What do you do when you're at the bottom?...

Ever felt that you have hit rock bottom and it seems as if there is no way back to the top? Ever felt that all of the hard work you have done up to a certain point was but a breathless vapor? Ever felt that the very person(s) that you thought were in your corner is the very same who landed the knockout punch? Ever felt that every step you take in a positive direction you seem to figure out how to stumble two back? Ever felt that life just had your number?

Can I be the first to suggest that you are not alone in your feelings? However, the bigger questions are what do you do now that you feel that way? Where do you go from here? What's your next step? Who do you turn to? If your car is in park and you want to get out of the driveway, an action must take place. By faith you turn the key and then proceed to put the car in gear. Only then can you get to your destination. So right now, if you feel like any of the aforementioned questions the only way you're going to get from where you are is with action. Now you know you need action, but what action.

There is this awesome guy who said, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 Go to the source from where all blessings flow. You've been provided with a road map that is the top selling "how to" book of all time. Last I checked, I think it is called the bible. Begin to rebuke those things that are holding you back. The next thing is important... Realize the most powerful name to make things line up. Yeah, you guessed it, it's the guy I mentioned. The name is JESUS! There is power in the name. There is love in the name. There is prosperity in the name. There is hope in the name. There is deliverance in the name. There is life in the name. There is strength in the name. Did I mention there is power in the name?

I don't know your situation. I'm not sure what you're going through. I don't know which one of the beginning questions apply to you, but what I do know is that as long as you have the breath of life in you God is not through with you yet. Begin to establish the strongest foundation possible. No, I'm not talking about concrete. I'm talking about a foundation based upon the word of God and true (eternal) life through Christ. Seek what God's will is for your life. Ask Him to teach you to overcome, teach you to prosper, teach you to witness, teach you to be successful, teach you His ways. Begin with these steps and something has to change. There is nothing too hard for our God. He's delivered you before, and yes He will deliver you again.

Yes, that is what I needed. I was typing to myself the whole time. I don't know if this will speak to anyone, but Lord knows I needed it.

Reconnecting to the Power Source

Acts 1:8 NIV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses...

Yeah, so once again it's been a while since I took the time to sit down and write another blog entry, but I've had one brewing for a while now. Before I go into this entry any further let me encourage all of you that are on twitter to follow me http://www.twitter.com/des10d4gr8ns pretty cool to follow also you don't want to miss my inspirational segments called what... none other than #toiletdevotion. If you didn't know, you better ask somebody. So many times in life we go through trials and tribulations until it seems like we're constantly going through. However, it is important to remember that we're going through and not staying in. So many times in our lives we go through things so that God can prune us and grow us to the next level of where He would have us to go, but a lot of what we go through is because of our disobedience or better yet lack of obedience. That is what has lead me to write this particular blog.

When our carpets get dirty in our homes it usually means it's time to pull out the vacuum cleaner and do some cleaning. Over time our carpet gathers dirt from various things including our feet, dust particles, crumbs, and many other things. In other words our carpets just gather a lot of filth. So we begin to vacuum and we like what we see, but then all of the sudden we go around that corner and the vacuum stops! What happened? In the process of us getting rid of the dirt in the carpet and being so focused on the dirt we stretch the vacuum too far and it disconnects from the power source. Well, until we go back around that corner and reconnect the vacuum to the power source we can not remove any more dirt from the carpet. Yep, you guessed it that is where I'm going with this one.

In life there are so many things that get in our way of excelling or having a closer relationship with God. Simply put there is a lot of dirt that gets in our way. Any believer should be able to make it through these things the more we pray, study and commune with God. So let's just think of our ability to deal with life as the vacuum cleaner. Well sometimes we get to certain junctures in life where we feel like nothing is working. It seems like all we try to do fails. No matter how hard we fight, it seems that we can not see the light of day. Many times it is easy to fall into a state of constant stress or depression. Believe me I know, because I was there just last year as I wrote about in an earlier entry. I realize that sometimes we just hit that juncture so hard that we become disconnected from the power source. As a great prophet said, "God is the only boss that will fire you and let you keep working." In other words we can still be operating as a Christian, we can still be operating as a believer, we can still be operating as witnesses for God but yet we have no power.

Let me suggest to you that if you are going through some things in your life, if you can't seem to see the light of day, if you can't seem to see the end of the tunnel, if your life is worse now than it has ever been before, sit down and ask yourself have you disconnected from the power source. What is the power source you ask? The power source is the electricity of the Holy Spirit in your life. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV the bible says, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. That means that we have specific steps to reconnecting to the power source. Then when we start the journey to reconnecting to the power source we need to immediately begin to Praise God more in everything we do. For there is power in our praise. Don't focus on the dirt or the negative in our lives. That is the best way to disconnect from the source. However, allow the source to generate the good in our lives. We don't know how to get ourselves out of situations anyway. So many times what we think is the right thing to do is in direct conflict with the right thing to do. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, "declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV I was watching youtube videos last night and I came across and interview with Prophet Todd Hall. He said that God desires, deserves, demands and then delights in our praise. That is so powerful to me, and I immediately begin to bury that in my spirit. As i wrote in an earlier entry, when life gives you lemons don't make lemonade and show signs that you had lemons but Praise God and show signs that you've been blessed.

My prayer is that this will minister to someone in a special way. I love and enjoy writing because it helps me bless others when I'm going through or from what I've been through. I'm just walking in the gift that God has given me. As always I pray that God will bless each and every person that reads this spiritually, mentally, socially, physically and financially. I ask that you pray the same for me. God Bless you and I love you!

The Pit of Depression/Negativity is Endless!

Well, people I'm back yet again with another thought. I guess as God deals with me more I have more thoughts, so I guess that means more entries...lol.

This is something that has been on my mind a few days now, and I feel like writing about it now. It's almost a continuation of Got Haters?(my last entry that was typed and not sent from my phone) Basically where I left off in that one was talking about negativity. I truly believe that depression and negativity are an endless pit! Well, why do you say that Mike?... Think about it: The more you worry about a matter, it seems like the worse it gets. The more you hate a job, the worse it gets. The more you say you're not a morning person, the harder it is to get up in the morning. And as I said in my entry titled Resolution, I resolve that when I begin to worry about a situation I will catch myself and say Lord, let your will be done. I resolve that I'm going to catch myself when I first stumble upon that pit of negativity, so that my climb out is not as steep! Woah... Think about that one for a minute. The more you fall into nagging co-workers, the more you fall into sorry baby's daddys, the more you fall into financial lack, the more you fall into gossip, the more you fall into speaking negatively, the more you turn away from God... The harder it is to climb out, the harder it is to be removed from the situation, the harder it is to get closer to God!

I will share a story with you(whomever the reader maybe) that I've shared with none but some of my clients and I think Felicia can remember the situation but didn't know how severe it was.
Last year in June, I wrote my first blog after my brother, Darrell had suggested it to me. My first blog was originally on myspace and it's entitled Life is Like Nike, Just Do It! (Go check it out on here if you haven't) Basically in that blog I wrote about being positive and not making excuses for yourself. There were a few people who read that and said that it was good, or that it blessed them. Now, all the way back last year the Devil probably saw what my writing would be today and begin to fight. Later on June 28th, my Father passed away. I then wrote a blog called My Profile Song, and at the time my profile song was I'll Be Praying for You by the Seven Sons of Soul. In the first month of me writing, I had written about 3-5 blogs. I was spreading all this good cheer and info and I was in a depressive state. I told Felicia, "I don't know what's wrong with me but it just feels like I don't want to do anything." The only time I felt like I was living is when I was at work with my clients, or when I made it to church. All the time I was at home, I felt empty. I had no energy, I didn't want to work out. I started to gain weight. I was sinking deeper and deeper into the Endless Pit of Depression & Negativity! I can remember Felicia asking me, "Do you think you're grieving internally, and it's just your body's way of telling you?" All I can remember thinking is that being from a huge family I had seen so much loss that I didn't think that was it. But now I know what it was, it was the Devil trying to hold me back from getting to that one Sunday morning in October when Felicia and I looked at each other and said today is the day we join our church! The Devil was trying to hold me back from all of the many blessings he's been restoring upon me! The Devil was trying to hold me back from writing these blogs to inspire, uplift and bless You! The Devil was trying to hold me back from the work that I'm beginning to do in my church! The Devil was trying to hold me back from the many great things God has planned for me that I don't even know of right now! And let me tell you the reason why I know it's an endless pit; I fell so far in it that I'm still shaking off the dirt from it even today!
So I write this blog simply to give everyone who reads it encouragement, to say Get Up Now from your Negativity before it turns into Depression. As my pastor, Bishop Jim Lowe sometimes say, I don't want to go through Hell to experience blessings while in this life. So I write this simply to warn you that if there is anything ailing you right now just simply give it to God, and be done with it. A scripture my pastor brought out: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) No, it's not always going to be easy. But if you worry or complain, it's not going to make the problem any better until God wants to fix it anyway. So line yourself up to make Him want to move a little quicker! As always may God Bless anyone who has, is and will read this. Continue to pray for me that God will keep dealing with me in a mighty way! I love you all!