Author: Geri Mason

Stop telling God how to bless you! As much as we say “Have your way Lord,” we don’t always allow Him to do that.  When we pray our prayers, we already have the solution all sorted and figured out ahead of time.  We tell ourselves that we gave it to God and we trust Him to do the right thing for our lives, but do we really?  It can be hard to take your hands off of something once you give it to God.

When I asked God for the freedom to travel, work smart not hard, and to have funds available for spontaneous spending decisions, as well as planning future endeavors, I had no idea what was in store for me moving forward.  Giving up my two bedroom apartment in January, and moving into a roommate setting with people I didn’t know was very scary. The one thing I told God that was written in stone was, I wanted to do a weekend getaway each month for respite, privacy, and peace.

The first month in, I found a cute little Airbnb for my regular monthly trips and was excited to be headed back there for the month of April. But then God said, “Watch me bless you beyond your wildest dreams or imaginations.” I am currently enjoying a 30-day house sitting gig that didn’t cost me a dime!  My surroundings are fabulous and serene; just what the doctor ordered!  Hallelujah, to God be the glory!  It has been said that if your dreams don’t scare you then you are not dreaming big enough.  Trust me, my dreams truly scare me and I will continue to take the limits off of God!

 

Photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash

We all have days when life is just honky-dory, and then there are days when all Hell breaks loose.  It seems like shit just keep hitting the fan!

With my most recent situation, I decided my peace of mind is worth more than the fight, so I am not going to poke the bear.  Yes, it would have been nice to not be charged for cleaning an apartment that I left cleaner than when I moved in.  Yes, it would have been nice to not be charged two extras days’ rent because I moved on a Saturday and the office was closed on Sunday, as well as Monday (because it was a holiday), and you didn’t physically get the keys out of your mailbox until Tuesday.

In talking with friends and family I got a mixture of responses like, “just go with the flow,” “everything happens for a reason,” “you should push back and make them do thus, thus, and thus,” and lastly, “is it worth the fight?” After much contemplation, and having God bless me financially in other areas, I decided to call it even, because there also had been the possibility that I would be charged for breaking my lease.  Sometimes it’s best to just leave well enough alone. Don’t Poke The Bear!

You never know who you are until you become somebody that you don’t know! In a world where we are programmed from an early age to be someone that others see us becoming, I am so grateful for how God has shown me new avenues of fulfillment along this journey called life!  Every door that I walked through this past year was preparing me for every door that I would have to walk through moving forward. I found myself in places and spaces that were uncomfortable, but I adapted and was blessed by the presence of those in the room. My mindset, my faith, and my physical/spiritual being was elevated, along with opening my eyes and mannerisms to new adventures. I became open-minded to things that didn’t necessarily meet my description of perfection, but became exactly what I needed on this new leg of my journey. As a person who wants/needs to know what the next step is, I got comfortable with not knowing how things would turn out. Most of the time I was pleasantly surprised when what I feared no longer presented itself as a cause for fear. I learned more than anything to just go with the flow and see where life takes me. Walking into 2025, I am oh so confident in the unknown and excited for what God is about to do. That’s what happens when you become somebody you don’t know!

“When you drink water from a cup, it becomes part of you. When water falls on you like rain, it evaporates a few minutes later.

Similarly, thoughts can be consumed or dismissed. Is this thought nourishing? Is this feeling something you should drink? Or is it more like getting caught in the rain?

You’ll always feel the rain, but you don’t have to drink the rain. You can let the thought pass and in a few moments the sun will return. You don’t have to claim everything you feel.”

By James Clear

This is something I ran across recently and found it to be suitable for such a time as this!

There are times when we all may feel overlooked, underappreciated, or down right invisible.  We spend time doing and doing and wondering if what we do matters at all.  Although we realize that good deeds or actions will not take us to heaven, however we do like it when folks let us know that we are SEEN!

During my morning bible study I came across the story of Ruth and Boaz, a very familiar passage to many churchgoers, and others as well.  When Ruth asked Boaz, “How is it that I have found favor in your eyes?” he replied, “It has been reported to me what you did for your mother-in-law.”  This just goes to show you that sometimes what we feel is undervalued or overlooked, may mean the world to others.  There is always somebody looking and placing your name in rooms you haven’t even entered yet.  Never stop doing good even when it doesn’t always come back at the moment, or from the recipient of your good.  God sees all and you will definitely reap what you sow when harvest time arrives.  It has been reported to me!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Have you ever received a piece of mail that you sent out, but it came back with the words, “Return to Sender – Address Unknown?”  I’m sure we all have had that happen to us.  I’ve even had mail returned where it was sent to a forwarding address and THAT address was unknown.  WOW!

There may be times when you show up in a room where you know that you are going to be uncomfortable, but God has a reason for putting you in that room.  There is something about your energy or your ability to transcend the obvious and get to the necessary!  There are things that will be sent to you by the Universe, and you can’t return them.  They came for a reason and to serve a purpose.

Sometimes God may send you to places with “No Return Address”, because He doesn’t want you to see a way out!  We always want to know what the final outcome will be before we take on certain tasks.  But when you are on an assignment for God there will be many days and nights when you are wondering why was I sent to do this?  Why am I out here in no man’s land trying to help somebody who sometimes doesn’t even want my help?  There are certain assignments on your life that only you can fulfill.

Having “No return address” creates a situation where we MUST face our fear because the letter or the package (that thing you are afraid of), is being delivered to you whether you want it or not.  It’s not gonna be returned and it’s gonna keep showing up until you deal with it!

There are eight steps to consider while traveling the road to success:

• Destination – where are you going? Do you devote time each day towards your destination?
• Driver – Who’s at the steering wheel? How are you going to maintain your energy level and momentum?  Do you have daily routines that keep you pumped and energized?
• Why – If you remember your ‘why’ it will make it easier to stay on course during challenging times. Why are you going in this direction?  Are you motivated and determined?
• Windshield – What is the vision that you see? What will you be leaving behind?
• Tune Ups – What is your life’s philosophy? What does your business stand for or what do you stand for?
• Goals – What will be some of the highlights of your journey? Remember to enjoy the ride! Your goals are the landmarks that get you closer to your vision.
• Accountability – Who will be your accountability partner? Why did you chose them?  What do they possess that make then a good, effective, partner?
• Outcome – By this step you should see yourself where you want to be.
• Congratulations!  You made it!

I was at a house church meeting recently and we were discussing compassion, being considerate of others’ feelings, concern for your fellowman, and realizing that we all operate from a place of where we came from, what has transpired during our life on earth, and where we are now.  Then someone said, “Everybody sits in their own pool of tears!”  Oh my God!  That statement hit me in a way that made me look at how I judge people in my life, whether it’s when I’m outside in the streets, or at work, or driving for Uber, or at social gatherings. It also made me look at things differently when I am the recipient of someone else’s judgment.

Everyone experiences their own personal sorrows and challenges in life. This is a shared human experience in dealing with emotions, even if each individual’s circumstances and reactions are unique. The way someone responds to what you are saying or doing may come from a place of hurt, pain, or total misunderstanding of the message you were trying to convey.  We all know that hurt people hurt people.  Yes, we hear that all the time, but do we really truly understand the magnitude of that statement?  When I look at how sensitive I am and how I respond to certain situations, I know for a fact that a majority of my responses come from a place of hurt, and vice versa!

 

During a zoom meeting that I had scheduled, I found myself quoting parts of a recent Sunday sermon.  As I shared, one of my viewers, who is also on my weekly email list asked me, “What happened to the blogs that you used to do occasionally after some of the sermons?”  I gave her a number of reasons why I hadn’t done one lately.  Well, low and behold, here I am today recapping with a sprinkle of personal testimony from last Sunday’s sermon, because every day this week I have repeated those words.  Our theme for the series is, “Unboxed – The Power of Innovation,” with the first installment being, “There is Another Way!”  I have never seen a pastor so eloquently tie every scripture to daily living in a manner such as this.  There are three areas to consider when thinking about the healing at the pool, John 5:1-9;  1) Examine your expectations,  2) Don’t be trapped by tradition, and  3) Operate in obedience.

Let’s ponder this!  Do you really want what you are asking for?  Do you want that new job?  Do you want that spouse which you been praying for?  Are you ready for the responsibilities that come with acquiring what you are seeking? What are your expectations once you get what you want?  Jesus asked the man at the pool one question, “Do you want to be healed?”  Of course he said yes, after explaining to Jesus all the reasons why he didn’t think it could happen.  In life, we get trapped by what has happened before and fail to realize that with Jesus, there is another way! There is another way to get that job!  There is another way to have that spouse!  Jesus said, “Pick up your mat,” and the man was immediately healed!  He didn’t have to wait for anyone to help him get in the pool.  He didn’t have to wait for the water to be stirred!  All he had to do was hear the voice of God and be obedient.  Of course all of this seems very simple until it’s time to put it into practice.  I promise you it gets easier the more you do it!  I’m a living witness.  Not perfect, but I’m a work in progress every day.  God bless you as you listen to His voice and realize that there is another way.