I started running earlier this year and taking it seriously. I started with a 5K in March and have run about 10 races since then, including my first half marathon on yesterday. Along the way, I've learned that runners are a different breed of people. While you will run across a rude, ignit one at some point, runners (for the most part) have big hearts and a strong desire to help their fellow runner.
While running the half marathon on yesterday, my legs started shaking badly around 12.76 miles (half marathon is 13.1 miles). I stopped to walk. Before I could walk a third step, a lady grabbed my arm and said, "Come on. We've come too far to stop now. We are almost there." Armband falling off and all, I started back running. She put my armband back on (tight like a blood pressure cuff), and we were moving...side by side. The moment I got a glimpse of the finish line, it was my turn to push her. I grabbed her hand and said, "Now you've got to go with me!" We sprinted to the finish line. Between her "oh Gods" and cheers of "that's it...teamwork" from others, we finished strong! We embraced at the finish, and thanked each other.
In your "race", you may go so far and feel like you can't go anymore. You may get feeble and feel like you just have to slow down or even stop. But it is at this moment that He will send someone to lift you up and help you make it to the finish line! And that someone may very well be someone you don't know or will never see again!
Be encouraged,
Tee
Monday, November 4, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Believe...
A couple weeks ago, I was on my way to a store for a friend who was home ill. I was going to pick them up some meds and food. As I got in my car, it wouldn't start. I was able to give myself a jump twice, but then decided to take my niece's car to run the errands. Later in the day, I thought I'd try to jump my car again. This time, it wouldn't turn over. I ended up purchasing a new battery to no avail, and ended up having my car towed to the dealership the next day.
Due to the weather, the dealership was unable to take a look at my car until later in the week. They were unable to diagnose the problem and sent my car to another dealership. After their assessment, they determined that a loose battery cable blew my computer out. Due to the cause of this issue (loose battery cable), I was told by the extended warranty company AND the dealership that I was responsible for the repairs totaling $1,375.00.
I got on the phone and spoke with the service manager at Nissan. After explaining my issue to him, he decided to give me a 15% discount, BUT...I was still paying for the repairs. This is almost 2 weeks later. As I was sitting in bed looking over the notes from my phone calls, the Lord spoke to me and said (very clearly):
"Do not be afraid of this great multitude. Rest assured I'm working on your behalf. I'm paving your way to victory. Trust me. Do not be weary in well doing. You will receive as long as you don't faint! Hold on...your help is not on the way...it's already in position."
I sent this via text to my cousin, my spiritual brother, and 3 of my close girlfriends. I also posted on my Facebook wall because I felt someone else needed the same encouragement. It was like after the Lord spoke to me, I no longer thought about the money. I didn't care about the money that I had spent on a battery ($132) or the tow ($55), or the first rental car ($250), or the amount they were telling me I had to pay. I took my focus completely off that stuff because it wasn't important. Okay...that's another post!
Two days later, I was at it again...on the phone. I called my extended warranty company back and requested to speak with a Supervisor. He explained that my claim had been escalated to management for claim review. I repeated to him - "I was able to jump my car twice successfully. I should not have to pay for this claim because it's not something that I did." I hung up from him and put in a call to Nissan Consumer Affairs. I gave her the same information.
Well today....the Word of the Lord came to pass. The Supervisor from my extended warranty company called and said, "We're going to take care of all of your repairs." Before I knew it, I said, "Praise the Lord!" I then called the techs at both dealerships to let them know it's being taken care of. Hallelujah!!!!
I'm sharing this post today to encourage someone else. When you hear the voice of the Lord, listen! Stand on His Word! It is true and will not return to Him void. I noticed that the Lord was only speaking His Word to me!!! And I...received it, believed it, and stood firm on it. And so can you. No matter what was going on, I knew that this was all part of the process. I just needed to stand.
Love and blessings,
Minister Te'Retta
Due to the weather, the dealership was unable to take a look at my car until later in the week. They were unable to diagnose the problem and sent my car to another dealership. After their assessment, they determined that a loose battery cable blew my computer out. Due to the cause of this issue (loose battery cable), I was told by the extended warranty company AND the dealership that I was responsible for the repairs totaling $1,375.00.
I got on the phone and spoke with the service manager at Nissan. After explaining my issue to him, he decided to give me a 15% discount, BUT...I was still paying for the repairs. This is almost 2 weeks later. As I was sitting in bed looking over the notes from my phone calls, the Lord spoke to me and said (very clearly):
"Do not be afraid of this great multitude. Rest assured I'm working on your behalf. I'm paving your way to victory. Trust me. Do not be weary in well doing. You will receive as long as you don't faint! Hold on...your help is not on the way...it's already in position."
I sent this via text to my cousin, my spiritual brother, and 3 of my close girlfriends. I also posted on my Facebook wall because I felt someone else needed the same encouragement. It was like after the Lord spoke to me, I no longer thought about the money. I didn't care about the money that I had spent on a battery ($132) or the tow ($55), or the first rental car ($250), or the amount they were telling me I had to pay. I took my focus completely off that stuff because it wasn't important. Okay...that's another post!
Two days later, I was at it again...on the phone. I called my extended warranty company back and requested to speak with a Supervisor. He explained that my claim had been escalated to management for claim review. I repeated to him - "I was able to jump my car twice successfully. I should not have to pay for this claim because it's not something that I did." I hung up from him and put in a call to Nissan Consumer Affairs. I gave her the same information.
Well today....the Word of the Lord came to pass. The Supervisor from my extended warranty company called and said, "We're going to take care of all of your repairs." Before I knew it, I said, "Praise the Lord!" I then called the techs at both dealerships to let them know it's being taken care of. Hallelujah!!!!
I'm sharing this post today to encourage someone else. When you hear the voice of the Lord, listen! Stand on His Word! It is true and will not return to Him void. I noticed that the Lord was only speaking His Word to me!!! And I...received it, believed it, and stood firm on it. And so can you. No matter what was going on, I knew that this was all part of the process. I just needed to stand.
Love and blessings,
Minister Te'Retta
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Embracing the Past to Press Forward in the Future
Hello my friends! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! I know it has been quite some time since I posted. It is my prayer that you are embracing 2013 already. I know that all of the 'new' hooplah can be rather cliche', so I won't harp on that :)
I want to take a moment today in this post to encourage you to look at where you've come from, and encourage yourself to press forward; not just in 2013, but in all the days ahead! For me, the past few years have been laced with depression, hard times, let downs, mishaps, and seemingly something happening at every turn. However, I'm a firm believer that ALL of this stuff has worked together for my good! And yours, too!!!
I'm determined in the days ahead to focus on the good and positive. I refuse to let the enemy win! I'm a survivor! I'm a winner! And this, too, shall pass! With God on my side, I know that everything will work out. It may not happen when or how I want it to, but I know that He knows what's best. Hang in there. Don't give. The race is given to the one who endures. I decree and declare that our latter is going to be greater. Watch and see!
Be blessed and prosper!
Te'Retta
I want to take a moment today in this post to encourage you to look at where you've come from, and encourage yourself to press forward; not just in 2013, but in all the days ahead! For me, the past few years have been laced with depression, hard times, let downs, mishaps, and seemingly something happening at every turn. However, I'm a firm believer that ALL of this stuff has worked together for my good! And yours, too!!!
I'm determined in the days ahead to focus on the good and positive. I refuse to let the enemy win! I'm a survivor! I'm a winner! And this, too, shall pass! With God on my side, I know that everything will work out. It may not happen when or how I want it to, but I know that He knows what's best. Hang in there. Don't give. The race is given to the one who endures. I decree and declare that our latter is going to be greater. Watch and see!
Be blessed and prosper!
Te'Retta
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Not Always the Way We Want It
I started this post weeks ago...and just now finishing today. I'm going to leave it as is and post it. I pray it blesses you.
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I was sitting in a meeting at work one day last week, and it donned on me that there are just so many things that are out of my control. There are things that I can do absolutely nothing about. It's in these times where we grow frustrated because we want things to change NOW!!!
How many times have you been upset about a decision someone else made? You've been upset about it because of how it affected you. Right? I've had this happen a lot in the past couple of years. I took time to resort to the "why me?", "this is just not right", "this is just a trick of the enemy", and the list goes on and on. But the reality that I always seem to come to is that things are not going to always be the way I want them to be.
I'm reminded of Jehosophat's defeat of Moab and Ammon in 2 Chronicles 20. Jehosophat received a message that a great multitude was going to come up against him. Instead of him asking the Lord why this was going happen, he prayed for guidance and declared a fast. In surrendering ALL to God and seeking Him, FIRST, Jehosophat received a Word from the Lord! Beginning in verse 15, he was told that the battle was not his; it belonged to God. He just didn't need to be afraid. The Lord was going to fight the battle for him! My oh my!!!!
The same God that fought the battle for Jehosophat is the same God that's fighting our battles today. He just wants us to properly acknowledge Him, worship Him in spirit and in truth, and keep His commandments. Life is just that...life. He never promised that it would be easy, and that things would go the way we want them go to. However, we have a savior, a protector, a father, and a forever friend who is faithful and with us through it all.
Just remember that though things are not like we want them to be, He knows what's best. Keep in mind that all things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He will never put anymore on us than we can handle. And if He brings us to it, He will definitely bring us through it.
Be blessed and receive...right there in that place,
Tee
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I was sitting in a meeting at work one day last week, and it donned on me that there are just so many things that are out of my control. There are things that I can do absolutely nothing about. It's in these times where we grow frustrated because we want things to change NOW!!!
How many times have you been upset about a decision someone else made? You've been upset about it because of how it affected you. Right? I've had this happen a lot in the past couple of years. I took time to resort to the "why me?", "this is just not right", "this is just a trick of the enemy", and the list goes on and on. But the reality that I always seem to come to is that things are not going to always be the way I want them to be.
I'm reminded of Jehosophat's defeat of Moab and Ammon in 2 Chronicles 20. Jehosophat received a message that a great multitude was going to come up against him. Instead of him asking the Lord why this was going happen, he prayed for guidance and declared a fast. In surrendering ALL to God and seeking Him, FIRST, Jehosophat received a Word from the Lord! Beginning in verse 15, he was told that the battle was not his; it belonged to God. He just didn't need to be afraid. The Lord was going to fight the battle for him! My oh my!!!!
The same God that fought the battle for Jehosophat is the same God that's fighting our battles today. He just wants us to properly acknowledge Him, worship Him in spirit and in truth, and keep His commandments. Life is just that...life. He never promised that it would be easy, and that things would go the way we want them go to. However, we have a savior, a protector, a father, and a forever friend who is faithful and with us through it all.
Just remember that though things are not like we want them to be, He knows what's best. Keep in mind that all things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He will never put anymore on us than we can handle. And if He brings us to it, He will definitely bring us through it.
Be blessed and receive...right there in that place,
Tee
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Seasons Change
Season comes from the Greek word KAIROS meaning - unique moment in time, a predestined era. According to Webster, a season is a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. We are presently upon a season that
everyone’s familiar with – fall. We know when it’s upon us because we start to
see the leaves change color.
When the leaves change color, it’s because certain factors both inside and outside the plant cause the chlorophylls to be replaced at a slower rate than they’re being used up. There is a sugar-breakdown, and the chemicals and nutrients needed to keep the green color in the leaves moves out of the leaf and into the stem.
While I know this isn't a "science" blog or class, it's important to make an analogy for you between what’s happening in the natural realm and what’s happening in the spiritual realm. Just like the trees, some of us may be dreading “fall” because we are ill prepared for the transformation/changing of seasons that God’s is instructing to take place in our lives!
In order for God to fully work in and through us, we must align ourselves with His word! God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 that our thoughts are not His thoughts; neither are our ways His ways. Further
down in verse 11, it says, ‘my Word will not return to me void, but it shall
accomplish that which it was set out to do’.
With that said, I'm ready to embrace fall and all the change that He says is necessary in my life. What about you? I have made a choice already to make some adjustments in my life by the nudging of the Holy Spirit. And while some of those changes weren't easy or didn't feel good to my flesh, I believe they were ALL in His timing and necessary for my divine purpose.
In Him,
When the leaves change color, it’s because certain factors both inside and outside the plant cause the chlorophylls to be replaced at a slower rate than they’re being used up. There is a sugar-breakdown, and the chemicals and nutrients needed to keep the green color in the leaves moves out of the leaf and into the stem.
While I know this isn't a "science" blog or class, it's important to make an analogy for you between what’s happening in the natural realm and what’s happening in the spiritual realm. Just like the trees, some of us may be dreading “fall” because we are ill prepared for the transformation/changing of seasons that God’s is instructing to take place in our lives!
Transform: to change in composition or
structure; to change the outward form or appearance; to change in character or
condition
I’m
reminded of Saul/Paul – we’re all familiar with something about this apostle in
the Bible. Acts 9 speaks of his conversion/transformation. Paul was a blasphemer
of Christ; a persecutor of Christians. His plan to seek out and prosecute
Christians in Damascus was a plan of destruction. Christians fled Jerusalem and
Judea to Damascus for safety and refuge. Saul had a plan that was tweaked by
the almighty God himself!
Paul was sniffed out and snatched up by God to turn around
the evil for good. In the same manner, God has to snatch some of us up to get our attention! In
order for us to be receptive and fully understand our change, we must
understand that the timing is solely in God’s hands!
God
oftentimes tests us to see where we are. The tests only come to make us
stronger. We are tried in the fire to come out as pure GOLD! In spite of what
may come our way, we must do as Paul instructed in 1 Timothy 6:12 – fight
the good fight of faith!
With that said, I'm ready to embrace fall and all the change that He says is necessary in my life. What about you? I have made a choice already to make some adjustments in my life by the nudging of the Holy Spirit. And while some of those changes weren't easy or didn't feel good to my flesh, I believe they were ALL in His timing and necessary for my divine purpose.
In Him,
~Tee
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Don't Just Lay There...Get Back Up!
A few weeks ago, I was running down a main street in town. It was 6:00am, and I had my worship music going enjoying myself and the weather. On my way back to the house, I hit a particular spot on the sidewalk and fell. I rolled over into the grass over to the side, rolled over some kinda way, and got up immediately. Now mind you, I had just run this same way at the beginning of the run. This time, though, I tripped and fell! LOL!
There are going to be times in life when we encounter certain situations again. We're going to get in that same spot again, go through the same thing again, or even deal with those same people again. Whereas we were able to successfully bypass them or get through it before, this second time...we may actually hit an obstacle that may cause us to trip. However, the lesson to be learned is to not just lay there...get back up and get moving!
Each time, there is a different lesson to be learned. Will you embrace lesson or be discouraged for the mere fact that you fell? Proverbs 24:16-18 says that a just man falls seven times and gets back up again. For those that may even try to trip you up, guess what? As a child of God, you won't stay there long! You're going to dust yourself off, get up, (probably laugh at them and/or yourself), and keep moving forward.
I got back up. I will keep getting back up. And so can you.
Blessings!
~Tee
There are going to be times in life when we encounter certain situations again. We're going to get in that same spot again, go through the same thing again, or even deal with those same people again. Whereas we were able to successfully bypass them or get through it before, this second time...we may actually hit an obstacle that may cause us to trip. However, the lesson to be learned is to not just lay there...get back up and get moving!
Each time, there is a different lesson to be learned. Will you embrace lesson or be discouraged for the mere fact that you fell? Proverbs 24:16-18 says that a just man falls seven times and gets back up again. For those that may even try to trip you up, guess what? As a child of God, you won't stay there long! You're going to dust yourself off, get up, (probably laugh at them and/or yourself), and keep moving forward.
I got back up. I will keep getting back up. And so can you.
Blessings!
~Tee
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Struggle - A Matter of Perspective
We are
pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but
not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get
knocked down, but we are not destroyed. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
As I read this passage, it says to me that our victory/breakthrough/healing is all predicated by how we use what we're going through. I find myself speaking oftentimes in this place of "going through". I guess the reality of it is that someone is always dealing with something all the time.
What amazes me about Paul in this passage is that no matter how much he went through or endured, he didn't focus on the pressures or even lose hope in them. He persevered and looked at the 'bright side'! He wants us to be encouraged even in our struggles, realize that they are temporary, and know that it's not as bad as it appears.
Further down in this chapter in verses 16-18, we see:
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Oh my...I'm blessed! I believe that once we change our perspective...once we begin to use our "stuff" as mere opportunities to watch God work in our lives, we will be in a much better place! So I want to encourage you and me, too - don't lose hope! Don't give up! You may be dying spiritually, emotionally, or even mentally. But the more you feast on the Word of God, your spirit man will be renewed and strengthened. This IS a light thing . Let it be used to glorify God. Let the power of Holy Spirit resonating on the inside of you stir up and propel you to go higher in Him! Whewwwww!
There's sooo much more I can say about this passage, but I want you to dig deeper in your spare time. Click here to read commentary on the above verses.
In Him,
~Tee
As I read this passage, it says to me that our victory/breakthrough/healing is all predicated by how we use what we're going through. I find myself speaking oftentimes in this place of "going through". I guess the reality of it is that someone is always dealing with something all the time.
What amazes me about Paul in this passage is that no matter how much he went through or endured, he didn't focus on the pressures or even lose hope in them. He persevered and looked at the 'bright side'! He wants us to be encouraged even in our struggles, realize that they are temporary, and know that it's not as bad as it appears.
Further down in this chapter in verses 16-18, we see:
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Oh my...I'm blessed! I believe that once we change our perspective...once we begin to use our "stuff" as mere opportunities to watch God work in our lives, we will be in a much better place! So I want to encourage you and me, too - don't lose hope! Don't give up! You may be dying spiritually, emotionally, or even mentally. But the more you feast on the Word of God, your spirit man will be renewed and strengthened. This IS a light thing . Let it be used to glorify God. Let the power of Holy Spirit resonating on the inside of you stir up and propel you to go higher in Him! Whewwwww!
There's sooo much more I can say about this passage, but I want you to dig deeper in your spare time. Click here to read commentary on the above verses.
In Him,
~Tee
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