Archive for Briana

Ferguson + NYC = End Times Foretold

ferguson-killing-michael-brown476-760x506Not knowing what to say, I haven’t wanted to respond to the recent injustices happening in our country–until now. Most of the arguments surrounding events in Ferguson and New York have been steeped in racial prejudice. And while race does seem to play a huge role, it is not the only factor to consider. I am upset about the unwarranted deaths of unarmed black Americans too, and I wish that I could say that it surprises me, but it doesn’t.

Jesus warned us about this.

Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.[a] 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations[b] will hear it; and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:7-15 NLT).

All of the social unrest that exists in our nation and in the world was foretold over 2000 years ago. We are living in the last and evil days. We can see it in the unpredictable weather, in the rebellious actions of children, and yes in the senseless deaths of innocent people. And our enemy, Satan, is enjoying all of it because he is the accuser of the brethren. He is the author of confusion. He is the one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  Jesus told us this also so that we wouldn’t be ignorant of his plans.

Am I saying that we should have a we-knew-this-would-happen-so-suck-it-up-and-move-on attitude? ABSOLUTELY NOT! What I want to express is that we should heed Jesus’ warnings to watch and pay attention to what is going on around us. Now more than ever, people who don’t have a personal relationship with Christ should be running to Him and those who do name the name of Christ should be drawing closer to Him and bringing others along with them. Deepening our relationship with Him will give us the confidence to trust Him for our safety and the well-being of our beloved children. If we really know Him, we’ll know that He has our backs and keeps us covered at all times. There is no defense like His defense–not in a court of law, not in guns and violence, and not in a political system. If we really know Him we don’t have to worry or live in fear about our families and communities. It’s when we don’t know Him through salvation that our fate lies in the hands of Satan–and that should come as no surprise either. It seems that what black America and the entire world for that matter should be doing instead of lifting their hands to say “don’t shoot” is lifting their hands toward God in worship.

I’m just sayin’.

Dare to Dream–Then Wake Up and Do Something About It

Have you ever had a really good idea for an invention or a business that you wanted to start only to find out later that someone else beat you to the punch? It has happened to me, and it is not a good feeling. I, like so many believers out there, let a good thing slip through my fingers not because I was incapable of carrying it out, but because I was too lazy to put in the work and because I allowed doubt to hinder me. Now I know better.

I believe that God gives his children inspiration for million-dollar ideas, and I believe He gives million-dollar ability to carry them out. It’s part of the covenant that He made with His children.

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV).

God’s will is for His children to prosper, but what He’s not going to do is drop your wealth from the sky and into your lap. He plants the seed of an idea into your spirit (inspires you) and gives you the insight you need to perform it.

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” Job 32:8

He then waters the seed with confirmation until you get up and work the ground for harvest. Case in point, God gave me the idea to write the book “Wait on God: What Every Single Woman Should Know to Receive God’s Best” for women three years ago. I would write in spells, sometimes letting months pass without working on it at all. A part of me wanted it so badly, but another part of me wanted to enjoy my free time by doing absolutely nothing. That was laziness in full effect. I wanted the prize, but I wasn’t willing to put forth the necessary effort consistently to obtain it. Sometimes we often like to use the excuse that we don’t have enough time to pursue our dreams, but truth be told we do have time, we just squander much of it away on meaningless things. I’ve learned that anything worth having is worth working hard for. God does His part. We just have to do ours. He’s the alpha and omega–the beginning and the end, meaning the idea begins and ends with Him. Our part is to fill in the middle by following His guidance and putting in the work. Once we get in motion, God causes everything to fall into place. 

Now let’s talk about doubt.  I had lots of them. How am I going to write enough to make a whole book? Will I have enough money to get it published? Who’s going to buy it anyway? Who wants to hear what I have to say?  The doubts persisted, until I heard a Word from God that reignited my dream. The prophecy, spoken by a prophet of God who visited my church, was “You’ve been working on that project for three years, and God is about to fund it.” From that point on I knew that I could not afford to allow doubt to smother my dream of being a published author. The time was now! So I buckled down, finished writing the book, found a publisher, chose a cover design, and here I am today, a few weeks from holding the book in my hands.

Wait On God Cover (1)

Here’s proof that God’s Word is true!

Now I want to challenge you.  I challenge you to step out on faith and dare to walk in the destiny that God has for you. What dreams has God placed in your heart and what ideas has He inspired in you? It’s time to live it out. If anybody should be experiencing the good life, it should be you, child of God. I am not a prophet, but I want to encourage you with these words. You will succeed in fulfilling your dream. God will bless the works of your hands. And the next idea you see becoming a success will be yours!

It’s So Close I Can Taste It!

3D_reduced image Wait on GodAll praises to the most high God, for He has done marvelous things! The moment that I’ve been waiting for has arrived. The cover to my book, “Wait on God: What Every Single Woman Should Know to Receive God’s Best!” is complete and will be published within the next 30 days. After three years of working on this project, I can finally see the finish line.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this dream thus far. And please continue to be on the lookout for more information on how you can obtain your copy of this God-inspired book. It is my sincere prayer that it blesses and encourages some woman of God to trust Him for His best. Waiting on God truly pays off! #beyondhumbled