I’m baaaaccckkk! Hello lovelies! I am so happy to be back! I am recharged and I have some good stuff to share with you all! This month we are talking about wisdom! Anyone who knows me well understands my love for wisdom. I love listening to people who have good wisdom to share. I am always captivated by good words of wisdom, I take notes, and I am always praying that God would give me wisdom as I share with you all. I want to share a story about someone that was known as the wisest man to ever live. He penned a few books in the Bible, including most of Proverbs, which is known as the book of wisdom. It has been a while, so let’s have a little Bible study!!

Let’s talk about King Solomon. Solomon was the heir to King David, his father who was known as the man after God’s heart. A part of Solomon’s story, found in 1 Kings 3:5-15 intrigued me. As always, I want you to go check it out, but I will give you a brief synopsis. Solomon was asleep one night and God appeared to him in a dream asking “What do you want? Ask and I will give it to you.” Now, if God were to ask us that I am sure we would have a LIST of things ranging from a spouse, cars, homes, and coins. Not my guy Solomon. Solomon thanked God for his position as king and asked God for wisdom to lead the people to which he was assigned. He recognized that he was young and could not fully handle the task of his new position without wisdom. The Lord was pleased! He could have asked for anything in the world, but He asked for wisdom. He gave him a heart of understanding that no one ever had or will ever have. That’s pretty dope, right? But what exactly is wisdom? Glad you asked!

You know I love definitions. During my search, my favorite definition of wisdom found was “The capacity to have foreknowledge of something, to know the consequences (both positive and negative) of all the available course of actions, and to yield or take the options with the most advantage either for present or future implication.” Some synonyms for wisdom is discernment, common sense, and sound judgment. I personally describe it as knowledge that is applied. This is where we get crossed up like we are playing one on one with Steph Curry. How many of us have knowledge of what is right, but we just don’t apply that knowledge? Have your discerning red lights been flashing, but because it was something you wanted you ran the red light anyway? That causes accidents, confusion, and chaos, right? Honey, that has happened to me too, no shame here my friend! However, the truth that I know brings me back, even if I have a momentary lapse of judgment. Knowledge is basically intellect and facts, but wisdom points to your character and how you apply what you know. Sounds like wisdom is an action word to me!

A while back, a coworker left a note on my desk that had the scripture Proverbs 4:7 printed on it. That scripture in the New Living Translation says “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” I have no idea what he was trying to tell me in that moment, but I will always remember that scripture, and I try my best to apply that to my life now. Maybe he knew that I was going to need to depend on God’s wisdom for what God has called me to do. As I was looking at the different scriptures on wisdom, I found many benefits of this precious commodity. I found that wisdom brings honor, influence, security, and protection, and it is more precious than rubies. We should love it, honor it, and embrace it. Wisdom allows us to make the right decisions, use good judgment, discern things correctly, and counsel others as needed. When we use the knowledge that we have and the wisdom that God gives, we have a powerful tool to follow the path God has designed for us and be a light for others. So, is wisdom for an elite group of people? NOPE!

James 1:5 The Passion Translation says “And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace.” Isn’t that refreshing!! All we have to do is ask! I ask often! I see my need for it, I value it, and I know that it will always yield great benefits. I don’t always agree, but I know that because I have asked, it is purely from God and He will never lead me astray. Solomon was known as the wisest man, but he had some moments where he left his wisdom down the street! He didn’t always apply it. God gives it when we ask, but it is completely up to us to apply it. We may ask for a spouse, but do we have the wisdom to choose well and steward that relationship the way God designed marriage? We may ask for money and wealth, but do we have the wisdom to sustain it? We ask for material things like homes and cars, but do we have the financial wisdom to make the right moves? If we walk in wisdom, everything else will naturally follow because we are applying our knowledge. Joyce Meyer says “Wisdom does now what it will be happy with later.” We ALL have to live in the decisions we make. Let’s make sound decisions so that our lives will be fulfilled.

Father, I pray that you would grant us YOUR wisdom. We thank you for this precious gift. We thank you for giving us the discernment to fully walk in this gift. We understand that if we seek first the kingdom of God and all righteousness, all things we need will be added. Help us to draw closer to you so that we can reap all of the beautiful benefits of your wisdom. We thank you that it is a protector, a keeper, a source of security, and a light to our paths as well as a light to others. Help us to use it wisely and share it with those who value our sacrifice to obtain it. As we grow in the knowledge of you and your beautiful ways, your wisdom, clarity, and discernment will naturally permeate our souls. We love you, praise you, and adore you. Amen!

Hello BEAUTIFUL ones!! I kinda missed writing! Seems like forever, but here I am before taking an intermission until September! I am sure I will have some fresh content to share with you all. So it is still spring and everyone that actually has a green thumb has been gardening and are loving the fruit of their labor. I recently decided to become a plant mom! My babies Winston and Ava are the new additions to my home! I felt like I needed other living organisms in my space and I love my babies, but please pray for us! Flowers are soooo beautiful, but I haven’t been successful in keeping them alive. I can only admire the beauty that they bring for everyone to behold. But I find that we can all relate to the beauty of a flower. Let’s talk about it!

I always thought that the phrase “Bloom where you are planted” came from the Bible. It did not! It was originally stated as a part of a quote by a man named Saint Frances De Sales. These are words of wisdom that can be applied in many situations. Because I love defining words, I have a few definitions of bloom for you. I found “To make progress, to thrive, the process of recovery, the peak or ideal moment for something, to flourish, and the state or period of greatest beauty.” Those are some amazing descriptions of what it means to bloom. Saint Frances quote suggests that you can do all of those things where you are planted. Can we?

When I think of blooming where one is planted, I think it means making the most of your current space or position. Even if it is an undesirable space or a situation that you don’t enjoy, we can use it as an opportunity for growth and development. We have the ability to bloom and make that space beautiful because of our presence and approach to what may be unfavorable. I recently received a new assignment and your girl was NOT excited about it. I found myself being frustrated, a little fussy, and just being a WHOLE MOOD! When I thought about this phrase I realized that instead of picking out all of the negatives that I could find, I should look at the positives. I am trusted with this assignment, I am gaining knowledge, and I am able to use this as an opportunity to expand my reach. I can bloom here. But we don’t like to be fertilized! My coworker is a master gardener, she always speaks of compost. I asked her what it is and she says it can be eggshells, banana peels, potato peels, and even manure! She says she just throws them in her soil. Very undesirable things that we feel should be thrown away. Get my drift? Those things thrown at us can produce beautiful things if we continue to seek God for how to handle them and are receptive to His guidance.

We were created to thrive in all situations. Psalm 1: 2-3 AMP is the caveat. It says “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. ” When we delight in doing things as unto the Lord, He keeps us strong, nurtured, and fruitful. Always thriving, being made complete and mature. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT says “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Oftentimes, we have no idea why we are planted in a space, what is going on, and usually question why. But God sees the end from the beginning. He is pruning, fertilizing, and nourishing us as we depend on Him and His promises.

So, think about an area you feel is undesirable, uncomfortable, or a space you would rather not be planted. How can you still make that space beautiful? How can you still bloom in that spot? Sometimes we just need to rest in the beautiful place. I was listening to a podcast last week and the lady stated that her counselor told her that she was too self reflective. I can totally relate. My life sometimes seems like a computer with LOTS of tabs open that contain the things I have discovered that need “work.” That can be toxic, because I can’t rest in the beauty of the things I have already overcome, conquered, and allowed God to make beautiful. I began to write that I am going to rest, continue to allow God to cultivate THIS beauty of where I have bloomed. Enjoy the fruit of the labor of the previous season as I prepare for the next season of beauty and growth. Ya’ll growth is exhausting!! If I can’t develop a habit of resting in the beauty, I will be too busy for anyone else to see it! I need to be the first partaker and give myself grace! Can you relate?

So girl, work the wait, work that space, allow God to make it beautiful. Watch yourself flourish, thrive, and produce something healthy! You will find that not only will you experience it, but it will provoke those around you to bloom as well!! That is the heart of God, that is the great commission, that is ministry! Colossians 2:7 TPT says “Your spiritual roots go deeply into his life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to him!” We must stay close to God and allow His word, ways, and thoughts to be rooted in our lives. That gives us strength and enriches us to do all things unto Him. His living water keeps us just like the trees, strong and always fruitful. In every season and circumstance.

Father, we thank you for creating us to be vessels for you. We thank you for being a good father that desires to see us grow, thrive, and be fruitful. A father that sees the very best in us, that pulls us out of our comfort zones for your glory. We thank you for trusting us to be the example in those undesirable spaces. We know that you are there with us as long as we delight ourselves in you. We know that you are allowing us to be made whole, complete, and mature in you. We will be good stewards of this space, we will learn the lessons, and we will minister to others as you lead. Help us to remember your promise that all things work together for our good because of our love for you. We will not be defeated. What could have been meant for harm, you will make it work in our favor. We love you, praise you, and adore you. Amen! Until September, love you all!