The Blessing Is In the Action

One thing that I’ve learned about God is that He’s all about order. He doesn’t do things just because he feels like it. Every move God makes has a divine purpose attached to it, which is why He adamantly reminds us to be obedient to his instructions for us. Since we don’t have the thoughts or ways that God has, it’s important for us to adopt his mindset. If we ever want to understand how God moves, we have to understand how he thinks.

Having said all of that, in order to understand Psalm 81:10 you need to have a mindset like God’s. For the mind that doesn’t think like God, it would make sense for God to fill your mouth before you actually open it. The saying think before you speak comes to mind for me. But in this verse, God is saying open your mouth first and then I’ll give you good things to say. I read this verse several times before I finally understood what God was saying. Before God gives us an assignment He wants to make sure we’re prepared to do the work. We have to put in some action, some work if we want the results of a blessing. It’s not enough for you to just believe it, you have to work for it.

When I read this verse for the fourth or fifth time, I realize that God doesn’t just say to open your mouth but to open it wide. Some of us don’t have what we want because we’re too timid when we make our requests known to God. We approach his throne with doubt. We’re afraid to ask God for what we really want, which is why the door to our success is still closed. In order to get what we really want from God, we have to open our mouths wide enough to receive all that God wants to fill it with.

Reading Psalms 81:10 helped me to realize that the blessing is in the action. It is when we step forth into our promise that we’ll actually get to experience a blessing. We don’t always have to have all of our ducks in a row before we pursue great things. Just focus on starting and God will equip you for the rest of the journey.

God appreciates your sacrifice but desires your obedience. Yes, you’ll get what you want but only when you do things God’s way. Most of us don’t want to hear that because we’re so busy trying to attain success on our own. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way! Move out of your own way and acknowledge God as the giver of all things. Open your mouth wide for God and it will soon be filled with purpose.

Is It Wrong to Question God?

So many people are questioning God’s existence. This is nothing new but I’ve noticed that over the past few years, black people in particular have been questioning the existence of God, Jesus Christ and the bible a lot more than usual. Let me go on record and say this: there’s absolutely nothing at all wrong with questioning if Jesus, God or the bible are real. All are valid in my opinion. In fact, God wants you to ask questions. He wants you to be knowledgeable so ask away.

My hope is that people are questioning because they want to have a better understanding so that they can in turn have a better relationship with Him. I hope that people don’t get discouraged when they discover the truth but rather encouraged to embrace it and share it with others. Be prepared for some backlash. Also be prepared to be misunderstood and tested. It’s not your job to make them believe but to only share it. And also, share it from a place of love, not of arrogance. If the people you share the truth with don’t want to receive it, no worries! It’s up to them if they receive the truth or not.

If I can be completely honest, I too found myself questioning the existence of a divine Creator at one point in my life. I had doubts if God cared about me, if He was attending to my prayers. I had questions about His name, His nationality. I had questions about my own existence. It wasn’t until I asked the Most High to show me the truth that He actually did. I agreed to be open and in doing that, I learned so much about who God and his son are. There are many things you can question in the bible but one thing that is for certain is that when you ask anything of Him you will receive an answer. If you accept the answer is one thing but know that He’ll give you one.

Now, I won’t say exactly everything that I learned from seeking the truth because I want you to do the same for yourself but I will share these tidbits as they are my favorite things I learned: the Most High God is real and so is his son, the Messiah. I learned that God is not his name but rather his position. His name is Yahweh, affectionately and reverently also referred to as the Most High. I also learned that when Jesus Christ walked this earth his name was not Jesus it was either Yeshua or Yahushua. And lastly, the Messiah is a Hebrew black man. I can go on and on about the facts that I found but as I stated earlier, I’d rather you seek the Most High yourself and get the truth from the source.

Although church and the bible are the most sought-after resources to learn about God, there are other sources, too. Pastors, Bishops and Ministers aren’t the only ones who God speaks to. Be open and ready to receive the information and knowledge that the Most High will reveal to you. One thing you should know is that God uses more than one person to reveal Himself to us, including you.

What truth have you learned about the Most High that you didn’t learn at church?

Pursuing Your Purpose

I believe that along with a divine purpose, God gives us multiple divine assignments that are aligned with our divine purpose. My current divine assignment is assisting women with pursuing their purpose. I am focused on teaching women how to gain clarity and confidence in order to courageously pursue their purpose. These are three attributes that I had to learn prior to pursuing my own purpose.

I recently learned that one of my gifts in the body of Christ is to teach. I decided to turn this gift into a program to serve others who need guidance with pursuing their purpose. My plan is to edify, encourage and empower women to embrace who they are and pursue their purpose. I created a program, Create Your Purpose Plan, that will allow me to do just that.

In my new program, Create Your Purpose Plan, I am focusing on the three C’s that helped me see some success on my journey to pursuing my purpose. I discovered that without clarity, confidence and courage it will be difficult to create a realistic plan that leads to success. Why did I choose these three C’s? Glad you asked!

Clarity – To have clarity means to be able to clearly define a thing. If you’re unable to clearly define what it is that you want to pursue, you’ll find yourself frustrated and defeated. With clarity, you will be able to begin taking the correct steps towards success.

Confidence – To have confidence is to trust and believe in something or someone. In order to pursue your purpose you have to believe in yourself. You have to be so sure that you are the right person with the right purpose that people are automatically drawn to your presence. Your confidence in yourself as well as your purpose will motivate you to take action.

Courage – To have courage means to be brave, fearless. Only someone with courage will be able to pursue their purpose. There is no guarantee that things will unfold the way you desire but you’ll never know until you try. The unknown is always fearful and in order to see any type of success, you have to be courageous enough to share your gift.

If you’re someone who knows their purpose but are unsure of the next steps to take, Create Your Purpose Plan will be the program you need to get started! To learn more visit http://www.jessicaleeann.com.

 

 

Staying True To Yourself

We’re all on a journey to discovering who we are. Some of us find ourselves rather quickly while for others it can be a life long journey. On the path of self-discovery we can find ourselves conforming to the expectations people have for us. We allow people to influence the way we think, speak, talk and dress. We end up losing our identities and having an even more difficult time discovering who we are.

This is what Tamar, the main character in my new novel Not of this World, is experiencing. She’s new to corporate America and meets Sasha who is seasoned in all areas of life. Sasha introduces Tamar to a side of life that she’s never be a part of as a Christian.

Prior to her friendship with Sasha, Tamar has never dated, had a drink or have gone to a club. She ends up doing a little of all the above plus some. Not to mention, her boss is misogynistic and manipulative. He pressures Tamar to change her wardrobe to reflect a more sexy look and in the beginning she’s uncomfortable. However, the longer she hangs around Sasha the more bad habits she’s picked up and made them her own.

When Tamar’s family and friends notice the drastic change, they express their concern, only to receive resistance from Tamar. Things get really tense between Tamar and her family, causing her to become rebellious and distant.

Tamar hasn’t only changed in the eyes of her family but she’s also pulled away from God. Once being an avid church goer, as of now she’s been away from church for well over six months. That is not like Tamar and when she notices how distant she’s become, she gets concerned.

How often have we pulled away from God when we’ve allowed outside influences to distract us from His presence? I’m sure you’ve felt like Tamar at some point and decided to hide rather than draw closer to Him.

Not of this World is a novel about finding yourself, staying true to your roots and standing firm in your faith no matter what life throws your way. To learn more visit http://www.jessicaleeann.com

 

 

 

 

The Divine Power Within

Lately I’ve been focusing on tapping into my God-given power and I wanted to share with you how you can do the same. In 2 Timothy 1:7 the word of the Lord says that God didn’t give us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound-mind (self-control). When I learned that I have divine power placed in me from God I got excited! But before I got too excited I thought it would be a good idea to know what exactly power is.

So, what exactly is power? Power is having the ability to influence the course of events. This means that God gave us power to create a life that we want! As long as it’s in alignment with His will, of course. When we’re abiding in Christ and submit our plans to God whatever we want to do in life will be established and aligned with His will.

Learning what this verse means taught me that whatever we think, say and feel about ourselves with ultimately mold, shape and form who we become and the life we live. That’s how powerful our minds are! Be sure that you think about things that will elevate and empower you to grow closer to God. Focus on things that are pleasing to God. The word of the Lord also tells us to speak things that are not as though they are. This requires power. In order to live an abundant life we must activate our power.

So, how do we activate this power? Glad you asked! There are five crucial things we all need in order to activate our God given power: Faith, courage, humility, patience and vision.

Faith

In Hebrews 11 the word of the Lord explains that if we don’t have faith, we can’t do anything. The first virtue that is needed on your journey with God is faith! You have to believe in God’s divine power before He activates the power within you.

Courage

God repeatedly reminds us of the importance of being courageous. Without courage, you will not be bold enough to step into your power even if it’s already activated. You have to be confident, bold and courageous before activating your power. It is your courage that will motivate you to activate the power and also to walk in it.

Humility

God is not pleased with prideful people. If you are full of arrogance and pride God will not allow you to activate your power. The word of the Lord says God elevates you once you humble yourself. God has to know that you will not go on a power-trip once He allows you to activate your power. Be humble and God will allow the anointing to easily and freely flow through you.

Patience

God is all about order. Everything that He does is created and orchestrated in His timing. You may think that you’re ready to walk in your power immediately but it’s important that you wait on Him. Your patience will allow God to strengthen you and also give you the wisdom you’ll need to use your power.

Vision

We all should have a vision. According to the book of Proverbs, if you don’t have a vision, you’ll perish. Your vision is your assignment from God. Before you can activate your power you should be able to visualize the plans God has placed within you. Your power is what will allow your vision to manifest.

Power is an amazing gift! Just like with any other gift God has given us, we do not want to misuse it. God gave us divine power so that we can continue to edify the body of Christ and build up His kingdom. There’s lot of responsibility that comes from having divine power. However, don’t be afraid of your power, embrace it! Are you ready to activate your divine power within in?

Heavy Souls

The last 48 hours have been frustrating, disappointing, and painful for the black community. Honestly, the last several years have been hard for the black community. We’re at a lost because we don’t know what to do. We’ve tried to be peaceful, remain prayerful and hopeful but we have not seen any justice for the lives who were taken by the hands of police officers. A lot of us feel helpless and are starting to feel hopeless.

I’ve felt the effects of police brutality over the years but today for me was extremely hard. I’ve cried at least three times and have been praying all throughout the day. My co-workers and I have shared our thoughts and feelings about it and of course my social media platforms are filled with painful posts. The death of Philando Castro hit hard for me and I’m not really sure why. Maybe because my pain and frustration reached the point of no return.

Hearing about what happened to Philando brought me to my knees in tears. It hurt me to hear that another black man was killed in broad day light by a police officer, especially after I just saw the video of Alton Sterling being killed. My soul is truly burdened and although I’ve cried, prayed, talked to my family about how I’m feeling and tried to do other things to distract myself from being hurt, the load is still heavy.

The souls of black Americans are heavy right now. I’m praying that God heal our hearts and heal this wicked land. I understand that we as black people are angry, frustrated and sad but I’m also praying that we don’t act out of pain and create a larger problem for ourselves. Now is the time to put our trust in God and allow Him to be God. Seek God in prayer about your heavy soul and give the burden over to Him. In return He’ll give you peace and guidance so that you can make it through another day. God bless.

 

Activate Your Power

The mind is a very powerful thing. What you think, say and feel about yourself will ultimately mold, shape and form who you become. God has given us the power to create a life that aligns with His will for our lives. We have the power to combat, destroy, crush and demolish anything that is not of God. This includes fear. How amazing is that!

Life can be fearful at times but the word of God tells us that fear is not from God. Therefore, I encourage you to not embrace fear. Acknowledge it when it creeps into your spirit but destroy it with the power that comes from being one with Jesus Christ.

What exactly is power? Power is the ability to influence the course of events. That means you have the ability to create a life that you desire to have. Christ came on earth so that we could all have life more abundantly. With the spirit of power, we’re able to live an abundant life. If you desire to live life abundantly, activate your power!

So, how can you activate the spirit of power if you haven’t done so yet? With faith and courage. God has already given you the power you need to succeed at everything that you will do. You have to truly believe in the power that God has given you and you also have to be courageous enough to use your power.

Now that you know how to activate your power, you may be wondering how to use your power. You can use your power to heal from your past, follow your dreams, and to live a life that is pleasing to God. Your power will help you achieve the impossible, do the unthinkable. Your power will activate the blessings that will exceed your expectations of how powerful and awesome God truly is. Your power will also empower others to seek God and activate their own power so they too can live an abundant life.

Don’t be afraid to be powerful and courageous. God desires for you to live a life of power and courage. Receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life granted you this amazing power. So, embrace your spirit of power. Glorify God by using your power and living the life that Jesus died for you to have. Activate and walk in your power!

Let God Heal Your Wounds

We’ve all experienced hurt, pain, disappointment or a wounded spirit at some point in our lives. While some of us learn that God is a healer and seeks Him for healing, not all of us are aware of God’s healing power. When you’re not aware that God is a healer, you remain hurt, disappointed and wounded. Maybe you’ve heard that God is a healer but do not know how to ask for or seek your healing. That’s okay! I will provide three steps to help you start your healing journey with God.

Ask God for Healing.

In the book of Matthew Jesus teaches us that if we want something from God to ask Him. It may sound simple and it is. Simply ask God to heal you from any pain, disappointment, hurt or emotional wound you have experienced. Let God know that you desire to be healed, that you want to be saved from your pain and He will attend to your request.

Don’t Worry.

After you ask God to heal and save you from your pain, hurt, disappointment or emotional wounds don’t worry about any of it. Allow God to do His part of the healing process. Know that it won’t happen over night but God is definitely working. While you’re waiting for God to heal you, ask Him for peace and guidance so that you can begin the steps of becoming healed.

Have faith.

Once you ask God for healing and allow God to start the process, the next thing you want to do is truly believe that you will be healed! The word of God tells us that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Therefore if you truly want to be healed, if you truly want God to save you believe that He can.  Thank Him in advance for healing and saving you. Give Him praise for the new path He’s going to place you on.

God is truly a healer. He mends broken hearts, crushed spirits and wounded souls. Trust and believe with all of your heart that God is able to heal you and He will. God is waiting for people to submit their pain and brokenness to Him. He desires to mold you into a new vessel. He wants to be close to you. He wants to guide you to peace, joy and love. You have to do the work to become healed. Ask for healing, trust the process of healing and have faith that you will be healed. Ask God to heal you and He will heal you. Ask God to save you and He will save you. And when He does, give Him the praise He rightfully deserves.

 

God Will Establish Your Plans

In Proverbs 16, we learn that whatever it is that we want to do will be established when we commit our plans, thoughts and dreams to God. When we do this, we are proving to God that we trust Him. And those who trust in God will never be in lack. He purposely look for people who trust Him so that He can reveal Himself to them. This will be the case when you make the decision to give your dreams and desires to God.

While we each have a divine assignment to fulfill, sometimes we don’t know exactly what it is. Talking to God about what you like, desire or dream to have or be will help you discover why you’re alive. Your dream is tied to your destiny. You can only find your destiny when you tell God what’s on your mind.

What I love about the process of giving your thoughts, plans and dreams to God is if they are not in His will, He will teach you how to desire what He has planned for you. I learned that through discovering the genre God wanted me to write. I knew that I wanted to write but didn’t know what I should be writing. So after becoming frustrated with my lack of success in the writing field, I submitted my writing to God and it was then that He revealed to me that He wanted me to write devotionals and faith-based books and blogs. I have seen a lot of success since I’ve submitted my writing to Him. I encourage you to do the same with your dreams.

You may be wondering what does it look like to commit your thoughts to the Lord, it’s rather simple: just do it! Okay, that was vague so I’ll explain a little more in depth. Set some time when you can be alone with God and talk to Him. Tell God what you’re concerns and doubts are, let Him know what it is that you desire to be or have and wait. Sit quietly with a pen and paper and write down the words that God drops into your spirit. Open your spiritual ear and listen for God’s instruction.

Once you receive instruction from God about your plans, don’t sit on them, put them into action. Be obedient! Show your obedience, start working your plan and success will soon follow. God gave you your dream because He has equipped you for the assignment. When you’re obedient to God’s instructions, that is when He will establish your plans.

Not of this World now available for preorder

Super excited about this book! Tamar is a character that all believers who have stepped outside of God’s grace can relate to. It can be really, really hard growing up in a world that promotes promiscuity. What is a girl to do when she gets a taste of the side of life that everyone has warned her about but she likes?

Tamar gets caught up in the ways of the world and allows her new friend, Sasha, to mold her into a woman that her family doesn’t recognize. While Tamar knows that once she’s in the hand of God she can’t be plucked out of it. But what if she’s gone too far away from His presence?

Preorder your copy of Not of this World today!

https://www.amazon.com/World-After-Storm-Publishing-Presents-ebook/dp/B01H23L5HO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466019083&sr=8-2&keywords=Jessica+leeann