From Bondage To Freedom

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” -Romans 15:4

This verse was written in the New Testament and tells us that the things that were written in the past (meaning the Old Testament) were written to encourage us and give us hope.

Many people think that Christianity puts a person in bondage and restricts their freedom. However, the exact opposite is true. Jesus came to set people free from bondage to sin to live in the freedom that only comes from God.

I know from experience what bondage to sin looks like. After many years of suffering, I woke up. I say it this way because when God forgave me and I chose to follow Him, I felt like I literally woke up from a coma. I was asleep for so long that I forgot how to live. I forgot how to love and feel love.

When someone becomes a believer, Jesus, the Son, sets them free from sin. All your past mistakes mean nothing. There is a process of spiritual growth that results in greater freedom in their lives,

Freedom from bondage is a liberating moment when someone is released from an influence or power that has dominated their life. Prior to freedom there was restraint of personal liberty, or captivity in one form or another; which when freed from it’s grip gives that person a reason to shout in victory,

I like Psalm 49:1-2 because it tells of a time when David reveals freedom from bondage,

“I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible put, out of miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.“

Freedom from bondage only comes when you realize you are in such a condition. I’ve said before that my children were the ones who got me to go to church. And I thought that once I began going all my problems would go away. When I was baptized I thought all my problems would go away. Neither were the case.

Satan had me in such bondage I could not break away on my own. And simple things like going to church or being baptized we’re not the answer. It took 4-years for me to break free from my sin and satan. 4 years of praying, reading my Bible, repenting of my sins, crying out to God. It took 4 years to break the bondage I was in.

When someone has been in bondage to sin, and its devilish impulses, it is only when they are awakened to the fact will thru seek deliverance. I needed deliverance from the bondage I was in both from my past and the bondage I allowed satan to put me in.

Paul wrote in Romans 6:16-17

“Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death or of obedience to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered.”

When I read this scripture for the first time it all made sense. I realized I was being held in captivity. I was void of conscience or conviction, I was enslaved to what would condemn my soul to hell rather than heaven.

I was brought into captivity (bondage) of the devil, out of which nothing but the power of God, and His Son could extricate them.

One’s iniquities can be in such a snare or net which becomes so entangled that they cannot extricate themselves, not able to shake off the shackles of such entrapment.

When we choose to follow Jesus the bondage that one is under starts to come off. We may have to fight like the dickens to get rid of it but God comes to free us from the bondage satan tells us is freedom.

The desire to be free is one of the strongest desires in human nature. To some people, freedom is the right to do whatever they desire, whenever they desire, with no one telling them what to do.

A ship without a rudder is free, and a train without tracks is free. Both are free to travel wherever they can go. But both cannot travel in the direction they need to go, and they will eventually end up in a terrible wreck.

Freedom is not the right to do what we desire, but rather the desire to do what is right. This is the freedom we should be seeking for.

My Dog

If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

If my dog could talk I wished she would understand that when I leave her home for a few days I am coming back. And that she needs to listen to my husband and eat for him.

My dog is a one-person dog. On occasion I have to leave her for a out of town trip. And she will not obey or eat for my husband. She is listen to my daughter but she doesn’t live here.

Usually, when I come back she is so excited she actually hyper-ventilates and I have to sit with her until she has calmed down.

Don’t Focus On The Storm

We all face storms in life. It’s not whether we will but when we will. What’s important is how we deal with them. Life’s storms have a way of bringing out what is in us. Are we dealing with storms with fear or faith?

Many prophets are saying 2024 is going to be a bumpy ride with many difficulties. We will see and hear things that will shock us. But, the key is where we keep our focus. Will we look at the problems around us or keep our focus on Jesus? No matter what comes in 2024 and beyond if we focus on Jesus -the only stable thing in life. We will be at peace.

As with anything in life it’s tempting to give up when life is beating us up. It’s also the easiest thing to do and wallow in self-pity. That’s what satan wants us to do. God has different plans for us during and after the storm.

When we keep our eyes on Jesus. He will be the anchor of our faith, no matter how severe our challenges are. When life looks threatening, it can be a challenge to trust God. After all, why does God allow storms in our life.

We stay in peace when we keep our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. If we look at Jesus it was because of the Joy that was awaiting Jesus, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. He is now seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think about the hostility He endured from sinful people. The pain and suffering was for us. Somehow I think of that I do not become weary and give up.

By focusing on Jesus, we automatically take them off our problems and what’s going on in the world today. Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus is the perfect of our faith. So we don’t have to worry about how to trust God, as long as long as we focus on Jesus.

Often storms come into our lives to test us, and through them, we learn to trust God. When we observe the strength of Jesus we do not become weary and give up. I think about Jesus’s strength He kept during all the challenges of His life on earth.

It is crucial to keep our eyes on Jesus, especially this year otherwise we won’t see what’s beyond the storms. God holds the future in His hands, and that alone should encourage us not to give up in our personal storms are well as the storms of the world. So during these times of great trials when you begin to wonder and question why God is allowing whatever trials of faith that is currently going on, keep your focus on Jesus and be a peace. Remember that Romans 8:28 says,

“For those who live God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

There’s something I learned a long time ago. God will only release life-changing blessings in our lives if we pass certain obedience tests. They are different for all of us. We can trust Him with our lives, He is our anchor in every storm. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and holding on to our fears, it is important to make the choice to let go and reach for Jesus, the anchor of our souls, it is then we will see the future God has prepared for us,

We can think of Peter when he walked on water but started sinking immediately when he took his eyes of Jesus he looked a the waves around him. Focusing on the storm paralyzed us, which oftentimes leads to disaster.

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil“ – Hebrews 6:19

What’s In A First Name

Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

In the past names were given as a destiny. They had to own their first name. For example John (the Baptist) meant grace of God or God’s favor. Jesus or Yeshua means the great healer and Savior.

Today we tend to name our children something we’ve read on a cereal box.

My name is Kathy with means pure one, I’m hoping I wasn’t named because they wanted me to live up their expectations. Because that would be a difficult road to tread. Seriously it was inspired by Saint Aikaterine which has evolved.

I believe that our names bring an anointing on us. I’ve written before about when I received the Hebrew meaning of my I think I’ve pretty close to what my name means with that.

Turning Despair Into Determination

It’s not hard to feel something happening in the world around us it is slowly crumbling. You can pretty well take your pick from a list that includes economic problems to foreign policy.

In fact, you can pretty well choose between fury, fear, and bewilderment. You could then feel the further fury and fear to everything around you.

Then you can get your fury roll it up in a ball and hurtle it at the political classes, the last people in the country to realize we are in a crisis. And that fury bounces off the shield they have build around themselves.

When that doesn’t work you can take your fear and direct it inwards. You can let it eat away at you, until you break you until it leads to anxiety and depression. Or you can do something else. You can take all the fear, anger, pain, and confusion, and wrap it up into one ball and siphon off all that destructive energy contained within you to use it for something more productive.

I’m am not into protests and picket signs and I never will be. These situations aren’t going to fix themselves. Hatred and violence are not the way.

I believe these situations are to be fought with prayer. There is a war going on between good and evil in the spiritual realm. And prayer is the only way to fight that. By pushing all the negative energy out by the positive energy.

Consistent prayer releases the power of God’s blessing over your life and circumstances, Believers who follow Jesus need to lift up their hands in prayer. Nothing will happen on earth if it doesn’t happen in the Spiritual realm first.

Turn all that despair into determination toward prayer

A Firm Foundation

Building a firm foundation in Christ requires patience, tenacity, and faith. The purpose of building a firm foundation cannot be overstated. Our walk with God should be unbreakable and unshakable if we want to walk with God. A walk that will withstand the storms, the trials, the challenges, and every thing else that comes along. A firm foundation is absolutely necessary.

Jesus expresses our need for firm foundation in Matthew 7:24-27,

“Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who heard these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and best on that house; and it fell -and great was its fall.”

Before any one can even begin to build a firm foundation, the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done must be engraved on their hearts to ensure consistent growth in the things of God.

Jesus is the reason we are here and all we will ever will be rests on Him. I was reading something somewhere that said “If you get Jesus wrong, it doesn’t matter what you get right.” A firm foundation in Jesus must be built, a love for the Word of God must be nurtured, along with its proper handling, because both will help to prevent the accepting of false teachings in your life.

If we are going to build a firm foundation in Jesus we must first learn to obey God continuously. Jesus has no equal. And choosing to remain hopelessly devoted to Him and Him alone will prove positive in your life.

In order to build a firm foundation in Jesus we need to anticipate that He will provide for our needs. The truth of God’s Word will get us closer to Him and we will find ourselves trusting Him. And trust builds confidence.

1 John 5:14-15 says,

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us. And if we know that He heard us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” -1 John 5:14-15

Our needs naturally go from physical, to mental, and of course spiritual and in each case we can be sure the God will meet that need as we trust and have confidence in Him.

Never in my life would I have thought I would be more at peace than I am right now. There’s just a peace about knowing God has my back. And every problem in life He will provide my needs.

Building a firm foundation in Jesus requires patience, tenacity, and faith. Faith that is not in ourselves or in the things we do, but God alone. Because He is our foundation, Our Rock.

The Job I’ve Always Dreamed Of

What’s your dream job?

The job I’ve always dreamed of was being a psychologist. I love helping others with their mental health as well as showing them hope you cope in life.

I have experienced a lot of mental health issues in my life, due to my mother and my mistakes I’ve made over the years. I has taken a lot to heal and cope with those issues.

The reason I started this blog was to try and help people through some tough experiences and not to make the same mistakes I’ve made in life.

If I had life to do all over again I think I would get a psychology degree and do what I love professionally.

Don’t Victimize Yourself

Victimizing ourselves is a terrible disservice to our hearts. Yet is so easy to do. When you turn yourself into a victim it’s because the world has been to much, it like a frightening and sometimes paralyzing force that follows you around everywhere you go. When hit start to feel sorry for yourself, it’s important to know that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Although you might not see it, there’s a different option than being depressed or acting like nothing happened at all. You may not be able to change the events that happened, but what you might not see is that there is someone who doesn’t see you as a victim of the world. In fact, He knows everything about you. He knows your heart and how much you want to have hope. He knows what you’re afraid of and He knows what keeps you awake at night. He has lived you even before He made you.

It took me nearly 40 years to learn that, mostly because of by stubborn attitude and thinking I was right. I used to think that love was a handout only given by people who wanted to take advantage of me. But sometimes it’s a blessing. Other times love is a lesson. The past can’t be changed, but it hardens you to be a better person in the long run.

We are not an army of one, and we can not do everything alone. I used to think I could do everything on my own, mostly because I didn’t trust anyone. It was easier to put the walls up and push everyone away. Then it was to trust and get hurt. But the fact is if you want to feel love you also have to feel pain.

Fortunately, God always has a plan. He wants to put you in a better place. He wants to use us for His purpose. I thank God every day that He likes to Repurpose us, or I wouldn’t have had a chance. He hangs out with us when things get rough. Sometimes we don’t feel Him there but He’s always there, watching out for us, protecting us. When we need somebody to hold on to God is always there. He’s got us covered, He’s the one that keeps our heads above water. He doesn’t want us hurting, like a good father God will comfort us. We need only ask.

There’s something about the name of Jesus. Even when I have felt my weakness, that I couldn’t go on. All I would have to say was “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. And I would feel comforted. Many nights I went to bed crying and having no hope. But saying Jesus three times comforted me.

The things we go through are blessings in disguise. We don’t realize how we are being built up through the battering we are feeling. God wants to see strong people who know that they can endure trials and come out of it all. James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”

Sometimes our problems come in the shape of the people in our lives who just won’t let us be, it’s so easy for someone else with a bad attitude to steal our peace. Just know that God will handle them with His timing and power. When we give the problem to Him. He will fight our battles.

The greatest thing about God and one of the craziest is that His love never ceases. He had literally loved us from before we were born. Isaiah 44:24 tells us, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.”

No matter what mistakes we make. He sees us as His beautiful creation. He loves us so much He sent His Son go die for us so that we never have to bear shame or guilt ever again.

When we learn this, it’s like we finally get to breathe again. We have felt the burdens, but they do not become us.

The weight can get pretty heavy at times, but when it becomes too much to bear. It’s great to know that God will gladly come in and take it off our hands. Let Him in and let Him take over the things you can’t handle on your own.

When we choose to believe in Him and trust in Him our life becomes so much easier.

And it only took me about 40 years to figure that out. But I’m so glad I finally did.

You’re never a victim, you are a precious treasure of God Himself. Jesus will carry you, and you will survive through the grace of God’s love.

What Makes A Good Leader?

What makes a good leader?

A good leader is a strong leader but it’s something almost everyone has an opinion on. I see a good leader who has decisiveness. The ability to make decisions, particularly under pressure is an important skill to master. Once a decision is made they should have the ability to defend it.

No one enjoys working with a person they can’t trust. This is also true in leadership. A good leader should be honest, and be able to listen to people’s problems without making judgement. And that trust needs to be genuine.

A good leader must be able to empower others. Being able to obtain z high-level position, a good leader will realize their employees are their employees for a reason -that they are experts in their respective fields, and as a leader, it’s important to trust they that will deliver.

A good leader must have clear communication. Which is the key to success. Having a vision and a way to achieve that vision in one thing, but it’s also important to ensure they have communicated that vision clearly with it’s employees so that you can all work towards the same goal.

Last but not least they must have resilience. A good leader must always be prepared to get back up each time they get knocked down, being in a position of authority does not come without challenges, so it’s critical not to dwell on short-term failures, but focus on what they learn and take away for future reference.

The Privilege Of Planting A Seed

“I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. He who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” -1 Corinthians 3:6-8

These words are right with meaning for the true believer. They remind us of the privilege and responsibility we have to plant seeds of faith in the lives of people around us. But what happens with those seeds is not in our control. Only God controls that.

In the above scripture, Paul tells us that “God makes the seed grow.” While that takes the load off our shoulders we still have the responsibility of planting and watering those seeds.

Here’s an example, Imagine cutting an apple in half. Inside you see the yellowish apple flesh, and in the center are several seeds. Now imagine removing just one carefully and gently. We can plant this one seed and water it regularly and we know that God will make a tree grow. We don’t have any idea how many apple seeds will be planted and watered from those apples. And it goes on and on and one.

When we plant seeds of faith it perpetuates the growth of God’s kingdom, as people become followers of Jesus. It perpetuates lifestyles that honor and obey God. It perpetuates goodness, kindness, and love in our homes, our neighborhoods, and the world.

We can be planting and watering seeds of faith everywhere we go and God will grow it into beautiful blossoms or maybe a towering tree of righteousness for His glory.

Isaiah 61 tells says, “The Lord God’s Spirit is on me; because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lords favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give them garland for the ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He maybe gloried.

Each time you see a flower blooms, let it be a reminder of the tremendous privilege and responsibility we have to plant seeds of faith in the lives of people we know. Because it matters eternally.

Sometimes we exist long enough to lead the next generation; other times, only to plant a seed and lead it’s resonation of our time here on earth ripple into waves

A.J. Darkholme

The Devil And Your Past

One of the most common ways the devil attacks us is by making us relive our past. He recruits us to be his co-prosecutor against our own soul. If you have done something wrong, he will plague you with some thoughts of:

  • No hope no grace
  • Guilt for presuming upon God’s forgiveness
  • Others finding out and wanting to publicly deal with you and shame you
  • God’s discipline hanging over your head to strike you when you least expect it.
  • Mistakes that you’ve committed are unforgivable.
  • Your past makes you unusable to God
  • You should never feel at ease until you have paid your penalty

By re-living our past, the devil’s goal is to keep you from forgetting the mistakes in your past (ever). He wants us to forget our identity in Christ. He wants to keep us from rising up from the pit of despair.

There’s a quote that says “When people bring up your past, tell them Jesus already dropped the charges.” How many times does the devil bring up your past, and you begin to wallow in it. I could say over my life time times he’s tried it every day. And will until Jesus comes back.

Dwelling on your past causes you to skip out on seeing your Savior. And the longer we dwell on the glory of Jesus the more we will be like Him. And more able to learn the devil’s tactics the more weak we becomes.

You must remember that this is war. There is no neutral ground. As long as you are on this earth, the devil and his forces will seek you out.

He likes to pull up a specific memory from our past and until you defeat him he will continue to hound you with the thought. I believe that the devil’s favorite words are, “Remember When.” Oh you better hide that what would people think of you if they knew that?

He makes you think you’ve done an unforgivable sin. God doesn’t want you, you’re fooling yourself.

When you read the Bible, especially when Jesus deals with sinners with terrible pasts, do you see the Lord treating people this way? Do you see Him giving the command for His children to turn over every stone in their past until their sin is acknowledged to be dealt with in public? No.

He doesn’t tell them to fix their past and then I will accept you. He is gentle and lowly (Matthew 11:28-30). Does He seems like a Savior who would hound us who are overloaded by the crushing yoke of our past?

Why would we want to go from living a life where they do anything to forget their past sins to go to a savior who would hound us for the rest of our lives on earth with our past. I’s this freedom, love, and forgiveness?

The emotion we should naturally expect from finding Jesus is no doubt compassion. That is the most frequent thing attributed to Him.

That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t deal with our past that needs to be dealt with. That means He calls us to repentance. He is first and foremost compassionate when He does it, He is not harsh, rough, or domineering. He desires us to leave our past in the past so that we can begin to live by faith in the present. Living in the past entraps us in prison, God wants to free us from that prison.

He places our eyes on Him more than the past. But, once Deals with our past, He does not make us keep rehashing it over and over only the devil does that. God bids us time and time again to go on and live in the light of our full forgiveness in Jesus.

The Guiding Of God

Some of our decisions in life as so important that could they affect our future. The exciting journey begins when we walk in step with Jesus.

We are all faced with financial struggles, health concerns, and relationship issues and all kinds of other challenging situations. Whether we’ve researched every outlet to find a worldly resolution to them or not we still be confused about which road to take. And some problems may just seem beyond solving. We could all use someone who can us true and wise counsel, and there is only One who never guides us the wrong way.

God is a loving heavenly Father who is never too busy to listen to us when we come to Him for guidance. He’s given us a powerful promise in Psalm 32:8-11,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. Don’t be like the horse, more like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you. Many sorrows come to the wicked but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, to all you who are upright in heart!

If we come to Him seeking and believing in Him, He will give us instruction and teaching for every situation we are facing, and He never makes a mistake. He has complete knowledge in our circumstances knowing how it began and what the end will bring. Whether we obey Him or not.

God’s promises to instruct us and guide us is a message to followers of Jesus. The value of His promise depends on the character of the one who made it.

This is a divine commitment made by God, who never fails to keep His word. We never have to worry that He will not do as He said, because He speaks and acts from within His nature.

God gives us everything we need to know to make the right choice. He gives us instructions, teaching, counsel, and protection.

But He also warns those who will not listen, He tells us not to be stubborn we see this in Psalm 32:9. He tells us the sorrows of the wicked are many in Psalm 32:10.