Get To Know God ... In Order To Get To Know Yourself:: Spring Into Self Series

SPRING INTO SELF SERIES: GET TO KNOW GOD IN ORDER TO GET TO KNOW YOURSELF

PRAYER:

Dear Father, Today I pray that you humble my heart. Give me the strength and wisdom needed to seek you, for I know if I do not seek you first I will not be able to understand who I am and whose I am. I pray that you bless me with the knowledge of who you purposefully designed me to be. Father, I ask that you place me on your path for I know your path is the ONLY path for me. I pray that all the blessings you have designed for me I am open and willing to receive them. I pray that with those same blessings I am able to bless others for I know that my life is not my own. I know that I am sent here to do your work. I pray that you reveal to me my purpose. Stand by my side as I make my ears sensitive to your words so that you can guide me on my path to understanding myself. I know that without Faith I will fail. Build my character. Build my faith. I shall pray to you daily. In only your name Amen.

SCRIPTURE:

"Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."Isaiah 64:8

MY PAST:

In the past I have literally fought getting to know God. I always knew that seeking him was the best thing for me, however, I wanted to live in my flesh doing worldly things ... just as my friends were. So I kept turning my back to him. Now, don' get me wrong I was never a HORRIBLE child that was extremely rebellious, however, there were things that I knew that I was doing that were wrong, but I turned a blind eye to Gods everlasting love and did what I wanted to do. Well, thank the LORD that God never turned his back on me and kept me surrounded by positive influences.During my freshmen year in high school I joined the gospel choir along side two of my best friends from middle school. If you know me, then you know I was not granted the gift of singing. Nonetheless, God always has a plan.

I officially had my first "willing" experience with Gods Grace during a gospel choir retreat to Columbia, MO ... he saved me!!! When I tell you it was the most refreshing feeling that I have ever felt. I could feel his spirit run all throughout my veins and could hear him calling me to get to know him. I was so ecstatic that I listened to GOD on that day. It forever changed my life! From there my confidence grew and I became more and more curious about Gods Love for me. I became thirsty for it and wanted to understand who my creator was. At the beginning of my senior year in high school I stepped out on Faith and joined a church (all by myself, no family/friends were members of this church) that was not in my immediate suburban surrounding areas. High school birthed my independence in getting to know myself and my spiritual being.

During my college years and beyond I struggled with the tests that were presented to me. My father was killed, I lost my battle to remain a virgin until marriage (due to my depression from my fathers death and seeking male attention), and I became a single mother. Had I truly gone to God and sought after his love during this stage in my life I would have been able to hold true to the path that he had designed for me instead of trying to create my own. It has taken me years and many experiences to truly understand that my life is not my own.

God blessed me with two gifts within the same year to show me that my life is greater than just myself. These lessons were definitely not the easiest to even conceptualize at the time of their conception, but I am glad that I followed Gods direction in dealing with them both. These lessons were the birth of Jewels, Inc., in January 20007 and the conception of my son Peter James Jackson in the Fall of 2007.My relationship with God started to grow strong during the Fall of 2006. I made my ears sensitive to his words and listened to him. He was truly my best friend!!! God gifted me the biggest project I have ever done and that was to lay the foundation of HIS outreach organization, known to many as Jewels, Inc.

In starting Jewels, I let it be known that this was Gods Gift and this company is bigger than myself, the Jewels, Howard University and Washington DC. Between January and the Fall I was battling with ALOT of internal issues that I did not share with God. I started to go back to my depression of keeping all of my true feelings to myself rather than praying for guidance. Instead of standing firm in my Faith, I fell from Gods Grace. This fall conceived my son, Peter James. I decided to be a woman and take responsibility for my irresponsible actions. I birthed one of my biggest blessings in June of 2008. Many lessons have been learned as God has carried me through the growing pains of motherhood and life.

MY PRESENT:

As of today, I am still dealing with my own spiritual growth. Just last May I did a spiritual fast to humble my heart and make my ears sensitive to his words and the path that I am supposed to be on. God is so amazing. He shared with me pieces of the path he has designed for me. All I can say is that God is good!!!! I know that I have to keep walking in Faith in order to be in the position to receive all of the blessings that he has predestined for me to receive.

MY FUTURE:

I am not perfect by any means. There are times when I get distracted and do not commit myself 100% to studying His word, nor praying and praising him like I should. I know moving forward it is of the utmost importance that I continue to seek God. I know that I must continue to walk in Faith. I know that I must LOVE in the way that he has loved me. I know that I must forgive in the way that God has forgiven me. I know that I must truly get to know God in order for me to truly get to know myself!

b.MARCELL QUESTION SESSION:

Do you really know who you are and whose you are?I Am...bMe

ACTION ITEM:

Take the next couple of days or however long you may need and pray to God. Ask him to humble your heart, humble your spirit and make your ears sensitive to his words. Pick a time, the same time everyday to sit and spend 5 minutes with God in the morning and in the evening. Praise Him. Worship Him. Pray to Him. As you grow more and more in him your daily time with him may and should expand.

WEEKLY AFFIRMATION: (repeat 3x minimum)

I am who I am.

I can only bMe.

God Please Guide My Steps!!!

INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES:

At times the most effective prayers we can pray are the ones that acknowledge who we are and who God is. Often when we pray, we ask God for things. Indeed, this is the part of what god wants us to do! However, as we do when we are in a relationship with another human being, we also need to spend time examining the heart of our spiritual love relationship with God. We need to "define the relationship". Tell God where you are in your relationship to him right now. Near? Far? Where do you want to be? Finally, what do you want to ask of God based on who he is and who you are? Discover the freedom that comes from acknowledging your weakness and God's strength. You may come to a greater understanding that no matter where you are with God right now, his love and provisions are beyond what you can imagine.

--unknown

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Why is it important that you are with God and God alone on the mountain top? It's important because it's the place in which you can listen to the voice of the One who calls you the beloved. To pray is to listen to the One who calls you "my beloved daughter," "my beloved son," my beloved child." To pray is to let that vocie speak to the center of your being, to your guts, and let that voice resound in your whole being.

--Henri Nouwen

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The Footprints Prayer

One night I had a dream...I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, andAcross the sky flashed scenes from my life.For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.When the last scene of my life flashed before us,I looked back at the footprints in the sand.I noticed that many times along the path of my life,There was only one set of footprints.I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my lifeThis really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it."Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,You would walk with me all the way;But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,There is only one set of footprints.I don't understand why in times when Ineeded you the most, you should leave me.The Lord replied, "My precious, preciouschild. I love you, and I would never,never leave you during your times oftrial and suffering.When you saw only one set of footprints,It was then that I carried you.