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“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8 (ESV) “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;” Proverbs 3:9 (ESV) In last week’s post, it was encouraged to be wary of the materialism and consumerism of the holiday season. This week, I wanted to delve a little bit more into what we are giving, during this giving season, to God. As we go about selecting gifts for our loved ones and friends, let us not neglect our gifts to God. The Christmas holiday is about the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God’s Son, and His gift to the world and to all mankind. During this busy time, stop and ask yourself, what gift am I giving to God? All God asks is for our obedience as His children and, to live honorably with one another. His desire would be for us to spend time getting to know Him through His Holy Word, (the Bible) and in turn getting closer to Him. We look to give our best to others in our gift-giving. We put a lot of thought into what gifts to give, then we will spend time and money, in buying these gifts. But have you ever stopped to think, how God would love your gift of spending time and money seeking Him, and His will for your life? I believe we all at times, have given so much energy to our wants and desires for our lives. And during this time, we may not be giving the same concerted effort to God. Not giving Him our best with our thoughts, time, and money. So, for this holiday season and always, let us seek to give God our best. Not to give him what we have leftover after we are tired and worn out. But to give to Him our “first fruits”. As the above verse indicates, all the silver and gold belong to God. Everything in this world, including us, belong to Him. However, He gives us free will and free choice, to give back to Him, what He has freely given. So, what gifts are you giving to God? Happy Holidays… Blessings, Angélique~

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV) Here in the United States (and in other parts of the world), today is typically known as Black Friday, the highest shopping day of the year. This typically marks the day when most shoppers go on a spending spree for gifts, for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Shopping and buying gifts for Christmas is a tradition for most people, here in the US and around the world. And most of us really enjoy giving gifts to our loved ones and friends. However, in reading the above verses, this should cause us to put into perspective, holiday shopping, and gift-giving. I am not suggesting we cannot indulge in this tradition. I am merely suggesting, we keep a Godly perspective as we revel in the celebration. As God’s word suggests, we need to really place our mindset on having a heart that is truly focused on God and His plans for our lives. To “store up” His goodness and precepts in our hearts. And to attempt to live and interact with others in a way pleasing to Him. God understands His children’s desires for festive celebrations. However, in reading and studying His word, it is more important for us to be connected with Him and His ways, and not to the material things of this world. We all have material goods and enjoy them. We all have given and received gifts. However, we must keep it all in the proper perspective. These items are not to replace a Godly outlook of life. They are not to replace what is truly important. Enjoy this holiday season and beyond. However, keep the materialism of the holiday in check. Remember the real reason for the Christmas season is to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Seek to understand, acknowledge, and realize the important reason as to why He came to this earth. He came, in order to save all mankind. Happy & Safe Holidays… Blessings, Angélique~

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. Psalm 7:17 (ESV) Here in the United States, we are preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday next Thursday. It is where we look forward to getting with our families and friends (in a smaller setting, due to the Covid-19 pandemic) and celebrating togetherness; being thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We come together fixing Thanksgiving Dinner, which can be a combination of various foods and dishes that represent various cultures and traditions. But traditions and festivities aside, most of us do pray and give thanks for our life, our families, and friends. In addition, we pray and give thanks for housing, food, clothes, health, finances, and other necessities of life. However, in looking at the heart of today’s verse, it says, “I will give thanks to the Lord for his righteousness and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High”. My question is this, how many actually seek to thank God, for being God? To actually lift thanks and praises to God for Him? Not for us or our loved ones. Not for food, shelter, or clothes. But to just thank Him for being our Lord, the Most High. In writing my blog articles, I am always praying and asking God to be with me as I write. I pray and ask that it may be a blessing to those who read it. However, just now I had to stop myself and say, here I go, asking. In faith, I know He has always been and will be with me as I write. So now I have changed my prayer, to just thanking Him for being Him. I, like many others, are so used to thanking Him for everyone and everything He has given. However, I would like to challenge us to have some of our prayers be given to just say thank you God for being You!! To not have a list of wants or requests. But just to honor and acknowledge Him for who He is, for what He has done, is doing, and will do, for all humankind and for our world. Of course, we all should continue to lift up prayers for our lives, our family, and our friends. But I encourage us to also give praise and thanks to God alone just for who He is, our Lord and Savior Most High. Blessings, Angélique~

I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 1 Corinthians 15:31 (ESV) What did Paul mean when he said, “I die every day”? I remember when I first read that verse, I was perplexed. Then when I read other verses and heard sermons that talked about this verse in greater detail, I understood. We live in a world that promotes pleasure and, in most places, freedom as well. Where you are encouraged to be your own boss and do whatever makes you happy, makes you feel good. There are slogans that say, “you only live once”!! And “what happens here, stays here”. In the mainstream aspect, the “you only live once” takes on the meaning that you can go out and do what you want to bring pleasure and happiness to yourself. The slogan “what happens here, stays here” usually implies you can do whatever you want and, shh…no one has, to know. But what does God say to all of this in His word? He also wants us to live life to the fullest because we do only have one life to live. However, is He on board with doing whatever you please in order to find your happiness and pleasure? No, He’s not on board with that thought. He knows His children too well to not put limits and boundaries in place for our good, and the good of others. God knows with the sin of this world if His children are left to just seek their pleasures without any limits, what death and destruction we would continually cause to mankind and this world. Therefore, when Paul says he dies daily, he is meaning to sinful thoughts, sinful pleasures & sinful actions. He knows that his flesh and his spirit are carnal by nature and if left to himself without any restrictions, he would cause untold damage and destruction. In order to live a good, wholesome life, we must strive to die daily to our sinful flesh, sinful thoughts, and sinful desires. In so doing, we will not see the married man or woman, flirting with a person that is not their spouse. We won’t see them excusing the playful behavior away and stating: “oh, we’re just friends”. We won’t see people lying and stealing from each other. By dying daily, we won’t see them manipulating situations and trying to twist facts, in order to get the outcome, they want. An outcome that seeks to please their childish egos and temper tantrums; that appeases their delusions of grandeur. God desires all of us to die daily to our sinful self, in order to live daily for His love and purity. His desire is for us to spread His message of love, hope, faith, and patient endurance, to run the race of life. We all feel at times the need to do whatever we want, in order to find pleasure. However, we do not realize the consequences those actions can have for us and others. We cause great harm to ourselves as well as to the individuals in our inner circle. Then as a ripple effect, it hurts our surrounding family, friends, co-workers, and even church members. Case in point when someone commits adultery in the church, it doesn’t just hurt the couple who are in the marriage, it hurts the children, as well as the in-laws and families from both sides. It then branches out and hurts people within the church, from the young to the old. Everyone is negatively impacted and shaken by this act of betrayal. And where did it get it’s start? When we do not die daily to fleshly lust and desires. When we do not die daily, we allow sinful thoughts, desires then actions to take hold; and then before you know it, you’re pulled down Satan’s rabbit hole once again. I encourage you to constantly pray, stay in His Word, and die daily to your own sinful ways and desires. Always, measure your thoughts, feelings, and actions, against His word; BEFORE you decide to go it alone, and do whatever pleases you. Blessings, Angélique~

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7 (ESV) As human beings we all expect people to act a certain way. Whether it’s family members, friends, a boss, coworkers, fellow students, church members, and/or the pastoral staff, etc. Truth be told, most of our expectations of others, are based on our beliefs and our backgrounds. In talking with a friend the other day, she mentioned the hard time she was having with an adult family member. How they were making choices that she felt was not in their best interest. She shared her concerns and voiced what she felt they should be doing with their lives. She was becoming so emotionally attached and involved, she became physically upset; because they were not acting and responding, the way she felt they should. What I shared with her was this, when it comes to adults, be it family or others outside of the family, you cannot control their decisions, what they choose to do. It is not up to you to control the path they take in life. Depending on the relationship you have with these individuals, you can try to speak to them, give them your opinion/concerns, and share God’s wisdom with them. But ultimately, what they decide to do is their decision. There is no need for you to concern yourself to the point of being upset and physically distraught because of their choices. Now, in reality, we are human and there will be times, especially if it is a close family member, the choices they make can cause your heart to break. But ultimately, we have to give them, and their decisions over to God. If God Himself is not going to force His children to do what is right, who are we to force them? I have written in the past that all of us are given free will/free choice. There may be times as an older/wiser person, you can see the pitfalls ahead. But unfortunately for some, it is necessary for them to fall, in order for God to pick them up, and show them the way they must go. And even then, He can only do this it if they are willing to listen and request His help. He will not force anyone to do what they should do. We all need to train ourselves to not have certain expectations of individuals, whether it is family members, friends, coworkers, etc. We need to learn to love them where they are and to give them the opportunity to figure life out on their own. We also need to not allow ourselves to be upset about their choices. Now at times, their decisions might cross your path and affect you. When that time comes, you then must step in to take care of the situation, as far as it relates to you. But unless it is directly affecting you, learn to back away, pray, and just let God handle it. Blessings, Angélique~

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.” Galatians 5:13-14 The Message Bible Have you ever stopped to think what an awesome privilege God has entrusted to all, in giving us His world and His people? He has given us dominion over this world and access to His children. Whether His children are different colors, shapes, sizes, economic status, religious preferences, etc. He has allowed us all free access to interact with one another. He has also created this world, from the sky to the deepest parts of the ocean, and everything in between. He has created every human being that has ever lived or, who shall live. And with all of this, He has given His children dominion over His earthly creation, as well as access to His people. The true freedom God has given to all is that we can choose to behave as we see fit. We can choose to behave the way God wants with love, empathy/compassion, kindness, and self-control. Or we can choose the darker behaviors of jealousy, strife, envy, lying, manipulations, controlling behaviors, bullying, etc. To have the true freedom that God speaks of, we need to behave in a manner in which God would be pleased. To look to engage in behaviors that are fitting as His children. To treat His children, fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters, as you would treat yourself or a loving family member. In addition, to have Godly freedom of this world, we need to treat His planet with care, love, and respect. All of us need to do what we must to protect the environment; not just for ourselves or future generations, but because it is His world, and He expects it. So, what are you doing with the true freedom God has gifted to you? How are you positively impacting your interactions with His children, and with the world He has created. Blessings, Angélique~

“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7 (ESV) “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust, you shall return.” Genesis 3:19 (ESV) This thought came to me when I was contemplating how most people look upon those who stand out for various reasons. Some are political figures. Others are entertainment, personalities, media, & sports figures. Still, there are others who are CEOs, doctors, lawyers, and wealthy individuals, either by their own means or by receiving an inheritance. For whatever the reason, we like to place these people on a pedestal and almost look to them as miniature gods. We may not say this to ourselves or out loud but, we do hold them in greater esteem, than the normal person you come in contact with, on a daily basis. And even closer to home, we may look at people in our churches, schools, and workplaces, who have high positions, as if they deserve to be lifted up and constantly praised. At times even within our families, we put one family member or several over the others, because of their various gifts and talents. However, as Christians believing in the Bible, has the thought ever occurred to you, we all come from dust? God formed every human being from the dust on the ground, and then breathe the breath of life into them. I am not looking to take away from the various gifts and talents that many people have been gifted with. I along with many, acknowledge and admire the God-given gifts and talents, He has bestowed on various individuals and not on the majority. However, in beholding these individuals, do we place them up on a pedestal? And in many instances, these same individuals will place themselves on a pedestal! In reality, we need to see them for who they are; human beings like you and me. They are God’s children and they too were formed from the dust on the ground. For whatever reasons we may come up with, we need not look upon them, as if they are better than everyone else. That they should be worshiped for their looks, talent, money, and/or position. We need to keep the focus and perspective that God, and He only should be worshiped. The one we should look upon and place on a pedestal would be His Son, Jesus. As we seek to get closer to God and listen, as well as follow His Holy word; then we will have a clearer understanding/perspective, as we look upon our fellow human beings. We will understand fully how in love, God formed each of us. We will know that out of the ground we were taken; for we are dust, and to dust, we all shall return. Blessings, Angélique~ #Dust

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38 (ESV) “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9 (ESV) A boomerang is a thrown tool or weapon. Typically constructed as a flat airfoil, that is designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. After it is thrown, a returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower. It is well known and used by some Australian Aboriginal people. I read an article the other day that mentioned briefly how we treat others and the “boomerang” effect on what comes back onto you. I began to apply this thought to our lives as God’s children. As God’s word states at the end of Luke 6:38, “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” We should all strive to live our lives in such a way, that we live with integrity and goodness in our treatment of others. We should live lives free from lying, cheating, stealing, or manipulating others. If we live in such a way that we put out goodness toward others, then the “boomerang” effect of goodness will be measured back to us. In saying this I want to stress it does not mean one will never have problems or challenges in this life. Because we all will, from time to time. But ultimately, whether in this life or in Heaven, you will be rewarded for living with Godly integrity. However, for those who chose to live their lives by lying, cheating, stealing, and manipulating others, will be “found out” as stated in Proverbs 10:9. For the ones who choose to live their lives by consistently making poor choices, they too will experience the “boomerang” effect of consequences, for their actions. Our actions and what we do to others can and will “boomerang” back on us. So do not look to create discord and engage in evil choices against other people. Do not think you will get away with it, and it will never come back on you. One way or another, it will come back on you and when it does, it may be worse than what you did to others. I pray and encourage all to put out goodness and light into this world. Live life with Godly principles and decisions. Treat others as you want to be treated but more importantly, treat them as God expects. Blessings, Angélique~ #Integrity

To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ… Ephesians 4:12ESV Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 ESV In the book Vanishing Grace, author Philip Yancy shared the story of a witness named Joanna Flander-Thomas. Ms. Flander-Thomas visited incarcerated men in South Africa’s most violent prison. Her goal was to bring Christ and His message to these men. As she visited the prisoners daily, she shared with them the simple gospel message of forgiveness and reconciliation. As she earned their trust and got them to talk about their abusive childhoods, she helped to show them a better way of resolving conflicts. The year before her visits began, the prison recorded 279 acts of violence against inmates and guards. The following year, there were just two. She allowed God to use her to witness to those, that most would not even dare to visit. By sharing God’s love, caring, and a way to interact with each other, the Holy Spirit was able to transform lives. When I read that story, I thought of how we all can extend our empathy and compassion, to this world and to others who are hurting. How we can adopt the servant mindset and go beyond our comfort zones, to help those who for whatever reason, cannot help themselves. To reach out and help those who really do not know the Bible and a better way to live. In this Covid-19 world in which we all live, it might be difficult to witness as we once did in the past. However, by taking safety precautions, we can still find ways to have a servant mindset, to go and witness for Christ. To look to be with someone (whether in person, over the phone or internet) while they are struggling to find answers to their challenges. To be there for them as they look to move forward in their life’s journey. Perhaps you feel compelled to help feed and clothe the homeless. There are also ministries that help the homeless with bathing and grooming needs. Both of these ministries, and countless others, need your help. I encourage all to have a servant mindset and look to serve in whatever ministry that touches your heart. Continue your constant connection to God and in turn, look to spread His messages of hope, love, and peace to others. Blessings, Angélique~ #faith #Witnessing

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV) In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (ESV) On an email I received I read this phrase at the bottom, “Be the reason someone smiles today.” It occurred to me at that moment, this is what God expects of us all. In the Bible verses above, He encourages us to be imitators of God. To let our light shine before others. These verses are not only talking about our works but about how we conduct ourselves with others, on a consistent basis. If we follow God’s instructions in our daily walk and interactions with others, we will “cause a smile” or brighten another person’s day. Our daily activities do not have to be large or extravagant. It can be in the little interactions as we go about our day. If we are out running errands, opening/holding a door for another, and saying hello, have a nice day/be safe, is just one example. In the midst of Covid-19, a lot of people may be working out of their homes and not venturing out as much. However, most still call and send emails to others. In so doing, try and find opportunities to “cause a smile” on someone’s face by what you say or write. Smile into the phone on your end, the person on the other end will sense it in your tone. I encourage you to keep a daily connection with God through prayer and Bible study. Then look to live your life, so that when others come in contact with you, they will feel as if they came in contact with God. And at that time, they will definitely have a smile on their face. Blessings, Angélique~

“So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12ESV No one wants to suffer heartbreak or pain. Suffering can come in the form of physical, emotional, mental, financial, and spiritual pain. When we’re down, we look to God, family, and friends to “pick us up” again. At those times, we are needing them to understand and, in a way, share our feelings during those trying moments. This is the definition of empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Most of us identify with empathy and for the most part, have shown the ability to care for others when they are in need. However, there are those in this world who do not have empathy for others, or if they do, it is either for a select few or for none at all. For some, they have a life where everything is going well for them and their loved ones. This “perfect” life may lead them to have less caring and compassion for others, who are not as fortunate. They carelessly think, and sometimes say to those struggling, “Oh, just get over it! You are always complaining or whining about your situation!!” As stated before, all of us will go through some form of heartbreak or pain. When we have gone through our trials, God expects us to “reach back” to help others. To show compassion and empathy for a Brother or Sister. Even if you never had their problems, we all have the ability to have empathy for one another. To let them know you care and will do what you can to help in some way. Even if you cannot do much, just offering to be there can make all the difference to the person who is suffering. In this chaotic time of Earth’s history (i.e. pandemic, economic collapse, racial strife, climate changes, etc.), it can be taxing on everyone to continue to have empathy for others. Everyone seems to be going through additional stresses and trying moments right now. However, through prayer and staying connected to God, we can bring compassion and empathy to others, even while we perhaps are still hurting. At those times we can look to focus not only on ourselves, but on helping someone else. In so doing, we will be fulfilling God’s commandment to love one another. As God’s words so eloquently state: “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.“ 1 Peter 3:8ESV Blessings, Angélique~

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance”. James 1:2-3 Happiness. Everyone is in search of happiness. People will quit school, jobs, serious long-term relationships, all in an elusive attempt at “finding” happiness. A friend once shared with me how her spouse decided to leave their marriage in search of happiness. In comforting her, we talked about the happiness of this world, which can encompass people, places, or things. As opposed to joy, which comes from God. What some do not realize, is that happiness is based on external things and situations that must happen to you, or around you. Happiness tends to fluctuate. It is usually not constant nor sustainable. Happiness is usually circumstantial. If the circumstances are right at that moment, then you are going to be happy. Joy on the other hand, is a fruit of the Spirit of God that is deeper. When you have God’s joy, despite what’s happening around you, you will look to “count it all joy”, in all circumstances. God’s joy tends to be a deeper emotional response, as one chooses to be joyful despite their situation. In all honesty, true joy may not be what you are feeling at the moment. Also, you will not obtain it if you are focusing on what others have, and you do not. It comes when we are looking up to God, and obediently following the plans He has for you. Strive to be at peace and count it all joy now, not tomorrow or sometime in the distant future. You may be walking through a tough time right now. All of us have been there at some point. However, after we have cried it all out, we need to wipe our eyes, get up, square our shoulders back, and look up to God. We need to know and believe that He’s got you and the situation under control. He will pull you through. Be at peace and choose to be joyful. Look around your life and see the many blessings all around you. Whether big or small, the blessings are there every day, for us all. Strive to make a difference. Strive to bring joy and happiness to God’s people and His world. Blessings, Angélique~