Shaking Things Up a Little

Good evening folks,

I wish to share with you a writing dating back to October 2008.  Occasionally, I go back through old writings to see how far Yahweh has brought me.  Sometimes I check to see if things were just as relevant back then as they are today.  I started my blog back in 2010, so there are quite a few that never made it up here.

It is funny how we tend to forget the lessons that we've learned over the years.  Life teaches us many things and we have ups and downs - peaks and valleys.  The thing is that in the valleys we are seeking a word of wisdom but in the peaks, we forget the wisdom that was imparted within us in the valley.  With that, I wish to share this writing as I hope to help someone as well as remind myself that Yahweh is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  As a FYI, WFTD stands for Word For The Day.  It was a Yahoo Group where some family and friends used to share some words of encouragement for about 4+ years, beginning in 2005.

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Today, I want to pick up where Ryan left off on yesterday's WFTD. He talked about how we have to wait on the Lord when you go to Him in prayer on direction and your purpose in life. Now, lets fast-forward a little to where God starts to give you a response.

The thing that confuses us most is that God does not always give us the answer to our questions the way that we like. Sometimes it is not what we want to hear. Sometimes he takes his time and spread it out over time. Sometimes it could be both! Why is that you wonder? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! *LOL*. No, but really, sometimes what He has to say, you may not be prepared to accept. However, you can digest little chunks at a time. It's like you tell a child, "stop taking big bites....take small ones and you can chew it easier" (at least that's what we tell ours). The same applies here.

In Proverbs 3:11-12 (KJV) it says:

(11) My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: (12) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Sometimes before God can move you to a different level or take you through a new door, He may have to pull you back for a bit and shake things up a little. What do you mean Antoine? Well it's like this, if you are traveling down the highway and you miss your exit, you don't keep traveling down the highway for miles and miles in an unknown direction do you? No, you pull over to regroup. You then figure out how you need to get back on track and implement the plan to do so. The steps here were:

1. Stop 
2. Step Back 
3. Learn from mistake and regroup 
4. Implement new plan 

Now apply this to your walk with Christ and it is no different. In order for us to hear God, He sometimes need to pull us back to a "quiet" place so we can be still. It wasn't that God did not speak before, however, we were not in a mode of listening or comprehending what He was trying to tell us. Once we are still, God then can allow you to step back for a minute. In this moment of stepping back, it can be revealed to you what God has for you. However, before you move on to step #4, you must endure the correction of the Lord. Like yesterday's WFTD says, when you pray be prepared for an answer because the one you receive may not be the one you were anticipating. That is all apart of growth and as anyone knows, sometimes growth can have some pains. Once you've endured your chastening, correction, and love by the Lord, then you go on to step #4 - go on to your new direction in the Kingdom of God. Wash, rinse, & repeat because God is in the business of opening and closing doors.

In the grand scheme of things, just be prepared to have God to rustle your feathers a little bit. In order to get you to where you are going, He has to make you recognize where you currently are and your current state just may not be as you imagined it to be.

Be blessed gang and have a good one.
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Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

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No Seeds, No Harvest

Originally Written on Wed Jul 8, 2009

Good morning family. I hope that you all are doing well on this fine Hump Day!

 ...[Edit:  The scripture that I originally used for this post was not used in the correct context.  As such, it has been deleted, but for the readers information, it was Matthew 13:24-30]...

If you don't know (or do know), this year was the first year that we, The Halls, have started gardening. I had been talking about doing it for years and had never done it. This year, we finally got the gears in motion, to get it done. For me, it has become a pet project because the gardening aspect is almost soothing and relaxing in a way. However, this morning as I leaned against the glass door and looked at it, the Holy Spirit spoke something else to me that never crossed my mind. In short. If you never plant a seed, you can never expect a harvest. This pertains to the garden, but it is a lot larger than the garden. It applies to all aspects of our lives.

All Talk, No Action

If you recall, I said I had been talking about gardening for years but that's it. We all can talk a good game and we all have lots of great intentions in our lives, but if all we do is talk then we have done nothing but blown hot air. I hate to say that about myself but if the shoe fits.....As long as we continue to talk about the things we would like to do, or desire, or enjoy it'll be just that...talk only. In order to get going, we must first get started and sometimes [we'll do many forms of self-sabotage to] convince [ourselves] why [we] shouldn't get started.

Planting the Seed

Well if we've gotten past the lip action, we've started to sow seed. We've at least gotten started which is a step past where we were. In life we often have lofty goals, but majority of the time, we never get started. If we can plant the seed then we can at least step back and feel some sort of progress has been made.

Cultivation

I think we all wish everything was as easy as an infomercial -- "Set it and forget it" -- but we know life is hardly ever that easy. This is just the same with the garden. If we just tossed seeds out and never did anything else to them, chances are we probably will not be able to reap a harvest. While going through the growing process, any seeds we plant have to be nurtured. Weeds will try to creep into your garden. Birds will try to eat your seed. Some seeds just will not grow because they are duds, however, this is out of your control. A lot of the times it will be a constant battle and some you will lose but some you will win. What is important is that you are caring for your crop. The more you do, the more you learn, and the better you are equipped to care for your garden. For example, I had no idea that tomatoes and egg plant can carry a disease that be harmful to other fruit such as strawberries if sown in the same soil. Chances are that if we had never started gardening I would not know this nice little tid bit.

Reaping Your Harvest

We are in the sit and wait phase on most of our crop (while cultivating of course), but we've been eating strawberries for about 2 months now! The other items are still growing, but it's been a good learning curve and nurturing going on. Every day there may be a different thing to do, but thanks to sowing the initial seeds, we have an expectation that a harvest will come. In due time, we will be eating out of the majority of the vegetables from our garden.

Now what does this have to do with anything you may ask? Try replacing the seeds you plant into the ground with the seeds of your life. Is there something you've always wanted to do but have never done it? Well the seeds are in you, you just have to plant them to get started. If you never get started on anything you wanted to do in life, you will never be able to look back at the starting line or see the finish line. There will be obstacles to hender your progress, but you have to keep pressing on until the growing cycle is finished. For me, I am now in an "Expectation" mode because I have planted first and now I see the finish line in sight. However, if I never got started, I would never have this expectation that there will be a harvest. Getting past the starting point can be a big hurdle because of life's circumstances and/or just plain excuses, but the key is to start. If you start, your expectations may drive you to a harvest time.

Be blessed folks and have a good one.

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

* Seed Image Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

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