known me for years. YES, this is my ordained mate. I just know it.

And in Sister Red Shoes' House.........

Hey, mom! Guess what! My future husband smiled at me today in church! Yep, it's that guy I told you about. He's been coming to church for the past few weeks. I knew he was my husband the moment I looked at him but today he actually smiled at me on our way out of the church. Can you believe that? All those gorgeous women in church but he did not smile at any of them. He smiled at ME!!!!!!!!

And in Sister High Heels' House......

Sister High Heels: Hey Prophetess Angie, I stopped by to speak to you because something serious happened today! Do you remember about a year ago you prophesied to me that I would meet my husband when I least expected to? Guess what? I met him today. You were right!!!

Prophetess Angie: Yes, as a matter of fact, I believe you are going to be married within the next year! What happened, girl?
Sister High Heels: The next year???!!! Lord, I need to sit down because I'm so overwhelmed I might fall out!
Prophetess Angie: Let me get you some juice. Just calm down.
Sister High Heels: For the past several weeks a very handsome gentleman has been sitting in the section of the church that I always sit in. It's funny because as big as that church is, why is he sitting in my section, way up there in the balcony?
Prophetess Angie: You don't even have to finish your sentence. As I was praying for you last weekend, I sensed that you were about to meet your husband. You met him, didn't you?!
Sister High Heels: YES!!!!
Prophetess Angie: As I was praying for you, I saw his face. He has medium brown skin, is handsome, and under 6 feet tall, right?
Sister High Heels: Girl, YES! He is about 5'10" in height, slender, dresses in really nice suits, is very clean cut. You saw him?
Prophetess Angie: Sure did. I saw him in a vision. He was walking beside you...
Sister High Heels: What! Girl, that is exactly what happened in church! Your vision was right. Of all the women he could have chosen to walk to their cars, he walked me to my car. I cannot even remember what we talked about because my heart was beating so fast. And I did not even ask him his name...

Prophetess Angie: We are going out tomorrow looking for wedding dresses. We claim him for you! Don't tell anybody else because they will think you are crazy but we are going to start your wedding plans tomorrow!!!!!

Sister High Heels: Get me some tissues. I am about to cry....

Meanwhile, in Brother Unmarried's House ..........

Brother Unmarried: I cannot wait for you to get here in town. I just miss you so much.........
Sister Chosen: I look forward to seeing you too. Thank God I'm almost through with medical school. We then can proceed with our life plans...
Brother Unmarried: Yes, ma'am! I hope our future children look just like you. You are the most beautiful woman on the entire planet......

The Following Sunday, in Church ......

Sister Blue Shoes, Red Shoes, Black Shoes, and High Heels all scurry to their seats, each hoping that Brother Unmarried will arrive soon. Although they have seen each other in passing, none of the women know each other. None of them have even a clue about the fact that each one has set their "aim" on Brother Unmarried and that they each have "claimed" him as their
husbands.

They also have no idea that he is engaged and very much in love with Sister Chosen. Praise and worship service begins but none of the women can concentrate. Each are checking, waiting, hoping that Brother Unmarried will arrive soon.

Praise and worship ends and still no sign of Brother Unmarried. Pastor says the morning prayer, service officially begins, the sermon is uplifted, the altar call, the benediction....what happened to Brother Unmarried?

Meanwhile, at the other church across town.....

Brother Unmarried decided to visit his uncle's church this week---the 10:30 service. As he enters the sanctuary with his aunt and uncle, he sees a woman smiling at him. She nods her head at him. He smiles back, sits down beside his uncle, and enjoys the service, not knowing that the sister who just nodded is secretly aiming and claiming him as her future husband!

For the next 3 weeks.....

Over the next several weeks Brother Unmarried visits several other churches with various friends and relatives. He has decided to take his fiancée's advice. She told him not to make any rash decisions about joining a new church just yet, but to visit several....

Tortured Minds at the original church...

All of the sisters are confused about what's going on with their future husband. Sister Blue Shoes, Red Shoes, High Heels, and Black Shoes all have been looking out for Brother Unmarried...having problems concentrating on the services because they just don't know where their future husband could be.

Sister Black Shoes.....

Dear Diary,
It's been several months since I saw Brother Unmarried. The devil is hiding my husband from me. I'm going to continue to pray and stand for him to return.......maybe I should fast for a few days.

Sister Red Shoes.......

Mom, I don't know what's going on. I have not seen my future husband in months! I am keeping him uplifted in prayer.

Sister Blue Shoes......

I am confused. I don't know what happened to Brother Unmarried. I think I saw him coming into the church as I was leaving but I'm not sure that was him...One thing I do know though: He is definitely my husband! He'll be back.

Sister High Heels.....

Sister High Heels: Thanks for stopping by, Prophetess Angie. It's now been 1 month and I've only seen Brother Unmarried a few times in church in all this time. What's going on?
Prophetess Angie: Just stand. Your patience is being tested by the Lord. Don't waver. Keep the faith. We already have that gorgeous gown picked out and hidden in your closet. I know you are going to be wearing that gown and those lovely shoes soon. We've picked out the caterer that you will use, etc. Just be still. Just concern yourself with the guest list!

Meanwhile, on a beach in Mexico...

Brother MARRIED: Our wedding was so beautiful!
Sister Chosen: Yes, it was! Can you believe this? We've been together since we were in junior high school and now we finally are man and wife. I'm so happy!

The Newlyweds Arrive Home....

Brother MARRIED and Sister Chosen walk into the church, hand-in-hand. They have a seat. This is Sister Chosen's first time visiting her new husband's church but he told her that of all the churches he has visited, this is the one he likes the most.

In the balcony Sister Red Shoes, Blue Shoes, Black Shoes, and High Heels peer over, looking downstairs. Each of them squint their eyes. They all think the same thoughts. NO, that guy looks like him but it can't be him because Brother Unmarried is always alone when he comes here but there is a woman beside him---and he's holding her hand!

Sister Red Shoes cannot stand the suspense. She gets up and goes downstairs and seats herself directly behind the two. She needs to know if this is really him, her future husband.

As the pastor instructs the church to stand and greet one another, Brother Unmarried turned around and spoke to several people, including her--- but.....there was no recognition in his eyes. Doesn't he remember smiling at her in church last year?

Then..........the unthinkable happened. Sister Chosen turned and spoke to her and Sister Red Shoes caught a glimpse of the breathtaking diamond ring on Sister Chosen's finger.

Determined to get to the bottom of things, Sister Red Shoes decided to take action:

Sister Red Shoes: Oh, what a lovely ring!
Sister Chosen: Thanks! My husband designed it himself and surprised me with it! I'm a newlywed. This is my husband, Jeff. My name is Rayna and this is my first visit to this church. My husband had been telling me about this church while I've been away at medical school. Now I see why he loves it so much. Everyone's so friendly!
Sister Red Shoes: [heart sinking and forced smile]
Oh, congratulations and welcome to the church! You two make a beautiful couple---and girl, that heart shaped rock is going to blind someone. It's huge and just gorgeous!

Over the next several weeks the other women all see Rayna and Jeff entering and exiting the church together, holding hands. It is obvious that they are newly married and happily so. Oh, well. Another false alarm. Another disappointment. Another unanswered prophecy. Another shattered dream. Another wasted hope....

And the moral of the story? Ladies, stop "aiming and claiming" men. Let the men set their aims on you. Let them target you. Keep your mind focused on the service. Don't assume that just because a brother sits next to you or smiles at you, or befriends you---that he is interested in you.

More than likely, he is not interested in a relationship. He is simply being friendly, which is what brotherly love is all about!

All over the country, unsuspecting men are being "claimed" as husbands. These brothers would be shocked to know that anywhere from 5 to 10 women in their churches have possibly targeted them as husbands. All of the women have the same story. They KNOW in their hearts, souls, minds and spirits that the man is their husband.

How many wives can one man have? And most of the men probably have girlfriends who either attend other churches or who are out of town at the moment.

There is a man shortage but that does not mean that women need to set their aims and claims on any available brother whom they happen to see. That needs to stop.

Have you seen a brother in church whom you believe is your husband? Guess what?
You are not alone. Several other women see him as a husband also!
Are you following my line of thought?
I heard a preacher say that in his church a woman approached a man, put her hands on the man and exclaimed, "I claim you as my husband in the name of Jesus." The man was shocked, to say the least (especially since he DIDN'T WANT HER)

Something is wrong with that picture.
Sisters, let go and let God. He still can supply all of your needs in accordance with His riches in glory.

When I Don't Desire God

Have you ever felt like you don't desire God? You don't feel like praying, worshipping, going to church, reading your Bible, fellowshipping with other christians, etc. Yeah? Okay, I see you nodding. Can I be honest with you? So have I. I heard that incredulous gasp *side eye* LOL. Seriously though, more times than I can count, I have felt that way. I don't know about other Christians, but my walk with God is not all rainbows and kittens. There are times when I don't want to pray, read my Bible, or go to church. I just wanna chill. Can I be completely honest with you? Not desiring God is a feeling I am all too familiar with. In 2011, I took a "break" from God. For about 3 months, I didn't go to church or read my Bible and I didn't spend time with God. I was max chilling (or so I thought). Thank God for his unfailing love and grace.


One thing I have learned is to ignore my feelings. I have learned that what I need to do in times like that is to  push past my emotions.  I love listening to worship.I can just sit in my room for hours doing that. Worship draws me closer to the heart of God. I also really like spending time with other christians. So when I feel like I am in a rut, I listen to worship songs or/and  I call my christian friends and talk to them about it and they just love on me and encourage me. Do what works for you. Whatever you do, do not just sit and fold your arms, waiting to be in the mood to spend time with God. Go before God and tell Him how you feel. He sees your heart.

It is very important to be intentional about your relationship with God. I think of it this way. When I am married by God's grace, I will be intentional about my marriage. I understand that marriage is not a bed of roses, and it's work but I intend to fight for it because I want to make it work. How much more God? I see my relationship with Him the same way. It's not always fun but I have to be intentional.I have learned not to wait to pray or read my Bible until I feel like it. Push past your feelings .Faith it till you make it.

Think hard about it. Are you intentional about watching Scandal, Person of Interest, Suits, Criminal Minds when it airs but you don't have time for God? Do you make sure not a day goes by without talking to your boyfriend/girlfriend/bestfriend but haven't talked to God in days, weeks, months, years? You no longer desire Him. Why don't you go before him now (not later) and ask Him to change your heart. Purpose in your heart to be intentional about your relationship with Him.

I do hope you realize that I am not criticizing you. This post is not coming from a place of judgement, but from a place of love. I just want everyone to have an awesome relationship with God because He really is so amazing. I know we all want to be with Him forever in heaven but it starts with a relationship with Him here on earth.

Don't give up! It's not too late. Keep on keeping on! Faith it till you make it!

God help us all
<3

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 

Psalm 27:8
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How Can I Pray For You?

Hey everyone! 

For the next 30 days, I will be dedicating a portion of my day to praying for people. I really believe in the power of prayer.  I can count how may times my prayers have been unanswered. Most times, it was my fault; other times, God had something better. So yes, I serve a prayer answering God.

We sometimes underestimate the efficacy of prayer.When you pray according to God's will and with faith, your prayers will be answered. Prayer can move mountains. Does God want you to be healed? Does He want you to overcome that addiction? Does He want that friend/family member to get saved? 

YES! YES! YES!  Let's pray for you, your family, your friends, coworkers, etc. There is no request too small or too great. With God, all things are possible. Just have faith!

I realize that a lot of people want prayer for a lot of things but don't want anyone to know what they are struggling with or going through. They basically don't want anyone to know their business. I understand that, and thankfully you can post anonymously. 

If you want to email me your prayers, that's fine too. You can do so at hephzibahsplace@gmail.com. You can also inbox me on Facebook if you do not want to be anonymous. 

Please leave your prayer requests below/send me your requests and I will agree with you in prayer. Go on, you have nothing to lose :)

God bless you <3

"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven."(Matthew 18:19)

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.(1 John 5:14-15)

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

(Mark 11:24)

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:18)

Boundaries : How Far Is Too Far?

So we all know the Bible says you can't have sex before marriage. Oh you did not know? Okay! LOL. Hey! You never know. A guy once said to me 'I think you have been brainwashed with this Christianity thing. Don't get me wrong. I am Christian too but where does it say in the Bible that you can't have sex before marriage?' Did you just gasp? So did I. I was totally gobsmacked! Really? Even non-christians know that.

Anyway, I digress. Most people know sex outside of marriage is a sin but wonder where to draw the line. If you are reading this, you probably would like to know too. I could tell you this is where you draw the line, you can do this but not that. However, it doesn't work that way I really believe that we have freedom in some things and what might might not bother one person can be a stumbling block for another person. So I'd rather not approve anything. The Bible says ' whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.' (Romans 14:22) While the Bible clearly says no to sex, there are some things that we need to use our discretion for.

Here are some Biblical guidelines for setting boundaries: 

You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(Matthew 5:27-28) 

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)

Abstain from all appearance of evil.(1 Thessalonians 5:22) 

So when you and that person are holding hands, hugging, kissing, making out, etc. What kind of thoughts are going through your mind? Are the thoughts true, honourable, right, pure, lovely and admirable? Have you already fornicated with him/her in your mind? Matthew 5:27-28 says you don't have to commit the act; just thinking about it is already a sin.  I believe that whatever looks like a sin, leads to sin, abstain from it. 

So I already set up boundaries, what next? 

Never feel like you have to compromise your boundaries to accommodate someone else. Ever since I was a young girl, I had all these boundaries set up and I was doing pretty good until I was 19. This was probably because I never really paid attention to guys until this one Christian guitar playing guy came into my life. I had a MASSIVE  crush on him. It was so ridiculous, it led to a mini panic attack. Oh my gosh! Will anyone really want to to be in a relationship with me with these boundaries? Are my boundaries too rigid? Maybe I need to relax my boundaries.

Be careful of who you surround yourself with. I remember people telling me ‘Girl, you are a joker. You’ll just stay single forever'.  Some people laughed about it, these were christian lades too. I remember someone specifically saying 'it's one thing to say no to sex, but that's pushing it. No guy would agree to that'. They sowed seeds in my heart but thankfully, before those seeds could cause any real harm, I went to God. I remember saying to God ‘ Uhm, you know when I set up those boundaries and made those commitments, I was so young and You know, this is is not a sin, neither is that. I really don’t have a problem with these boundaries but I feel no guy would want to commit to that’. The Lord is so sweet and compassionate. He didn't get angry with me, He wasn't disappointed with me either. However, He didn’t say anything. I was frustrated. I needed to hear Him speak right there and then. He didn't though. Instead he led a complete stranger to come talk to me a few minutes later about how her friend had set up similar boundaries. Never said anything to the girl by the way. She just randomly told me. In her words, she 'just thought to share'. He made me realize that I was not alone.

A couple of months later, I found out about a couple who had set up really ‘strict’ boundaries during courtship. I thought some of them were so rigid but I quickly realized, that’s  how many people see me too. I do not plan to go down the same road, unless of course the person I am courting has similar boundaries. Romans 15:1 says "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves ". I mean, it might be difficult and frustrating in the beginning because like I said in my 25 random things about me post, I am a very affectionate person. However, It's all for the glory of God so I will learn to keep my hands to myself if I have to. LOL.

So what’s the point of this ‘cool/super story’? 

Never feel like your standards are too high or your boundaries are too strict. Do what you think is best for you and your walk with Christ.If someone really loves you and wants to be with you, they will honour your boundaries.. I know for a fact that those people discouraging me were lying! I am now surrounded by people who don't think I am weird or 'too religious' because of my boundaries. Instead, they encourage me all the time. There are men and women who are willing to give up their own pleasures/things they have liberty in so that you do not fall.

Also, instead of thinking, 'how far is too far?' Let's concern ourselves with how close we can get to God's heart. Let everything we do be for His glory. 

<3