Author: Chocolate Vent

Your Destiny Awaits

During this season of singleness, I’d like to encourage you to use this time to not only enjoy life but to also really seek God and pray about your purpose.
Do you know your life’s mission?
Do you know why you were created?
Well, the person who knows the answer to all this and more is your Creator – God.
You may have sought God previously about your purpose and may not have received a response yet.  I’d like to encourage you to continue to press in and seek Him about it because it’s vital to your existence.
Some of the most depressed people in the world are people who never discovered their purpose and live to try and please other people all their lives instead of doing what it is God called and predestined them
to do. (Jeremiah 1:5)
If you’re still having problems hearing from God, examine your life right now i.e. who’s in it and who speaks into your life. Who influences you? Who do you confide in and who do you approach for advice making decisions? Then ask yourself if their advice is divinely inspired or is it led by the flesh or simply their own opinion which may not line up with the Word of God.
Who do you spend most of your time with?
If you’re in a relationship right now, does he cause you to grow in your relationship with God?
Do the two of you pray together and encourage each other in the things of God, or are ya’ll just “hanging out” and end up making out which leads to your having to repent seemingly every Sunday morning?
A relationship which causes you to draw away from God and focus all your attention on them instead of pursuing your purpose is a distraction.  Don’t let a distraction deter your destiny.
Trust me, I know how easy it is to be all in the clouds with someone only to realize later that it was nothing but a big ‘ole distraction which may have either stunted your spiritual growing or got you off course for the moment.
Thank God we serve a God of grace and mercy who has the awesome ability to reel us back on in as long as we continue to seek Him with a pure heart – He’ll make a way to get His Word to us, even when we act hardheaded sometimes.
So examine your relationships, ask God if those other persons should be allowed to continue to speak over or even be in your life then make the proper adjustments.
Your destiny awaits.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11
*Originally published on KimontheWeb.com

Is It Me?

As single people get older, it’s natural to question why their status is still: Single.

I’m a good catch; why haven’t I been “caught” yet?

Is it me? Is it them?

Why can’t I find anybody?

How come I haven’t been found yet?

When am I going to meet someone special?

Why is everyone meeting someone but me?

Why is dating so hard?

What am I doing wrong?

You may have even questioned your looks or even your entire worth causing your self esteem to plummet. Perhaps it’s a “I want to repel everyone around me” vibe? Or perhaps it’s something about your personality that’s turning off the very people you’re trying to attract.

Worse yet, it could be that your standards are too lofty (not to you, of course but to everyone else). Is it something that you could be doing differently? Or is it time to “lower your standards” as it may have been suggested to you before?

Whatever the reason may be that you’re still single know that you are not the only one who feels this way. Lots of us are wondering what’s causing us to remain single and why it’s so hard to meet someone special. Find comfort in knowing that others are out there hoping to meet their future mate too – and you just may that one!

What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments section below –

Nothing Hidden

We all make mistakes.
We all miss it from time to time.
Nobody’s perfect; if there were such a thing as a perfect perfect then God would not have had to add 1 John 2:1 in the Bible which reads, My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
God knew, in advance, mankind was going to be prone to sin.  Man was born with a sinful nature, as demonstrated by Adam and Eve, which was the reason God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we don’t have to spend an eternity apart from Him.
However, I believe the difference between a Christian and the world when it comes to missing the mark or sinning against God is a Christian should never set out to sin or intentionally, in advance, plan that thing out while promising to “repent later” thus taking advantage of God’s grace.
Also, if we do miss it, God requires not only do we confess our sins, but that we also forsake them.
Take, for example, sexual sin, which I believe is something a lot of single Christians struggle with.
There’s a difference between slipping up and having sex one night and feeling extremely guilty the next day as you repent and cry out to the Lord, then someone who has sex each week while having no guilty feelings at all yet still going to church on Sunday with their hands lifted up in praise carrying their Christian card.
That person may think they’re getting away with something simply because it’s done behind closed doors, but God sees all and knows all and, more than anything, He knows that person’s heart.
As the saying goes, which is inspired by Luke 8:17, what’s done in the dark shall eventually be brought to light.
God would rather, if you miss it, that you immediately come to Him while intending on never making the same mistake twice.  He’d rather you fess up to the mistake, then flee from it, never to return to it again.
Of course His grace is always available if we miss it, but as believers we must believe that it is possible to trust and obey His Word in this area, give our cares and desires to Him and ask Him how to walk this thing out. He will show you how, if you honestly ask Him.
Instead of making excuses for why we sin, let’s come up with reasons why to NOT sin.
God wants us as His beloved daughters not to continue in sin but to confess it and forsake it.
God sees your heart and knows you better than you do.
Thank God for the grace of God!
Thank God for His mercy and His never failing love!
God loves us so much in that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die in our place for our sins so we don’t have to spend an eternity apart from the father. (John 3:16)
There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed, and there is nothing secret that won’t become known and come to light. (Luke 8:17) International Standard Version
*Originally posted on KimontheWeb.com.

Follow Jesus More Than Trends

In today’s society of artistic expressions in the music and cinema worlds “gone wild” where it’s “all about me,” “I’m a star,” “I’m a goddess,” and “I want it all like yesterday and I don’t care who I step on to get it,” it’s easy to lose focus on the prize.
I’m not speaking of the prize of the “bling bling,” the fancy car and nice house or even winning the heart of the bachelor or becoming the next basketball wife and landing your own reality show.
I’m speaking of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Yet in the world we live in now, what some call an “evolving society” is actually one that’s slowly but surely getting away from God and His principles, beliefs and value system.
In spite of the direction where the culture is headed, don’t let it take you somewhere you shouldn’t go.
Don’t let it take you away from the God you serve.
Don’t let its mindset infiltrate your mind and heart so that you become distracted and lose sight of the God who saved you in the first place.
Be mindful not to follow culture and trends, follow Jesus.
Stay focused on where you are in Christ, avoid distractions at all costs (1 Corinthians 7:35), and keep pressing toward your mark – not his mark, or her mark, but your mark.
Even if it means not watching TV as much, not listening to certain kinds of music, not visiting certain websites, cutting off an ungodly relationship, going to church more, praying more, helping others more…whatever you have to do…do it…do it all to the glory of God and follow His will for your life while knowing your reward is in heaven and in earth and that ultimately He Is your reward.
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

 

 

*Originally published on Kim on the Web.

Demotivated Dating

 It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about dating or relationships, but here goes –

Dating is rough. No matter where you live, how old you are or what type of job you have, it’s hard to meet someone who is compatible, attractive and ready to commit all at the same time. Meeting people is the easy part; meeting the right person is the hard part. But after so many dates, it’s easy to want to give up on dating altogether.

Having to get dressed up (even for a virtual date), fix my hair and have an “on” personality requires a lot of energy. Hoping to meet someone you can bond with & possibly have a future with is quite difficult and can oftentimes leave one very discouraged when things don’t seem to work out time & time again. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can stop dating altogether. Instead, it means the opposite – you must continue to date despite not having the desire to do so (and in some cases, date even more than you were before).

This is what I call “Demotivated Dating”. It means you’re still going out on dates, just not as enthusiastic about it as you once were. It means that you still desire a mate or significant other, just not as fervent in your approach as you used to be.

What does “Demotivated Dating” look like? Well, it might mean that while you still go out on dates, you may not dress up as much as you used to or budget as much time for each individual date. It may also mean that you don’t go out on as many dates as you used to or space your dates out so that you can have ‘me time’ in between.

For me, “Demotivated Dating” means that I still date with purpose but am not as hopeful about the outcome. I know that there are men out there who may be just as demotivated as I am, so there may not be a whole hearted attempt on their end to date either but we still see each other because you just never know if that person may be “the one”. Dating takes a lot of time & energy and when you start to lose hope, you give a lot less of both of those elements when out on a date.

I’m trying to get motivated again when it comes to dating. I’m trying to get excited about the possibility of meeting my Mr. Right one day, but the longer it takes, the more discouraged I become.

Are you the same way? Are you discouraged when it comes to finding love? Are you just not as motivated as you were before when it comes to dating? Let me know in the comments below —

The Same Love

God’s love is unconditional…it’s not based on what someone says, what someone does, how someone responds or behaves – God just loves – period.
The good news is, that SAME LOVE that God has He has also given YOU…He has given you the power, and the ability, to LOVE like He Loves!
Romans 5:5 reads And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Once we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, then God’s Spirit (in the form of the Holy Spirit) comes to dwell on the inside of us. It’s His Love that lives inside you that causes you to be able to love like He loves.
So no matter who has wronged you, misused you, or even verbally or physically abused you – you are still free to love them.
Though it may not make sense to your mind, and may not feel good to the flesh, Love, as a force, can cause you to take control of your life, remain in right-standing with God, and live free from feelings of turmoil and hatred, thus causing God’s windows of heaven to be opened for you simply because you choose to love – in spite of.
So I challenge you to love like God loves and pray for those who have wronged you – you can do it – the power to do so is deep down on the inside of you.
*Originally published on Kim on the Web.

Ask Him For Help

“So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD…” (2 Chronicles 20:4, NKJV)

Scripture says that we are to acknowledge God in all of our ways. One way to acknowledge God is to simply ask for His help. On the way to the grocery store, under your breath, “God, help me to find what I’m looking for. Help this to be a productive trip.” That’s acknowledging God. You’re saying in effect, “God, I need You right now. I want You in my life.”

That simple acknowledgement is an act of faith. It opens the door for Him to direct your steps, even in the little things. God will help you find what you may not have found. He will put you at the right place at the right time. And sure, you can do this without God’s help. You can do it in your own strength. But when you learn to hear His voice in the little things, you’ll be confident to hear Him in the big things. When you acknowledge God, He breathes His favor on you. You’ll come into an anointing of ease. What should have been a struggle won’t be a struggle. That’s God crowning your efforts with success.

Today and every day, ask Him for help and let Him lead you and guide you in every area of your life!

Father, today I confess that I need You. I ask for Your help. I don’t want to try to do it on my own. I know that Your ways are higher. Your ways are better. Lead me and guide me as I daily surrender to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen