Heeeeyyyy! I pray you all are doing well! I had something else planned, but I had an “I don’t know who needs to hear this” moment! I will not be before you long this month. I just wanted to share some things that I have been meditating on to encourage me during the past few months. Pardon my vulnerability, sis.

I had a moment recently. Sis was in her feelings about a few things. I tried to block it out, God even sent someone to check on me and I told them I was doing good. Mind you, I had just gotten off these knees that sound like old rocking chairs! I thought that I just needed to have a few minutes with God. While in prayer, a scripture came to mind. I sat there a few minutes, stood up and declared that scripture, and I thought I was good! NAH! The next day, those emotions I was trying to suppress were like “Sis, you gonna feel ALL of this!” Sometimes we can try to hide our thoughts, feelings, and emotions when we just need to present them to God. Unfiltered, raw, and real. Remember, He even sent wise counsel and I rejected that too!

The scripture that came to mind was Psalm 25:3. The Amplified Classic Version says: “Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause.” Sometimes when we feel like we are trying to wait, trust, and do things “the right way” things are not moving, but things seem to be moving right along for others. Have you ever been teased for following the path that God has for you instead of doing things that may seem ok for others? I am not sure who needs to hear this, but the good Word says that we will not be put to shame or disappointed. Nothing we do for God goes unnoticed. We may not receive an immediate reward, but He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Those who intentionally seek to obey His word, even though we may fall short.

Trust me when I say that I do not always wait well. I will do well for a while, then a thought or opinion will arise and I get caught slipping in my feelings. One day I had a thought, “Do I feel that God has disappointed me, or is it my expectations and timelines that have disappointed me?” I honestly believe it was the latter of the two. God is not as concerned about those expectations and timelines as He is about getting the glory out of everything He does. He does all things well, right? Failure is not His forte. How will the things we have been praying, crying, and begging for bring Him glory? What will we do with it when we get it? How will we steward the gift well? Will we multiply or add value to the gift? Those are very important questions to ask as we present our request to God.

I hope my transparency and this scripture will encourage you! Nothing we do for God is in vain. Maybe you have another scripture that you can stand on during moments of weakness. Ask God for a word! He will give you something to encourage you, send someone to support you, or allow you to hear or see something that will uplift your spirit. God is ALWAYS speaking, it’s up to us to be sensitive to those moments.

Father, we trust your word. We will wait in expectancy and believe that you will not allow ourselves or others to shake that faith in You. You are the lifter of our heads, the lover of our souls, and the peace in our storms. We know that you will not allow us to be put to shame or disappointed. Show us your plans as we spend time with you so that we can align with your thoughts for our lives. Help us when we get weary as we follow your path. We thank you for sending your word, as well as our sisters and brothers, to encourage us as we endeavor to continue on our designated paths. We thank you for focus as distractions, thoughts, and emotions come to disturb our peace and position in you. Because of you, we WIN. We love you, thank you, and adore you. Amen!

I’m baaaaccckkk! I am so excited to get back to writing! I actually only took a little break as I was still recording podcasts and working on other projects related to Broken to Beautiful. I am very excited about how God is working through this platform! It has been an eventful few months and I have learned a few valuable lessons. I want to share a story with you all about the importance of proper positioning.

A while back, I felt the need to study a very popular story in the Bible. I took notes but didn’t really know what I needed to get from it specifically. While I was cleaning and thinking about this subject, I said Esther! This is the perfect story about the importance of being in the right place at the right time, the “sweet spot”.

Esther has her own book in the Bible, so go check it out. Esther was a Jewish girl that was being raised by her uncle Mordecai in the Persian kingdom. The King of Persia, Xerxes, was in search of another wife because he got mad at his wife Vashti. Listen, that’s another blog, sis! Xerxes wanted a young, virgin tenderoni and had his team to go gather up some women and bring them to his palace. They went through a rigorous beauty treatment and had to be presented in front of the king to be chosen as his new wife. Esther found favor through the whole process and was chosen by the king! So, you know when you are “chosen” it’s not just for you, right?

Xerxes had a “right hand man” named Haman. Haman had an encounter with Mordecai where He refused to bow down to Haman as it was against his culture. As a result, he influenced the king to sign an order to kill all of the Jews, not knowing that those were Esther’s people. Mordecai informed Esther and asked that she intervene. Doing so could cost her life, even though the king was her husband! Of course, she was afraid, but Uncle Mordecai had to remind her that it was not happenstance that she was in this particular space. Esther 4:13-14 The Good News Translation says “Don’t imagine that you are safer than any other Jew just because you are in the royal palace. If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father’s family will come to an end. Yet who knows—maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!” In other words, “Don’t act brand new!”

Esther understood the assignment, so she had Uncle Mordecai to have the Jews to fast and pray along with her and her maidens. She also planned a banquet. You know what food does to a man’s heart, right? She received favor as she went before him, and Uncle Mordecai was promoted. Read the story to see what happened to Mr. Haman, but Mordecai was given the power to allow the Jews to organize self-defense. They were victorious in the fight, all because of proper positioning.

Esther was in her sweet spot. What is a sweet spot you may ask? According to Merriam Webster, “It is an ideal or most favorable location, level, area, or combination of factors for a particular activity or purpose.” In other words, it means being in the proper position for purpose to be fulfilled. Not only was she in her sweet spot, but she also stewarded that area well. That’s the key. What we do with what we have in that sweet spot is so pivotal and it can either cause all things to align or all things to fall apart.

This year has been full of transitions for me. Some have been easy, some difficult, some stressful. There were routes that I wouldn’t have exactly taken, but I am so thankful that God has allowed me to know that I was exactly where I needed to be or given me some insight into why He was leading me in different directions. Even our connections are meaningful. I have had to let go of some connections that were not conducive to my purpose. On the other hand, I have literally had to tell people ” I have no idea why you like me, but I am thankful!” He will allow us to have favor with others in order to take us to the places and spaces that we are needed. Now, did I always steward my positioning well? NOPE! We are transparent around here! I have been in some spaces that I knew were intentional, but I was like “Listen, I hate it here and it shows!”

One thing I can appreciate about Esther was her obedience. She clearly had doubt and fear, but she was obedient. That reminds me a little of myself. I can definitely be one to say “nah” about something. When I know that God said it, even when I am reluctant, complaining, and a little salty I try to be obedient and make it happen knowing that He will be with me. If it is truly from Him, it will look like He is a part of it. He will make sure that it is carried out according to His plan.

So, do you know where your “sweet spot” is? Honestly, it may be that space where you are most uncomfortable. How are you stewarding that space? Have you been avoiding an assignment that could be your “sweet spot” because you already know it will be uncomfortable? Listen, these are also questions for me, sis! Proper positioning and timing are key to our development. It equips us for future opportunities, prepares us for the full scope of our purpose, and we meet people along the way that we can impact and glean from. I would rather be uncomfortable and in the right place than to be comfortable and out of position. Truthfully, you’re not exactly comfortable. Your flesh may feel comfortable, but your spirit is doing cartwheels! Sis, I have had to come to terms with this revelation and it is very sobering. We have to remember God is intentional about His children.

Father, we thank you for your guidance. You promised to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathways. You said you would go before us and make the crooked paths straight. We thank you for being so kind and loving to us. Giving us grace even when we resist your perfect paths and plans. We thank you that all things work together for our good because we love you and are called to your purpose. The discomfort, pain, and fears that come with proper positioning are all for our good and for your glory. We thank you for redeeming the time, covering us as we go forth in obedience, and giving us strength when we feel weary from doing your will. We will steward our sweet spot well, we will do so with your confidence and excellence, and we will be victorious. Amen.