Challenge.

Today I will start my “fruit of the spirit challenge.”

For me, this is to help me to TRULY start exercising these beautiful characteristics in my every day life. Life can be so hectic at times and naturally, we can just become overwhelmed. Work, school, kids, friends, family, husbands/wives, boyfriends/girlfriends….JUST LIFE.

In our carnal nature, when someone or something frustrates us, we may not respond in love or with patience. We don’t always think before we act. We let our fickle emotions control certain situations.

Having an 8 month old son, I have truly seen how impatient I am. I love my son with every thing in me, but anyone who has kids I’m sure can empathize with me and understand when I say that it can be plain HARD at times.

So as I’ve been in my prayer time and one on one with God, I have been praying heavily about just being less emotionally led and more spiritually led. I don’t desire to be that mother that constantly yells and is short tempered with my child. I don’t want to be that woman that can’t control her emotions and seem as though nothing ever satisfies me. I know that I will have to practice these daily with my future husband, so why wait? I can be putting these into actions in my every day life RIGHT NOW. I don’t want to be that negative nancy or that friend that others are hesitant about even talking to me. I know that continuing to ask God to help me exercise HIS fruit is where it will begin. In my on carnal nature, there's no way I'll shine bright. I know that this will only come through Him. So pray for me and JOIN ME as I go on this journey of becoming filled and exuding THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. 

Talk to me.

I'm sitting here and for whatever reason I'm feeling the need to just provide my contact information. So if there's anyone that needs a listening ear about ANYTHING, someone to pray with, someone to just pray for them about something, someone to just vent to, or anyone that just simply wants to say something to me....I'm here. 

I am no longer on twitter and FB, but in due time I know I will eventually get back on those sites. I'll be back making videos as well. I'm taking things day by day and step by step and trying not o go ahead of God's instruction. But in the meantime, you can contact me via email. 

Email:Aleshadw12@gmail.com

P.s. Keep me uplifted in your prayers as well please. 

I'm not driving anymore. I gave God the keys.

This is such a simple instruction, yet so hard to follow. 

As I kept re reading this verse, this scenario came to mind. 

Picture yourself in a car. You're the driver which means you control the wheel, the gas, and the break. 

Now picture yourself as a passenger or backseat rider. You have no control over when the car moves, stops, or which direction it goes. 

These verses make me think of being the passenger rider and God being the driver of my life. If I choose to trust Him with my whole heart, that means He has complete control. I can't jump over and try to take control of the wheel when things aren't moving fast enough. I can't try to control the wheel when I think I should be going a different route to get to a certain destination quicker. 

What if it's not in God's road map for my life for me to go in that route I've been planning for the past week? What if He wants me to take a different route because there's people in the other direction I need to stop and chat with while passing through? What if that other direction I'm trying so hard to avoid is exactly what's going to get me to that beautiful island that I didn't even know existed?

I truly believe that wherever He leads me, He will make sure I'm protected. I would much rather follow His lead and be protected, than go off on my own path and find myself in trouble that I could have avoided. 
We often look at delays and certain road blocks as rejection. When you think about it, when something is blocked off, there's usually some kind of danger or not so safe things that await if you enter. When you see men on the side of the road working and they have the cones blocking the street, it's because they're reconstructing. There's probably potholes and all that they know if anyone runs into wouldn't be the most safe for the driver. So they begin smoothing the roads out or making for a more safe travel experience for anyone that will have to take that route. 

It's like we don't realize that God isn't trying to just be a bully and say I CONTROL YOU. But more so like, Hey...just sit back and chill. I got you in my protection and you're in my care. What are you tensing up for? What are you tripping about that roadbloack for? I can easily get us through that without throwing us off course. We will still make it to the final destination. If you allow ME to do this, YOU'RE GOOD. 

I'm learning to get Alesha's ways and thoughts out of the journey and just sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm learning to slowly but surely release my grip on the wheel. I'm experiencing so much more peace when I'm truly at rest in Him.

I think if we stop looking at surrendering as a scary thing or looking at it as OMG, I have no more control and I don't know what the heck is about to happen, it may be a little easier for us to take our hands off the wheel....Instead reframe your mind and realize that His control is a protection plan. He's like that top notch car insurance on the journey...

The Rock.

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

This verse was something that spoke deeply to me this morning for various reasons. It was an amazing reminder that I can’t find the stability that I’m wanting so badly outside of Christ. The things of this world MIGHT sustain me for a little, but it will always always always fail me. We have to stop placing so much trust and energy into our own “willpower” and even other people and things. When we know better, but don’t do better, we reap the consequences of that. These verses don’t tell me that troubles WON’T come, but it does remind me that if I place my heart, soul, and mind on the right foundation (Christ), I can get through it. I may sway and I may even begin to topple a little, BUT He will be there to catch me before I fall. He’s solid and He’s unmovable. He’s strong where I’m not. It just reminds me that He truly has my back if I allow Him to handle the things that I can’t. Now if I choose to ignore the things I KNOW, it shouldn't be a surprise when I fall flat on my face. He has presented Himself, so it’s up to me to choose to be deeply rooted in HIS foundation. Not my own. Not my friend’s. Not my little boo. Not family. But HIM!

Partial obedience is still disobedience. So we can choose to walk in the truth that we know or continue to sink in the things we know aren't helping us to move forward.

Such a bittersweet reminder.

What/Who is your foundation built on?

My love.

You are my calm in the chaos.

You are that quiet and still voice in all the uproar that surrounds. 

You are that voice of reason when everything else seems so confusing. 

You are the One that gives me hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.

You are the One that gives me rest when my mind won't stop running. 

You are the One the that gives me wisdom when I just don't quite understand.

You are the One that heals my open wounds.

You are the One that convicts me in my rebellion.

You are the One that loves me unconditionally when I'm so unlovable. 

You are the One that brings me light in my darkest hours. 

You are the One that accepts me flaws and all.

You are the One that willingly takes on my cares and worries of my everyday life. 

You are....everything I need...AND MORE. 

Humility.

This simple statement below is something that I have to remind myself of DAILY. It’s so easy to begin thinking that just because I’m not doing this or that, it means that I have the upper hand or am better than the next. FALSE. God doesn’t measure sin on a grading scale. Sin is sin. PERIOD. So before I start thinking that my works and my goody too shoe attitude puts me above the next, Lord HUMBLE ME! That’s a continuous prayer I pray. I remember a time when I was so deep in my Word and I was at such an amazing place in my walk with Christ. Although it’s definitely a wise decision to watch the company you keep, that doesn't mean look down on people or ever think you’re better than the next. I remember so clear that I just KNEW I could withstand this particular temptation and sure enough, I walked in head first and FELL flat on my head. WHOA. Not Ms. Perfect. Ha! So I constantly remind myself that I must NEVER become prideful. There’s nothing that I can conquer in my own strength. There’s nothing that comes because I’m some perfect lady in God’s eyes. Even when I’m so undeserving, He still blesses me. That in itself should be enough to humble me. Even when I am a mess, He still accepts me and wants to make me pure. So before I judge or even fix my mouth to down talk the next, I pray God opens my eyes and heart to always remember Without Him, I AM NOTHING.