BeyondSeeLevel

There was an early chapter in my life when I had to except that my 1st marriage wasn’t going to last and I would be raising my child on my own. And in all honesty, I was more grieved for my child than I was for myself. I knew that I was broken, and had been since I was a teenager. I knew that I didn’t have in me to give her what I didn’t have–self-love, confidence and hope for my future. I wanted more for my child than I had in and for myself. And I’m not talking about stuff and materialism. I’m talking about what would be in her heart that would carry her through life. I wanted my child to make better decisions for her own life out of a healthy heart. At that point, I knew I couldn’t teach her how to do that.

When I was pregnant with her, I started my journey pursuing a relationship with God. I was consistent in attending church for the first time in my life. And for the first time, the preached Word was registering with me and ministering to my heart. Until then, the “preached Word” would get lost in translation in all the whooping and theatrics of a Sunday morning church experience.

But this time, in this season, things were different for me. I went to church looking for God; looking for healing; looking for hope. I was broken and broke down. I gave my life to God and obeyed the gospel of Christ when I was 7 months pregnant. However, it would be two hard years before I truly committed my life and my living to God. This was the best decision I ever made in my life!! I still had my struggles, but….

To be continued…

*Tressa Jo

Some of us desire Egypt (bondage to sin) because we’ve yet to develop an appetite for Canaan. Our relationship with God is based on what He does for us and what He gives us in this life. We crave blessings more than we crave the God of those blessings. Life is good when God is giving us all that we ask for. But when God says “no” or “not yet”, we revert to complaining and whining like ungrateful, spoiled children. We treat God like He’s a Shuga Daddy, instead of our Heavenly Father. We leave no room for God’s sovereignty or the fact the His will reigns over our own. Our every wish is supposed to be granted upon request. We haven’t understood or accepted that we can pray, but we don’t get to dictate how or if God answers our prayers.

We asked the Lord to feed us. He blessed us with manna. Now we’re complaining because we expect or prefer the meatpots and figs we had when we were in Egypt. Too spoiled to appreciate that we are still being fed! He didn’t have to give us that!

We will always struggle desiring to go back to Egypt or fail to appreciate Canaan, as long as we have a Canaan deficiency in our spiritual diet. You won’t crave what you won’t develop an appetite for. And truth be told, for way too many of us, the things of God are more like snacks and appetizers, but they’re not the main course. O, taste and see, that the Lord is good. What/Who are you really hungry for?!

*Tressa Jo