So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”

And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:8

David had come back home to find his city burned and all the women, children and servants taken away. His own men were angry, blaming David for this afront and threatening to stone him. But David strengthened himself in the Lord. How did he do that? He did it by rehearsing all his past victories and giving glory to God. Then he went before the Lord and asked him the above questions. Why did he do that? Because he knew his success was only due to the instructions God gave.

He refused to go into the smallest of battles without the Lords direction on it. What an amazing example of what we should do when faced with any kind of battle. Small, large, spiritual or physical, get your strategy from Him first before you take one step. Remember, His instructions are always the perfect instructions for you.

If you saw the size of your blessing coming, you would understand the magnitude of the battle you’re engaged in.

Don’t let the battle consume you.

Your most effective warfare strategy is conceived before the face of God. Once you’ve heard from Him, you’ll walk away a victor, not a victim.

Gods plan is personalized to fit you. Don’t copy someone else’s.

Sandy G

Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim His truth. If you praise Him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and Him. But when you proclaim His truth in everyday speech, you’re letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience His presence with you. 1 Corinthians 14:1-3 Message

I don’t know where I would be today without my prayer language that only God can know and understand. There have been so many times in my life when I just couldn’t put into words the things I felt in the depths of my being. It was as though they were trapped, refusing to be released, bottlenecked in some unseen container. But when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at the age of 15, I would sit alone for hours, using only my prayer language until slowly my own words would surface and I began to talk about my grief, fears, disappointments and the misery that held me in it’s grips.

God became my confidant. I could trust Him with my secrets, talk with Him about anything and everything without fear of being judged or condemned. I had lost my own father, only to gain my real Father. He understood when I just needed to vent and release steam, but when I became still in His presence, He would speak to me. Always understanding, always accepting, full of love and I would leave wrapped up in His embrace, knowing He’d be with me through anything I had to face. I was never alone.

Today, remember that whatever you face, you don’t face it alone. His gift to you is His presence and with it, His sweet embrace. You can share everything in your heart and anything on your mind and it’s ok. You can shout, scream, vent all your bottled up feelings and He won’t condemn you for it. When you’re done, sit in the silence and listen to Him love on you than come away with a sense of that gift tied up in a neat little bow around you.

Sandy G

Rise up and help me, Yahweh! Come and save me, God! For you will slap them in the face, breaking the power of their words to harm me. For the Lord alone is my Savior. What a feast of favor and bliss he gives his people! Psalms 3:7‭-‬8 TPT

I don’t know if you’ve ever been slapped in the face, but it does shock you into silence. I remember telling my mom I wasn’t going to do something she asked me to do. I was 18 and felt I had the right to refuse. Guess she didn’t share those feelings.

Her hand came up across my mouth quicker than a striking snake, but her words backed up the reality that as long as I lived under her roof, I’d do as I was told. That was the first and only time she ever struck me.

So when I saw this verse, my first thought was, somebody’s in trouble. Father doesn’t like it when you talk mean about His children. He comes to our rescue every time, breaking the power of every word spoken in evil against us.

Pay close attention to this; “No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 NASB2020

Know your heritage. God will vindicate you.

Sandy G

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5 NLT

I had lunch with a dear friend once and we talked about this. She commented that she didn’t like ‘Jesus’ crammed down her throat before she was a believer. She has learned that a life lived for God speaks louder than a lot of words about God. This verse says to live wisely, not to talk wisely, not that we shouldn’t be wise about both.

While I was thinking about this, I heard the Holy Spirit remind me that the world doesn’t need to hear about our problems, they have enough of their own. In other words, save your drama for your mama! We need to demonstrate that we are victorious in Christ Jesus by overcoming our issues, not just talk about them. We still go through things, but our focus is on helping others because we know that God has this!

The confidence and trust we have in God should speak loud and clear by the way we don’t focus on and talk about our problems.

Thank you Jesus for showing me this. You said we are to be salt and light, not blend in so there’s no difference. I’m determined to smile through the pain, laugh through the trauma, give through the lack so that others may know Jesus is ever working in me. If they need a miracle, Lord, may you use me.

Sandy G

But in the depths of my heart, I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself. Your glory covers me continually. You lift high my head. I have cried out to you, Yahweh, from your holy presence. You send me a Father’s help. Pause in his presence. Psalms 3:3-4 TPT

Regardless of what you face today, be assured that God covers you. Funny, but as I was typing this, I heard the phrase, “I’ve got you covered.”

The thought of His glory cloud covering me like a soft blanket, hiding me from my enemies, simply makes me smile. I can stand in that position for as long as I need to because in His presence is peace and joy.

I’ll take that every day. Knowing I can call out and He responds to me. Bringing a Father’s help in times when bullies are harassing me on the playground of life. Intimidating me and harassing me into giving up what is rightfully mine.

Not today, devil. My Father has me covered.

Sandy G

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

This morning and every morning I’m thankful for the sacrifice of my mom. She tilled the soil of my heart and planted good seed in it daily. I know from talking with other friends that the home I was raised in, though not perfect, was indeed rare.

She read bible stories to us, missionary stories, never tired of our questions. She had us in church 3 times a week and in between if there was anything else going on.

When my dad died and we began to wander away from God, I would hear her from behind her closed bedroom door, praying and crying out to God. She never stopped! She never doubted that if God began a good work, and she was faithful to water and tend it, He would be faithful to complete it. Even if it took a lifetime, she knew His Word would never return to Him empty but would finish what He started in us.

Mom transitioned into her heavenly home last August. This is one of the last good pictures I have of her. But I know now that she is seeing the harvest of those seeds she’s sown into the hearts of so many. Teaching Sunday school, playing the piano because there was no one else to do it. Singing with my dad and later with my step-dad. Ministering hugs and a listening ear.

Here’s what I’ve learned from her; Just keep sowing regardless if you ever see the outcome. It will not only change the life of the one you sow into, but the fruit of it will tasted for generations to come.

Happy first Mothers Day in heaven, Mom, I’m a life that was changed.

Your favorite daughter,

Sandy

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3

I am blessed beyond measure because the Lord has chosen me as His servant. To wait upon Him, anticipate His need to deliver a timely word, to wrap His arms of love around someone who is weary, to speak strength, freedom and healing. To proclaim that Jesus is returning soon! To encourage my sisters and brothers to continue until He comes for us.

I am empowered by His Spirit to decree and declare, to set in motion things that are not seen so that they may manifest in due time. My ministry may not take me in front of a large church or televised around the world. Mine is simple. To hear, to speak, to obey. If I do that, there is no limit to what God can do in and through me.

Time to take the limits off God. Time to put aside your own goals and agendas. Our job is to hear His voice say, “This is the way, walk in it!” And walk on!

Sandy G

Ever feel that every day is a reflection of the day before? Oh, little things are different, but so much of it’s the same. We get up, go to work, come home, make dinner, spend a few hours ‘vegging’ out, only to be repeated day after day after day.

Psalm 39:6 says, Our life is like an image in a mirror. We rush through life collecting things, but we don’t know who will get them after we die.

Wouldn’t it be nice to make a difference in someone’s life? To maybe take more time being a blessing to someone rather than gathering riches to ourselves? Riches? Are you kidding me? I’m just trying to make ends meet! But why? Didn’t Jesus tell us that, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.”? Shouldn’t that take the stress off us and place it onto Him?

Father, thanks for the reminder. We have become so self-sufficient. You created us to need you. To fellowship with you. To allow you to care for us. Forgive us for being so self absorbed! May we remember that we are your sheep and you are our shepherd. Lead us into green pastures and restore our souls, that we might fulfill your needs, allowing you to meet ours. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Sandy G

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Phil 3:12-14

Almost every morning and evening, I lace up my shoes to go for a mile walk. I’m by no means a runner, nor do I desire to be, but I figure walking is a good start to get on the road to health and I enjoy it. I enjoy walking with my daughter the most, we have some pretty amazing conversations and it keeps me from getting bored.

Sometimes we just talk smack, but most of the times we talk about where God is taking us, where we’ve come from and the lessons He’s constantly teaching us. By the time we get back home, I feel refreshed in my spirit and my body. It’s as if God is walking and talking with us. He enjoys our conversation as much as we do.

Life with God is a journey with constant changes going on around us. Sometimes we go through the mountains and are blessed with some awesome views. Sometimes we drive near the ocean and watch the waves come crashing on the shore. But wherever we go, He is with us, beckoning us to stay with Him.

I hear Him speaking to us this morning, “Don’t become too tired that you stop right in the middle of the road. Sit on that rock, it’s a sure foundation. I’ll restore your soul, feed you when you’re weary and give you water to drink that you know not of.”

So my friends, don’t quit now! Keep going because your Father is waiting for you to finish the race.

Sandy G

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” Matthew 12:33

That’s pretty simple and easy to understand. Raised in Michigan, I can tell a cherry tree from an apple tree. The blossoms are different in the spring, and their fruit is quite different at harvest time.

Now, in Florida, I can tell the difference between a lemon tree and an orange tree. Both have useful fruit but are very different. But have you ever had a tree that just stopped bearing? We have.

We used to have the most beautiful white grapefruit tree with the sweetest grapefruits in our front yard. But after the 5 hurricanes went through Florida in one summer, it simply stopped producing fruit, and the fruit it had was icky. The stress of all those storms changed the tree, and it stopped bearing, so we had to cut it down.

What a lesson for the body of Christ. Let’s not be stressed out over life. Stay in the Word, speak what God says, do what God says to do, rest in His faithfulness, and bear fruit.

Let’s not just take up space in the world, being like the world, talking like the world, having what the world has. Jesus said we would have tests, trials, and tribulations, but “be of good cheer! I’ve overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony and don’t love life so much that it keeps you from bearing much fruit.

Ok, time to go be fruity! That’s what I do best.

Sandy G