Enemies to Faith

Pessimism and close-mindedness are major development issues for faith! If you are always trying to rely on what your mind can come up with for God; you will miss Him every time.  Not to mention its quite prideful to think there is no other way for God to work other than what you can come up with.

Reminder 1 Cor 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

God can do and use anything or anyone He wants for His purpose to be fulfilled. And Gratefully it is never up for debate! He will use ppl with learning disabilities, Ppl with horrid pasts, to do things we all would consider impossible and or unethical. He is God, and while we see only the physical; God sees potential and the heart of every man.

Open your mind to His infinite wisdom and knowledge instead of trying to fit God into yours. He will wow you every time.

Word of Encouragement:

Never let anyone tell you what you can't do or what can't happen! Never allow your circumstances or your past to define who you are or what God is capable of doing for you! God says you are More Than A Conquer and that All things are Possible with Him.
Tell them folks to kick rocks with Flip Flops and Watch God Get the Glory out of your Life.If you happen to be the Pessimistic and close-minded one hindering yourself. Do yourself a favor and just Shut up and cooperate with God.

Enjoy your day and grow in Grace!

Confidence in God

I think we will all agree that in our own power we mess up, fall short, miss the mark (sin). It's also Satan's underestimated devices, to keep us in the position to alway want to work in our own power, and trusting in ourselves. So now we have a society that is obsessed with Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem, Self-Empowerment... Ironically none of these thing are really possible to have without a breech without an identity in Christ. Even Self Control is a Fruit of the Spirit of God. He is the one who enables us to control ourselves.

Be Confident in the God in you, He will esteem you and empower you to keep you from displeasing Him and complete every assignment for your life. Take no confidence in your own ability, but Give God all of the credit and all of the Glory for the work He has done in You.

Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.

2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

A Man with Just a Job or A Man with Purpose

Ladies we are often told when dating that we shouldn't consider to date a man without a job. Today, I want to open your minds to Kingdom relationships.

Yes a man with a job is a good thing, however a man with just a job is altogether different. Ladies, there is something far more important that we are over looking. We are forgetting the element of purpose.  First this must be addressed: Dating without purpose is no where visible in the bible. 

Wasting time with guys who will not be our husbands, is dangerous. Why am I saying dangerous? Because we get connected emotionally, and physically and then we see ourselves in compromising situations that are contrary to the Word of God. To eliminate putting ourselves in situations like this, its best to have a purpose for dating. There is nothing wrong with remaining friends with other guys but keep standards, and boundaries so that the those relationships never cross the line. Make sure whoever you are dating is marriage material and potential so that you don't waste time and that you safeguard your heart. 

Marriages struggle because of pasts! If we do things God's way we would actually enter marriage being virgins without even knowing what it is that we like sexually and don't like. We would grow with our mate sexually vs. coming together one burnt out sexually and the other blew out sexually. Get my drift! Marriage wouldn't be so hard if we didn't come into it with all the relational baggage that we bring from spending time in relationships with people who were never meant for us any way.

I digress! Back to the topic at hand. So okay we have a man and he is looking good for marriage material. He has a job, a car and a house. He can provide for you and all of that, but what will happen to this man is if all he has is a job. I will tell you--------> CRISIS! If all you have is a man with a good job, you are in trouble. Jobs are great but what is better is to have a man who knows his purpose. 

Its two different things to have a man with a job and a man with a job and a purpose. Take the job away from the man without a purpose, usually he will do WHATEVER it takes to keep things a float. He may even become enraged because he is unable to provide. He may feel feelings of failure and hopelessness. However, take the job away from a man who knows his purpose and there is a different outcome. This man will be relaxed, because the job wasn't going to be the end result for him anyway. He has direction because he has plans for his life that may or may not involve that job that was taken from him. If the job has nothing to do with his purpose more than likely he really didn't want to be there anyway. One things for sure when a man has purpose he knows what and what he doesn't have time for. More importantly purpose comes from God so he trusts God!

Ladies, having a man who knows his purpose is far more greater than having a man with just a job. As wives we are called to be a helpmeet.  Helpmeet to what? To the mans journey of becoming who God has called him to be. You can't be helpmeet to a man with just a job. If he loses his job then what? But a man with purpose, also has a plan and this what we are helping with. We are helping him get to the end result that God showed him of who he is to become. 

Work is defined as activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result. Work is also a verb. Job is defined as in the verb form, do casual or occasional work. In the noun form, a paid position or regular employment. 

So ladies don't just be glad over a man with "a" job, because all he has is a paid position. Get excited over a man that is working to achieve an end result. Get excited over the man with the plan, who knows where he is going in life not just from 8-5pm daily. 

This is a true story... Im living witness that a man that knows his purpose is so much more easier to be a helpmeet too than man with just a job oblivious to what God has called him too!

Reputation vs. Character

Daily Wisdom: Your repuatation may get you in the door, but character is what you are going to need to keep you from being put out of it. ~Rofasho~

Thoughts for today: We can always lie our way in/out of things just as long as people don't mind a surface relationships with us. However, there will come a time when someone will genuinely want to know us below the surface. What exactly will they find? Will what they have heard, assumed of us and/or believed what we have said about ourselves line up with who we really are? Or will they be sadly disappointed to find out our reputation is a front and the "real" us is the total opposite?

Plan of Action: Work hard everyday to get to know our strengths and our weakness. Be honest with ourselves and others. There is only one carbon copy of us all. God fashioned us to be different for a reason! So enjoy your uniqueness, by allowing others to enjoy and beneifit from knowing who we really are. It doesn't make much sense to make people believe we are something that we really are not. More importantly, we have to stop lying to ourselves. If what we see in the mirror isn't to our liking; then its as simple as changing what we do not like. Put your best foot forward to being the best YOU that you can be. You will be glad you did, those around you will also. Live up to being YOU!

Grow in Grace & Blessing in your Sweet Experience of Growth and Change!

Rofasho

The Price of Greatness

The price of greatness is responsibility- Winston Churchill

As I continue reflecting over this year, I recognize the areas in my life where I didn't excell. There were many areas that I only did what was required of me. This happens to the best of us. Not always, do we short change our ablity to work in the spirit of excellence because we are just simply lazy. However,  in most cases that is the main reason. Sometimes, situations arise that kill our zeal and excitement for doing our best.  Today I want to encourage you to continue strong.

I was just laying in my bed thinking about a conversation my husband and I were having in regards to a situation that had arised in our lives and a few things came to mind.

As believers, we are to believe that we can do all things through Christ basically because He is working on the inside of us. This means to me that being average is not my only choice I have. I can be great at everything I put my hands to and I can also be attributed greatness by the people I come in contact with. How? Im glad you asked!  As I sat and pondered who I considered to be great, I found one common thing in each individual.  They all went over and beyond what was required of them in some area of their life.

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"Let us consider the nature of true greatness in men. The people that can catch hold of men's minds and feelings and inspire them to do things bigger than themselves are the people who remembered in history... those who stir feelings and imaginations and make men struggle towards perfection."

 -Henry Erying-

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After thorougly examining who I thought could be attributed greatness, I realized that the spirit of excellence was also at work in them. The spirit of excellence is never just concerned with the big picture or the end results. However, the spirit of excellence is detailed- oriented. The spirit of excellence is concerned about every little step that makes up the journey of the big picture. The spirit of excellence doesn't rest at just doing the job, but it effortlessly works at doing the job right and in order. More importantly, the spirit of excellence works at its best and never just at what is good. The spirit of excellence isn't just working in just one area of someone's life or an organization, but its seeps through every facet of who or what possesses it. This is because the spirit of excellence becomes a habit. It's something that is work at to be obtained. Once it is obtain, it becomes second nature to always work in it. 

Let me give you examples of greatness and the spirit of excellence! 

Harriet Tubman, was a lady who was burdened by the weight of slavery amongst African- American people. She really didn't have to help others get free from slavery, but the greatness in her called for her to think of others before herself. The spirit of excellence called for her to work the vision in such a way that 300 slaves was able to obtain freedom. 

Dr. James Naismith, was the inventor of the sport basketball in 1891. He wrote the first basketball rulebook. He also founded the University of Kansans first basketball program. Dr. Naismith is attributed with releasing an idea that has impacted men and women across our world. Today basketball is a billion dollar industry. The spirit of excellence in him gave way to not only manifesting a vision but teaching others about his vision. This has enable thousands of people to dream and obtain careers in the basket ball industry. 

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Great minds discuss idea, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people

-Hyman Rickover-

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Being attributed greatness, nor working in the spirit of excelles, will prevent you from making bad decisions or mistakes. These are apart of life and vital to our growth. However, being attributed greatness and the spirit of excellence will cause one to go over and above what is required to rectify any mistake or bad decisions made.  This is called being responsible. No one who has ever been atrributed greatness or the spirit of excellence, has not ever been a responsible individual, or organization. 

Today I admonsish you, to work on your legacy of greatness by always working in a spirit of excellence. Rather it be in school, ministry, family life, friendships, or careers; work to be the best and to do it with class. People never really remember what you have said or what you have done, but they alway remember how you made them feel. In your journey towards being great, set your heights towards doing things that will leave a legacy for others to follow behind in your footsteps. Set a standard for yourself and always make sure you keep your word, and esteem others higher than yourself. We will come in contact with many wonderful people in our lifetime, but the ones who go beyond themselves to impact others and make the lives of others easier are always who will be remembered. 

Merry Christmas Everyone, Make 2012 the year you set the foundation for a Great Legacy!

Rofasho

Character, Integrity, & Reputation

Today's blog is about three important words! At some point in our adult lives we should have a working understanding about. Those three words are  Character, Integrity and Reputation. The three words are very important and vital to each individual human being. However we need to know what is our responsibility on grooming and protecting the three.

Character- The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes on person, group, or thing from another

A person with character, has certain qualities that stand out to others. These qualities generally attribute to this person of being, reputable, trustworthy, responsible, loving, and law-abiding.  These attributes are things that a person has worked hard at obtaining. Therefore these things are in their control and no one else's. More than likely the person who has these attributes has been raise to respect and value character. The positive thing about having character, is that once you have obtained it can not be taken away. You can relinquish your character, but no one actually has the power to take it away.  

Integrity-  adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honest

Integrity is basically, meaning what you say and saying what you mean. A person is attributed integrity when their moral beliefs matches up with their daily activities and speech.  Again, this is in the control of the individual who wishes to obtain integrity. Much like character, integrity can not be taken away from a person unless the person relinquishes it. This is simply done by not keeping your word, speaking without intentions, doing the opposite of what you profess to believe is rights or having no moral values at all. 

Reputation-  the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community, or the public generally; repute

Reputation is important but not nearly as character and integrity. Character and integrity is worked on by the person who wishes to have it. However, reputation is the gathered image of what people think/feel about who you are. A reputation can be true or false! You can have a fantastic reputation and have no character at all. How is this possible? I am glad you ask! You could do something nice for one person and the one person tells everyone they know about what you did for them. Now everyone believes this is what you do all the time. Or you can have terrible reputation, and actually have great character. You could have made a bad decision once and the wrong person found out about; and exposed it. Ultimately, leading everyone to believe that the one bad decision is who you are and what you do all the time. 

Unfortunately, our society is reputation driven. Its so much easier and takes less time to just take the word of someone else about another person, rather than getting to know someone for ourselves. Learning some one's character is not an overnight process. The great thing about people with character, they have no problem with taking that time to find out the truth about a person. People with character will protect their character and integrity at all cost, so they do not immediately attach themselves to everyone. Again we live in a reputation driven society, so you don't see to many people with character and good reputations hanging around people with terrible reputations and no character at all. 

Although reputations is carried by others by word of mouth; character and integrity isn't. If you want character and integrity it comes with responsibility of your own actions.  As I have stated before we hear of people getting there character slandered and defamed; however, that isn't actually possible to be done. Yes people can lie on you, but a lie with out proof for a person with character and track record of doing the right thing doesn't really have chance to stand up in court. Your character and integrity can only be slandered and defamed if you yourself actually compromise it. What do I mean? I'm glad you asked. Bill Clinton for the most part had a great rapport with the United States until he compromised it with Monica Lewinsky. No one actually slandered President Clinton, he simply compromised his integrity and character for oral sex. The only thing that happen was someone exposed what he compromised to. As you can see that Bill Clinton was in control of being slandered or not, by simply taking a moment to think things through. Now his reputation is known for receiving oral sex while holding the presidential office. This doesn't take away from the fact that while holding office our economy was at its best that we have seen in a 20 year span.  However, because of one bad decision, his reputation is overshadowed by his character  and integrity as probably one of the best Presidents the United States has ever had. 

So if you are having an issue of people always "slandering" you, take look at what have you compromised and allowed someone to expose. There are times when people have nothing on you and simply just like to talk about you, however that isn't slandering, that's what I call negative admiration.  Protect your character and integrity ladies and gentlemen, by thinking about the effects of your actions before you execute them. In most cases you can prevent people from damaging your reputation by not giving them something to use against you. Remember just because you think no one knows doesn't mean that the truth will not get out. If you happen to make a mistake or a bad decision, maintain your integrity and admit that you were wrong or at fault.  Always be truthful when there is a breech in your moral beliefs and your daily activities. No matter what don't stop building character and integrity because no matter how people view you, God always knows who you really are and the condition of your heart. People will always have something to say if you make a bad decision, but remember even if they don't forgive you, God always does. Keep striving to make God pleased with you!

Be honest, Be respectful, Be caring, Be loving, Respect Authority, Mean what you say and say what you mean!

God Bless and Grow in Grace

Rofasho

2011 Reflection- Accepting the Call

At the end of every year, most people spend time reflecting on their triumphs and defeats, their accomplishments, and unsuccessfull attempts. As 2011 is swiftly coming to an end, I am following suit with the old traditions of yearly reflection.


I usually learn at least one new trade or pick up one new hobbie every year. I'm kind of one of those people who likes to be a jack of all trades. However this year as I reflect I didn't do any of that. In fact, I stepped a way from the things that I had previously picked up. In 2010, I started learning how to properly apply make-up and doing youtube tutorial videos. This year was nothing like any other year.

I didn't pick up any new hobbies, no new trades, didn't take on new adventures, or a new vacation spots.  However, I  did embark upon facilitating a University Expereience for my church home. This was a vision given to me to assist my Pastor in materializing his vision for his church to come to pass. So far it has been a success. It doesn't have full participation yet, but those who do participate are very dedicated. I am anxiously awaiting what was shown to me by God to completely materialize.

I did also take some steps to walk in to the my calling. For many of you who know me, I have said a million times, that many have always said that I would end up a "preacher's wife" and also an Evangelist. For years, I didn't really believe it or shall I say recieve it; however it didn't matter what I believed or recieved. My husband, has been actively working in his calling for ministry since April of this year. It was like one day he wasn't a preacher and the next day he was on the grind, teaching all the time. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the prophecy would  come to pass.

In the summer of 2010, I had ask God to clarify if He was calling me into ministry. I did it with the hopes of hearing nothing. I asked for God to reveal it through my husband. My husband had told me already that he knew I was being called to teach God's word. I ask for my husband to be the one to confirm it because he isn't a man that repeats the obvious. And the joke was on me. I ask God on a Saturday. That following Monday out of the blue my husband calls me while he is at work, crying. He called to tell me that God has so much in store for me and that I was great woman of God and that the ministry in me had to go forth. Of course he says "I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I had to call you"! I just cried the whole day and humbly accepted the confirmation of the call.

This year my church family embarked upon a Daniel's Fast and this is where the clarity came into play. I really began to seek God on what He was calling me to do specifically. In a previous blog, I explained that God gave me the word "Discipleship". But that still wasn't enough. In the second  quarter of the year, Prophet after Prophet began to prophesy the exact same things. Even people without titles kept pulling me to the side telling me the same thing the Prophets where telling. Over and over I heard "Ministry must go forth this year"! And its finally clear, after much running, praying and more running, that I am to teach the Word of God. Other things were prophesied about the ministry God has called me to,  that I have not yet been able to wrap my mind around nor do I see the capacity for. However if its the Word of the Lord, I will just put it on shelf and wait for God to manifest His will for me. In the third quarter of the 2011, I gave my pastor my first sermon to critique and go over. I stop running, because clearly there is no where to run to when you are running from God. I'm learning to just get into obedience and just wait for God to do what only He can. This one I  am not really all that anxious about. When the times comes, the door will open and I will walk into it. In the meantime Im just preparing myself. Furthermore I'm am a firm believer, that the greatest message I could ever preach to someone is the example that I live. Being called to the pulpit is great, but its also nullified if the life I live outside of the pulpit is contrary to being in it.

As you can see my mind has been fixed on God, ministry and the will He has for my life. Other than those three, I have just been preoccupied with making sure my family is built on solid foundation and that God is leading us. As much as I would like to say that this year I was unproductive because I didn't do what I normally did. I was indeed more productive than I have ever been. Finding out my purpose in life and what I am called to do is productivity at its best. I now know what I do and don't have time for in life. More importantly, I no longer have to blindly find my way to God's will for me. Trying everything to see what feels right.

This was by far the worst year I have every lived and the hardest. There were days that I really would have just rather been dead. Yet even with all of the oppostion, I can still say that this year wasn't a total lost. In even though it was the worst year I had ever seen, it was the most important year of my life. This was my year of transitioning me towards my tranformation.

Rofasho.

Keep Pressing

 As we grow in grace and the love of Christ, there are many challenges that will present themselves to us. One of the most important challenge is of course, conforming to the image of the Son (Romans 12:2; Romans 8:29). This is the first priority of any Christian, rather we preach, teach, or prophesy. No one is exempt from this one task.  Conforming to the image of the Son is work, but it doesn't come without its own opposition.

As we learn more about who our Lord and Savior is and His character; we are able to measure ourselves up to our example of what we as Christians should be. The process in which we go through to be come more like Him, has its greatest results in the form of test, trials and tribulations. It seems like through testing we produce an overwhelming show of the fruit of the Spirit versus just reading the Word of God alone. Change is usallly the result of a crisis. Though many will resisit it change at first, its  inevitable if you are in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). As if this isn't hard enough to do, the opposition of change; is dealing with the people you love who will not accept it.

The way we were and what we want to become are  two different things. Many times we would like to just forget the old us. Yet, there is always one person or two who will have no problem with reminding us who we were. I want to encourage you today to not give up on conforming into the image of the Son, no matter who isn't able to recognize your  progress of change.

Did you know that Mary Magdelene, the woman that basically financed Jesus's ministry was possessed with seven demons; this was the complex illness that Jesus healed her of. I'm sure that the people that knew Marry Magdelene while she was possessed never imagined her as a follower of the Messiah. Or did they think she would become a vitally important and beloved disciple to our Lord and Savior. I am confident that they would have never thought that Son of God would choose her to be the first person to see Jesus after resurrecting from the dead. To top it all off, its been suggested that Mary Magdelene may have also been a prostitute before joining the ministry of Jesus Christ.  This lady was kinda jacked up don't you think, yet her ending was so honorable!

Today, I want to assure you no matter what you have done, or who you may have been in the past; its not beyond Jesus' ability to redeem you to the Kingdom. No matter what people see, God always sees you as what your are purposed to be (Jeremiah 29:11). People will remind you of what you have done, and said; but don't let it weight you down. You have a race to run and you must get to the finish line (Philippians 3:14). You can't get there looking backwards, you must look foward. Keep perspective, get the Word concerning your life. Believe God! Whatever He said you are, you will have to press to become it.

It's my prayer that Mary Magdelene's life will encourage you. We all know that we are not worthy, but I am sure that we are all  thankful that God still finds us useful for the Kingdom.

God Bless,
Rofasho

An Unforgettable Weekend of Love

March 4th thru the 6th, was my church's Marriage Retreat.  We traveled to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, Mi. We stayed Friday thru Sunday Morning. For the low price of $400 per couple, we received: 2 nights lodging, 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts (buffets), Water Park Pass for the duration of our stay, 3 workshops and course materials. Yea, all of that for $400! Yet the amount that we paid, would never come close to what we learned and experienced with our spouses.

I will be honest, I had my reserves about the retreat. I was excited about going and optimistic about what we would learn in our workshops. However the itinerary  just seemed so tight. We really was doing something every moment that we were there. So immediately, my husband and I had already planned not to take advantage to every workshop. Yep, that didn't happen. Who was I kidding, I rarely ever go against the grain of obedience when it comes to someone asking me to be apart of something. I'm glad i didn't change the course of what I have done all my life.

We got to the location about 9pm, just in time to eat dinner. However, we had missed the icebreakers and events for the night. So we ate and mingled with everyone for little bit and my husband and I went back to our room. Beds are wonderful at Great Wolf Lodge may I add. The next morning was a struggle because we needed to be up and downstairs at 7:30am  to start the morning events. I'm not a morning person at all, so I was a little late. Breakfast was slamming: Fruit, french toast, potatoes, eggs, bacon, sausage and I am sure I'm missing something else.  We then all went to the general session, which my Pastor taught on Communication and Rekindling Intimacy. I have already written about my Pastor in this blog site, so you already know he slammed.  After his class we had a choice to attend making Blended Families work or How to Love Your Spouse while Working it Out. My husband and I choose the second class, as we really don't have an issue with blended families.

I wasn't prepared for the wealth of knowledge I was going to gain from this workshop. It was taught by a couple that didn't attend our church, they were average people like my husband and I. They were not Pastors or Bishops, Bible Scholars, just people who had been married for years. Never judge a book by their cover. Though no titles were before their name, the Holy Spirit used them in such a way to convey what there "Its" were in the Working it Out part of their marriage. They were transparent and real. They shared things that most wouldn't dare tell a friend. It wasn't to air their dirty laundry but to show that their is life after death in a marriage. It really blessed me an my husband. Their story wasn't to fair off from ours and it was just what we needed. Though we had moved on and forgiven and forgotten, it was added confirmation that we were on the right track. This couple shared what their ideas of the roles of a wife and husband are and what Love is. I was impacted tremendously by the class. It showed me my flaws as a wife. It showed how difficult and judgmental I really am.

After that Course we had a choice between Managing Finances in Unison and How to  Persevere in Marriage. We choose to take the Finance Workshop. Again, this work showed my husband some of the things that I was concerned with as the last workshop showed me what he was concerned with.  After leaving this course we retreated to our room because we had a 5 hour break. We cried and apologize. I confessed to him some things that I wouldn't confess to myself. He did the same. We recommitted ourselves to each other. He also mandated that we dedicate Mondays to be our day of Sacrifice. (I love it when he leads me). After our break was over we came back together for dinner and to renew our vows.
My husband and I had the awesome task of leading worship. It was an awesome experience. We renewed our vows and had our second "first" dance. The following morning, we had breakfast, and we broke off to women with women and men with men, to encourage. I don't know what the men did but the women did just that. We joined back together and had communion before we departed.

It was a much needed retreat for my husband and I. It was our first time actually being away with no kids and no family. (Well Pastor was with us, but not with us).  I think we said "I Love You" enough to cover the rest of this year. I'm sitting here smiling just thinking how impossible life would be separate from him. We have come through so much, and fought so hard to get to where we are now; nothing can penetrate us. Don't mistaken that for boasting, this is faith I am speaking on. God has shown us mercy and grace. He has shown us that if we let Him lead he will cover a multitude of our wrongdoing. If we let Him be in the midst of our marriage, we can truly stick and stay.  This weekend only affirmed what we already knew and sometime forget or take for granted. The truth is our destinies are interlocked with each other. We can't get to what God has for us separated. Its imperative that we never lose sight of that.

So today, I just wanted to take the time to encourage those who may be experiencing adversity in your marriage. This is going to sound crazy, but, embrace the adversity. There is something for you to learn about yourself and your mate. More importantly, God is trying to pull something out of you that is laying dormant that He needs active. This not the time to play victim, but the time to stay in the word and trust in God's promises for your marriage. Marriage was never designed for divorce. With that being said, make up your mind now if your are going to stay or leave. If you are going to stay- fight, if you are going to leave- leave. There is no in between. Be encourage God is own your side even if it doesn't look like it.

The Importantance of Transparency & Accountability in Ministry

Themes Passage:


James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.


This is a topic that has been on my mind for sometime now. I grew up in the church as many may know by now. For as long as I can remember, church folk are some of the best folk to cover up some stuff. Not that it's a bad thing to not let everybody know your business. However, I think the world would see the church in a different light if we didn't always cover up the things we struggle with. I also think that we struggle with our habits for long periods of time, because we have been covering them up for so long that we are unable to strip ourselves before God and ask for the deliverance we really need.


Let's examine my thoughts for a while, shall we. Okay let take me for instance, ( yall know I am transparent as it can get) as stated in a video on youtube that I posted; I have an ugly habit of profanity. I have had this issue for well over 15 years. I was able to get a hold of the situation about 10 years ago and did well for at least 2 years. I have just recently got comfortable with letting people know that I have this issue. Now, most would say, "Ro you do praise and worship, why would you tell anyone about that"?. My reply is (now), "I'm human, and "doing" praise and worship doesn't make me exempt from sin, in fact Satan attacks me harder". Now this isn't an excuse for what I do but an answer why I tell what I do. I realize at the ripe age of 20, oh I'm sorry 30, that I am never going to conquer this by myself. I didn't conquer this by myself the last time. I had a team of people (accountability group)  staying on my neck day in and day out until I got sick of them always correcting my language. These same individuals prayed for my deliverance, as well as myself. 


So here is my point, covering up our sins seem to be logical. No one wants to air their dirty laundry. I agree with that, but sometimes you have to in order to get accountability for what you are doing. If you are struggling with a sin and you see you aren't a help to yourself, then GET HELP!. OPEN your mouth and request help.  The more we cover up our sins, the more we believe the lie that we are not sinning. This is a very dangerous place to be in. So today, I am not asking you  to got tell the world of your sins. No, not all all. Im saying be transparent when its necessary so that you can keep yourself accountable to things. Especially if you are in ministry, its necessary to have accountability. Accountability keeps you in the pocket. There is nothing worst than being ministered to by a person who doesn't abide by their own words. 


Supported Quotes


 Ministry is...... 
1. Cultivating a culture of godly accountability for yourself and for those you serve. 
2. Developing spiritual believers who are mature and who will become leaders of their own    
   accountability groups. 
3. Grieving over those who choose to defect from the faith and praying for them to return home ~ Dave Earley & Ben Gutierrez


"I'm a "Christ follower" first and a Pastor second". ~ Matthew Willimgton


"One of the fastest roads to moral failure in ministry is a lack of accountability."~ Michael Todd Wilson & Brad Hoffman