I Quit My Job Today

That’s right! I quit my job today and do you want to know the icing on top of this spontaneous and possibly disastrous cake? I have no backup plan. Well, at least that’s what I thought. I would like to share with you my emotions concerning my decision in the form of Bitmoji expressions.

WHAT DID I JUST DO????!!???

I think this is the initial reaction one has any time your cardinal mind allows you to believe that you really didn’t think your decision through. To be honest, this decision was already confirmed in January of this year, but God wanted me to wait. I often wondered when and how I would know it was the right time, but I knew that the Spirit of God would reveal it to me at the appropriate time. I want to be transparent in saying that I was a little nervous and worried, but my faith in God didn’t allow any of those emotions to dwell long. God, as He always does, reveals himself in the very last hour. Today I would say goodbye to almost 5 years of service at my job. In already knowing this God continued to send words of encouragement to me throughout the day. One word came in the form of my Daily Bread Devotional. Today’s lesson touched on the story of Moses and how he was entrusted with a task that even he wasn’t sure he could complete. God not only entrusted Moses to free His people but was with Him every step of the way. This message gave me hope. Even though I’m not sure of what’s on the other side of this change, I do know that God and His provision will be with me every step of the way.

Why Did You Quit?

I am a creature of habit. Day in and day out my day doesn’t change and this allowed me to feel safe or so I thought. I quickly learned that I’d only created a false sense of stability, comfort and what I considered to be a solid foundation. If you go back and read my devotional, Double Portion, it will shed some light on my decision and why God and my faith will always come before anything in connection with my will.

My previous job position can only be described as follows:

I was happy, but I was complacent. One thing I’ve learned about complacency is that although it’s comfortable, it stifles your growth. You can’t live your life to its fullest potential if you continue to make your home in a place that doesn’t allow you to grow. I was operating in my will and leaning on what I deemed as “dependable” instead of leaning on God. One thing that I love about God is that He loves us too much to see us unfulfilled. He is the God of fulfillment. He sent His Son to FULFILL what the law could not and He blesses us so that we can have a FULL life and have it more ABUNDANTLY. Things began to change at my job and long story short, the position that I loved was being phased out. I decided to take a position that at the time seemed like the next natural step (notice that I didn’t say the best step) only to find out it wasn’t what I wanted to do. My only other option was the one I dreaded most, but I was prepared to do what I had to do. God threw a wrench in that plan as well. What I noticed once I sat back and reflected on my situation is that I had never consulted God before making any decisions and because I didn’t he eliminated every “back up plan” I created for myself. What do you do when you feel uncomfortable? What do you do when what you did before is no longer working? You shift. You shift to find relief and mine was found in quitting my job. This was my sign from God.

Well, I wish I knew. I just know that I am going to listen for a word from God. Today I’ve realized that I don’t need a backup plan when God is THE PLAN. One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalms 32:7 which says, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance”. I’m not sure of what the future may hold, but I know that God will be there. I’ve had it all wrong for a long time. I thought my employer was my source, but that position can only be filled by God. He is my source, my hiding place, my protection, my song and my deliverance just to name a few. I confess today with all of my heart Psalms 31:14, “But I trust in you, Lord I say, You are my God.”

Photos Worth A Thousand Words

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*Photos are from the Bible App (Life.Church)*

 

Today is not a day for fancy words and long paragraphs, but everyday is a day to know that God loves you. I pray that this slide show is a beautiful reminder on this morning  why we should give thanks everyday. Even on Mondays (lol).

Blessings x Love,

Chrystal Massey

The Spiritual Resurrection

In recent weeks, I’ve contemplated heavily concerning my walk with Christ. I think of where I am in His purpose, and I’ve concluded that His work is not complete. I am convinced that my journey is the destiny that will lead me to my final destination. In knowing this, there is a shame that lives with me. God is patient with me, the sinner. He puts His trust in me. He anoints me with the gift to speak to His children, but why? I can’t understand how he can have faith in me that I sometimes don’t have in myself. My sins feel like repetitive blows to my chest, because I know that I always disappoint my Father every single day yet Christ won’t allow me to give up. I can hear a voice saying get up! I know that I have the heart, the will and the desire to walk with Christ but yet my flesh hinders me. I allow my flesh to hinder me. Romans 7:24 -25 captures the battle between the flesh and the spirit so well. The Word says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” More than ever I find myself crying out to God, resurrect me!

I am convinced that we will go through 2 resurrections in life. One resurrection will come from our natural death until the moment of judgment. Prayerfully God says well-done servant and allows us to live with Him forever. That is the ultimate resurrection. Allow me to introduce to you the prerequisite resurrection that is required of us here on earth, the spiritual resurrection.

Because we are in the flesh, we are in sin. We are empty tombs walking the earth. It’s when we invite God to dwell within us that we can give life to the spirit of God that each of us possesses. We, in turn, die so that we may be born with His purpose. It’s different for everyone, but for me, it was like all at once this drastic change happen. I felt like I didn’t know who I was or maybe I was never anyone. Not until Christ made me someone. Christ gave me purpose. When he lives within you, there is this cultivation of faith, hope, and joy. The fruits of the spirit begin a great harvest of God’s spirit within you. The spirit starts to take precedence over the flesh. You start living for God and not for self-gratification.

The function of the spirit of purpose is to embed itself into all of those who invite Christ to dwell inside of their praise. We are convicted and appointed to carry out our Father’s purpose through our gifts. Our gifts are not for our pleasure, but for God’s purpose. Our gifts and weapons are appointed so that we may spread His word and assist in bringing His children home. When the spirit convicts, our gifts to uplift our Father becomes more of an honor and less of a chore. Much like Jesus we were gleaned so that we may save the lives of our brothers and sisters through love, teaching, and fellowship. The spiritual resurrection that we experience I think will be one of the most overwhelming and rewarding experiences that we will ever have the privilege of participating in until the second coming of our Lord.

The death of our cardinal spirit allows the birth of God’s spirit. This rebirth makes it possible to fulfill the will of God. It’s a confession to our Lord as 1 Chronicles 17:25 says, “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.” Although I’m spiritually resurrected, I still live in the flesh, but because I bask in the spirit of God I am confessing that I am not my flesh, but a child of God. Prepared for the conditioning that God must subject me to so that I may ensure that my eternal place is with Him.

Don’t allow the battle between the spirit and the flesh confuse you. Sometimes it may feel like you are losing the battle, but I ensure you it’s only to prepare you for the war. Christ left THE blueprint for us to follow. In doing so, we know for a fact that if we order our steps in our Saviors that we will overcome, that we will live again, that our resurrection in God is the belief that we will never die.

Love x Blessings,

Chrystal Massey

The Inevitable Change|He Will Comfort You

Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone once in awhile. Take the risks in life that seem worth taking. The ride might not be as predictable if you planted your feet and stayed put, but it will be a heck of a lot more interesting.
-Edward Whitcare Jr.

Most approach the thought of change with a negative frame of mind because there is a fear of the disruption that change can cause in life. Many are comfortable in their day to day routines because they know what to expect. What if I said that God demands change? What if I said that not only does he demand it, but he prepares His children through the Holy Word? Change can be uncomfortable and downright scary, but I encourage you to think of change as an unexpected blessing. Changes are necessary to birth growth. God’s purpose for us in Him is to condition us in our walk with Christ. He understands that there are levels that exist in our experience with faith. He wants to prepare all of His children so that we may never lose hope, that we can stand strong and keep moving forward when we don’t quite understand the reason or our season.

When you pray to God for His will to be done, are you secretly hoping that it’s your will? Are you unable to receive the answers to your prayers because the answers aren’t what you want to hear? We often ask God to restore our marriages but become upset when He reveals to us that our spouses are unfaithful. We ask Him to remove the stress of our job and get upset when we get fired. We ask Him to save our children and get upset when they go to jail. Are we missing our blessings because we see those difficult changes as a setback and not as a setup? God ensures us that He will never leave us nor forsake us so should we not trust in the Lord simply because we don’t understand His plan? I know that this blog sounds more like a survey, but I want to encourage you to contemplate on the difference between superficial faith and irrevocable faith because the changes in our lives ultimately depend on our faith. Our faith is our perspective. Faith allows you spiritual vision. Therefore, you have spiritual discernment so how do you view the changes in your life?

What a joy it is to know that my Father is a constant force in my life. His comfort reassures me that His word is true. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says, ” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of ALL comfort.” I feel a great sense of peace knowing that no matter what the weather conditions may be like in the rest of the world, He is a God that can make my storm stand still. I will trust the changes in my life that may come because I trust the Lord.

Maybe some of us aren’t there just yet, and I can understand your position. In those moments when it seems as though change is just thrown upon you, when that change appears to be wrecking havoc in your life, close your eyes. I want you to take a moment, take a deep breath, and take in the presence of God. He is there. Allowing the spirit of God to move in and around you is permitting the power of God to invoke mental clarity into your life. When we can tap into mental clarity, we can tap into God’s infinite wisdom. You will begin to understand that the breakdown is a break-through.

How can we invite God to bless us if he can’t change our circumstances so that we possess the capacity to hold our blessings? How can we invoke the power of God that each of us possesses if we don’t allow him to condition us? How can we test those powers if we don’t embrace the unknown? Change is a requirement for us to elevate higher in the kingdom of God. When there is a shift in the order, which is your life, tell Him thank you. Thank you for choosing me, conditioning me, and entrusting me with your purpose.

 

Love x Blessings,

Chrystal Massey

 

~Joy~Fasting to be Full (30 Days of Fruit) Vol 3

Anyone attempting to lose weight understands the struggle of wanting to be healthy and also craving a good piece of chocolate cake. Most of us think of sweets, pizza, bread (Oh, bread!) as forbidden once we start to lose weight, but the truth of the matter is we deny ourselves of things that we can still enjoy. A diet is nothing more than a fad or a temporary solution to what should be a lifelong endeavor. I mean, why diet when you can just commit to a lifestyle change? Eating healthy regularly as well as finding healthy alternatives to some of your favorite foods allows you to kill two birds with one stone. See, easy peasy! You get the health and the delicious wealth (Win-Win).

Quick recap, diets=temporary and lifestyle changes= long term. Got it? Good. You know? In a sense, diets remind me of happiness.

We were happy when that quick fix diet (which we practically starved ourselves on) allowed us to lose weight, but then we soon realized that the life of restriction is more of a prison sentence than a helpful tool. Bummer, right? Now those 10lbs you lost to fit into that fabulous outfit doesn’t seem as much of an accomplishment now, am I right? You traded in a quick fix for something that should have been given more consideration. You could have taken the time to put in the work and dedication to achieve the same results (plus it would have been more rewarding). That’s the definition of joy.

Joy is achieved by putting in the time to study God’s Word, putting in the work through our faith and dedicating ourselves to His purpose. That’s the joy that is God. Yes, it is the road less traveled, but it is also a path of high reward. There is this indescribable peace that you feel when Christ dwells within you. This joy that He gives does take hard work to achieve, but it’s worth it. It’s a conscious effort that surpasses the temporary happiness that the world may offer.

The journey to true joy is a path that is chosen. It is not something that is just given. It must be sought out. For example, we purposefully find joy in the midst of our storms. We’re looking for joy because it brings us peace. We can find peace because we put in the work. This is what allows us to experience the pure joy that is God. We made a conscious decision to find joy, and we did so by putting work behind our faith. That means that in the midst of our pain, we still had faith and we put our trust in the Lord. That is why the Bible instructs us to walk by faith and not by sight. This passage intertwines perfectly with Psalms 126:5 which says, “those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” Although we go into the unknown with pain in our hearts, we have hope in our season because we have faith in God. We know that every season is called according to His purpose. We have confidence that no matter where we are in our season, we will reap a harvest of joy. The harvest that is God.

Not only will we reap a harvest of joy, but it will be a bountiful and plentiful harvest. A harvest that will overflow with the love of God. John 15:11 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” In Christ, we will never suffer more than we shall prosper. He did not come to give us anything if he did not have intentions of giving it to us more abundantly. He provides us with all things because we have given of ourselves.

We often forget about previous seasons of prosperity and blessings because we are so wrapped up in the season in which we currently (temporarily) reside. We act as though God can’t-do for us now, what He did for us then. Maybe you are going through a season of dry land and no fruit, but it’s only to gauge your endurance. A test of your faith’s capacity. We should see those dry seasons as blessings. As an introduction to an amazing story of promise. A story of joy. Esther 8:16 says, “For the Jews, it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. ” Can you find your time? Can you find your moment of praise? During the storms can you actively seek out joy?

The beautiful thing about our season and harvest is that it’s not a crop of solitude and selfishness. It’s a harvest that allows all to feast. John 4:38 says, “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.” There is a joy to be found in sharing our harvest (joy) with our brothers and sisters. This is the epitome of love. This is a desire to bring joy not only into your home but the homes of others. Acts 8:8 refers to it as “..great joy in that city.” Keep this in mind as you are working in the fields of your harvest, gathering your joy, make sure to leave behind some as the workers did for Ruth so they too may partake in the fruits of God.

Joy is as precious as the sacrifice of Jesus. It’s as overwhelming as the mercy and love of our Father. All of these things sustains and gives us hope. It allows us to honor Revelations in which he commands us to hold on to what we have. It’s a humbling experience to know that he is constantly giving me so many amazing things and in exchange all that he wants from me is me. 1 Thessalonians says it best, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”

Thank you, Father. Every day we actively seek you and find a fountain of joy that allows us to drink from a cup that will never run dry. Allow me to always sup from you, God.

 

 

Love x Blessings,

Chrystal Massey