I Matter!

Last night I joined in on a Kingdom Love Letter ministry call not knowing what to expect...not really sure if I was expecting anything...but simply to support my friend Tonia in her Ruth & Boaz in the Meantime Ministries as she was the guest.

In a nutshell, the call was about relationships, being single, and what to do while you are single yet desiring to be in a relationship. Simple answer: Seek and Serve God. Make HIM the priority...NOT the search for a partner.

The call went on for over an hour and I attentively listened, soaking up as much knowledge as I could. When it comes to relationships, I have failed at them ALL. Hence the reason why I am STILL SINGLE. Not by choice, because my desire is to be in a MARRIAGE blessed by God. However God is waiting for me to be obedient to Him and get myself together.

Although the majority of the callers were female, I was grateful for the one or two men who joined in. As a woman, I always welcome a man's viewpoint because it helps me understand where they're coming from. I think that's important for relationships as well as basic day-to-day interactions. We need to be able to understand each other.

So I listened, listened, and listened some more until just before the call ended and the host asked if anyone had any questions or comments. I finally spoke up, shared what was on my ever-so-heavy-heart, and in return received a prophetic word of encouragement.

The call ended and my spirit was lifted. I spent time processing what was said to me and asking God to reveal to me what it all means.

This morning, Tonia let me know that her brother (who was one of the men on the call...maybe the only man, I'm not 100% sure), was praying for me. WOW!

I can not begin to tell you how much that warmed my heart. To know that somewhere out there, a MAN is actually praying FOR ME. Although he doesn't know me personally, just from my brief comment on the call, he determined that I am special, valuable, precious to God.

He may be the ONLY man who has ever prayed for me. If not the only one in times past...he is most assuredly the ONLY one praying for me NOW. As much as I would love to have MANY men praying for me as their way of saying, "You are special. You are needed. You Matter," and would especially want the man who loves me (whenever he shows up in my life) to pray for me even moreso...at this moment in time, I am ever-so-grateful for the ONE. One man's prayers are exponentially greater than the prayers of NONE.

With that said, Let the DIALOGUE begin: For all the men out there...how many women are YOU praying for today? And  do they know? I can assure you that it will absolutely put a smile on their faces to know that YOU are praying for THEM.

Talk to me...

Til next time!

Bold and Encouraging

Out of all the various social media platforms, Facebook is my favorite and the one that I am on DAILY.

I've often heard folks say that Facebook is filled with a lot of garbage and negativity which has driven them away. I've always said that Facebook is as good as the people in your news feed...also known as your FRIENDS.

If your news feed is filled with garbage and negativity, it may be time to delete some friends. I'm jus' sayin'.

Thankfully, MY news feed is often filled with humor, encouragement, and positivity.

One thing that I particularly enjoy are the strong Men of Faith who I have as friends. There aren't many, but for the few that there are, I am thankful.

These men, who I have named the "Magnificent Seven" (y'all know how I am about sevens), boldly proclaim their faith in Christ and strive to encourage others. Although I would LOVE to mention them by name, I'm not sure how they'd feel about that, so I will simply list them by initials. Hopefully, if they EVER read my blog, they will recognize themselves in this post.

Anywhoo...here they are:

JS
EB
KH
TD
MP
EB
VC

Yes, two of them have the same initials, so no...that wasn't a mistake.

As thankful as I am to have to receive encouragement from my sisters in Christ, it's an extra blessing to know that I have these strong men as well who I can look to for spiritual encouragement. I wish I could link them all together because they would be one POWERFUL force if they all knew each other.

JS knows TD, VC and KH.

TD knows JS and VC, however KH does not know TD nor VC.

The two EBs know each other. And MP doesn't know any of the others.

Sounds like a math word problem, doesn't it?

Like I said, in my perfect world they'd ALL know each other because "iron sharpens iron."

That's it for now.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: For the Christian women who are reading this -- how important is it for YOU to have strong men of faith as part of your spiritual circles. Do you need them at all, or are your sisters in Christ enough?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Hello!

I may be by myself in this one but, I am a firm believer that an email beats a text message, and a phone call beats a text, and face-to-face conversations beat EVERYTHING.

In this age of technology it seems that face-to-face conversations and phone calls are quickly becoming things of the past.

You see, face-to-face and voice conversations reflect ones TRUE emotions, and these days, no one wants to show their true selves anymore. So instead, they opt for the "power" behind the keyboard. I think that's lame!

Although I admit that I will write a letter quick, fast, & in a hurry...but that's because my experience has been that people don't HEAR me, nor take the TIME to HEAR me when I am actually SPEAKING to them. My experience has been that people tend to be so defensive that, instead of HEARING what I have to say...they are mentally formulating their argumentative comeback...so my words end up being LOST completely. I have had this happen waaay too many times in my life, and for that reason...I write letters which is the ONLY way that I can get my thoughts out completely, and uninterrupted. THEN...the person can respond, either by calling or writing back. But at least I've been HEARD.

Anyhoo...I said that to say this.

Within the past week I have received two very special phone calls from two very special men. I'm not romantically involved with either of them, they're actually both in relationships with women that appear to be making them happy...and that makes me happy. They are simply really good friends and I am so blessed to have them in my life.

Interestingly, one shares my faith, so he's always filled with encouragement...spiritually and otherwise, which I always appreciate.

The other can't quite get with all of the "restrictions" that seem to come with Christianity, so although we don't share the same faith completely, he fully respects that I believe what I believe.

So...they both called...one last Tuesday (the day after my birthday), and the other yesterday. Both asked how I was...not in the customary, "How are you doing?" way, but in the genuine, "How are you doing...really?" way. To one, I told the truth. To the other, I chose to change the subject. He pried for a bit because he realized what I was doing, and then he said, "Ok. If you don't wanna tell me what's going on, I'll stop asking." He knows me well enough to know that when I'm ready, I'll talk, but until then...well.

Either way...it was sooo refreshing to speak to them. In my conversations I got what I so greatly crave and desire pretty much daily...MALE COMPANIONSHIP. I mean, even though they weren't physically present...for those brief moments in time with each of them, I had a man's ear, and a man had mine.

Now I have tons of "sister-friends" who I can call anytime, and if I can't get 'em on the phone I have other ways to reach them. So, female companionship, shoulders to lean on, listening ears...YES...I have that in them and I am grateful.

Yet there's just a different dynamic when the conversation is with a man. That's what I miss...that male/female dynamic.

So anyway...as I always say...it doesn't take much to make this girl happy. Something as simple as a phone call from two of my very special male friends has put a smile on my face for however long it'll last.

Sister-friends are GREAT...yet EVERY woman needs A FEW GOOD MEN in her life to make her feel just a little extra special. I'm still praying for that one GREAT man, whom God will send to me in the form of my HUSBAND (whoever, and wherever he may be), and in the meantime I will thank Him for the good male friends who are here already. I truly thank Him for them.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: To all the LADIES out there...do you have any male friends (not relatives) who you are close to and confide in, but are not romantically involved with?

Talk to me!

Til next time...