Persevere

Remember that song, "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me?" Well, most of the time, if you're in a supermarket parking lot, it is me watching you. LOL. No seriously, I am a people-watcher. Don't get it twisted..I am not a pervert! I just take my time when I go shopping. I usually park, sit for a half an hour, and watch people. Try it sometime. It will make you laugh!


I once saw a couple fighting. Not physically, but verbally. Obviously this guy had upset this woman because she was going off on him. I guess she had gotten out of his car and began walking because he was begging (I mean really begging) her to come back in the car. All I heard her say was, "If you want her, go for it! I am outta here!" And then in a moment of sheer frustration he began yelling (at the top of his lungs) "I ONLY WANT YOU! I ONLY WANT YOU!!! I ONLY WANT TO SLEEP WITH YOUUUUUU!" I was like "WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?????" And she stopped and began to laugh so hard. Who else do you think was laughing? I had tears coming down my face. Only because I understand what it is like to be that upset and that foolish. Yeah, you guessed it, they ended up leaving together.


One observation caught my eye with an older woman around 65 yrs. old yesterday. She was walking with obvious difficulty with a younger woman-probably her daughter. What did I see in the cart? At least eight cases of Dr. Pepper. I wanted to jump out and say, "NOOOOO!!! Dawn taught us that soda kills the joints !!!" But did I dare say a word?? No!! Why? Not because I was scared..many of you know me, I talk to anyone that I can. I did not say anything because I have YET TO ARRIVE TO MY GOAL OF OBTAINING OPTIMUM HEALTH. If I would've ran up on that woman she would've been like, "Girl, Jenny Craig is right over there."


Ever feel that way? Ever feel like people look at you, while you are on your journey, and feel you have no foot to stand on because you are still making mistakes? People can be so fickle sometimes, especially when we are trying to make serious changes. I have come to learn that many times the reason behind this is it sheds light on the areas of their weaknesses that they know needs to be strengthened. Our making steps towards freedom reminds them of the bondages they are still in.


I watch Dawn, our coach, all the time--like that song says LOL--no really, I do. She is a strong and powerful example of a woman of perseverance and consistency. Last Sunday we had some body-builders visit our church, unbeknownst to Dawn. She came up the aisle shaking her tambourine and praising our Lord. I watched her from behind saying, "Wow, she is a machine. Them bodybuilders have nothing on her because she is clean from the inside out." (pardon the street language!)


Sisters, we are, too. We are spiritually cleansed which is the most important clean we can ever attain. But let us persevere to reverse the curse of what we may have inflicted upon these outer casings through time and ignorance. Nothing easy ever comes overnight. Forget about me and my dumb parking lot escapades: There is someone much greater watching over us for a much greater reason. His Name is the Lord. He never sleeps nor slumbers. He is cheering us on...even when no one else is. A fresh start is as close as our next breath!


"He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber." Psalm 121:3


Much Love,

Sis Anna B.

Foot Washing

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet." John 13:14










So I heard in my absence that there was some foot washing/detoxing going on! WOW ! We are so blessed to have a sister like Dawn that cares enough to come and help cleanse us of the toxins that are built up within us from daily living. She is like our Master, Jesus, when He washed the disciples' feet. She is the hands and feet of Him who has sent her to do His Work on this earth. Dawn has found her true calling in life. There is no greater joy than finding out what it is that God would have us to do here on Earth!

Yet, there is only so far that Dawn can go. She knows that only Jesus can deliver us from the internal toxins that build up in our hearts. Yes, the Maker's Diet is all about "detoxing" the body, but Jesus, our Shepherd, desires that his sheep be free from the poisons of life's hardest days. You know what I am talking about: relationships with friends, husbands, kids, finances, jobs, physical ailments, broken hearts, broken dreams, and the list can go on for miles. Jesus knew that we would get "dirty" in this life. It is why he washed the disciples' feet. He wanted them and us to know the depth that he would stoop to help us walk with him. What a Savior!


When the Lord washes us, He can instantaneously deliver us from the deepest, darkest sins we have ever committed. Do you know what I am referring to? Yes, "those" sins that we would never share or confess to another person for fear of judgment. Jesus sees and knows all about them. Yet NONE are too filthy for him to clean. "If we shall confess our sins to him, he is sure and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (emphasis mine)


The Lord will use His people to help us be cleansed as well. This is done for many reasons-mostly to humble us and to show us our dependency on His people. Come on sisters..let's be honest..how many times have we said, "I aint sayin nothin.." LOL. I know I have. But let me say this, once the Holy Ghost gets to moving..whoa, watch out. I am like a singing canary when He shows up. I will tell any and everything that is going on in my life--then afterwards, I beat myself up. Why? Pride. My pride doesn't want others knowing my struggles--UNTIL that glorious day when the issues I "let out of the bag" DISAPPEAR completely. It is because HE USED HIS PEOPLE TO SET ME FREE. Freedom comes in the presence of the Lord with one another !!! Praise God !!!

Clean feet. Clean hearts. Clean walk. Fit for the Master's use. There is no dirt too deep or poison too strong that Jesus cannot handle. Let's rejoice in his complete acceptance of who we are, where we are, and why we are.

Hats off to Dawn--or should I say "shoes off"--for her faithfulness to lead us to cleanliness, inside and out.


Keepin' it real--
love you all,

Sis Anna