On the Couch with Minister Kim: Recent Episodes
Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/09/25/snakes-and-doves/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/10/21/i-rang-the-bell-no-more-cancer/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/12/31/happy-new-year/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/12/29/grateful-2/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2022/02/02/the-thin-line/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/10/27/my-cognitive-abilitiesugh/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/12/06/sometimes-you-have-to-say-no/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/09/20/you-dont-have-to-be-tough-all-the-time/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/09/01/living-my-life-like-its-golden/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/09/01/god-is-in-control-of-all-things/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/07/31/its-scary-but-god-%f0%9f%99%8c%f0%9f%8f%be/
It’s scary, but for Your Glory I will do what I have to do. I will go through what I gotta go through. I am a warrior in God’s Kingdom.
I will hold Your hand as I walk through this trial, because there is no body like You Lord! No body.
Let my life be a living testimony of the Grace you have bestowed on me.
I am forever humbled by You my Lord. 🙌🏾
Copyright © – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2021. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Written by Kim Johnson
My daughter asked me if there were anything I wanted for myself now that I am diagnosed with cancer; I told her courage and grace.
My reason is, since I know that I am about to enter into the storm of my life, I should be prepared. It’s like, if you know it’s about to rain or snow outside, you would grab your umbrella and boots before leaving the house. The same thing goes for my situation. I need to be prepared mentally for WHATEVER! comes my way and prepared to deal with it.
The dictionary defines courage as the ability to do something that frightens one and the courage to face an ordeal that is ahead .
I am truly thankful for all the years spent alone with God, it has definitely prepared me spiritually for what I am about to go through.
The Bible tells us in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I believe God, so I am praying for courage that I may have the strength needed for the battle ahead.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/07/30/i-keep-hearing-her-voice/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/07/22/diagnosed-with-uterine-cancer/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/07/01/grateful-god-used-me/
Written By Kim L. Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/06/30/examine-yourself/Examine Yourself!
Written by Kim L. Johnson
Have you ever looked up and asked God to show you, YOU? Well…I have, and trust me, it hasn’t always been a pretty picture. Beloveds, I have always believed in doing some sort of self-examination, I think it’s healthy and it keeps me accountable to God and focused. Even in the Bible it tells us to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. And to test ourselves.
Basically what I want to you to ask yourselves is, “am I living an obedient life, and do I have a heart filled with love and compassion for God’s children.”
If you cannot answer these questions with all honesty, then it’s time to reevaluate your walk with God and make some changes.
Brothers and Sister’s do you hear me? How are you walking? Do you examine yourself?
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/28/waiting-for-boaz/
Written by – Kim Johnson – immysister.org
Too often we women accept bad behavior from men. I’ve been thinking about this topic lately. Why do we do it? Why do we accept infidelity, disrespect, verbal abuse, disloyalty, lies, deceit and just plain old cheating? Why do we stay in relationships that are unhealthy for us, or where we are doing the chasing and pursuing of men, instead of the other way around? Could it be, that we don’t know our self-worth or value?
I tell you, since I have finally taken the time to stop doing me, and I am now listening to my Father in heaven; I have a better understanding of who I am in Christ and what He wants and desires for me and my life. Trust me, by no means that doesn’t include me being treated poorly. Shoot! I am no slouch. No vagabond without a home, and nobody’s trash to be discarded; I am a Princess, a child of the Greatest King of Kings. And as such, I MUST be treated like royalty.
Sisters, too often we forget what family we belong to, and whose we are in Christ. We stay in relationships that we were never meant to be in, in the first place. The thing is this, if we want a different result, we must wait on the Lord to send us the man of His choosing. I know without a shadow of a doubt that, that man will be the perfect mate for us and we will be treated like the queens we are meant to be treated like.
When I think of that perfect man, I think of the book of Ruth in the bible, and how Ruth met Boaz. Basically, the story of Ruth teaches us the value of trusting God with our circumstances and our future. And that obedience always brings blessings which in this particular case, was Boaz, who was the perfect man for Ruth (Ruth 3:10).
I find, my sisters, that when we keep our eyes on God and focus on Him, we tend to not end up with second best and the wrong mate. I guess what I have been trying to say throughout this blog is, we have to exercise discipline with matters of the heart and our bodies. We have to treat ourselves like royalty. And above all else, wait on the Lord to send us the man that He chooses for us.
Sistah do you hear me? How are you treating yourself?
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/11/01/standing-still-and-having-faith/
Written by – Kim Johnson
One of the hardest lessons that I have had to learn, is standing still and having faith. In fact, this lesson I am still working on. Prior to now, practically all of my adult life has been filled with, ups and downs, highs and lows. If a thought entered my mind, I went with it; Man o man, how crazy is that. Fortunately for me now, I can see that I have had a blessed life, in spite of myself. And I thank God for being the ultimate parent, because, no matter WHAT! He still loved and adored me…But God!
So, as I write this blog my sisters, I wonder about your thoughts on standing still and having faith. I find that standing still is so hard to do. Standing still when faced with adversity. Standing still when your heart hurts. Standing still when you are grieving. Standing still when you are financially broke. Standing still in the face of bills needing to be paid. Standing still when you are sick. Standing still when you don’t know what to do. How can I willing just stand still when my life depends on me moving, how do I do this?
The bible tells us that in order to stand still, all we have to do is, “be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith and be courageous and strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13); and that, we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us” (Philippians 4:13).
And that we also must have faith, say’s Jesus. In the Book of Matthew 17:20, He says, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move, nothing will be impossible for you.” Faith is a gift from God, and to have Faith, you must have a connection with Jesus Christ. Just by believing that He truly is listening, you have Faith! It’s that easy! Faith is very important, as everything that was done in the Bible was by Faith. We must read the Bible day and night, as it is very important in our “Faith” (Wilki).
I tell you my sisters, when we stand still and have faith in God, we can hear when the Lord is talking to us. We also will understand that no matter what we are going through, or faced with, that our Father will guide us through it and that we will be alright.
Sisters do you hear me! What are you going through?
Bibliography
Chery, F. (2017). Standing Firm. Bible Reasons.
Stanley, C. (2009). Life Principles. La Habra, CA: New American Standard Bible.
Wilki. (n.d.). How to Have Faith in Jesus. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from https://www.wikihow.com/Have-Faith-in-Jesus
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/11/12/do-you-have-a-dream-or-vision/
Written by – Kim Johnson Sisters… Knowing who you are is as essential to living, as breathing is to your very existence. When we know who we are, we don’t allow the opinion of others to influence us or define who we are. In that matter, neither do we allow negative views from people to interfere with the dreams or visions that God lays on our heart.
One of the things I have had to learn the hard way is, keeping the visions and dreams that God gives me, to myself. I have also learned that, not everyone smiling at me is really happy for me. Shucks! I have shared things in my excitement (in the past), that I wish I hadn’t. I have had people tell me, “it won’t work,” or question if I have the time, or tell me that I should charge people, as well as, suggest that I simply shouldn’t waste my time; they have even gone as far as to ask me, if I were sure that I heard it from God.” I used to get downhearted and confused on what I should actually do. And even stupidly, sometimes changed my mind, and did what they suggested.
However, today, I march to the God beat. I realize now, that when God gives me a vision, that vision is for me alone, and that other people may not understand it, or see it. In the bible, Moses tells the story of Jacob’s son Joseph, who was a dreamer and how he was sold into slavery (out of jealousy) shortly after he shared his dream with his brothers (Genesis 37:1-35, pg. 46).
In one of my bibles, Pastors Charles Stanley breaks down that scripture into laymen terms, which I’m grateful for, because I was able to get his translation down into my gut. Stanley wrote, “When God reveals His will to you, others may not understand what He is doing and may criticize or oppose you because of it. However, obey Him anyway. The trials you go through may be difficult, but they are necessary to mold you into the person God wants you to be. And like Joseph, you will be able to say to those who are against you, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Gen. 50:20, pg. 50).
I guess, what I am trying to say sisters is this, God say’s you are a masterpiece. You are beautiful and wonderfully made by Him. When God lays a dream or vision in your heart, go for it and have no fear or worries! God got you.
Sister to Sister, do you hear me! Do you know who you are? Are you doing what God wants you to do?
Reference:
Stanley, C. (2009). Life Principles. La Habra, CA: New American Standard Bible.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/11/14/the-eye-of-the-storm/
Written by: Kim Johnson
Sometimes, I just have to sit back and praise God for no reason at all. When I think of all the times God should have turned His back on me and He didn’t, I am just plain ole grateful. And even in my brokenness, when I went through Hurricane Katrina (figuratively speaking), and I thought I wouldn’t survive, God was right there extending me grace and mercy.
Humph…just thinking about life. Storms. God; and how they are all intertwined, I am awed. For instance, let’s look at Hurricane Katrina metaphorically. According to an article I read, the storm crept up on Louisiana early in the morning, causing catastrophic damage and death. Well, in my mind’s eye, I imagine everyone was sleeping, feeling warm, safe, secure, and not a care in the world. Then out of nowhere the category 3 storm hit with 100 -140 mile winds per hour. The storm was devastating, kind of like the storms that enter our lives; suddenly, swiftly and from out-of-nowhere.
When trouble (storms) enter our lives, it can almost be hard to catch your breath. The intensity almost knocks the wind out of you and you find yourself asking God how can you make it through? The thing is this sister’s, even in the middle of the most horrific storm, there is a calm region at the center called the Eye of the Storm. And during that time there CAN be sunshine, you can even see a rainbow, but you have to hold on tight to God’s hand and His promise.
In the bible, James writes that we should consider it all joy when we encounter various trials (James 1:2). Pastor Charles Stanley breaks it down even further, he say’s “there is nothing joyful about trials in and of themselves. The key to finding joy in adversity is where we place our focus. If we concentrate on our circumstances, we will become disheartened and discouraged. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we learn to rejoice in our difficulties, because God has promised to work through them to strengthen our faith, bring us into closer fellowship with Himself, and teach us endurance (pg. 1475).
Sister’s, what I am basically trying to say is this, you may not understand your storm, but know for sure, that even in the middle of your raging emotions, you can find peace. Call out to God, reach out to your sisters, read the bible, talk with someone and most importantly, know that God is working it out for you.
Sister to sister do you hear me? What are you going through?
References
FEMMA. (2017, August 28). Hurricaine Katrina Fast Facts. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/us/hurricane-katrina-statistics-fast-facts/index.html
Stanley, C. (2009). Life Principles. La Habra, CA: New American Standard Bible.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/12/03/delays-and-detours/
Written by: Kim Johnson,
I have always been the type of person that when my mind is set, that’s the direction I am headed. Full steam ahead is my motto; Lol, I’m about my business. Well, I can see, God is about His business too, and sometimes my business and His business don’t line up. I used to get so disappointed when I had plans and those plan didn’t work out the way I expected them to. I can remember as far back as when I was a child growing up, having feelings of disappointment when my mom told me we were going to do something, and then at the last minute, those plans changed. I don’t know, maybe those childhood disappointments had something to do with my behavior as an adult.
In any event, God is still working on me, and I thank God that my mindset is totally different now. Today, I am more conscious of God’s desire for my life, and I can see that those disappointments as a youth, were actually delays and detours which were meant to arrow the course of my life in a very different direction than I was headed. To God be the Glory!
As for you, Woman of God, you need to know, God may use a multitude of detours in your life to get you to where He wants you to be. Some detours could be, sorrow, loneliness, heartbreak, illness, affliction, disappointment, and the death of a loved one. Regardless of the method God uses, and no matter what happens in your life, never forget that God is in complete control of all things, including Satan. Nothing! And I mean NOTHING! Happens without the Fathers permission, and His knowing about it.
Likewise, “the Lord works through adversity; allowing it in our lives for a season to accomplish an important purpose in us. That adversity trains us to trust God, and it can be a bridge to a deeper relationship with Him” (Charles Stanley, Job: 1-12).
Sisters do you hear me, God has a plan for your life, and sometimes there is no direct path that leads to that plan; sometimes there are twist and turns. He knows every detail about your life, your situation, and your heart, including the painful stuff. But no matter what! Stay the course. Keep praying. Keep trusting, because God’s desire is to bless you.
Sister to sister, what are you going through? Do you trust God even though you may be delayed or have to take a detour?
References
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. In C. Stanley (Ed.). Thomas Nelson.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/12/16/the-inner-circle/
Written by: Kim Johnson
When I was growing up, I had two best friends. We did everything together. We dressed alike, spent many long hours discussing our future and our dreams. We loved each other. There was nothing we wouldn’t do for one another. We always had each other’s back. But as we grew older our lives took us in different directions. (Sigh) I often wonder if some of the trials and tribulations that I have experienced as an adult, would have been more tolerable if my childhood friends were around to talk with.
Nevertheless, out of all the friends in my life now, there are only a few people that I allow in my inner circle, like when I was a child. It’s not that I don’t trust other people, it’s just that, I want to surround myself with likeminded people. I want to be around friends that can talk me off the ledge, and encourage me. I want friends that are not afraid to get real with me, or who will walk through the rough times with me. I need friends that will intercede (in prayer) on my behalf especially when I-am-in-my crazy, friends that are genuinely happy for me; and above all, friends that love the Lord.
Relatedly, if you look at Jesus’s life, you will see that He didn’t take His inner circle of friends lightly either. In fact, in the bible it tells us that Jesus went off into the mountains to pray to God before He chose His 12 Apostles (Luke 6:12-15). And although He shared many things with all twelve of them, there were only three that were in His inner circle, Peter, James and John. For instance, “Peter, James, and John were the only disciples allowed to accompany Jesus when He raised the daughter of Jairus, from the dead (Mark 5:37). And on the mountain where Christ was transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah, none of the apostles was invited to witness the glorious event except Peter, James, and John (Mark 9:2). And in the Garden of Gethsemane, not long before His arrest, and eventual execution, the Lord selected only Peter, James, and John to accompany him to a solitary place for prayer, Mark 14:32-35” (Moore, 2012).
In any case, I’m not too sure why Jesus choose those three apostles to go certain places with Him and not the others; but what I can see is, that Jesus definitely had an inner circle.
Basically, what I am saying to you is, be careful of who you allow in your inner circle. Not every one of your acquaintances should be allowed to know all of your business. Not everyone is for you. Not everyone can handle your most intimate thoughts. And not everyone is walking the same walk as you. You need friends that have faith in you, and that you can tell anything to.
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Do you have a friend that you can share everything with?
References
Moore, K. L. (2012, December 23). Christ’s “Inner Circle”. Retrieved from http://kmooreperspective.blogspot.com/2012/12/christs-inner-circle.html
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/12/28/connecting-the-dots/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/01/06/get-your-joy-back/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/01/30/follow-peace/
Written By Kim Johnson – immysister.org
One of the things I am learning in my middle age, is to follow peace. Trust me, I didn’t arrive at this epiphany overnight. It came from my constant struggles with not being able to control the things happening in my life and my being stressed out because of it.
Sisters, I use to be a mess. Racism, situations and disappointments constantly un-nerved me and threw me off balance. I let things get me so bent out of shape that I would internalize them. If someone said something to hurt my feelings I would get upset, and then later pissed off with myself because I didn’t tell them off. Looking back, I was like a tree whose limbs were constantly being blown back and forth by the wind. Any and everything took me out of peace and my comfort zone.
Today, my blood pressure is so much better. I got it. I understand that God is in control of all things. I don’t pay attention to my emotions; and I know now, that when things don’t seem right, don’t react, go immediately into prayer and wait on God to tell me what to do next. That feeling inside of my gut, or should I say the Holy Spirit, has never let me down. All I have to do is listen to my body and follow peace.
The Bible Dictionary tells us that, in order to have peace within our spirit, we need to have an “inner tranquility; and a combination of hope, trust, quiet in mind, and soul, brought about by reconciliation with God” (Youngblood, 1985, p. 960).
Basically what I am saying sisters is, if you want to follow peace (Hebrews 12:15), “you must rid yourself of un-forgiveness, let go of your feelings of resentment, lay down your “right” to get even, know that God got it and allow God to deal with the things that bother you” (Stanley, 2009, p. 1471).
Sistah to Sistah do you have inner tranquility? Are you quiet in your mind and spirit? Do you trust God and know that there is nothing He can’t resolve?
Are you following peace?
References
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. In C. Stanley (Ed.). Thomas Nelson.
Youngblood, R. F. (1985). Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, Tennesse: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/02/19/walking-away-from-toxic-relationships/
Written by – Kim L. Johnson,
Sometimes you just have to walk away from people. Have you ever been around a person with an argumentative spirit? They are always angry. They’re easily stressed out about one thing or another; and they totally misunderstand everything that you say to them. These people take things the wrong way all the time. You could be in a great mood and say something to them with no malice in your heart, or no other meaning other than what you are saying, and yet, they take it the wrong way. I hate to say it, but, I know one or two people like this, and I find myself not wanting to have anything to do with them. Conversations with these people mess with my spirit and peace.
I have a name for the people I described above, I call them peace stealers. These peace stealers will suck the joy out of your life and make you physically sick if you let them. You can try to explain yourself to these people, you can even try to make them calm down. You can tell them that they are going to have high blood pressure if they don’t learn to relax and let things go. You can talk, talk, and talk, until you turn blue in the face.
The thing is Sisters, sometimes you got to let these folks go. Joel Osteen, one of my favorite pastors said it best. He said, “You don’t have to cut people off entirely or never speak to them again. But you should put up some healthy boundaries. You don’t have to make a big announcement. Just little by little, spend less and less time with that person. If you don’t remove the wrong people out of your life, you’ll never meet the right ones, especially in your inner circle, the people who are closest to you. The people that surround you should be stable, consistent, happy, Godly, and responsible people who move you toward your destiny. As they say, like iron sharpens iron, you make each other better.
Moreover, we see this principle with Jesus. After a long day of teaching and praying for people, the scripture says He left the crowds and went away to rest. There were still many needy people asking for prayer. I’m sure some of them thought, “Wow, we traveled all this way, and He didn’t even wait to pray for us. He let us down.” Jesus wasn’t being rude or overlooking their needs; He was taking care of Himself. He knew He needed to get away and get quiet so He could be refreshed to be more effective.
Likewise, with you, there will always be people who need you, someone who needs rescuing, needs encouraging, or needs your help. However, if you try to meet everyone’s needs, you’ll end up run down over time, even burned out. Your number one priority is to keep yourself healthy. If Jesus was willing to walk away from needs to protect His peace and stay at rest, then we need to be willing to walk away from things that we know are stealing our peace, too!” (Osteen, 2016).
References
Osteen, J. (2016, May 20). Walk Away from Peace Stealers. Retrieved from https://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/Blog.aspx?blogid=11022
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/05/love/
Written by Kim Johnson
I have often wondered if relationships last longer when the man loves the women more than the woman loves the man. I have been told that women who treat their men like crap, are the women that seem to have forever relationships. I am not too sure which way is better. As for me, I tend to give 100% of myself in a relationship. I try to build my man up and help him to be the best that he can be, but in turn, I expect the same consideration. Has this always worked for me, no! but, I believe that when the right man finds me, it will.
Sistah to Sistah, what do you think, should we give less of ourselves in a relationship?
He who finds a women finds a good thing (Proverbs 18:22).
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/05/all-eyes-on-god/
Written by – Kim Johnson
For the majority of my life, I have lived life on my own terms, I guess you could say, living La Vida Loca (the crazy life); doing what I want, when I wanted. Then September 11th happened and God got my attention. One of the things I can honestly say is, life is better than it was before. When problems come, I talk with God about them. Sometimes when I bring a problem to God He solves them immediately, it’s like, from my mouth, to His ears, that’s how fast He solves them.
Basically, what I am saying to you is, no matter what you are going through sisters, keep your eyes on God. Talk to God when you are going through adversity, when you are happy, when you are sad, when you need direction, when you are lonely, when you are sick, having financial problems, when you are insecure, when you make a mistake, when you are confused, when you are angry, going through broken relationships, when you are treated unfairly, when you lose a loved one, when you are rejected, and above all, most importantly, talk to God in All situations, and He will make everything alright again.
“Praise the Lord often, regardless of your circumstances. Many people exalt Him only when something good happens to them or when they receive an unexpected blessing, but the Lord is worthy of our adoration at all times, in all circumstances” (Charles Stanley bible, Is. 25:1, p.800).
Sistah to Sistah do you hear me! What are you going through?
Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock (Isaiah 26:4).
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/05/being-a-caregiver/
Written by – Kim Johnson – immysister.org
Being a caregiver can be a very rewarding experience; it can also be very draining. As a child growing up, I promised my parents and grandparents that I would take care of them when they grew old; little did I know, that promise would become my reality, sooner than later. My grandfather came to live with me thirteen years ago and I felt it was an honor and a privilege. Don’t get me wrong, the experience was not easy, in fact, at times, it was extremely rough, and sometimes I wondered if I had the way with all, to handle the task that God had given me at all. But through it all, I can honestly say, I am both grateful and humbled. I pray that as Grandpa looks down on me, he knows that I gave my all and that I did my best.
Which brings me to my next thought. I want to take my hat off to all the caregivers out there, I want them to know they are not alone. Although the road can get rocky and rough, know that God is with you. According to the bible, Hebrews 6:10, “God never forgets what you do in obedience to Him. In fact, one day you will stand before Christ and be rewarded for all the things you have done out of love and obedience to Him” (Charles Stanley, p. 1459).
The wisdom that I would give to you my sisters, is don’t forget to support the caregivers that you know, because they may be going through a host of emotions and just being a listening ear, can really help.
Sistah to Sistah, what do you think?
Immysister.org
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/05/when-the-marriage-ends/
Written by – Kim Johnson
Sometimes when the marriage ends, we are the last to know. There are signs, but sometimes we ignore them or don’t see them. At least that was the case with me.
The end of a marriage can be one of the most painful experiences any one can go through, but having God in your life, family and friends can help you get through it. When my marriage ended after 20 years, it took me six years to recover. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn’t have wasted that many years crying and in pain.
Any how, I thank God everyday that my sisters were there for me; praying when I was unable to pray for myself, encouraging me and supporting me.
So sisters, when you find yourselves going through a bad experience, just know that you can make it. You will, and can survive. This is a storm that you are in, and at the end of the storm, God will give you double for your trouble. Storms are sent to make us stronger.
Pastor Joel Osteen, always say’s , “we learn more while we are in our storms then when we are in our sunny seasons. Storms come, but the sun always comes out at the end.”
Sistah to Sistah, do you hear me! What are you going through?
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/17/rejection-and-rejected/
Written by – Kim Johnson
I think…rejection is one of those emotions that can destroy you if you aren’t grounded in something. I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while now, especially since I have firsthand knowledge and experience on the subject; as well as, knowing quite a few people struggling just to hold it together themselves. I actually took the time to look up the meaning of rejection and rejected, just to see if the dictionary could explain why, we as people, feel so terrible when we go through these emotions. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary “rejected is to refuse to hear, receive, admit, rebuff or repel something; and rejection, is the spurning of a person’s affections”. After reading these two definitions, I came to the conclusion that rejection and being rejected all boil down to, heartache, pain, sorrow and long endless nights (well, at least in my mind).
For instance, when I went through the devastating break-up of my marriage, I thought the world had come to an end. I surely knew, I was going to die, and at worst, wanted to. I have to tell you, heartache is a real reality; the heart literally hurts. I felt so sad during that time, that I could hardly feel happiness, even when I was surrounded by happy people, places and things. And to compound the situation even further, I felt terribly rejected and unwanted. I remember, one day, screaming out to the Lord to help me; true to His Word, He did, and my breakthrough came.
The thing is this, rejection destroys lives, confidence and self-worth. The amount of people going through it is staggering. As for me, having God and my sister/friends in my life during that time, kept me grounded and brought me through my storm.
My sisters prayed with me, and for me when I couldn’t pray for myself. My sisters called me and even sat with me. They hugged me and loved me back to a good place.
Likewise, God’s Word helped me too, I read the bible over and over again. My spirit man became so comforted that I yearned to hear more and more of what God had to say to me. I read verses like, Romans 8:28 (and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose); and Isaiah 41:10 (Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand) to name a few.
The thing is this my sisters, you have to know that God is with you, and that you can get through rejection and being rejected. Don’t look at the feeling you are feeling, look at God’s Words, and trust Him, because He never lies. Call on the Lord for help and reach out for help.
Sistah to Sistah can you hear me!
What are you going through?
By Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/21/intimacy/
Written by – Kim Johnson-
It seems that the older I get, the more I understand the difference between sex and intimacy. I think that intimacy is more valuable in a relationship then sex. Hold up! Before you start thinking I’m nuts; YES, sex is important in a relationship, but if you want to see that relationship go to another level, add intimacy in the mix.
I was reading this book called Soul Cravings the other day, and the author sort of put what I was thinking into words; he said, “sex can be the most intimate and beautiful expression of love, but we are only lying to ourselves when we act as if sex is proof of love. Too many men demand sex as proof of love; too many women have given sex in hopes of love. We live in a world of users where we abuse each other to dull the pain of aloneness.”
“Real intimacy is not found just by merging bodies in sex. When Jesus said, “and the two shall become one. . . “I can’t help but think that He meant more than just the physical. After all, how many couples go to bed at night, share their bodies, but not their hearts? Undoubtedly, many of these people would say they are very lonely. Why? Because just as a garden hose is not the source of water, but only an expression, or vehicle for it, so sex is not the source of intimacy, but an outlet (or expression of) it. No matter how hard you try, if real emotional and spiritual intimacy does not exist before sex, it most certainly won’t after.”
So then you say, Kim, what is intimacy? To me, intimacy is a simple touch, a gentle caress, looking into each other’s eyes, connecting mentally, passionately kissing, loving words and touch, etc.
“Granted, sharing who we are with others is often not easy. All love is a risk. I admit, it can be uncomfortable exposing the deepest parts of ourselves. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it all at once, because developing intimacy is like peeling an onion—it can happen just a little at a time while trust is developed” (McManus).
Sistah to Sistah do you hear me? What do you think?
References
McManus, E. R. (2006). Soul Cravings. Thomas Nelson.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2017/10/05/looking-good/
Written by – Kim Johnson
As a little girl growing up in an urban area during the sixties and seventies, I never thought much about my looks or my appearance. My girlfriends and I wore dungaree’s every day and black eyeliner. We were carefree, and happy. We focused our energy on dancing, singing and fantasizing about what our wedding day would be like when we grew up.
My first introduction into my appearance and what I looked like, came when I began dating. My then, boyfriend, hated the way I dressed, especially my dungarees, so he took me shopping; he actually purchased my first girly outfit. Since then, I have been conscious of what I look like. When I look back at that little girl, I wonder if that experience shaped my view of myself as an adult.
Recently, I spoke with a male friend of mine about looking good, and he told me that women have to fix themselves up to look the best that they can, because men are attracted to what a woman looks like initially.
I say, women need to look the way they want to look; and that it shouldn’t matter what we wear, or for that matter, not wear, for men to be attracted to us. I guess, what I actually mean is, as women, we need to be happy with ourselves. We need to have that self confidence that comes from within us. That knowledge that, we are wonderfully made, and that God created us to look the way we look. We were made by God, and He did not make any mistakes. We shouldn’t have to dress a certain way or change our appearances in order to please the men in our lives.
Sistah to Sistah, do you hear me! What do you think?
Written by Kim Johnson,
Sisters and brothers, I’ve been thinking about “timing” for a while now. I met a guy a few years ago that I fell in love with, but the timing just was never right for us, so we never got together. I still love this person too, but I realize that some relationships or situations are not meant to be. I like to believe that everything happens in God’s timing and not one minute before. In the bible, scripture tells us that “there is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven” (Eccl. 3:1).
Pastor Charles Stanley explains it this way, in His wisdom and sovereignty, God sets an appropriate time for everything. For instance, at the right time, Christ was born; at the right time, He lifts us up and that we shouldn’t run ahead of God’s timing! His blessings are always worth the wait (p. 759).
Saints! I want you to understand that nothing happens by accident and that God is in control of all things, even that great love that never happened for me. More importantly, if we wait on the Lord we will surely be blessed with what He wants us to have, because God wants the best for us.
Brothers and Sisters do you hear me? Do you know that timing is everything and that you will not miss what God has intended for you?
Reference
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. In C. Stanley (Ed.). Thomas Nelson.
Written by Kim Johnson, Author of immysister.org and I Am My Sister (Women helping Women)
I have always been able to control myself, even as a small child. Self-discipline was never really an issue for me, especially once I got it in my head that I had better do the right thing. However…there have been times when my flesh hasn’t always fallen in line with my thinking. I can remember a few times when the Holy Spirit told me to do one thing and I simply choose to do something else. I have to giggle when I think about it, because I rationalized my disobedience by telling myself that it was myself talking to me. Sisters, I have loads of stories that I could share with you where I have listened to myself. Some of my stories would make you laugh, and some, you would say, make me look pathetic.
The thing is this, we cannot do everything we feel like doing as Christians. We can’t tell people off because they hurt our feelings or offend us (even though we may want too). And when people treat us bad or poorly we can’t treat them the same way. Instead, we have to let things go and pray for those that hurt us.
I know you are probably saying it’s hard to do these things, but I’m telling you, you can do it; I’m telling myself as well, because God knows, I am a work in progress.
Joel Osteen (2014), my favorite Pastor, tells us that “we cannot be loose in our morals. We cannot let our flesh have its way. We have to exercise self-control and discipline, we cannot say things, and then regret what we said later. Had we been disciplined in what we said earlier, we wouldn’t feel bad later, and then wish we had never said it the first place. Self-control and self-discipline go hand and hand, we must stay in control in all things and ways.”
The Apostle Paul also tells us about his own hard time when he was trying to do the right thing in his life and how it was a struggle. He says, “What I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate (Romans 7:15-20).
“All of us can relate to the fierce internal struggle that Paul describes. We find ourselves succumbing to sin, even though we want to honor God. The thing is this, until we stand in Jesus’ presence, we will all experience this battle. The only way to win is by dying to ourselves so that Christ can live through us and by submitting to the Spirit’s overcoming wisdom and power” (Stanley).
So what does dying to the flesh mean? According to the bible, the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak. The flesh is a source of temptation. The desires of the flesh can be sinful only if we give into them…we must die to the flesh by listening to the voice of God, and not ourselves! Dying in the Flesh is to trade your will, for God’s will, for your life.
Brothers and Sisters, do you hear me? Are you exercising self-control and self-discipline over your life?
References Osteen, J. (2014, May 24). Being Disciplined and Rule Over Your Feelings. Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=being+disciplined+and+rule+over+your+feelings+sermon&view=detail∣=7E2EEA1ED9D8F15A855B7E2EEA1ED9D8F15A855B&FORM=VIRE
Stanley, C. (n.d.). Romans 7:15-20. In Life Principles Bible. Thomas Nelson. rio
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/10/11/pray-trust-and-wait-on-the-lord/
Written By Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/10/18/dont-lose-your-faith/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/10/19/how-are-you-praising-god/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/11/04/in-the-comfort-zone/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/11/11/my-prayer-an-excerpt-from-my-journey/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/12/04/letting-go-of-the-love-of-my-life/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/12/07/feeling-emotional-in-the-dineru/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/12/24/oh-christmas-eve-thank-you-god/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/02/13/dont-be-jealous-of-people/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/03/26/waiting-when-god-is-silent/
Written By Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/04/06/please-dont-be-afraid/
Written By Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/04/11/believers-hurt-too/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/06/15/living-unconsciously/
Written By Kim Johnson.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/03/27/when-your-core-hurts/
Written by Kim Johnson
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/03/09/living-purposeful-and-intentional/
Written by, Kim Johnson – Author of – I Am My Sister (Women Helping Women)
Finally!!! I am finally living the life I have always dreamed. Sure there are still ups and downs, twists and turns and even storms, but I am at peace. Everything that I do nowadays is intentional and has a purpose. Could things get better, of course! But I wouldn’t trade my situation for anything in the world.
I take my hat off to anyone that ever caused me pain and sorrow; and I am thankful that they played apart in making me the woman that I am today, which has actually moved me toward my destiny. By the same token, I am especially thankful to the people that held my hand and lifted me up in prayer during those rough times. As such, I believe that the scales that were once over my eyes have been removed because now I can see that God used my enemies to bless me and motivate me, as well as my friends. To God be the Glory.
As a matter of fact, I contribute those rough times in my life to my burning desire to blog and to giving me plenty of topics to talk about, on top of having a clearer idea of what I want and don’t want in my life.
With that being said, today, everything that I do is on purpose and intentional. I choose to serve God, take care of myself and my family; accept myself and my flaws; make my dreams become a reality, laugh every day and live a life that really matters to me.
I was reading an article that I saw online some time ago that actually made me pause for a moment. The article described how I was feeling about my life and about living a life that makes you feel whole and complete. The author, Kathy Howell, cited that, “you know you are on the road to living an intentional life when, what you did yesterday no longer satisfies you today. She described it as no longer being satisfied with the mundane daily grind, and that once you make this realization, you know you are on a path to significance” (2016).
Howell (2016), also quotes John Maxwell’s speech from Breakaway from the Takeaway, the author of Make Today Count, who says, “Intentional living is making a positive difference in your life or the life of another. It is also valuing yourself and your opinion, as well as, encouraging others. Doing challenging things, not putting off what can be done today for tomorrow, along with making a conscious effort to take ACTION to live a life that matters to ourselves”
Basically, what I am saying sisters is, if we are to live an intentional life on purpose, we need to do the following:
• Make every day count.
• Look at life in a way, that when the storms enter, they don’t affect our inner peace.
• Understand that God is in charge of our lives and that He will take care of all our situations and needs.
• Live our lives the way we want to, not the way other people would like us to.
• Make a conscience decision to do something we have always wanted to do.
• Rid our minds of the things that clutter our thinking, so that we can focus on what makes us come alive, concentrate on our purpose, our hopes, our dreams and the things that fulfil us.
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you living your life the way you want? Are you following your dreams? What do you want to do that you are not doing?
References
Howell, K. M. (2016). Breakaway For A Takeaway. In J. C. Maxwell, Make Today Count. Retrieved March 5, 2018, from https://onlinemlmcommunity.com/intentional-living-speech-by-john-c-maxwell-my-biggest-takeaways/
Written by Kim Johnson
It's been a long year! but it looks like we are starting to see signs of the Coronavirus and this pandemic ending; and I cannot wait. My children constantly tease me saying that I am paranoid and living in fear (I laugh at them secretly). Humph! I wear my mask whenever they are around me and don't care what they think either. I also, don't allow people to visit me, nor do I go out much either. Yeah! sure, I want to go out to dinner and hang out, but I'm not trying to get sick, especially when all I have to do is sit still and wait for the world to right itself. I have asthma and other underlying health issues and I get sick at the drop of a hat over anything. With that being said, I will wait on the Lord to tell me when it is safe to go out.
Moreover, I am so, so, upset! my son, my oldest baby, was recently diagnosed with Covid-19. He told me he was wearing his mask, but I don't know if he was consistently wearing it. One of the worst feelings I have ever had, as a mother, was not being able to nurse him back to health, MYSELF.
Anyhow, my son happened to be visiting a friend when he started feeling the symptoms of Covid. I naturally wanted to take care of him, but I knew it wasn't a smart idea with my health issues. Thankfully his friend said they would take care of him. That was a huge sacrifice on their part, because my son would have had to stay in a hotel. I prayed everyday to keep my son and his friend safe.
I had to fall back on my belief in Jesus and His promises to combat the fear and worry that my body felt. For some reason, I couldn't get my body to fall into submission with what my head already knew. I knew that know matter what! God was in control of the situation and that there was no need to worry either way; but my body was betraying me. A few of the Bible scriptures that I read to get me back on track were, Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Psalm 55:22 “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.” Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/03/16/god-ordained-relationships-for-single-women/
Written by, Kim Johnson
People always say “if that person walked away from you, they weren’t part of your destiny or meant to be in your life. Some even say, “You should just let them go, you’re better off without them anyway.” I’ve been thinking about these statements for some time now. I propose, what if the person who walked away, IS YOU. What if you walked away because it hurt too much to stay? What if the relationship was just one sided? Humph! Sisters, do you think you should stay in a relationship where you’re the only one that is committed to it? Or for that matter, the only one texting, calling, and reaching out? Or worst, do you think you should stay in a relationship when you don’t hear from the other person for days? Or should you stay simply, for the sake of having a mate?
Well…one thing I do know for sure, and that is, the Holy Spirit will always tell you what to do if you listen. As for me, I want what God promised. I want the whole enchilada. I want a God sent man. I know if God sent him, he will be in sync with every aspect of who I am (Elliot).
Sadly, too often we move ahead of God and His timing and end up in relationships that are not God ordained. As such, there is constant tension in the relationship and never any peace, causing even further damage to our self-esteem, along with insecurity and discouragement.
Undoubtedly, some of these relationships we shouldn’t have been in, in the first place. The bible tells us “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6–7).
Basically what I am saying sisters is, we should seek God first before we jump into any relationships. We also, “must trust God completely with the entirety of our lives. God knows what is best for us, and His purpose in allowing any delays is for our good. Waiting will prepare us for a greater blessing; as well as, strengthen our faith and reliance on Him, and consequently rid us of a desire to be self-sufficient” (Stanley, Life Principles Bible, 2009).
Sister to Sister, do you hear me? Have you made your request be known to God in what you want in a relationship?
References
Elliot, B. (n.d.). Dating: God’s Best or All the Rest? Retrieved February 2018, from http://www1.cbn.com/dating-gods-best-or-all-rest
Stanley, C. F. (n.d.). Life Principles Bible. Philippians 4:6-7.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2018/03/22/when-the-enemy-attacks/
Written by Kim Johnson,
As I look in the mirror and examine the scars left behind from breast cancer surgery, I see a beautiful woman staring back at me. A woman that finally realizes her own self-worth, and a woman ready to live life on her own terms.
Self-acceptance hasn’t always been easy for me, I mean, I have always thought that I was pretty but there were certain aspects of me that I didn’t like. If only I could hide this area, or cover this up, and drape and conceal this or that, I would look perfect. But no matter how I fixed those areas of me, I still didn’t accept me.
One day I had ah ha moment and realized that the part of me that needed to be fixed was the inside of me. I needed to stop judging me and being so hard on me.
Too often in life, circumstances and situations change our view of ourselves and we become our own worst critics. We dwell on the negative aspects of ourselves, thinking we can never change or do better. The fact of the matter is, we need to change our mindset about ourselves and get rid of that negative thinking.
My favorite Pastor Joel Osteen, whom you may hear me quoting quite often, described it best, he said, “Our minds are like computers. We can have the fastest most powerful computer but it won’t function well without the right software. We know how PC viruses contaminate a computer. Not because the PC is bad; but that someone reprogrammed the software.
Fortunately for us, God created us as a masterpiece. With the right software. To be victorious, confident, strong, creative, and able to do all things thru Christ. We were programmed to live a victorious, abundant, faith-filled life. We just have to get rid of the viruses in our software and tell ourselves what our Creator says about us. I am blessed. I am valuable and soon we will be back to our original software.”
Sisters, we have to learn to hit the delete button when negative thoughts come, and remember what the bible tells us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).”
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you loving you?
References
Osteen, J. (2014, June 21). Reprogramming Your Mind. Retrieved from http://anointedmessagesnotes.blogspot.com/2014/06/reprogramming-your-mind-joel-osteen.html
Written by Kim Johnson
Worry use to be my middle name; I worried about everything. You name it, I worried about it. But I thank God that He is working on me and that He knows my deepest desire is to trust Him explicitly and totally (for sure, I am a work in progress).
For me, metaphorically, trust is like a bee sting. When you first get stung it hurts, but once you put the pain relief ointment on the sting, the pain goes away. Such as the case with anxiety and stress; when you put on the God ointment (which is trust), everything is all better. God works all of your problems out.
What I am talking about sisters is, putting on faith and trusting that God will take care of whatever it is that you are worried about. Sort of like tumbling. It’s a knowing that you know, that without a shadow of a doubt, God is going to catch you.
The thing is this sisters, we have to get to a place where we don’t worry about anything. One of my favorite Pastors, Joel Osteen, describes worry and trust in a way that I think explains reasons why we shouldn’t worry. He says, “Worry is a thief. It will rob you of your sleep at night. It will rob you of your joy and your creativity. It’s hard to make good decisions when you’re worried. If you allow it, worry can keep you from your destiny. The scripture says we can’t add one inch to our life by worrying. If we could, some of us would be 23 feet tall!
What you see as the biggest thing in your life, in one sense, is your God. When we worry, we’re making our problem our God. If you worry about your health night and day, and you can’t sleep —that’s all you talk about, all you think about —you’re making that sickness your God. Do yourself a favor. Take the worry off of the throne. Take the sickness off of the throne. Take the financial difficulty off of the throne and put God back up on the throne. Use that same energy to thank God that He’s still in control. Every time you’re tempted to worry, turn it around and thank Him that He’s taking care of that situation. Let the worry be a reminder to switch over into praise. Don’t let worry rob you anymore of the blessings God has in store for your future!” (Osteen, 2016).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you worried about something? Give it to God, He’ll take care of it!
References
Osteen, J. (2016, June 10). If I Could Do One Thing Over. Retrieved from https://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/Blog.aspx?blogid=11056
Written by Kim Johnson
Breathe…you got this! People may not know it, but I have always been a little shy and hesitant to put myself out there. Never wanted to sit in the front row in a classroom. I always sat in the last row at church. I never gave my opinion even if I had the correct answer. I feared if my answer was wrong I would be criticized. I did not like being noticed. For me, being noticed was scarier than life.
The thing about God is, He will throw you out there, whether you want to go or not. And He does it quite sneakily too. You get a job promotion, now you have to talk with employees. The employees are looking to you to lead them. You have to give training classes at work, presentations, confront people, accept awards, and defend people, whew! Now you’re a leader and pushed to the forefront. Well, at least that was one of my paths.
Even as I write this blog, God is pushing me out there. My thinking is, do I tell you, the reader, my greatest fears? Do I expose my inner thoughts to you? What will you readers think of me? Well, I have decided to trust God, be brave and believe in myself.
Sisters, in the bible it says for us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverb 3:5-6). What this means is, “If you want your life to be the very best it can be, you must put your faith in God, rejecting your own limited perspective and honoring Him in every area of your life. This is the heart of godly living, you submit to the Lord’s direction, knowing that He has the answer to your every need and is faithful to provide it (Stanley, C.).
So knowing Gods thoughts and that He has plans for you, how can you not believe in yourself.
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Take a deep breath and step on out there. Do what you were afraid to do; you got this!
References
New American Standard Bible. (2009). Proverbs 3:5-6. In C. Stanley, Life Principles Bible (p. 725). La Habra, Ca: Thomas Nelson.
Written by, Kim Johnson,
Who goes into a storm intentionally? That’s crazy. Well call me crazy, because when my best friend got sick, I did just that. I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. I thought initially that I would simply document her journey through video recordings. I figured when she recovered she could look back on her battle with cancer, sort of like a “remember when” thing.
I bathed her, shaved her hair off when it made no sense to hold on to the remaining strands, I read to her, I fed her and I prayed with her for a speedy recovery. We both knew she would beat cancer, but God decided He had a better place for her and took her home.
I’m telling you these things because I want you to know that sometimes we can’t sit on the sidelines when family, or friends or loved ones are going through something; even if we want to. Now and again, we have to jump “smack dab” right in the middle of their storm and help them battle whatever they are going through. Just like the three friends of Job.
Now Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, didn’t get everything right, but they did get being there for their friend right; especially when Job was going through a rough time in his life. The book of Job, tells us that when Job’s friends “heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:11-13).
What I am saying Saints is, “we need each other, especially in the dark times of life. While compassion should flow from us naturally it doesn’t hurt to make a plan about how best to show that compassion” (Stanley, p. 592).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you willing to go into the storm with someone, simply to make their battle a little easier?
Tribute to my dear friend: I miss you Michelle. Would do it over and over again anytime. It was my deepest pleasure to be there with you!!!.
References
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
Written by Kim Johnson
I often wonder how some people can just do it all. They look like they never get stressed out over anything. These people can juggle family, careers, hobbies and anything else that comes their way, and they make it look effortless. I admire those people. As for me, I don’t have that skill.
People tell me that I make everything look easy as well; trust me, that is so far from the truth. When I’m multi-tasking and juggling a lot of things at the same time I tend to shut down; and if you add a deadline to my madness, I can’t move. Sure! Eventually I get everything done, but only after having many, many naps, and rushing around like a crazy woman.
In my quest to adjust to life’s realities and some resemblance of balance, I have learned that establishing priorities, and making a plan help (Buchanan, 2001). In the bible it says that we should seek God first in everything that we do, and that when we do this, everything else will fall into place (Matthew 6:33).
Saints, “God did not design us to be anxious or nervous. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowds, “Do not worry, ‘what will we eat?’ or ‘what will we drink?’ etc., do not worry about tomorrow” (Matt. 6:31, 34).
“If we assume that we are in charge of our lives, then we will battle anxiety and fear. However, if we understand the ways of the Lord, then we will know that He is in charge and that the sovereign God of the universe cares for us. If we worry and doubt His goodness, we will never have the peace He wants us to experience” ( (Stanley, 2009).
Basically what I am saying Saints is, we don’t have to worry about a balancing act, all we have to do is talk to God about our concerns, do our best, have faith, and He will take care of the rest.
“Jesus wants us to give our cares over to Him and leave them with Him. We depend on Him for life itself, and we acknowledge this by saying, “Here, Jesus. Take my problems. You have the answers! I trust You to show me what to do and to take care of the consequences” (Stanley, 2009).
Sistah to Sistah do you hear me? Do you trust that God can take care of all that you are worried about? Are you looking beyond what you can see to what God sees?
References
Buchanan, R. (2001, September 09). Getting Balance Into Your Life. Retrieved from https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/getting-balance-into-your-life-rodney-buchanan-sermon-on-fulfillment-39092?page=2
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
Written by, Kim Johnson
Have you ever been so grateful that it was hard to contain the feeling? Well that is how I am feeling right now. Today, while I was walking my children in the park (my dogs), I started thinking about how grateful and humbled I felt, and how God choose me to bring His vision to fruition. I thought about the people He could have chosen, but He chose me. The people who are greater than myself, in my eyes, but yet, He chose me. My fleshy thoughts said to me, how did God know I would do His Will? How and why did God choose me of all people? And yet, I knew the answer deep down in my spirit.
I reminded myself that God is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. There is no limit to the power of God and that He cannot lie (Rev. 19.6; Matthew 19:26; Titus 1:2). God is everywhere. We cannot hide from Him, He knew I would do His Will; because God knows everything and nothing can escape His gaze and His knowledge. If it can be known, God knows it! (Psalm 139:12; Corinthians 2:10). So why not me!
The same goes for you! God can use you too. No matter who you are, no matter what you have done, no matter where you come from, no matter your race or nationality, He can, and will use you. The thing is this Saints, “every person has weakness and faults. God doesn’t always use perfect people. God will use you while you are growing, all you have to have is a heart for God.
In simpler terms, we just have to give ourselves permission to have some flaws because God wants to use us even with our limitations. After all, if you look at scripture, you will see that God used a host of people that were not perfect to do His will. So, If He could use them , He can use you too, all you have to do is get into agreement with God” (Osteen, 2015).
Sister to Sister, do you hear me? Do you approve of YOU? Do you know that God CAN and Will use you for His purpose? Are you willing to be used when He calls?
Thank you God, I love you…
References
Osteen, J. (2015). God Will Use You. Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Joel+osteen+sermon+god+can+use+you&&view=detail∣=001EB721849AAAE05BB3001EB721849AAAE05BB3&&FORM=VRDGAR
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
Written by Kim Johnson,
I like to think of myself as an educated, articulate, beautiful woman. A woman that tries to be the best that she can be in every aspect of her life. (Sigh!) Even though I feel that way about myself, I recently came face to face with feelings of uncertainty, self-doubt and a lack of self-confidence when God called me to head a particular assignment. Some of those feelings were fueled by comments made from people and by the enemy attacking my thoughts. But thank goodness, as I kept my eyes on God, I began to see myself as He saw me; and I learned that I was equally as qualified as any other person to do what God called me to do.
Saints, too often we are made to feel unqualified. Buechner (2015), cites that “if we look at the twelve Apostles, we will see, that they were nobody special either. They were not “high-class,” or well-educated, or upstanding citizens; quite the contrary is true. Nor did they apply for the positions of Apostles. In fact, they were not qualified at all.”
“And yet, unqualified, unprepared and flawed as they were, Jesus “called” them. Mark’s Gospel states (6:7-13), He sent them out to preach the gospel, gave them authority, and instructed them. He chose them, and then he qualified them.” (Buechner, 2015).
The thing is this Saints! No matter what the enemy or people think about you, know that God approves you. In fact! “No one understands you better than God. He knows you far more profoundly than you can even know yourself. The Lord knows what you were created to be and all the great things He could accomplish through you if you were to surrender yourself to Him. He has designed you for a specific, and fulfilling purpose” (Stanley, 2009).
Sister to Sister, do you hear me? Do you know that you were chosen by God and that because of the anointing on your life you are qualified? So if you are qualified by God, why not step out on faith and walk in your calling.
References
Buechner, F. (2015, July 11). Chosen, then qualified by God. Retrieved from http://pathoflifeblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/chosen-then-qualified-by-god.html
Stanley, C. (2009). Life Principles. La Habra, CA: New American Standard Bible
Coping with Loss and Grief
Written by Kim Johnson,
It took me a long time to write about this subject because I wasn’t really sure how I would approach the topic. But when my friends’ mother passed, I knew I had to talk about it. Especially since I never really could cope with loss or death too well myself, and…so many of my friends are going through the same thing right now.
Losing the majority of my relatives and the loss of my husband in divorced really took a toll on me at one time. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the fact that I didn’t know the Lord as well as I do now, or I was depressed or that I simply grieve hard and long. In any event, I eventually had to seek help from professionals so that I could move on with my life and get back on track.
When I talk about loss and grief, I am talking about, “Death of a loved one, Divorce or relationship breakup, Loss of health, Losing a job, Loss of financial stability, a miscarriage, Retirement, Death of a pet, Loss of a cherished dream, A loved one’s serious illness, Loss of a friendship, Loss of safety after a trauma and Selling the family home” (Smith, Robinson, & Seagel, 2018).
Today, the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship or any other form of loss is equally as hard for me, but the difference is, I now have the tools to cope with my grief. I understand that even though I am a Christian, I am not exempt from suffering and that I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me. I understand that in my darkest hours I MUST lean on God heavily, and that Satan’s desire is to destroy me at all cost, even in my weakness.
“I also understand that I cannot let anyone tell me how to feel nor should you either. Your grief is your own, and no one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment. It’s okay to be angry, to yell at the heavens, to cry or not to cry. It’s also okay to laugh, to find moments of joy, and to let go when you’re ready” (Smith et al., 2018).
But if you feel you cannot cope with loss or grief recognize it and reach out to a grief counselor or professional therapist or someone you trust.
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you suffering alone? Reach out!
Works Cited
Smith, M. M. (2018, July). Coping with Grief and Loss: Dealing with the Grieving Process and Learning to Heal. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/grief/coping-with-grief-and-loss.htm
Written by Kim Johnson,
Sometimes the things that I think I need are not what I actually need. And sometimes I get comfortable in what I’m doing and don’t see that it is only for a season. Case in point, at my job (before I retired) I was placed in a position that I didn’t really like, but it was one of those positions where people don’t bother you and you have a lot of freedom, so I adapted.
As such, even though I didn’t like the job it became comfortable to me and I figured I could rock out with it until I retired. But as luck would have it, and as soon as I accepted my fate and got comfortable, the position was abolished and I was forced to look for another job in the company.
One of the things I learned from that experience, looking back, is that God doesn’t make NO mistakes. Who knew! God did! He knew that the job I hated so much, would be the job that would prepare me for the women’s ministry that I have right now. I needed the lessons from that season, it wasn’t what I wanted, but it was what I needed for my future.
What I’m trying to tell you is this, we may not understand what is happening in our lives at the moment, but God does, and like I said, He doesn’t make any mistakes. Everything that He does and that He allows the enemy to do, is for a purpose and for a reason.
Sometimes we have to go through a season where we are uncomfortable, and/or where there are struggles in our lives in order to remove the things from us that may be holding us back from our full potential, or simply, to arrow us in the direction God needs us to be in.
As Pastor Joel Osteen would say, “You have to be careful to not get stuck in a past season, wishing you could stay there in what you enjoyed or dwelling on pains and regrets that happened there. You have to recognize that people change, situations change, and if you don’t truly live in your present season, you’re not going to get to the new season God has for you” (Osteen, 2018).
Sister to Sister can you hear me? Are you making the most out of the season that you are in? Do you know that God has a plan for your life and that it’s all going to work out for your good?
References
Osteen, J. (2018, February 23). Times and Seasons. Retrieved from https://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/Blog.aspx?blogid=13289
Walking in Obedience
Written by Kim Johnson,
Walking in obedience can be very difficult at times, especially when you don’t know that you are being disobedient. But one of the things I have learned, is that, the voice inside of you (the Holy Spirit) will always let you know when you are doing something wrong or not pleasing to God. You just have to listen.
Look! I’m just as guilty as anyone else of being disobedient to God, but know this, I am praying for my deliverance, because I want to be a victorious Christian, living for God in all my ways.
I’m not interested in letting any unwholesome talk come out of my mouth anymore. I don’t want to hear any negativity or gossip about anyone, and I definitely don’t want to participate in those things either. I want spiritual eyes, so that I can look past a person’s faults and their outward appearance. I want to be a better me, and I want to walk in obedience with the Lord.
I was reading over Pastor Charles Stanley’s sermon when I was preparing this blog and a few of things he spoke about, lead me to believe that I still have some work to do with myself. He writes, “obedience is doing what God says, when He says it, how He says it, for whatever reason He says it, or with whom He says it. There’s no room for passivity when it comes to obeying the Father. This level of commitment requires an active choice. Partial obedience is the greatest enemy to obedience. If the Lord gives instructions, He expects us to do exactly what He has said. Yet, some believers choose to obey only when it’s convenient. Going to church, reading the Bible, and praying are all good, but if we’re allowing things in our lives that don’t fit our identity in Christ, we’re only partially obeying Him.”
Basically, what I am saying saints is, it is hard to walk in obedience. Even Adam and Eve were disobedient, but we must try. It takes practice and discipline, but when we do this, we know that we are pleasing our Father. But thank God, when we fall short we can repent. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you listening to what the Lord told you to do? Are you walking in obedience?
References
InTouch Ministries. (2015, October 30). Obeying God – Sermon Notes. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/kim/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloads/Obeying-God%20(1).pdf
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
Copyright – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2018. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Written by Kim Johnson
I was thinking about my dog Ashlee and how much I miss her, and so, I decided to write. For me, writing is very therapeutic, it eliminates my stress, helps me connect with my emotions, keeps my mind healthy, it helps me to relax and I get to spend quiet time with the Lord.
With that being said, below is a snippet of how I am feeling right now and how I use writing to ease my grief and sorrow:
“I thank God for the Animal Shelter that rescued Ashlee and for allowing me to adopt her in the latter part of her life… I can only imagine the experiences Ashlee must have suffered prior to her rescue, because the scars of them were evident in her behavior.
A part of me still can’t figure out why anyone would want to deliberately abuse an animal, but I do understand the world that we live in today. I’m just grateful that my Ashlee was one of the lucky dogs who escaped.
When I look back on my relationship with my loyal friend, I think about how much she did for my state of mind during the most difficult years of MY life. In hindsight,
I guess it’s safe to say, we rescued one another. We were both broken and needed to be loved and repaired which we received from one another.
Ironically, now that I am all better and feeling joy once again in my life, God took my Ashlee home to doggy heaven. Oh, but in my imagination…Ashlee is no longer suffering from diabetes or the trauma of her earlier life, she’s running free, and happy as can be in heaven.
If I were to write a letter to Ashlee, it would go something like this:
Dear Ashlee,
How do I begin to tell you what you have done for my life? People think it’s crazy to cry over your death because you are a dog. But to me, you were the most loyal and dedicated friend I have ever had. You got me through some rough times too. Remember that time when my marriage ended and I cried all the time? You were the only one who knew… oh, how grateful I was that you were there.
Remember that time when I had a hard time at work and I came home stressed out? You were right there with your head on my knee, letting me pet you. I could tell in your eyes that you wanted to comfort me.
Remember when we took those long walks in the park and how I cleared my head and talked with God about my dreams? And, and, remember when you used to run up the middle of the street, and how I ran behind you screaming at all the cars to stop so that they wouldn’t hit you, LOL, you were so naughty.
And remember when I broke up with RKO and you laid your head in my lap to comfort me as I cried; I never felt alone or scared with you by my side. Those were the days my friend and you will be forever missed.”
Rest in Heaven,
Your mother, Kim
Sister to sister do you hear me? Do you have a story you want to write about? Have you ever thought of writing or journaling as therapeutic?
Copyright – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2018. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Put it on the Shelf
Written by Minister Kim Johnson,
My cousin and I used to talk about putting things on the shelf and leaving it there. For us, putting things on the shelf is a metaphor for “stop worrying, God is in control.” It is also a reminder that God hears our prayers and will take care of everything…so RELAX.
In fact, the shelf, has taught me personally how to stay in peace, over and over again. It’s the mental mind map that I use to visualize God working out my problems. You see, I’m the type of person that has to use visuals and images to get things deep down into my gut; but once it’s down in my gut, it becomes a part of my immediate and instinctive thought pattern.
The bible tells us, “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Basically what I am saying to you is, stop stressing over things you have no control over. Put all of your financial difficulties on the shelf, put your health issues on the shelf, your depression on the shelf, your job worries on the shelf, your unemployment on the shelf, your home on the shelf, your relationship on the shelf, your marriage on the shelf, your boss at work on the shelf, that rejection on the shelf, hope, love, expectations or your WHATEVER on the shelf! And let God take care of it for you.
Brothers and Sisters do you hear me? “Do you know that God is the only One who has the power and wisdom to deal with every issue perfectly, and that you have nothing to fear?” (Stanley, 2009).
So why not just put it on the shelf….
References
Osteen, J. (2018, September 2). God’s Got This. Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=god%27s+got+this+joel+osteen&view=detail∣=2824BE8044E7949DD8652824BE8044E7949DD865&FORM=VIRE
Stanley, C. (2009). Life Principles. La Habra, CA: New American Standard Bible.
Copyright – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2018. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content
Taking off the Mask
Written by Kim Johnson
Every morning that I wake up, I thank the Lord for another day. I pray to God that He shows me myself, and that there be more of Him, in my life, and less of me. Just knowing that I represent God, makes me want to be completely free of anything that might be holding me back from receiving all of His blessings.
I honestly believe that in order for us to be our very best, we need to evaluate ourselves and our motives. Shoot! When I asked God to show me, me, it wasn’t a pretty sight, lol. But I was glad that He revealed me to me, because I was able to repent and ask God for His forgiveness.
Saints, too often we think we have all the answers, and that we are living the perfect Christian life. The truth is, we are all sinners and that Jesus was the only One that was perfect. When we don’t ask God to reveal things to us about ourselves, we may be sinning unknowingly.
Furthermore, when God shows us ourselves we are able to repent for the things that are not pleasing to Him. We walk a closer walk with our Father and we are able to make changes in our lives.
In the bible it says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (NIV, Psalms 139:23-24).
Moreover, yes, everyone has skeletons, yes, everyone can play a part and wear a mask, yes, everyone can deceive others about who they are, but we can’t do anything about them, we can only do something about ourselves (The Ministry MAMA, 2013).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you “wearing a mask, revealing a sinful lifestyle, covering the light of the Holy Spirit? If you are, it is to flirt with spiritual disaster both for yourself and the eternity of others. If we picture ourselves kneeling before God on the day of the Judgement Seat of Christ with our current lifestyle in hand. Would you regret it? Are you wearing a mask and covering the light of God within you? Are you causing others to stumble because you’re in open rebellion? Or is your breastplate of righteousness shining God’s light to the lost? Hypocrisy and sinful living should be dispensed of! (The Ministry MAMA, 2013).
References
The Family Place Church. (n.d.). Retrieved September 18, 2018, from https://www.tfpchurch.com/taking-off-the-mask.html
The Ministry MAMA. (2013, November 12). The Hidden Dangers of a Christian Wearing a Mask. Retrieved from https://theministrymama.com/2013/11/12/the-hidden-dangers-of-a-christian-wearing-a-mask/
Copyright – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2018. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
That One Moment I Felt Afraid
Written by Kim Johnson,
As a Christian we are told not to be afraid because God is with us, and I believe that with all my heart. But that day when I went into surgery, as I slid from the gurney onto the operating table, I felt a moment of terror. A thought ran across my mind to tell the nurses that I had changed my mind. I panicked for a moment. But as quickly as that thought entered my head, the Holy Spirit began to minister to me. And I knew that whatever happened on that operating table, either way, I would be okay, because I had God.
Admittedly, even though I forgot Gods promise for a minute, I repented and I have no doubt that God forgave me. The thing is, we are not perfect people and sometimes our first instinct is to be afraid, but thank God we live under the Covenant of Grace, and that God forgives us over and over again, Amen.
In any event, in the bible it tells us, to be strong and courageous. To not be frightened, and to not be dismayed, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9).
Saints, “when we face trials of any kind, we must remember that God is beside us. When we experience joy, love and sorrow, God is close to us. Nothing is greater than Him, and He has pledged never to leave us. The only way we hinder the victory is through disobedience and unbelief. So no matter what you are facing or how bad your situation seems, take courage, believe God, and do exactly as He says. With God fighting for you, there’s absolutely no reason to be afraid” (Stanley, 2009).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Do you know that God is with you at all times? Do you know that God Will work out whatever you have doubt about or what you are going through?
References
New International Version. (n.d.). Joshua 1:9.
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. La Habra: Thomas Nelson.
Copyright – Kim Johnson and immysister.org, 2017- 2018. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kim L. Johnson and immysister.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Written by Minister Kim Johnson
As I look in the mirror and examine the scars left behind from breast cancer surgery, I see a beautiful woman staring back at me. A woman that finally realizes her own self-worth, and a woman ready to live life on her own terms.
Self-acceptance hasn’t always been easy for me, I mean, I have always thought that I was pretty but there were certain aspects of me that I didn’t like. If only I could hide this area, or cover this up, and drape and conceal this or that, I would look perfect. But no matter how I fixed those areas of me, I still didn’t accept me.
One day I had ah ha moment and realized that the part of me that needed to be fixed was the inside of me. I needed to stop judging me and being so hard on me.
Too often in life, circumstances and situations change our view of ourselves and we become our own worst critics. We dwell on the negative aspects of ourselves, thinking we can never change or do better. The fact of the matter is, we need to change our mindset about ourselves and get rid of that negative thinking.
My favorite Pastor Joel Osteen, whom you may hear me quoting quite often, described it best, he said, “Our minds are like computers. We can have the fastest most powerful computer but it won’t function well without the right software. We know how PC viruses contaminate a computer. Not because the PC is bad; but that someone reprogrammed the software.
Fortunately for us, God created us as a masterpiece. With the right software. To be victorious, confident, strong, creative, and able to do all things thru Christ. We were programmed to live a victorious, abundant, faith-filled life. We just have to get rid of the viruses in our software and tell ourselves what our Creator says about us. I am blessed. I am valuable and soon we will be back to our original software.”
Sisters, we have to learn to hit the delete button when negative thoughts come, and remember what the bible tells us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).”
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you loving you?
References
Osteen, J. (2014, June 21). Reprogramming Your Mind. Retrieved from http://anointedmessagesnotes.blogspot.com/2014/06/reprogramming-your-mind-joel-osteen.html
Written by Kim Johnson,
In the past few weeks my church has been teaching us about Spiritual Warfare and not letting the enemy get a foot hold into our lives. Basically, what they are teaching us is, if you give the enemy an inch, he will devour you whole, and eventually attack your family and everything else you love.
With this in mind, and as I began to apply the messages to my life, I found myself and my ministry being attacked. Now this didn’t surprise me one bit, but the magnitude of it still weighed me down anyway. I have to tell you, I am so thankful, that I have a rescue God who is right on time, ALL the time.
Let me explain, now this may be a little comical, but God used a movie to get me back on track. Okay, so I started watching this movie with my daughter but I was a little preoccupied with something else, when suddenly, the movie caught my attention. The movie was the Karate Kid, starring Jayden Smith and Jackie Chan (don’t laugh at me readers). In the movie “Han (played by Jackie Chan) promises to teach Dre (played by Jayden Smith) Kung Fu. As Dre trains he learns movements that he is able to apply to his life. Han takes Dre to a Taoist temple in the Wudang Mountains where he himself was trained by his father and while they are there, Dre watches a woman making a cobra copy her movements” (Weintraub, 2010).
As I watched Dre being mesmerized by the woman and the cobra, I was reminded of my walk with God and how my moves must be reflective of Him. AND, how I can’t let anything distract me from what He called me to do. Keeping my eyes and mind focused…steady…and locked on God… no matter what!
As a matter of fact, the bible tells us, that it is very easy to become distracted if we don’t keep our eyes on God at all times. Joel Osteen (2018), my favorite pastor breaks down the scripture Mathew 13:23-24, “about a man who went out to his field and planted wheat in the ground. He sowed good seed. This represents that he was doing the right thing, honoring God with his life, and being good to others. But while he slept, an enemy came in and planted weeds. The man didn’t know what had happened. He was expecting to have a great harvest; after all, he did all the right things. But the weeds sprang up among his wheat anyway.”
In other words, the scripture is telling us that sometimes things happen in life. Weeds spring up that we don’t have anything to do with. The key is to keep the right attitude and stay focused on the goodness of God. And when these unexpected challenges happen, we can say, “It’s just another weed. I didn’t sow it, I don’t have to reap it.” Then we can keep the door open for God to move on our behalf (Osteen, 2018).
Sister to Sister do you hear me? Are you keeping your eyes focused on God?
References
Osteen, J. (2018, May 20). When Weeds Spring Up . Retrieved from https://247devotionals.com/joel-osteen-sermon-when-weeds-spring-up-May-20-2018/
Weintraub, J. (Producer), & Zwart, H. (Director). (2010). The Karate Kid (2010 film) [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheKarate Kid (2010 film)
Copyright © 2017- 2018, This Blog is presented by I Am My Sister (Women helping Women) LLC. Unauthorized use and /or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to immysister.org or I Am My Sister (Women helping Women) LLC with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Writtenby Kim Johnson, Author of immysister.org
Sometimes God calls us to do things that we really don’t want to do. Some of the reasons we may not want to do them are, we lackself-confidence, we may doubt our ability to succeed, we don’t feel qualified,or, as simple as, we just plain ole are too tired and afraid. But! On the other hand, when God gives us a vision and we follow through with it, in spite of what we might be feeling, we are walking in obedience and demonstrating faith/trusting God.
As for me, I want to be obedient and I want to do what God calls me to do. However, I am no different than anyone else, walking inobedience is hard for me too. Especially, if it involves a lack of sleep, stress, driving some place I don’t want to go and dealing with difficult people.
Nevertheless, I have learned to push past my feelings and trust God no matter what I see, because I don’t like consequences and I don’t want God to give my assignment to someone to else.
In any event, the bible tells us that blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it (Luke 11:28, NIV). Charles Stanley explains that God always promises to bless joyful obedience. And that we delight God’s heart when we choose to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to do what He commands us to do. Often, God’s greatest blessings come as a result of our willingness todo something that appears very insignificant.
So ask yourself, has God been challenging you to do something seemingly unimportant that you have rationalized by saying, it’s too difficult, I don’t want to, or I have to pray about it first?
The thing is this, our obedience always benefits others. God often rewards others in particular, those closest to us as a result of our obedience. For example, when a father obeys the Lord, his entire family reaps the reward of God’s blessings. Likewise, a child’s obedience will bless his or her parents. This does not mean that those who choose to disobey the Lord will escape His discipline because of someone else’s godly walk. His call to obedience always demands our response. However, when we live obedient lives, those who know and love us will sense the peace and joy he has given us. And, instead of conflict, there will be contentment and that is just one part of experiencing God’s goodness (pg. 1198).
Sisterto Sister do you hear me, are you walking in Godly obedience?
Reference
Stanley, C. F. (2009). Life Principles Bible. In C. Stanley (Ed.). Thomas Nelson.
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Written by Kim Johnson, Founder of I Am My Sister (Women Helping Women) LLC
One thing I have learned is, when God calls us to do something, We should do it immediately. In the long run we are going to do it anyway, Either the hard way or the easy way, lol.
As for me, I don’t like consequences and I don’t want God to give my assignment to someone else, so if I know it’s God talking to me, I’m jumping.
Did God ask you to do something you’re struggling to do? Don’t forget Jonah in the Bible (Jonah 1:1-4).
The good news is we can repent.
God never turns away from a truly repentant heart, even if that heart beats in a man who tried to run away from Him. The Lord often uses affliction, not to punish us but to bring us back to Him (Charles Stanley Bible, p. 1049).
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/03/05/being-double-minded/
Written By Kim Johnson
Everyone needs a blessing. We all need to be encouraged, edified, complimented, and appreciated.
And YOU have the ability to bless others. Be thankful that God not only blesses you, but that He has made you a blessing.
We all get weary at times and need other people to let us know that we are valuable and appreciated (Joyce Meyers).
So be a blessing to someone today. Amen
Sister to sister do you hear me? Are you willing to be a blessing to someone?
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2019/10/04/confidence/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/12/09/put-on-the-whole-armor-of-god/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/06/15/losing-ashlee/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/07/08/faith-that-god-will-do-what-he-said/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/10/02/when-a-monster-comes-to-visit/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2020/12/05/when-both-people-are-broken/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://immysister.org/2021/02/24/be-excellent/