The Meals

Entrée

Go on, Girl!

The Manna Chef

This is what my bestie and I tell each other all the time.  It’s part of an inside joke, a shout-out to “In Living Color,” but we really do mean it when we say it.  That’s what I want to tell you today: Go on, girl!  Whatever God has instructed you to do, “Go on, girl!”  You got this!

Sister, I want you to really hear me.  You are God’s masterpiece.  That’s right, YOU, the sister reading this right now, are His masterpiece.  You don’t believe me?  Well, let’s go to the Word of God. 

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Let me tell you something right now.  God had big things in mind when He created you, so it’s time to be about your Father’s business.  Notice I said “business” not “busyness.”  Ask God to lead you as to what you need to do today.  What would He like you to accomplish?  And focus on that.  Because life will have you running around trying to do everything, and you’ll be overwhelmed and discouraged when you can’t seem to get it all done. 

I am one who has been guilty of a monstrous to-do list.  So, I pray for God to direct my very steps because I have been known to overwhelm myself with too much.  Now I just ask, “Lord, what are we going to do today?” and then I get ready for an adventure.  He actually leads me through my day!

Pages: 1 2
Entrée

Breathe on Me, Lord

The Manna Chef

I was having “one of those days.”  It seemed as if life was hitting me hard from every direction.  For a moment, I couldn’t catch my breath.  And then I sat sit—very still.  I turned the lights out and just sat there waiting for God to speak to me.  What I really needed was for Him to just breathe on me to refresh my spirit.  Have you been there before?

I have learned to shut everything down when I need a moment with the Lord.  I create that space; I make the time.  I need His Presence every day, so I try to consistently make room for Him in my actual day—even on the busy days—not just at night before I go to bed.  I encourage you to take Jesus with you all day long.  Watch how your perspective changes throughout your day.  And when you have a weary day, go right to God. 

I have had to recite, “This is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it,” (Psalm 118:24) through tears.  I didn’t feel like rejoicing, but I was choosing to rejoice in the midst of the struggle, because I know joy brings strength.  (Yes, you can actually do that.)  I’ve learned to sit still and just breathe in the Presence of the Lord.

There’s a scene from the movie, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” that I completely love.  Actually, there are many scenes, but there’s one that comes to mind often.  At the end of the movie, Aslan breathes on those who were turned to stone, and they return to flesh once again.  That’s what I imagine when I read Job 33:4, “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” I need the breath of the Almighty every single day.

Pages: 1 2
Entrée

Faith-driven or Fear-driven?

The Manna Chef

As I was driving to work one morning, I began to recall past conversations I have had with Lord concerning His plan for my life.  Sisters, let me be real with you right now:  I have not always embraced His plans for me.  On several occasions, I have even been mortified!  I felt like I wasn’t the “right” one to do whatever God was saying or that I simply wasn’t enough for what God had shown me.  Have you ever experienced that moment?

God was so patient with me.  He reminded me of the many battles we have faced and won together.  I really appreciate my walk with the Lord.  It hasn’t always been easy, but I love Him at this very moment more than I ever have before!  I appreciate all that I have experienced—the good and the bad, even the downright awful.  God’s blessings have manifested in my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined.  He truly has been my Superhero more times than I can count.

So now, instead of running when God instructs me to do something, I am learning (notice I said “learning,” it’s a continual process for me) to recognize the presence of fear, acknowledge it, confess it to the Father, and then hand it right over to Him.  I don’t ignore it and pretend that it isn’t there; otherwise that fear may just creep up and try to paralyze me and stop me from pursuing what God has instructed me to possess.  I have learned to call it out and then call on Jesus to help me.  And guess what?  Jesus has always been right there for me!  He has given me His own Word to empower me in those very moments.

Pages: 1 2 3
Entrée

Never Alone

The Manna Chef

God reminds us in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It’s so important that you really hold on to that promise, because, let’s be honest, life can be difficult sometimes. The enemy wants you to be so overwhelmed that you believe God has left you and that you are all alone.

The enemy says things like:

  • “Nobody understands how you really feel anyway.”
  • “They don’t care about you; if they did, they would have done something to help you by now.”
  • “God doesn’t really love you, and He isn’t concerned about you for real. If He was, He wouldn’t allow you to go through something like this.”
  • “What’s the use of living right if all you do is struggle from one day to the next?”
  • “The people at church can’t help you anyway, so why even go?”
  • “God has more important things to do than to be concerned about your little problems.”
  • “Don’t call [any sister in Christ]. She has her own problems to deal with. You’ll just be a bother.”
  • “Nobody can help you anyway, so why even talk about it?”
  • “God has forgotten all about you.”

Sometimes we even add to his attack with our own thoughts:

  • “I deserve to be alone because of what I’ve done.”
  • “Maybe I’m just being punished, so I might as well deal with it.”
  • “I don’t need help; I can figure this out all by myself.”

Let me be really clear here: GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. He has always been with you, and He has always cared about you. Sisters, you matter to God! Let me say that again: YOU MATTER TO GOD!

Pages: 1 2 3
Entrée

Not Another Word

The Manna Chef

Have you ever been so angry with someone that you felt, I mean actually felt, heat rising in your chest? Well, sisters, I have, and I’m going to share something with you today. Clearly, I am a work in progress, but I am learning, and it’s definitely worth sharing with you!

First of all, let’s be clear, being angry is not sin. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty over being angry. Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) says, “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” God does not say, “Don’t get angry.” He did not say that being angry makes you unholy. He said to be angry but don’t let the anger cause you to sin. And then He goes even further to tell you to resolve the issue so that you don’t leave an avenue for the enemy to wreak havoc.

I try to stay in constant communication with the Father because I need Him to direct my very words. I’m so serious, too! I call on Jesus all day long: in the car in the middle of traffic, at work, at home while I’m cooking dinner…You get the picture!

I know that I am gifted with words. Simply put: I love words. I always have. I love how they are used. I love how phrases fit together and how one word can speak volumes. (I was that kid who loved reading the dictionary.) God has groomed me to be very effective in communicating my thoughts into words. But, let me make this clear: that can be problematic sometimes because it can get me into trouble if I really say what I think without seeking the Lord first.

Pages: 1 2 3 4