Guest Blogger For The Month of September: Go Get Your Blessing!

As I read Jamera's little sister's post (Guest Blogger for August: Power of Choice) it inspired me to write about my own relationship with God...

When I was younger I lived in Florida for about 2½ years and I went to church 3 to 4 times a week- Sunday mornings and evenings, Wednesday nights and/or Friday nights. I lived with my grandmother, great- grandmother, aunt and uncle. My grandparents were apart of the church, which is why I had no choice but to attend. As a child it's hard to fully understand the importance of developing a relationship with God but going to Sunday school and being apart of the praise team helped me develop this understanding.

Once I left Florida and moved back to New York I continued going to church with my little brother and my other grandmother. This time around I had a different experience. My family members and I weren't involved in the church and I hardly went to Sunday school. Instead, I'd attend church with my grandmother and all the other adults, which was boring to me. I didn't want to attend Sunday school because I didn't know any of the other children so instead I chose to sit with my grandmother and listen to a sermon that put me to sleep half of the time. This is when my relationship with Him started to break.

I've always lived by the quote "everything happens for a reason." As I am writing this I've come to realize that my time spent in Florida was for a reason. That purpose was to develop a fruitful relationship with my God. Although my relationship with Him dwindled away for a bit, it has picked back up, like most relationships do. I've found that some of my best friendships are with people who I don't speak to on a daily basis; we drift away at times but when we catch up we pick up right where we left off. That is the same relationship I have with my God. I drifted away for some time but after realizing how much I need Him in my life I began to speak to him again, to praise and worship him again and most importantly to thank him again.

Sometimes we get wrapped up in life and all of its events and fail to remember how we got to where we are, but He always brings us back. I don't remember exactly when I started to pray again, but I know that I started to speak to Him more after I got my first car. I was still a new driver when I got my first car, so my experience on the road was not so great. The day after my mom surprised me with a car I put a dent in it. Then a few weeks later I hit it again while making a u- turn, and then again while merging into a lane with a truck. I continued to get into minor accidents until I was so fed up that I became accustomed to saying a prayer every time I was about to drive. It took me a while to realize that my prayers were working. I continued to ask for His traveling mercies and he continued to protect me because He is greater than thou. I could have easily given up on driving all together but my faith kept me going - walk by faith, and not by sight. He continues to surround me with his angels and protection as I travel to all of my destinations.

When I realized that my prayers were working, I began to give thanks for all of my blessings, not just for his protection, but for everything. Just like any friendship or relationship, it takes two people to make it work. How could I ask Him to protect me every single day, but not thank Him and worship Him? This is when my relationship with Him slowly developed. I went from asking Him for his protection and safety to thanking him and praising him. It is important for us to step back and give thanks for what we have, whether it is small or large. We cannot call on Him during hard times, but not remember Him during good times. A relationship requires give and take. We cannot take, take, take and not give Him the praise he deserves.

As my relationship with Him has progressed, I have leaned on Him more and more. As you get older, life gets more difficult but its nothing you can’t handle when he is on your side. One of the difficulties that I have had for the past few years is trying to find my purpose. It has been difficult for me to find a career that I am passionate about. I have continued to pray for His direction and strength to lead me to a career that is best fit for me, and as time progresses I can see that I am heading in that direction. There are always bumps in the road, for me, one of those bumps was getting into law school. I became discouraged when I took the LSAT and applied to law school because I didn't get in the first time around. I prayed about it and asked for his direction and applied again the next year. When I got accepted into my school I was so, so, so grateful. I was still scared and hesitant as I started law school but I continued to pray for his strength. I told myself that if I didn't have horrible grades by the end of the school year I would stay and continue my degree. One song that got me through both semesters of my first year was “Go Get It” by Mary Mary….

“It's like you’re looking through a telescope you see where you gone be

Growing getting better you’re not the person they see

Can’t be mad at the things you've been through cuz they built yo muscle

Now you’re stronger than you’ve ever been they cant stop yo hustle

Yo Faith ain’t never small that’s what brought you this far

See you got your dreams and you got your prayers and you've got yo God he gone take you there

See everybody has a season and I believe this one’s yours

Cuz you been working, waiting, this what you been praying for

Go get it, go get it, go get it, go get it,

GO GET YO BLESSING”

Mary Mary - Go Get It

As I drove to school to take my finals I would play this song in my car and sing to the top of my lungs. It was my God speaking to me and telling me to GO AND GET MY BLESSING!!

When He speaks, we must listen. He shows us the signs and we must take heed to what He is showing us. I was reminded of this in church this past Sunday. I haven’t been to church in a while, and as I listened to the word on Sunday I felt like he was sending me a message. My cousin, the pastor, reminded us that if God is telling us something we must listen. He may be telling us to drop a bad habit or to let someone go from our lives. I felt like I received a sign from Him on Saturday night, and he confirmed it on Sunday morning. We may not understand his reasoning at the time, but in the end it is all because he wants us to fulfill our purpose and go get our blessing!

 He will always find a way to us, to deliver his message and help us receive our blessings. On Sunday, the pastor delivered his message with the story of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector in Luke 19:1-10. This story showed us that we all may be sinners, but He will still get to us so we may receive our blessings. Although Zacchaeus was known as a sinner, Jesus still found him… “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” – Luke 19:10. He made sure to plant a seed and build a relationship with me from a young age, which has led me to believe in Him and follow his path to my blessings.

You may get lost in this world but He will find you. As long as you keep your ears and eyes open to His message and keep your faith alive, you will receive an abundance of his blessings!

Guest Blogger For The Month of September: Latecia