Honesty Today - Glory To God!

A New Era!!! EXCELLENT NEWS!!!

2009-04-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord - things are changing and God is moving...just wanted to let you know that you can find my writings in a new place here on Blogger - it is the combination of the Honesty Today and Good Morning Inspiration. It is located at From the Desk of Alissa Lynne

Yet that is not the best news at all....

Praise the Lord everyone!!! I am so excited that I have this news to bring...Women Living 4 Jesus is now an offical 501(c)3 public charity organization! I am so excited that the Lord blessed us with this privilege and may we go on even further in Him doing His will!

Thank you Jesus for blessing Women Living 4 jesus and may we always glorify your name and truly live - We are Here for All Women - One Woman at a Time!

We are on our way - there is more to come in the name of Jesus! Praise His Holy Name!!

God Bless!!

Moving On

2009-01-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord - due to the trying to limit the places of posting Honesty Today and Good Morning Blogs - if you would like to still read the Honesty Today and/or Good Morning Inspiration Emails - you will need to send an email to contactus@womenliving4jesus.org

Please state which blog you would like to subscribe too. Thanks for your support over the months but the Lord is moving Women Living 4 Jesus Association into a different direction and I must move with it.

God Bless and may the Lord continue to shine on your life for all eternity!

Love your sister in Christ
Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today – 01/28/09 – Scriptures on my heart lately…

2009-01-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord! First I wanted to say thank you to all those that sent email responses back to me. I thank God for the wonderful positive encouragement and the love that some have shown. I am thankful that I have my sisters looking out for me and my family in prayer. It is truly what the Lord wants from us.

I think I said the other day about scriptures that mean so much to me, yet they are singing loudly to me today so this is what I have to write today…

Here are some scriptures just singing in my head today….

Isaiah 61:1-3 1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

When we were looking for a new scripture to head up WL4J and what we stood for, a sister in Christ submitted this scripture and it has been with me ever since. It sings to me what we are to do as Christians, sure it was writing in the Old Testament but it sings to us this day for what the Lord has done for us and what we need to do for others. Yet, verse 3 touched me as I was determined to live in a life of praise in the Lord and putting on the garment of praise for the rest of my life! Let us all put on the garment of praise for the Lord this and every day!

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Awwwwww James 5:16….this scripture was one of the ones that has not left me for a few months now. It comes to mind every time I do not want to write something in the Honesty Today, but then the Lord speaks to me this scripture and I write it – most of those Honesty Today’s that this happens on – I get a huge response back from sisters. God is truly true to His word. We need to uplift the Lord as it will be a blessing always. Let us remember to break down those walls for in breaking down the walls, we can release things and be free in Jesus.

Isaiah 43:18-19 18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

As I was going through the realization of changes in my life, a sister in Christ shared this scripture with me and I am telling you – it spoke volumes to me and still does. This is a daily scripture for me for I am changed in Jesus – that old Alissa is leaving and Sister Alissa Lynne is here to stay!

John 4: 23-24 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

I have to praise the Lord in spirit and truth. As most of you know, I love to talk about the Lord, I love to tell of His goodness, I love to keep it real, and I love to praise the Lord. I believe that all of this is important to keeping my walk in the Lord on the right path. I know that I am looking forward to praising the Lord for all eternity. There is no better feeling than to praise the Lord with all that I have – in spirit and in truth. If you think of something that is better than this…then you have not experienced true worship and praise of the Lord. When we are in the presence of the Lord – there is nothing to compare it to – nothing can touch it. It is so awesome to be free in Jesus and to be able to praise Him all the time. I love the fact that sometimes the Lord is so ever present in my heart that I have to go outside and praise the Lord as the joy is over bubbling! Awesome God! I pray that you are able to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth!

Romans 8:28-39 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Okay since coming to Christ, Romans 8 has stayed with me each and every day. There is so much in those scriptures that just keeps me moving forward in my life. When I do not understand something, when I am confused, when I feel alone, when I feel rejected…the above scriptures place it all back in line for me. God is just so awesome…NOTHING WILL SEPARATE US FROM HIS LOVE – we can not even do that, for even when we walk away from Him, His love for us is still there…we woke up that morning! AMEN!

Luke 10:17-20 17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

When I was going through some things and could not figure out what was going on and when Ephesians 6:10-18 was not just hitting what I needed it to hit. I was studying Luke and this smack me in the face. Not only did Jesus send out men to spread the word (as I did not know that He has any other than the 12 spreading the word of God), but He gave them power and those of us that He grants us the power of the Holy Spirit (Which is a gift that we can all have for it is freely given to all those that ask for it), He blesses us because our names are written in Heaven.

At that time in my life I was trying to come to conclusions of what I was going though, did I want to continue seeing Elder Merv or did I want to just be me alone, along with the fact that I was dealing with my son acting up in school, with bills piling up and not even sure what I was going to do at all. Those scriptures just reminded me how the Lord gave us power over the enemy and we are to act accordingly for we are blessed to know that we were going to be with Him for all eternity. It motivated me to stand on the word of God.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Jesus makes us free – Jesus is the way, the truth, the light and the life! It is just that reminder that keeps me honest with myself and all those around me. There is no other excuse or misunderstanding in these scriptures…I believe the word of God and I know that I am free in Jesus because He makes me free! AMEN!!

Colossians 3:9-17 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Last Sunday, my pastor spoke on verse 11 but as I always do – I read the entire chapter and in my reading – praise the Lord for the encouragement and the truth. I am new in Jesus – all the things of the pass are gone and all things are to be done in His name and He is so worthy of our praises. His word is so important to our lives and the need for us to sing His praises will only bless our very being. May we all remember what He has done and just love Him because of the love He has shown us.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Peace and joy – peace – peace and peace some more. There is nothing like the peace of the Lord and how He will give us peace that passeth all understanding. God is good and awesome – we need to remember that when we need to feel peace – go to Jesus for the peace for this is one thing the world can not give to you.

Ephesians 1:3-14 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

His love for us is so beyond our comprehension yet it is felt in every second of our day if we allow our hearts to be filled with His love and allow us to feel it flowing in us.

Psalm 113:1-4 1Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. 3From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. 4The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

I love to sing the praises of God and I have to say that I have grown to love the book of Psalms, for the praises that go forth to the Lord! David was truly blessed with words!

Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Enough said with that scripture – this is who Jesus is to me and to all of us that believe and for those that do not believe – they will come to know too one day!

Before I close out I needed to say that I am truly grateful to the Lord for His word, for His truth, for His guidance and protection, and for His love for me. I have struggled with allowing myself to be loved by those that love me but it is in the love of the Lord that I am shining and becoming a new creature in the Lord. It is awesome to feel the difference in my life due to His love. I am thankful to the Lord for all things…so with that said…..

Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Jude 1:24-25 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Until tomorrow,
Love your sister in Christ,
Sister Alissa Lynne

Psalm 19:13-14 13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Honesty Today 01/27/09 – In my imperfectness

2009-01-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord! Okay this is really something for me today. I am sitting here trying to figure out how to start this. Please forgive me as a lot of this is direct, I have received several emails that were negative and really directed at me in the manner of my walk in the Lord and what I say in my Honesty Today writings, and the things that God has laid before me and this is my conversation to the enemy to get off of me for in my imperfections – God is glorified! Hallelujah Jesus! Yes it is long – when are they not! Yes I am upset in writing this but the Honesty must flow – I promised! Praise the Lord!!!

I am learning that in my imperfectness the Lord is blessing me and using me. As we were talking on the Living Victorious talk show last night – the topic was honesty. It was an interesting topic and one that I truly stand by. I am always telling sisters and brothers in Christ to open up for it is in our secrets that we are losing our ground in the Lord.

We were blessed with Pastor Debra to join us and we just enjoyed her comments. Yet the show was not the highlight of the last 24 hours. The highlight was my husband waking up and expressing some concerns he had. Now let me tell you not only did his concerns literally rock me, but they truly hit me to the core of my heart. Here I am faced with this issue. (Sorry I do not have the permission to write what he said at this time…in time I am sure I will) Yet when he stated this to me, I was really thrown for a loop. I was feeling really bad. I have been talking to my husband about being totally honest with me at all times so as I was listening to him express himself, I tried to keep my mouth shut and my mind open. Yet I was thinking to myself – Lord what is this? Why are we going through this again? What am I not doing right? Yet the Lord said listen…so I did.

We talked all the way to my job and as we talked even more, I had to be honest too…so we did talk. As we come to place more on the table…the first thing I thought was Lord this can not be…I thought everything is out there already. LOL the Lord said yes it is and yet both of you are only dealing with the parts that you want to do…I am bringing it to you again so that you will not have to bring this to the table again. I smiled as I was reading the email from my hubby and responding back with all the honesty that I have.

I have to smile at that because I am so honest with him that I never think of it hurting him in any manner and I have repeatedly have asked him to be this honest with me too. Yet when he did…my first thought was “well then forget this”…and crawl back in my lovely cave, but then the Lord reminded me when I did that last time. So I started digging deeper and come to see that it was a misunderstanding on both of our parts…neither one wanting to say anything but still on our minds to say something. Yet as I sit here content and happy, I know that God has been working it out for us. He knew beforehand that we needed to do the show to open more doors for us.

We are not the perfect couple but in Jesus we are perfect for each other. It is really awesome to see the Lord work out our issues and problems. I believe 100% about being honest with our mates…I know there are so many who say not to do so, but in our honesty we are free. I did not like what my hubby said about me, and I am sure he did not care for what I said about him…but in doing so it has opened the door for us to explore together a way to come even closer together. As silly as it sounds to some, as it is not silly to me, we are closer because of it. I will go home and just lay in his arms more because of the closeness and I am sure he will have open arms still even after our disagreement. It is truly in the Lord that we are to stand.

It amazes me when so many sisters are asking me how can I do all that I do and how does it work out and why they are not able to do it…here are a few things – direct, honest and it may even sting somewhat so put on the spirit of the Lord as I state these things

First – my walk in the Lord is NOT your walk in the Lord – do not try to compare us and think that I am overdoing it, do not think you are under doing it (unless you really are) we all have a walk in the Lord and though we are on the same path does not mean you are to be doing the same things as I am. Everyone is not to have a national ministry, an international ministry, everyone is not called to sing and everyone is not called to preach. Come to know your gifts in the Lord and work on them. It is our individuality that unites us as one body of Christ – know what body part you are and walk in it. We have done a My Purpose workshop and getting ready to do My Gifts in the Holy Spirit workshop all on line and if you are interested in either one – let me know. I am willing to even do them one on one…this is what God has commissioned me to do at this time in my walk with Him. We have to know the Lord - truly know Him and not rely on others but rely on Him. We can not take the measuring stick for someone else’s life and use it for our life because we will never measure up. We can be on the same path in life, just taking different steps to get to the end of the road. There is no shame in you – love who you are and accept who you are! Praise the Lord!

Second – though we have different things to do – we all have different ministries to do. Just because your gift is being a helper or the gift of giving does not make your gift any less valuable than anyone else’s…the key here is to know your gift - stop making excuses as to why you are not doing this or why you are not doing that in the Lord. Be happy and content in whatsoever state you are in…even if there is something missing from your life…stand on the word of God.

It amazes me how because I am so open that people take liberties with what I say and want to take it back at me as in a challenge or something. I thank God for the strength that He provides or I would have gave up a long time ago. God is truly moving in my life and I am thankful to Him. It is hard to write what I am thinking each day, it is hard to open up but in my opening up I am becoming free. I am still in pain and hurt from my past though most of it is gone, yet there is still some there. The Lord is so awesome because He keeps making me face it – I do not want to face it but He is bringing it to face each time. I know that in the end of it all…all that was will no longer be! Praise the Lord for it!

Third – I am blessed to do what I do because of my determination in the Lord to follow His will for my life. It is the blind obedience in Jesus that I continue to strive to do. I do not always follow His will but I can only succeed in being a wife, mother, doing the full time ministry, work full time, and truly building my relationship with the Lord because of the love of the Lord himself and by blessing me with a loving husband as I have. My husband is not above helping around the house. He knows what I am doing and what it takes out of me sometimes. He is the one there when I am tired and just not feeling like doing another thing – encouraging me to keep doing the will of God. He is the one who helps when the laundry gets piled up. Yes, most men expect the wife to do that even if she is working a full time job and many of us just do that. I personally think that is a wonderful blessing to have a man who respects who I am and what I am commissioned to do. He does not step on my beliefs, He does not hurt my feelings (on purpose), and He loves me. He loves our son; He loves us with the love the Lord. We are determined to make our marriage work regardless of what others say or try to do. The enemy runs thoughts in my mind sometimes and tries to attack us through me, tries to attack us through him, tries to attack us through our son, tries to attack us through friends and family BUT GOD! He strengthens us – He reminds us why we love each other and brings us back to where we are to be. I know that there are husbands who are saved out there just letting their wives over work themselves and not help in any manner and some women find that acceptable…if this is what is okay with you then great…but understand that all of us do not have to go through that and some of us have a different kind of support and truly love the Lord for His mighty blessings.

For those husbands who are reading this long post…appreciate your wife, listen to your wife, show her affection and attention, if she is a working wife and you are still sitting there watching television while she is doing dishes…thank her – appreciate her and just love her. Some women do not mind doing those things – some women are proud to keep the house and take care of you and fall into bed exhausted…praise the Lord for her. Take the time to appreciate her…cause let me tell you this…not all women are like that.

Here is some straight up honesty for all…I am not going to do it. LOL I am a working wife and mother, and I want help around the house too. I work 40 hours a week, so does my husband – we are one in Jesus – we are one in the home. Now he is the head do not misunderstand me what he says is final…but he helps me because WE like to spend time together. If I get home and all I am doing is cleaning…when are we talking? So I fall into bed after cleaning up and all that housework alone after 40 hours a week job…make love with my husband and pass out…never once having a conversation with each other. When was the last time you spent the time ALONE with your husband – NOT WATCHING TV but just talking with him about things in life. When do you do that…do you know how many sisters tell me that their husbands are in front of the TV and they do not go to do anything together, most times the night out turns into a night of disappointment, argument or boredom because there was no conversation. You go out to eat home in an hour, this is not good my sisters and brothers. My husband and I do not go our much either because of a baby sitter but Friday nights we are up late talking and being silly about things. I look forward to Friday nights. It is a blessing to us. We missed a couple of Fridays and my husband had a few words about that too. We have to take the time for each other.

My brothers pay attention to your wife….listen to what she says and what she does not say. Speak your mind, she can not read your mind either. She needs your love more than anything…society and some Christian folks got us thinking we are supposed to work until we drop down…this is why the women movement came – I am convinced. When I think about things – the harmony that I have seen in marriages is when both the husband and wife are supportive of each other…some times that support is helping around the house. It is true…even if your wife is a stay at home mom – let her know that you appreciate all that she is doing for your family – how your family is her ministry and how she is just blessing you with a clean home and dinner ready for you.

Now of course my sisters – we have to be the same way too…stop telling him no about sex – open up and tell him when you are so tired that it is not going to be up to par with you that night but because you love him you want to make sure he is not denied. Remember that we are not superwoman, there is nothing wrong with letting things wait and not feel guilty…we are the ones who place that limitations on things…half the time our hubby would not know that the laundry is sitting there an extra day because you choose to sit with him and hang out with him. Too many empty marriages – we are to be more than the maid, and bed warmer…we are to be his help meet – we are to be his companion – we are to be what he needs from us – come to know your husband. If you are unhappy in your marriage or find things lacking – talk to him. If he will not talk to you – tell him that it bothers you and if he keeps leaving the door open things can and may happen. We as men and women have to realize that most adulterous affairs can be avoided if we would communicate and act on the communication…we have to be determined.

We need to stop making excuses…there are some of us that no matter what happens we have an excuse as to why it will not work for us…well you will continue to have struggles when you keep that attitude. Stop making excuses and be determined to make a difference. You may have to change your approach – you may have to go into serious prayer and fasting but do what you must to make it work and make your home a home of joy and peace…let us stop complaining and make a difference. Some of us are just complaining and not trying to make a difference in things. There is more to it than we are willing to admit to…deal with that and then watch what God will do. We are all blessed when we have the one that God has sent us. Sure we get frustrated but if God sent him to you and said he is your husband – stand on that and trust the Lord. Be happy and content in whatsoever state you find yourself.

Fourth – Yes I know I am blessed – I have a saved husband who loves the Lord and who loves me. He is truly governed by the Lord and as much as I love it at times I can not stand it. My husband will hold things in until he can’t take it no more and it starts out it is a little thing that turns into more than what it would have been when it started….meanwhile I am the direct tell you about it when it happens and do not sit on anything at all. We are still trying to find our happy medium in that and man is it an adventure but I love my husband and he loves me. We know that God has meant for us to be together. I am not saying this to boast but to say that if the Lord has blessed you with a husband – go to him and be honest in all that you are facing. Tell him how you feel and though he may not be able to help you or even ignore you – you know that you have given it to him as the head of your house and then make sure you take it to the Lord. Do not sit on it or allow it to fester…no matter what it is. It could be something as simple as snoring to something as serious as an affair…we need to build our relationships with our husbands.

I was truly touched by our pastor asking me on Sunday how our marriage was going. I had gone into him about our son as he seems to relate well to our son, and while I was in there, he asked me how Elder Merv and I were doing. I smiled and said that we are moving forward and though there are some things – we can and will work all of it out…we are now at the stage of really getting used to each other…the honey moon is not over – it is just beginning BUT there is still a transitional period of adjustment. I was explaining to my pastor how we need to move and this is a big concern of ours, I explained how things with Jonathan are getting a little out of hand and stressful for both of us. He stated first that in all things we have God, but we have each other and make sure communication is always open. He reminded me how sometimes we have to bend to keep harmony and the enemy out of the marriage and not just the woman all the time bending and not just the man all the time bending. As I listened to him I thought this is why there is such an importance for both spouses to be saved.

I pray much for my single sisters and that they wait for the man God has called them to be with, I pray for my married sisters who are not married to save men that they continue to be the shining light of the Lord that will drawl their husbands to Christ. I pray for my sisters, who are married to save men because that does not make the problems go away, just help us to know that in Jesus we will be alright.

We are blessed because we have Jesus! It is a daily job but we are determined to have a happy marriage and to have a great life in the Lord – I am convinced it is our determination that makes the difference! AMEN!!

Praise the Lord – I feel all right! God is good and I am blessed! Thank you Lord for letting people come at me in the manner that they do for I am stronger in you because of it! Thank you Lord for the tests because it is my testimony. Thank you Lord for blessing me in the manner that you do for I am blessed and highly favored in you and you alone!

Well until tomorrow,

Your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

WL4J Pen Pals and Social Networking

2009-01-26T17:32:00.000-08:00

We are moving out into a new adventure inspired by the Saturday Kids Fellowship. We were blessed to have a young man receive an initiation to have a pen pal and when I was asking the young gentleman when he was coming over to write the letter to his pen pal, all the other children wanted one too. Well of course Sister Alissa had to tell them that she would see what she could do.

So our first step is to reach out to all those that receive the WL4J newsletter, Good Morning and Honesty Today emails, a few Yahoo groups along with all our sisters in WL4J social group.

Guidelines:

Adults may participate for both snail and email buddies but you can only participate with other adults, we are not currently set up to do a mentoring program which is coming soon but it is not set up as of yet because there are guidelines that must be followed when you are involving adults and children for any interaction. We are not responsible for bad matching of any kind and do not take any responsibility in that, yet if you are linked with some one who is clearly not a Christian OR is not who they say they are, makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, soliciting for services and or money please inform us right away! We will handle it from there. We will not sell your email address, name or address to anyone at all, we are solely doing this to help bring kids and adults who want pen pals together as another means to keep our way in Christ. If you have any questions or would like to join the Pen Pals program send an email to sisteralissalynne@comcast.net with the following information or your question.

Children are to send there age, gender, name and address, along with favorite interests as we will try to match them with a child with the same interests.

Adults are to do the same except they do not have to send their age.

At this time all pen pals will be matched by gender – no cross gender matching will take place.

We (Sister Alissa and Elder Merv) are looking into possibly starting something for singles to meet other singles across the US. As Elder Merv and Sister Alissa Lynne met on line – starting out as friends to turn into something more, it has been a desire of both of us to do the same thing for others – free of charge or for a low fee involved…yet with lowering the risk of meeting people who are not really who they say they are. Sister Alissa has experienced that on several occasions and has now been able to offer online advice to other sisters out there meeting people on the dos and don’ts. If you are interested in this kind of forum, please send an email to sisteralissalynne@comcast.net to inform her of your interests and receive more information.

Honesty Today – 01/26/09 – Just the things the enemy tries

2009-01-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

I am thankful to the Lord today for His guidance, His love, His patience, the Holy Spirit and my walk in the Lord. I promised to always be honest so here we go yet again. I have been going through some stuff and not really saying anything to anyone about it except for a few people.

It is one of those things that I say that sometimes we need to keep to ourselves because the enemy will attack you with it. Yet and still, I have spoken on it before, but still it gets worse. I am talking about my baby boy – my only child – the one who makes me smile with that cute and contagious smile of his. He is my sweetie and truly a blessing to my heart. Yet the tests are coming hard and strong with him and though he is still only eight years old – I wonder what it going on because he is only eight. These are the things that I see with my nephew who is 13 years old, not my eight year old son. The only aspect that we are missing is that girls are not an issue. YET!! I am not looking forward to that at all.

It appears that the effects of my ex husband is really hitting us in the area of his eating habits. I have been fighting for 8 years now, the eating habits of my son. His father would sneak food to him since he was about a little over a year old. Food has become a comfort for him in all aspects of his life, whether he is happy or sad, food is what he wants. Even though I am a big girl, food has does not comfort me as it used to but I also understand where my son is coming from. He has this lack of self control that is really starting to act up again or maybe I was blind to the full effects of it – not sure but I know one thing…something has to change.

My son comes home on Friday from school, we are sitting there talking and I am going over his paper work, I noticed on one of the forms that it was school report card day. Yet I did not get a report card. I asked my son did he get a report card, he said nope they did not give me a report card. Notice the words that I asked and the words he answered with. He did not lie, he was telling the truth – they did not give him one. But report cards went out, my son did not get a report card because he owes money for the lunches that he has put on charge that he should have never done. He takes a lunch every single day to school, and yet and still he decided after eating his lunch if it was a day they were serving what he wanted, he would get lunch on charge. Now we just went through this for last report card period and though they were sending home a credit slip, he was not giving them to me. Yet, this was not revealed until after I grilled him on Saturday about the report card. I did not grill him on Friday because I just emotionally did not want to deal with the huge lies that I knew were going to come out of his mouth.

BUT GOD….Friday night after picking up my husband from the bus stop near our house, I finished watching Left Behind 2 as I had watched Left Behind 1 as I have never seen them. So after watching the rest of 2, the Lord started ministering to my spirit. See I am dealing with the insurance stuff from my grandfather and really just been getting tired of dealing with all those people unable to give me a straight answer. My grandfather has two credit cards that have tons of free money on it. LOL No I did not spend it but it was a HUGE temptation and I was trying my hardest not to do so. After I made sure everything was cleared up with the credit card people, that his accounts were in order, I cut up the cards that Friday evening and with it went the temptation to use them. Praise the Lord, I was feeling good about that and thanking God for keeping me from making that terrible mistake and truly trusting the Lord for what He is doing for me. We, my hubby and I, were just praising and praying to the Lord until 3 AM. It was awesome and it was what I needed before I faced my child on Saturday morning. Yet the Lord had prepared me for this day and conversation with my son…I had spoken a couple days before with a sister in Christ about some of the same issues that I was having with my son as she was/did with her children. She gave me some awesome advice on how to handle it and praise the Lord – it helped me in talking with him that day. The Lord had given me the peace and understanding that I needed in talking to him.

I was so thankful to the Lord for giving me that as I listened to my son repeatedly lie to me and I never once yelled at him. I denied the lies to him and kept a strong but calm voice in talking with him. It was truly a blessing to me. I pray that my son heard all that I was saying to him. As I listened to him talk and tell me lie after lie, it was tearing my heart apart but the Lord would reach over and tell me in my ear, it is okay, he has to learn too. He is mine too. I just kept listening to him talk and talk and lie and lie. Oh how hurtful that was. I am watching him trying to buy any time he can of not getting into trouble, the more I listened to him the more the Lord told me to talk to him about self control. So that is what I did, explaining self control to him and I had a testimony to give to him about how I resisted using my grandfather’s credit cards and how the Lord blessed me with the money to get the thing that I wanted anyhow. So….after all that, Merv being and Elder (which by the way – I stand to be corrected – I have been calling my hubby Minister Merv for so long but he is really an Elder…LOL Forgive me dear and he just lets it go as I gave him the email address ministermerv LOL oh well, I am sure he will say that is what he is for we are all ministers unto one another to the glory of God…if that is not the exact words it is close – trust me! LOL), well anyhow Elder Merv was ministering to him and Jonathan has stated that he wants to give his life to God. He accepted Christ as his personal savior, so we are talking with him and teaching him what that all entails, yet and still helping him to come to a better understanding of what living saved means, what being saved is and the fact that he has to be baptized. LOL Well that is where his fear is right now, being baptized even though he saw me baptized, he is scared of it, but we know that God will work it out for him in their time. We let him know that he can come to Jesus all the way when he is ready, whenever he is ready.

We had to place new rules in the house for Jonathan; he is not permitted in the kitchen without someone being in the kitchen with him. He is not permitted to even come downstairs unless one of us is already down there. Yet we lifted the no eating after 7 PM rule to help curb with late night sneaking downstairs to get something to eat. It is really something how being a parent is just something else. There is no perfect children even though sometimes when we listen to others we think we are doing something wrong with our children as they are always talking about how awesome their kids are, but no one really wants to admit that their child has issues, that their child is not the model child, yet here I am saying guess what I am not perfect and neither is my child. It is all in time of the Lord that we will have these things worked out in the Lord. My hubby said something that made much sense, it does not matter who it is, does not matter what age they are but to live our lives right we have to be saved and walking with the Lord! How true is that – so true – only through Jesus will we be made perfect.

It is something though, after that conversation with my son and talking with him, with my not getting made or upset, the Lord has blessed my talks with my son since then. I sent him to school today to bring home a new paper with the amount of money that he owes for his report card and we will see how that goes. I did not email his teacher as I wanted to let Jonathan know that he is responsible for his own actions…no one but him. We are going to be working on the self control things that are going on with him, but I know that God will work it out because my husband said he was the same way as a kid…Thank you Jesus for sending someone who walked those shoes and may he be a positive light to Jonathan and in direction that there is understanding and love administered all the time for it is all going to work out for our good for we are the called according to His purpose.

As I type this…that word keeps coming to my mind…does not matter what comes our way – whether it is good or bad or whether we want to deal with it or not – it is all going to work out for the good! None some of it but all of it…

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Yet as I put that in – the reminder of how we are more than conquerors in Jesus and how nothing – nothing will separate us from the love of the Lord.

Romans 8:37-39 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When I think about my weekend and I am asked how it was – it was a huge blessing with a few moments of wondering why but the Lord answered it all in His word and His direction for my life and that is how I strive to live!

Have a blessed day this and every day we are granted a new opportunity by opening starting our day with open eyes and the ability to praise the Lord with our minds, heart, body and soul!

Love you all,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today 01/25/09 – A Great Weekend!

2009-01-25T15:36:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord – I am blessed this and every day. I have been busy and I have been relaxing. I am really blessed. I am currently listening to the neighborhood boys that come over to my house to hang out. I am praying for a place where they can come and just hang out besides my house. As they are teenagers that are into everything and my house is not that big either. God will provide.

This weekend for the first time I watched Left Behind 1 and 2 – it was moving on me because of what it represents. I started thinking about things in the Lord and how we need to be ready. We need to know now who we serve and to live for whom we live for. It is really something how the Lord will use a movie to get us to see Him more. I am thankful for that. After the movies were over, my hubby and I was talking that turned into praise and worship for the Lord. We were up until 3 AM praising the Lord. I love it when that happens. God is good and truly worthy of all our praises.

I am thankful to the Lord for all that He is doing and though there is a lot to say, today I do not have a lot of time, so I shall post again later.

God Bless and know that God is able!

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today 01/22/09 – Steps are ordered and our choices

2009-01-22T16:10:00.001-08:00

Praise the Lord! The Lord does things in order, even when it does not make sense to us. It is still done in His order, we may reject it but yet and still He does it in order so that we will be able to move according to His will for our lives.

Yet, the steps of our lives are ordered before we are even born for we are predestined before the foundation of the world, so He knows what we need and what choices we are going to make. It is something though as I think about that – He knows I am going to do something against Him before I do and yet He still allows me to be presented with it. Praise the Lord!

I am a fan of the Matrix movies and there is a scene when Neo finds out that all he believed was not what he thought it was…I believe it is the last movie that he finds out that the prophecy was a lie, but what he did find out was – it is all choice. The only reason why they existed was because of choice. It was the choice for them to accept the fake world of the Matrix, or to choice to come out of bondage into the real world. Well that is how we kind of are in our lives now.

We can either choose to come out of the bondage of the enemy and live life by our choice in Jesus or remain in the world always lost and doing what everyone else is doing…never truly being an individual. It is our choices that make the difference in our walk with the Lord. We are blessed to have a choice, we can choice who to serve…

Joshua 24:14-15 14Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

It is our choice – just as Joshua states to the Israelites after yet again upsetting God with their lack of love for Him. I tell you – Jesus is truly the best blessing every for I would be dead if I live in Old Testament days! (LOL) It is really something when we think about that…take a moment to think about how it is your choice on whom you will serve because you can not serve both Jesus and the enemy…if you are not living for Jesus then you are living in the enemy. (You are not living for him – just living with him, the satan that is)

Yet all our steps are ordered by God…

Psalm 37:23-24 23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Yet we have the choice too, we can choose to live for Him and have all things given unto us or we can choose to live for ourselves with that nasty outcome of hell.

I was talking to Sister Bev the other day and let me tell you, I started to think she was nuts. She was speaking a word on me that to me at that time I thought she was nuts! LOL I truly thought she was…I look at myself as a Sister in Christ, I am Sister Alissa Lynne – this is who I am – who happens to be the founder of Women Living 4 Jesus Ministries…she started speaking on me as some kind of leader! LOL I shut her down after a few moments….not completely because if you know Sister Bev – she is not shutting down easily LOL (A sister of like-mindedness) she had something to tell me so I had to shut up…yet and still the word went forth and the beginning of change was formed. I have never been comfortable in leadership positions. I was a supervisor for years and still did not like to be referred as that…I am just weird like that. (LOL my hubby is going to laugh as I am always saying he is weird and I just admitted that I am weird! LOL Oh well – I am being honest and I can be weird – not just peculiar but weird! LOL)

Anyhow as I listened to her and started thinking of the blessings of the Lord and the steps that He has given me to take and in my following His will instead of my will…here I am this day…HAPPY AND CONTENT! Praise the Lord! It is truly a blessing to be in His service. Sure there are days that I am not where I should be for that time but I know that in Jesus that I will get there. It is in Him that I know my joy comes from so I will get there…It is in Him that the pain left so the love will fill me. There are so many of us still holding on just not accepting the opportunities the Lord places before us to heal us in Him. I did it for a long time, but when I was truly tired of hurting the transformation started taking place because I poured it out to Him in all aspects of my life and the joy is here to stay – the happiness is here to stay and I am in Him forever! We have to remember what it was like when we had the joy and then do whatever we can to get it back.

So many times I hear sisters talk about how they are lost in a sea of hurt, pain, insecurities, stress, fear and downtrodden by the things of this world, sometimes of their own doing and sometimes just the way life goes. We can not sit around and wait for our husband to change before we change, we can not sit around waiting for our kids to get right before we get right dealing with them, we can not sit around waiting for the Lord to send our husbands, and we truly can not sit on our butts waiting for our lives to change for the better in Jesus. This life we have is work, we need to get up and do some exercising – we need to exercise our mouth in praising the Lord, we need to exercise our minds by praying to Him, we need to exercise our eyes to read His word, we need to exercise our arms and hug our neighbors with the love of the Lord – we need to exercise our faith and trust the steps that He lays before us to take…we need to exercise our trust in Him by following all that He tells us to do even if we do not understand it at the time He is telling us. We have to exercise all of this so that we will know His voice and will for us!

Honesty Today – Okay the seriousness of today is done…I am in such a good mood…when we surround ourselves with the things of the Lord and with friends of such; the Lord will bless us to be in perfect peace. I was blessed to talk for a couple of hours last night with Sister Anna – which was only to be a few minutes conversation but then again with her and me it is never that way! I have been having some conversations with sisters via email today and just listening to some gospel music to uplift my mind in Jesus. It is awesome – I could not trade this life for anything else – even when my son is acting up and I do not understand it…the Lord sends me someone who understands what we (my family) are going through and sure enough a solution or a suggestion is given that really is going to help us get where we need to be in Jesus. I can do all things in Jesus! AMEN!!

I have the last scheduled workshop tonight with a couple of sisters and this class should be interesting…not that the other ones were not but this one is just with some of my ‘close” sisters in Christ that I talk to on a pretty regular basis. So I know that we will be learning this evening…it will not be just me talking this is for sure! I thank God for all that He is doing in my life.

I am excited because I look over my life and I see where I am in Jesus and man the enemy wanted to kill me and still does but I found safety in Jesus. I still have to finish the fourth book but so excited about it too, just waiting on the rest of the words to come to me. I have written three books already and this will be number four. I am thankful to the Lord for the things that He has in store for my family, WL4J and myself! AMEN!!

I am excited because we have a meeting place to use if we need it right near my house, so after we get some of the stuff we need to get done – it will be time to send out official notices about workshops and things to different churches and organizations! AMEN! I am so excited too – God is just going to move us where He wants to move us – for our steps are ordered by God!

Well until tomorrow,

God Bless and have an awesome day in the Lord!

Love you all!

Your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne Griffith

Honesty Today – 01/21/09 – Understanding

2009-01-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord…yesterday I had a conversation with my husband about the differences between us and just talking as we always do. We are both different styles as I am all talkative and open about most subjects without even thinking; my hubby is the complete opposite with his thoughts.

One thing I have learned is that I am an emotional creature, most women are, yet my hubby is not as most men are not. I had to state to him yesterday that he is just going to have to get used to me asking what he is thinking and feeling about something until we get used to each other. He has always been this way but being in the same house it is a little different.

At first I thought, why can’t he be like me? LOL Yet, I am sure he was wondering why does she not know that I am excited about and not. Then it started to dawn on me as we were talking, we have to come to an understanding with each other about how we respond to things and react to them differently, we have to come to understand each other more.

I think for me I thought if we are talking all the time some things are just going to fall into place – MY WAY! LOL Yet this is not how life goes, we are both set in our ways and it is an adjustment that is actually kind of fun to go through. We are learning more and understanding more about each other and Lord knows that it is work, man is it work, but the Lord is blessing so us to grow and it is such a joy in my heart!

Sometimes I wonder why God is so good to me, even through all my pain and hurt, He blessed me and kept me. It is blessings to have the Lord direct my life in the manner that He is. I think back on the days of such turmoil, pain, hurt, anger, and just plain looseness in this world, how blessed I am to come out of it.

I look at the difference in my husband’s walk and my walk in the Lord and how no matter what life you have lived – Jesus is still there. My husband grew up in a saved household, coming to Christ at the age of 13. He did his own thing for awhile and was even married prior to me, yet and still the Lord has blessed him in his walk with Jesus. He has pretty much lived a sheltered life from some things in this world and sometimes things amaze him that people do what they do. But he has had his own share of turmoil, the breakup of his first marriage that just almost destroyed him on ever thinking anyone would love him, a job loss that left him in what we call an economy struggle, well he was one of the first ones hit with that 10 years ago. Yet God kept him during that time. His relationship with the Lord got stronger and he was blessed with such moving songs from the Lord that I can not wait for the world to hear them. He can talk witness to a complete stranger with such ease and comfort that I get envious (in a good way) He has been standing on the word of God since he was 13 years old, even when he did not realize he was. To me this is the blessing that I want for my son…to grow in the Lord under parents who are saved and to be exposed to the word of God so that he too will stand on the words when he comes to a point of needing them.

For just as the word says to train them so that when they stray they will come back, Jesus did just that with my hubby. He was playing for the church and playing with the girls at the same time. LOL yet the Lord showed him mercy and grace. It is in this I see how the Lord will keep you in your life even if you are not wild, even if you are not going through a physical or mental trauma, no matter what you are going through, the Lord will keep you IF YOU WANT HIM TOO!

I look at my life and see all that trauma and hurt – yet I look at his life and see all that hurt and trauma too. Just because his walk was not like my walk, does not mean that he did not have struggles, does not mean that he did not hurt, does not mean he does not need love. So many times I would dismiss the stories of those that have not walk like me until the Lord started showing me that just like there are different levels of people, there are different levels of pain, hurt, and turmoil for each of us. All we have to do is reach out to those that we meet and we will see it in them.

It is rare that I meet a sister or brother in Christ that I can not relate to because of all that I have been through in my life and I used to look down on my situation and circumstances as now I hold my head up and say BUT GOD! See no matter what happens in our lives…we all have a BUT GOD!! For if it was not for Him – where would we be? We need to understand that in Jesus we have all we need.

We need to talk with Him; we need to read His word. We need to commit ourselves to reading his word, to praying to Him and to living our lives Holy in Him. We have to remember that we all have thoughts, we all have opinions, and we all have the opportunity to serve the Lord in a manner that is pleasing Him. We may not always agree on the same thing but we can agree enough to help each other. It is not about us but about Jesus and all of us being on one accord in Him.

It is time for us to come to an understanding together about it each other. We have to remember that even if we do not agree, we can still love each other in the manner that Jesus loves us. Let us continue to look to the Lord for our direction and even if you do not understand why someone is the way that they are – try to understand that it is okay not to know and love them any how!

God bless and have a great and powerful day in the Lord!

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

My thoughts on Our New President Obama and His speech

2009-01-20T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today I listen for the first time the entire speech given by the president of United States. I had in the past heard him speaking and could not get through it all. I usually turned him off. I did not want to do so this time as I know that come the State of the Union Addresses – I will turn him off just like I do all other presidents. I had to laugh as people think my personal views should change because he is black, which has nothing to do with my views at all.

As I listened to him, he did come across to me as a great communicator and from one communicator evaluating another communicator – I was impressed with what he said and I pray that he wrote his speech. LOL Yet there were a few things that stood out for me. Not only the fact that he is the first black president of the United States and what that would mean to my grandparents and my mother, but what it means to my son – a young black male who is going to have to grow up with a few strikes against him. My son is black, a black male, adopted, with saved parents. He has these things to deal with while he is growing up – enough for anyone to deal with but yet he will make it for Jesus is over his life. My son is so excited about Obama being president because someone that looks like him is in the White House, he wants to go to Washington D.C. to see things and this is something that we must do for him…yet he is excited mostly because it is someone who looks like him. Despite how I feel about politicians, as I am truly no fan of any of them, I am proud that America has finally accepted their first black president of the United States. Yes as I listened to him and his references to how far we as American have come – I thought was a great reference BUT as always the Lord spoke to me as he stated the following:

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”

I know he was talking about the nation and what his presidency has to face along with the American people BUT this sang out to me about our walk in Jesus. I know I am annoying sometimes but the truth of the matter is that I am a Christian woman and everything revolves around Jesus in my life – my life is Jesus. Nothing comes before the Lord and nothing ever will – Thank you Jesus. So as I listened to this, I thought of our walk in Jesus. The challenges that we face are real, some of us face serious and many challenges in our lives from simple things to huge items. None of it will be met easily or in a short time in some cases, but we as Christians need to know is that they will be met!! Hallelujah Jesus!! Each day we wake up because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord – Jesus over the world’s view! Bless the name of Jesus….

As I was listening to him (Obama) speak these words…the Lord started speaking to me! Praise the Lord for His mighty words delivered from the least expected place for me…the speech of the new President of the United States…let us keep him and his family in prayer and may we always keep the presence of the Lord with us always!! Let the words of our mouth and the mediations of our hearts be acceptable in the sight of the Lord for all eternity and may we always realize that our hope and change is in Jesus!!

Your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today 01/20/09 – Blessings of Jesus

2009-01-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord…the blessings of Jesus. Do you know that your life is a blessing of Jesus? Do you know that waking up this morning was a blessing no matter what state you find yourself in – you are blessed! I am a mood of blessings today. So many times we are quick to think material things when we think blessings and there is nothing wrong with those kinds of blessings as I want them too, but the Lord has blessed me to know that there is so much more than that to our lives.

Our lives are a blessing as we are given opportunities every single day to pass the love of the Lord to all those that we meet. Yet so many of us do not do this, so many of us are scared or afraid of what others will do or not do, some of us are not sharing the love because we do not know how, or think we can do so, some of us are so bitter that as soon as Jesus tries to love us we reject it so we have no love in our hearts. Yet He still loves us. As I think about the love of the Lord nothing but joy takes over my heart, it is the love of Him that brings me to such peace in Him. He has such a wonderful way of Him.

As my sister was saying to me earlier today, order of our steps is what Jesus does. I started thinking about that when she said it along with the love of Jesus – what an awesome combination…our steps ordered by the Lord in Love! What a way to live our lives!!! We are blessed to know Him and to have Him care so much to direct us to a better life in Him.

When I look over my life and all the mess that I endured in my life with all the silliness of the men, the stupid decisions that I made and just my lack of luster for my life, I see how blessed I truly am. It was not all in vain as I move forward in the Lord and see how those things have prepared me for this time in my life. It made me start wondering if these steps were ordered too…yet the scriptures that ring in my head takes on such a stronger meaning than when it did when I was first saved… (A sister in Christ and I were talking about some of these scriptures on Sunday after church, so she may smile when she reads this! Praise the Lord for all that He does for us. I love ya Sister L!)

Proverbs 3:5-6 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When I came to Jesus these scriptures were what kept me in Him when I did not understand why my momma “left” me when I needed her the most. It was the hardest part of her passing was when she went on to glory. I was mad at God for a minute because I needed her with me but it was in this scripture that I kept thinking to myself that there was a reason for her going on.

Yet even now I have to turn to these scriptures as I am ready to walk away from it all…when I have moments of wanting to walk out my front door and leave it all behind. When the moments of being a wife, a mother, a leader, a sister, a co-worker, a woman, and just who I am get to be overbearing…when I get tired of saying the same thing over for the millionth time to my husband, my son, my coworkers, my siblings, my family members, my sisters and brothers in Christ, and to myself…it is then that the Lord reminds me who I am in Him and who He is to me. It is those scriptures that always come to my mind first because it is in Him that I have to turn too.

So many of us get to that point and just let it go…the struggle is hard…the walk is long…sometimes feels like the blessings are not coming fast enough, sometimes we feel like He is not hearing us, sometimes if feels like He has left us and we are so ready to throw the towel in…we are tired of waiting for our blessings that His word says that we are to get. We believe we are doing what we should be doing in Him and yet nothing is happening for us…things are going in the opposite of what we think they should be going, it is then that we need to cling even closer to the Lord and look to Him. Sometimes it is just a lesson to be learned, sometimes it is a test to endure and sometimes it is our poor decisions that make us end up where we are but it is truly in Jesus that we will survive.

It is when I get to moments like this that I call on Jesus and He blesses me with comfort in His word. He gives me visions and helps me to focus on Him and less on me. When we look at all those scriptures…they hold so much more meaning to us then when we first read them….

Proverbs 3:5-6 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

One thing that sticks out to me in Proverbs, Romans and Philippians verses is the word ALL, it does not say part or half way…they all say ALL!! I think when we stop and really allow the words to minister to us we will have an understanding that He is talking to us about all things in our lives not just some of it but all of our life aspects. Yet the best one is the fact that the things that are impossible for us are possible with God! So no matter what comes our way it is possible with God – it is all in God! It is all possible in Jesus.

So when I have moments of wanting to leave Merv, Jonathan and WL4J behind me and just tell the world to go away and leave me alone, the Lord blesses me to know that He has a plan for my life, that He has my steps ordered in Him and that there is nothing too hard for God for all things are possible in Him! AMEN!

My Honesty Today is a vision that I had of WL4J…It is a blessing to be in the service of the Lord and there is a place for all of us in His kingdom if we just accept Him 100% into our hearts. Sure you will have moments of doubt, mistrust and failure within the task of the day but you know what – God is with you and though you may have doubt, mistrust and feel like a failure – remember that there is no failure in Jesus for we have the victory in all things! It is in Him that we receive our strength and guidance – keep leaning on Him.

Praise the Lord – the Lord has blessed me with a dream of WL4J – a building full of sisters, women, children and men coming for services and help – coming to be a blessing and be blessed. There are facilities for the children to learn and play, there are places for sisters in the middle of trying to come out of situations to be able to be comfortable, there are places for the men to come and meet to talk, places for the women to come and meet. There are places to give food, to give services and to give the word of God, as it is in Jesus that we can do all things. The goal is to empower all those that we meet with the things that they need to make this life a shining place for them to live.

The Lord has given me a spirit of helping, encouraging, uplifting and empowering others…not just with words but with the things they need to do. We have sisters all over the US that are in need of help that are not sure where to turn, churches are not always doing what they used to do, some churches help but do not have all the resources or the know how, some churches only help their congregation, and some churches even only help those that are overseas but yet we see the US failing more and more in helping our people. It is in this the Lord has spoken to me about reaching out to those in need here in the US and relying on Him for the direction.

I have been feeling the change for awhile now and the vision is getting clearer and stronger. I met the sister yesterday and the Lord spoke really loud…it is time to take the lessons to the street, it is time to offer things live in a place where we can do so. I am thanking God and not even worried about the cost for the Lord has blessed us with so much already! Praise His name…may we (WL4J) reach the potential the Lord has for us and the only reason why we will not is because we stopped – not Him! AMEN!! So please lift up WL4J up in prayer for the will of the Lord to always be done. He is sending us even more into the streets and may we have all that we need and when we do not may we rely on the direction of the Lord for all things. Praise the Lord – we are moving forward! AMEN!! Watch out for the grants will be coming soon! AMEN!!

There is a building with our name on it somewhere in the US…it maybe here in Pittsburgh but then again it may not – but there is a building here in the US with more to come! AMEN! Let us lift up the name of Jesus and reach out to our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ spreading His love and His words to all those we meet! Obama said that this is the time for change and I do not know if he truly knows that it is truly time for a change…it is time for those that love the Lord to say so and show the love of the Lord to all those that we meet…we do not need to rely on anyone but Jesus to make this life a better place in Jesus!! AMEN!!!!

Well until tomorrow,

God Bless and keep marching forward in Jesus!
Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today – 01/19/09 – The Blessings Flow

2009-01-19T20:37:00.001-08:00

Praise the Lord and yes I am running late with today’s Honesty Today but things just go that way sometimes. LOL

Today we had to empty out my grandfather’s house, and it was not really fun but it was calming. As we took the last few things out of his house, well as they did for I did not move anything – the guys did, I was standing in his living room alone and just missed him so much. I thought here is the closing of the finale chapter of this part of my life. Yet there was still calmness and peace in what I was doing as the Lord knew what I needed.

Well after that, we (Jonathan, hubby and I) went out to eat at Bucco something or another – LOL A Italian restaurant in Robinson Township and had a great meal together. On our way home, there is a building that I pass every single day home from work that I am always saying that I am going to stop to see what they are. Most times it looks like they are closed BUT this time there was a sign in the window saying that it was open…so after wondering if I should turn around and go back to see, my husband said sure let’s go.

Well we did…it was meant for us to do so. We walk to the door and there was a young man cleaning the sidewalks, and I said to him that I have always driven past this place and wanted to know what it was. He said to me that he was located downstairs with eth music studio but the woman who ran the upstairs was there. So we went inside to a little store front selling Christian items and she started showing us around her beautiful place. It is a Christian Resource Center that is a place to come and have meetings and to buy a few things. She started telling us her vision of her organization and it was like I knew that the Lord sent me there.

I had been looking for a place to hold workshops in person here in Pittsburgh that does not cost a lot of money and she is cheap. I have wanted to be able to network with people but because of my hours at work, I have not been able to do it as much as I liked…yet in talking with this sister, we would be able to help each other. It was just a blessing to be there and gave me such an extra boost to step out there on faith. Her testimony was just awesome to hear and a blessing to me.

Yet God was not done with us in that building…as downstairs was a music studio that we went to visit. As my husband was talking to the young man, you can see that they are just really getting started and though they have been in the business for awhile, there is not a big following for them. He is a very low rate because I think he wants to build up people using him. It was cute though as my husband wanted to hear some of his gospel recordings and I was silent as he played what he considered gospel…LOL Yet the Lord had us there for a reason. He was so reasonable that even if we did not like how the CD sounded, we could afford to swallow that price. The young man was very eager to please and I am sure that he would work well with my husband. Prayerfully Elder Merv will go into the studio soon and I will be permitted to let you hear a few seconds of his songs. LOL

Yet as we were leaving it started several conversations between my hubby and I that I think was needed. As most of you know, I have a strong urge to no longer work and to not only raise my son and take care of our home, but to also do more with WL4J (Women Living 4 Jesus) I have expressed this to my husband about a million times with the same answer EXCEPT today…I got the explanation of why we are waiting before I can move in that direction…it is all going to be in the timing of the Lord and I am thankful that I have a better explanation from my husband so that I will stop asking him. LOL Yet it was such a wonderful day in the Lord today and it is late but I am blessed!

I have to go to work for a little while longer but yet the money provides me the chance to do what I am blessed to do with WL4J. I see the blessings of the Lord in this manner as more sisters are coming to WL4J, as the Lord is sending workers in the ministry and even gift givers too…God is truly blessing. I believe that no matter what comes our way – God will bring it to be glorifying to Him if only we let it be. I am thankful this day for all that He is doing and all that is happening in my life.

Honesty today is I AM CONTENT AND HAPPY! I am so happy and content in my life and I am learning to NOT look for the shoe to fall and ruin it. I am learning to just allow the love of the Lord to flow. I am thankful to the Lord for His mighty blessings as I am just so dag on happy in my life and walk with Him. This does not mean I do not have moments or times when I get upset, angry or concerned – it just means that I know that I can rest in Him and when I let it go and go to Him…I remember that have content and happiness in Him and NOTHING AND NO ONE can take that away from me.

My prayer for all is that you come to Jesus with all that you have and give it over to Him for His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

Well it is late and I need to go to bed…

Have a blessed and wonderful evening in Jesus this day and every day you are blessed to see!

Until later on…

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today – 01/18/09 – Just some thoughts

2009-01-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

1 John 2:3-5 3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Praise the Lord…the above scriptures was spoken by my pastor today as He gave us questions for thought in our walk in the Lord. Do you really know the Lord? Do you live for Jesus? Would you sacrifice it all for the Lord? How are you living? These were the main thoughts that I took from the sermon. First, just getting to church this morning was serious prayer. The roads were bad this morning and yet we went on to church. The number of people was small but the blessings of the Lord were big. Service was truly a blessing that the Lord moved and His presence was there. It truly showed that where two or three are gathered in His name – He will be in the midst of it! AMEN! We got out of service and the roads were clear! Praise the Lord for that! It is something how if you just step out there and trust in the Lord – He will meet your needs.

I have been in the blah blah – laid back mode for a few weeks, and it has been refreshing but the Lord is calling me out of that and into a place of doing even more His will. We have some great things coming up with WL4J and doing some workshops along with trying to get things together with grants and funding from the government. There are goals and plans that I have to start moving on and though it is a long road ahead…I know it is going to be a fun road. Yet I listened to my pastor today and started thinking even more on my relationship with eth Lord…do I know Jesus enough? Do I have a practical and intimate relationship with the Lord? When I say that I trust the Lord do I really trust the Lord? Do I call on Him for all things or just something? I started looking at my relationship with the Lord and what I am doing in trying to build my relationship with the Lord. It was yet more self evaluation and I thought…Lord this is the walk, I should always be looking to the Lord for all things and not taking it for granted in Him. I started thinking about what God has done in my life and my walk with Him and I started thinking about what I have done for Him. Hummmm…man my list was so short – it was like two seconds long while the Lord’s list lasted my entire life.

Thank you Jesus for your love, for your guidance and for showing me just how awesome you really are, as I listened to my pastor, I thought of my walk with Him and how I know that the Lord will always keep me. I strive to live for the Lord and though sometimes I think I am falling short of the glory of the Lord and that I am not doing as I should as I slip in Him, YET HE LOVES ME! THANK YOU JESUS FOR LOVING ME! I laugh as I think of my sisters Casandra and Bev who talk about being a hot mess…we are all hot messes and yet He loves us! What a blessing it is to serve Him – to live for Him and to know that in all things that God is keeping us!

Hummmmmm…..just thinking about the goodness of Jesus….thank you Lord, it is something to know that we are covered by Him in ALL THINGS! How great is God – He is awesome in all ways!

Okay – well the question for you today is inspired by what my pastor posed to us…Do you really know Jesus? What is your relationship with the Lord based on? How much do you work on building your relationship with the Lord? Do you talk to Him all the time, some of the time, only on Sundays, only when you need something or just when you feel like it? How often are you reading His word? How are you building up your relationship with the Lord?

Until tomorrow,

God Bless,

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today – 01/15/09 – Blah Blah Blah

2009-01-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord!! Well it is Thursday and I am at work…bored – so bored… praise the Lord for the boredom at work, for it gives me time to think on Him and to do some constructive things. I am thankful for my job, but sometimes it is so boring that I just have to thank the Lord for the position because it does allow me time to mediate on the Lord.

I was in a mood last night and just not feeling like doing anything. I started to feel guilty as I wrote the Good Morning for today a few minutes ago… I should have done that last night, but you know I just felt like doing nothing and for once I went with it. I am pretty much behind in most things that I am supposed to be working on but just not having the desire to do it because of the Blah – Blah – Blah mood. LOL I get in this mood about every six months and it is truly a cycle that I love and do not love. It makes me slow down, which I love, but it also can put me behind in things, which I do not love. Yet I am still just going to go with it for now.

I know that God does things for a reason and even this I think will work to my good. I was working on some things for Sister Anna Marie (she is the one redoing the WL4J website – if you have not been past – oh go check it out – it is beautiful www.womenliving4jesus.org), and I noticed that I am going to be really busy starting next week. I have the My Purpose in Life – Who Am I Jesus workshop along with preparing the My Gifts of the Holy Spirit workshop, plus there is the Fellowship calls and Encouragement Hour, plus we are getting ready to start a WL4J Online – live bible study too, so I need to get with different teachers of these bible studies and see what we need to do. I have some serious topics coming up on WL4J Encouragement Hour that I need to go to the Lord on for direction on where He wants me to take it, along with the continued fast that is really getting to the point of wanting to stop doing the fast, so please continue to pray for me. So I thought this is a good time for the blahs…not in a bad way though…just in case anyone thinks I am depressed…I am not – I just do not want to do anything at all! LOL Maybe lazy is the word…yet not lazy as I do what I need to do just nothing extra! LOL

I think it is just because of the fact that I just came off of vacation from work, which was only to be 5 days that turned into 12 days due to my grandfather’s death, then just not wanting to get into the swing of things again…not wanting to be that busy and just to relax. Of course with my ever present gifts from the Lord, that will not last longer than this Saturday as I just sent an email not too long ago to a couple of sisters wanting to talk with them about some classes that they could provide for the WL4J bible study. I am telling you I need to be busy and I need to keep moving forward in the Lord because idle hands and mind is not good for a Christian – well at least not this Christian. I need to be doing things in the Lord – but awwwwww the blah blah blahs this time around are really feeling good.

I keep telling my hubby that I need to be a stay at home wife and mom – LOL but he is not hearing it – we have bills to pay! Well that is all for today because the blah blahs are starting to leave and as I am sitting here at work waiting on reports to finish running, I am thinking of a thousand things that I can get done so that I do not have to do it later tonight….guess I am off to write up some answers to frequently asked questions! LOL

Have an awesome day in the Lord and may you enjoy all that Jesus has in store for you!!

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

Honesty Today – 01/14/09 – Living Holy & Yielding to the Holy Spirit – Can I do this?

2009-01-15T15:42:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord!! I am so thankful to be here and running a little late with my honesty today but the Lord has been dealing with me in a few areas of my life and I just needed to take a moment last night to talk to Him instead of writing. It was so needed and I am thankful for prayer as that is the ultimate release for me!

Well lately I have been faced with living holy in my own life and in turn it has come up in so many other conversations that I just could not ignore the subject much longer. Okay, most of you know that I speak of it often and I truly believe the word of God, but man is it hard to live holy.

It says in countless places in the word that we are to live holy before the Lord. It even says that it is our reasonable service, which to me is another way of saying that it is the least that we could do for the Lord. I am good for quoting scriptures on being holy and some of the ones that I know off the top of my head are known by most of us…

Romans 12:1-3 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1 Peter 1:13-16 13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Here are a couple examples in the word where He tells us to be holy like He is holy. Now this really used to bother me so much as when the word of God would go forth, it would really hit home because I am nothing but a mess. I have learned that I am not the only one that it bothered either as I have learned with talking to others that many of us struggle with trying to walk that walk and staying as God has called us to be. Yet more of His word screams out to me as I type this…

Matthew 7:13-14 13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

There are so many that are not even called to the path, so I am thankful that I am called to the path but sometimes when I am reading the word of God and really just trying to get a grasp on it all, the enemy sneaks in my thoughts with telling me how I am not good enough to call on Jesus. How I just got finished fussing at someone for something so what makes me think I am going to see Him one day and hear those words I long to hear…

I start to beat myself up with things in my mind and even think about not going to church, or not praying or even from time to time not even keeping Women Living 4 Jesus going on…yet the Lord will remind me in His word how awesome He truly is and how He already knows that we are going to go through these moments.

Sometimes I just want to give up…I mean really just walk away and go what is the point of this – why walk this walk, why even care! Yet the Lord will reel me in with such love and sweetness that I know it is no one but Jesus who loves me. It is the unconditional love that He shows us that just makes me want to live for Him even the more.

As I rode into work this morning, I was questioning my salvation, questioning my walk in the Lord. The enemy tried to get me to go one way but I started to talk to the Lord and hear what He was saying. See as I was driving my mind said I was not living my life good enough for the Lord, my mind said that I was fake and phony that no one can love Jesus as He says we should. I had thoughts of thinking that no one would even miss you if you stopped writing, no one really cares. Hummmm the Lord will raise someone else up in your place as you mean nothing to Him. I started hearing my mind say that I was nothing. It was different than before as I can shrug it off, but this morning I needed to call on the Lord.

As I called on Him…the Lord reminded me of this verse….

Romans 3:22-24 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

The part that really helped me this morning and lately when the enemy starts to make me think that I am not living up to the Lord’s expectations of living Holy is verse 23 – ALL HAVE sinned – not just me – not just you or the other sister – but ALL!! If we have all sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord and we know this to be true then verse 24 has to be true too…HIS GRACE JUSTIFIES! Thank you Jesus. It is His grace!!

You know the Lord sent a word to me during our prayer time Monday night as my hubby prayed over my half sleeping body, all I could hear him say is “yield to the Holy Spirit”. I was not sure what that really meant and started to let the panic set in. I was questioning where I was in the Lord – what am I doing wrong that Jesus wanted me to yield to the Holy Spirit – was I not already doing this Lord…Oh Lord help me – what am I doing so wrong? These are the things that I allowed to plague me all day yesterday. I have always wanted to strive to live for the Lord. I believe that Jesus knows that we are not going to be perfect in this walk here on earth. I know that there are examples of others in the word of God who were far from perfect and the Lord accepted them not only as they were but blessed them too because He knew their hearts. Yet when I heard those words of “yield to the Holy Spirit” I started to not think about them, but about my walk with the Lord.

I thought am I reading enough, I am praying enough, is WL4J not to be, what should I be doing – Lord speak to me for I am confused. The first thing that came to mind – confusion is nothing but the devil’s tactic to get you off course – so rebuke him and ignore him. Okay…Lord I did that now what…

Next thing I did was find out what yield means…I know what it means when I am driving but what does the definition of yield mean because the Lord spoke that word on purpose this we know.

The definition in the dictionary means: to give forth, to produce, to give up, to surrender, to give over to, to give as due or required.

Yet in the bible the word is used most times in reference of yielding fruit – increase in fruit. When you do a search for the world yield in the bible there are 40 scriptures with the word in it and of those 40 scriptures 35 are referring to fruit of our lives.

Hummmm okay Lord what are you saying to me….here come more panic…Lord am I messing up some where I am just trying to make it right – help me understand. SO as I started to look into it even more by reading the scriptures, it was not a bad thing that He was telling me to “yield to the Holy Spirit” – He is ready to bless me to move closer to Him and that it is time for me to dwell more in Him and I need to do this. As some of you may have listened to the Living Victorious show this past Monday – we talked about change and sometimes we are not going to see the changes in our lives that we choose to see if we do not follow the steps as God presents them to us. The Lord wants to bless us in a manner that we are not aware of and He can only do it if we move according to where He needs us to be. So the Lord has blessed me to know that I am ready to move pass where I am in Him but I have to yield to the Holy Spirit’s direction before this is to be. It is in the Lord that we receive all that we need and I know that this next step that I am going into with Him is going to be a blessing to my very being because the Lord would not want me to do this if it was not! AMEN!

So this is a new day and a new opportunity for me to continue to strive to live my life in the manner that the Lord wants me to do…so my answer for the question “Living Holy & Yielding to the Holy Spirit – Can I do this?” is Yes I can…for in Jesus all things are possible and there is nothing too hard for God. God can do anything and He will bring me through this life so that I can hear Well Done My Good and Faithful Servant!!!

So let us walk this journey together for we are on the same path together…let us know that God is truly blessing us and though we may not see the ending now…know that living Holy is a blessing in the Lord for it will grant you eternal life. Yet remember than none are perfect and we are going to fall…do not use that as an excuse to sin but a reason to get up and try again! AMEN!

Until tomorrow…

God Bless!

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne

1 Peter 5:5-16 5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Honesty Today – 01/13/09 – The Freedom in Jesus

2009-01-13T01:43:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord for the freedom in Jesus! I had to laugh as I got several emails about how honest I am and what I am willing to say…yet some of the same sisters not only think what I say but relate with me in so many ways…awwww the freedom in being honest and open. It is now that the Lord is calling me to be even more open and honest that I have been before. I have moved closer to Him and He is calling me to empty it all and let everyone know how awesome He truly is to me.

It is something as I look over my life since starting to write these less than a year ago but the growth that has come in me from doing so. I have to say that it is freedom that I never thought I would have ever had. I am thankful to the Lord for opening the doors for me and keeping me in Him. There is so much more of me to release and so much more to do and go to do!

So the honesty of today is Jealousy…ohhhhh the jealousy that we can hold in our hearts over the dumbest things. There are sisters in the Lord that I USED to be jealous of because they wrote better than me, or they looked better than me, or they spoke better than I did, or their ministry work seemed so more together than mine. It was not a rage of jealousy, it was more like pang of jealous…more like why me not me Lord…why them and not me…LOL Yet the Lord still loved me in those thoughts – THANK YOU JESUS!

As I started to open my heart, ears and mind to the Lord, I have come to understand that my walk is not their walk, my thoughts are not their thoughts, my goals are not their goals, and truly the direction from the Lord is not what their direction is. The Lord has a purpose for me and my purpose is in Him. In my questioning of the direction in this life and what God wants me to do, the Lord has blessed me to seek Him more, to look to Him more and to be still and hear from Him. In doing all of that, I have learned what my purpose is, what my path is and what He wants me to do for now. I have learned that all things come as He wants them to come when I submit myself to Him and in this I am blessed in Him. I know that God is keeping me more in Him as each day passes by. I know that all things will work to my good no matter what I think or what it looks like.

So let me encourage you to not look at what others have or do not have, not at what you have or do not have but look to the Lord in all things. Sure we will fall short, but even in our falling short it will work to our good…let us keep striving to walk with the Lord in all things and know that the Lord is with you through it all.

Until tomorrow…let us continue to walk with the Lord and be free in Jesus!

Love your sister in Christ,

Sister Alissa Lynne