Bishop Jakes words on death

BISHOP TD JAKES: In moments like this, it feels -- it feels like death has won. But the bible says that love is stronger than death. Your hearts are heavy, tears flow down. Your spirits are wounded. I feel that too. I didn't have the privilege of knowing him as long as many of you have done. I understand what it is to be in pain. You look around and everybody you love and everybody you can count on and everybody you can trust seems to be slipping through your fingers. And it feels as though death has won. The first family, when Cain killed able, it seemed like death had won. Noah escaped the flood. Still he died. It looked like death had won.

Isaiah was an eagle-eye prophet, he could see thousands of miles and years away. Still he died. It looked like death had won. Habaka had come as a prophet to Israel, spoke truth so powerful and so profound, but no matter how close he was to God, still he died. It looked like death had won. We've seen scientists and astronauts and politicians and great thinkers of the ages and no matter how profound and prolific or bright they were, still they died. It looked like death had won. But the bible kept saying that love is stronger than death. And like two gladiators in a fight. Every time they enter into the ring it looks like death has won... Love rolled into the ring and said wait a minute, death. You've been bullying people for a long time. But I want to set the record straight. Love is greater than death. But early Sunday morning, love rolled up his sleeves and said wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Snatched great death and took the sting out of death and the victory out the grave.
I want you to understand in a very practical and pragmatic way that death has NOT won.

Your tears may flow. Your pain may come. The flowers will wither. The cards will all be filed away. The phone will stop ringing. Mama said, they're going to stop ringing after a while. Cakes and pies all stop coming. Don't you dare think that death has won. You will learn what all of us know who have lost people that we love. You'll be driving down the street one day and you'll hear your loved ones voice talking in your head. Something he said or something he did will pop up in your spirit and you'll giggle inside of yourself as if he were sitting in the car with you. And you will find that people that you really love, they may leave you outwardly, but they never leave you inwardly. May the love of God, the peace of the Holy Spirit, the sweet communion of knowing that you are a child of the king keep you through this period in life when it might appear as if death has won, but it's alive. Love will last forever, for God is love.

Preparing my heart and mind

In yesterday's sermon my preacher talked about preparing ourselves for church. I had never thought about preparing my mind and heart for worship services. I spend time getting my hair and makeup just right but don't give a second thought to getting ready spiritually. I sometimes pick out my clothes the night before but don't prepare myself internally the night before. I spend more time getting my physical self ready instead of getting my head and heart ready.

I almost skipped church yesterday and would have missed out on hearing something that not only spoke to my heart but changed my heart. I need to spend more time preparing myself spiritually for church. I should make it easier for the Lord to see what's in my heart by preparing myself to receive his Word. God doesn't see my lipstick or my hair style. He sees what's inside of me.

Cross-stitching

I have recently started cross-stitching again. I have done it in the past but have really taken to it this time. It is relaxing and takes my mind off of things. I really enjoy learning all of the lingo and techniques. I am going to start posting about more things in my life than just weight loss. It seems that my weight loss has been the main topic of too many of my blogs. I can't complain about others only being able to talk about one subject if I do the same thing. I have way too full of a life to just concentrate on one thing.

A new season

God will give always you the Grace for what season you are in. ~~~Joel Osteen

I feel that my season of mourning is over and my season of doing is here. It is time for me to move on and be open to blessings. I can't expect God to bless me when I am not open to the blessing. Letting go doesn't mean forgetting. It just means that I am ready for a new chapter. A new chapter that is full of planning, doing, and living as if my prayers have been answered today. I feel like the ant who is preparing for the future. I am no longer the grasshopper who is laying around and waiting on my blessing. I am spending everyday in action mode getting ready for God's blessings.

Surfacing

A lot of stuff seems to be surfacing. I have pushed down so much pain over the past few years and now it is all coming to the surface. I am glad. Now I can learn to deal with it and heal. I will never be a whole person until I start dealing with this crap. Last year I was hurt by someone I thought loved me but obviously didn't. I was always there for this person and went out of my way to make her feel like she was a sister to me and not just a friend. This pain has been with me since then and I have decided that how I feel about her and what happened is what I am going to focus on over the next few days. I am going to process how I feel about it then I will have to let it go. The pain has been holding on for too long and it is time to walk away from it. I can't change the past or what happened but I can stop it from changing who I am.

Tired

I have sure had a rough day. I need to start making decisions based on what is best for me and not on what is good for others. Being there for everyone and making choices based on what makes them happy or betters their life is what I have been doing for too long. I see where they benefit and all I am doing is watching my dreams fade. 42 is way too young to be this friggin tired.

Week 10

My KIO challenge is almost over. I have a little over a week left and I am soooo proud of the changes that I have made. The last week has been a bit rocky but I pushed through. I have lost over 10% of my body weight and a lot of inches. I have also learned more about the dynamics of a support group. I can never repay the powers that be for this opportunity. All I can do to show my appreciation is to continue on this path and continue to be successful.