Dear God, Save Me!

Hey y’all!!!

I wanted to come on here and share what God has placed in my heart. God is doing wonderful things in my life concerning spiritual growth and maturity so of course I have to share with my favs!

I was talking to a good friend and she said something so simple but profound in my eyes. She said when we pray, we should ask the Holy Spirit to cause us to pray for the things we need to pray for. Now, I want you to pause and think on the concept. Now, say it again slowly. We should ask the Holy Spirit to cause us to pray for the things we need to pray on.

Got it?? Ok, moving on.

So over the last couple weeks Ive been asking the Holy Spirit that question. While I was in church worshipping I kept hearing in my spirit, “Save Me!”. I wasn’t really sure what it meant but I kept hearing it. I asked God, save me from what? Immediately I heard in my spirit “Save me from myself.”  Say what?! When I finally released the words I literally felt a weight lifted off me and I began to praise God so strong.

We are our own worst critics. We can be so hard on ourselves. We talk negatively to and about ourselves, we talk down to ourselves. We often times focus on our areas of improvements and assess them as weaknesses vs strengths under construction.

We critize ourselves in everything we say and do.  The way we look, always feeling as if this or that is to big or to small.  We often times see ourselves through a lens only we can see through using filters we only  use for ourselves.

Dear God, please save me from myself!! Save me from my thoughts, my criticisms, my thoughts of my failures, all the things I wish I were. SAVE ME FROM MYSELF! I had to ask God to help me see myself through His eyes. Help me grace myself the same way He graces me using the same grace He gives me to grace others around me. (Whew! now say that 5x, lol)

As Christians we understand God is love and our lives should be an example of Christ’s love living within us. We put emphasis on loving others, serving others, and being kind towards others. In the midst it all, can I please tell you, YOU MUST DO THE SAME FOR YOU!  Love YOU, be kind to YOU, speak kind words to YOU. There are things we say about ourselves we would never let roll off our tongue concerning another person. If we wouldn’t criticize someone else in that way why would we do it to ourselves?

We spend so much time tormenting ourselves with all the things wrong with us, the things we need to change, what we need to do better, etc.. the list just goes on and on. I don’t know about you but I don’t need anyone beating me up about things. I do a pretty good job on my own! Today is the day we STOP!

But how?? How do we stop? How do we change? 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us “[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ…”

We must catch our thoughts and make them obey Gods word. I want you to imagine yourself catching the little thought bubble over your head, grabbing it, and throwing it away. Now visualize your mind floating with scriptures and praises to God. God loves us so much. He loves us way to much to allow us to wallow in negative thoughts.

If someone you knew were going through something or needed prayer , we would be quick to offer an encouraging word and be able to pray concerning the needs of the person and have the right words to speak over their life. We have to be able to do the same for ourselves. Here’s why.

When we think negatively of ourselves  we aren’t fully able to fulfill the call of God on our lives. We tend to not feel good enough, not worthy enough, all because of previous negative thoughts we’ve fed yourself.  Let me offer you this:  ^“I am convinced andconfident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus …” Phillipians 1:6.

Whatever your strengths under construction are GOD is faithful to complete it. Not you or anyone else can complete it. GOD is faithful to complete it. Why?? Because He said so!

“So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 

You can take that to the bank! God said it. Therefore the work Gods needs to do in you, He’s got you! You don’t have to worry, stress, or beat yourself up about anything anymore. All you have to do is keep walking in faith.

Disclaimer: I understand there is a difference between criticizing yourself and being honest with yourself. However, the same rules still apply. Ask God for help and He will help you!

I want to leave you with the words of Paul as he bid farewell to the Corinthian Church.

“Finally, brethren, farewell (rejoice)! Be strengthened (perfected, completed, made what you ought to be); be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same [agreeable] mind one with another; live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source of affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence toward men] and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11

So chill, give yourself a break, Gods got you in the palm of His hand and He’ll never let you go. 💕

I love y’all and Im always praying for you,

Andrea F,

Spirit of Shut Up!

Hey y'all!!!

I had to get on here and "spill the tea" as people say. On who? ME!!! Yes, Me! I'm a mess y'all. lol Well, I can be a mess at times. As many of you all know I like to encourage single moms and encourage them to develop healthy coparent relationships with their kids dad. But just because I talk about it doesn't mean I am perfect and get it right 100% of the time. What Im about to tell you is a time where I completely got it wrong.

My kids dad and I were talking about a coparenting issue. He was making some totally ridiculous statements about coparenting that I knew were utterly incorrect. However as he was saying it you could tell that he was just having a horrible morning and more than likely what he was saying was not even accurate in his eyes, but he was upset so he was just rambling a bit. Now, as he was talking, I began to say, well, that's not right and that sounds crazy, and started to break down the situation from a different perspective. He completely blew me off and started yelling at me and told me I couldn't comment on the situation and I didn't know the full story behind what he was speaking on and etc, etc.  Well, I kept at it I said well I don't have to know the full story to tell you that you sound crazy right now! Needless to say this became a whole argument where he ended up hanging up on me. I was PISSED! Now, I've told you him and I have come to a place where we have mutual respect for each other so I was livid he would revert back to his old ways and hang up on me like a kid in high school.  You think I let it go??? NO! I called back a couple of times. No answer. Then I texted him and tried explaining myself in a very nice nasty way. SMH… Then, I told him I felt like we were just having simple conversation and if we couldn't have a simple conversation about this articular issue then he shouldn't talk to me about it at all. WOW!!!!!

 

WOW! Y'all I am so ashamed at myself. Really I am. I was so wrong. So so wrong. Let me explain. First off, when he called he sounded like he was already having a bad day.  The Lord showed me a powerful lesson in this scenario. EVERYTHING doesn't need a response! Sometimes your kids dad may just need to vent about the kids or dad issues and that's ok. Sometimes you may need to just let him say what he's going to say about the situation and just listen. In this case the situation didn't really effect me personally. He was just expressing an opinion on something. You don't have to necessarily agree with his point of view. Just listen. Let me tell you, I'm not that great at it when it comes to my kids dad. See, the kids live with me. Im with them more often. Nobody knows them like I do. Nobody sees them through the lens I see them in. He doesn't know their thoughts, feelings, quirks, or anything else better than me so what could HE possibly tell me about MY kids????

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! They are his kids to, he knows them. He may not know them the way you do, but he knows them. I don't believe parents will every see their kids in the exact same manner even if it's a two parent household.  Theres a difference in a moms relationship with the child and the dads relationship with the child. There are things the kids share with mom they may not share with dad and vice versa. So, give dad some credit. He knows the kids to. And if you are dealing with an absentee parent, then believe by faith and pray for dad to truly know you all's child. So yes, this message can still apply to you as well.

Where I was wrong is I didn't allow the Spirit of Shut Up to come up on me. ha! seriously, I should have just listened and just said a quick prayer. What is the spirit of shut up? It's that moment when you want to pop off at the mouth and tell him about his self or speak your mind, but you know that's not what God is telling you to do and it wont help your situation. That's when you have to get you some Spirit of Shut Up!

Wait Andrea, I thought you said we need to set boundaries with dad?? So why is he talking to me about something that doesn't directly affect me anyway??? Well, you have to remember there will be times you all are going to converse and when a situation comes up you have to be able to discern when its the right time to have that conversation. That is where your relationship with God comes in. I told you guys a few blogs back that its important to pray about your coparenting relationship. Ask God to show you how to navigate it, what to say, how to say it, and to help you discern the appropriate times to have  productive conversations. I didn't do it in this scenario and look where it got me. I was mad and aggravated and so was he.

Some of you may be saying, well why do I have to be that considerate of him. He aint my husband! Well look at like this. It's really good practice for marriage. I'm not married but I talk to many women that are and all of them have told me about times where they had to  allow the Spirit of Shut Up to fall on them. LOL  Everything just isn't worth an argument. Every time something comes up it just isn't always the best time to address it. You have to start looking at some of your difficulties as opportunities and lessons you will one day need. The Spirit of Shut Up can be applied to many situations you may go through in life.

God tells us in 2 Chronicles 20:17 "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you." See, there are battles (arguments) we just don't have to fight. People look at those scriptures and often times apply them to giants they're facing but it may not be a giant. Your battle may be that small irritating thing in your life such as dealing with someone who hurt you, upset you, or just can't seem to agree with. Let God fight the battle for you. You just sit back and discern when its time to have that conversation. Even then there may never be a right time. Some situations may need to sit dead for God to work out only.

Be encouraged single moms in your coparenting relationships. Dad is someone you should always have some sort of relationship with and an open line of communication with. You won't  handle every situation correctly but I believe God honors your sacrifice in trying. He will honor your sacrifice in trying to make thing better and more civil for your kids.

So the next time you guys are talking and you feel the conversation going in a way you can see become an argument just remember to ask the Lord to allow the Spirit of Shut up to be on you. and remember its practice for your one day spouse. Just be grateful for the preparation. 🙂

Love ya'll

Always praying for ya.

Andrea F.