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All my life I've been privileged to have wonderful friends.
Some have been on this life's journey with me from elementary to high school. Some, I've picked up along the way through various relationships; church, family, marriages, ex partnerships, places of employment, and other affiliations. But one thing is for sure...friends matter. Yeah, I know for someone who isn't too into friendships, this may seem trivial. Yet, friends are so important that the Lord will give opportunity for this to be written in the holy scriptures. Proverbs 18:24 "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." In each of these, you see the perfect will of God for us to be friends and embrace others as friends. So when you tell me, "I can count the number of friends I have on one hand," my reply is, "I know you only have that much capacity in your heart to be a friend." In other words, your lack of having friends is somewhere wrapped in the cause of you not being friendly. It baffles me how people expect others to befriend them, when they make no effort in befriending others. Life is about giving to get; and if you aren't giving anything, you can't expect to get anything. The older I get, I'm starting to realize having friends is a blessing that matters. Sure, people have learned how to fake everything; including being a good friend. But even in that, sometimes it's your friendship that will cause them to be real. Remember this: you can never partner with someone on the merits of perfection. Why? Broken people can't expect perfect friends, and we all are broken, nicked, or cracked in some form or another. Hence why you hear, "broken people hurt people." We attract more of the same types of people than we do opposites. It's just easier to attached to what I am, and deal with like-minded people in spite of the fact that it can lead to harm. In friendship, we don't always have to be the same type, or have experienced the same things, but we must have agreement...even with God. Amos 3:3 implies that unless we have agreement, it's impossible to even walk together. And verse 6 shows us that even God requires us to come into agreement with Him or else He will do nothing. How can I come into agreement with God? That's simple. I come into alignment with His word, ways, precepts, attributes, and likeness. That's what friendship is...it's coming into alignment with one another based upon our moral values, attributes, and likeness. It's having someone in the box with you who is trying to help you get out the box, and waiting on you at the top, to help pull you out the box. Baby, friends matter. The next time you meet someone new, remember God may have placed them in your life for a reason and a season...but either way, friends matter. Be Blessed, Danyelle
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I cannot tell you how many people live with mental health situations and challenges and think that they have no way out. Most are anxious, and anxiousness causes anxiety, and anxiety leads to anguish. Listen, the Bible tells us, “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). Let us break this down. Being anxious means to worry about. We are to worry about NOTHING. And the only way you can calm yourself from worry is to first know who God is. So many folks say they Christians but don’t really trust God. I will not claim anything or anyone I cannot trust. What’s the use in having a Heavenly Father whom you don’t have faith in. It doesn’t mix. Then those who know Him, pray and participate in supplication. What does that mean? To pray is to communicate with God; to make supplication is to ask or beg honestly and humbly for what you want. The act of thanksgiving is to thank God in advance for what you’ve asked for, knowing two things. 1. If He gives it, you are thankful. And, 2. If He doesn’t give it, you are still thankful. What you mean Scroggins? How will I be thankful and He’s not giving what I asked or begged for? I’m thankful because I understand that He knows what’s best for me. And whatever He doesn’t give, it didn’t fit with His or my purpose. PERIOD. Listen, don’t allow the world to feed you or provoke you to putting a name or sickness on your sin. Anything the Bible tells you not to do, but you do it, that is sin. I’m not denouncing mental health, I am declaring that some of you are experiencing spiritual unhealthiness. There’s a difference. If you fully understand who God is, then you will know He is sovereign and in control of everything. You, my dear, are right where God wants you. Make the firm decision to learn what blessings are on this level for you. Embrace and enjoy your today. Because when you keep looking for tomorrow, it will check you out of today. Check back in by being thankful and grateful for the things He’s already done. And bless the Lord for all He’s getting ready to do in, for, and through you. Happy Holidays, Danyelle  Excerpt From The Right Choice. Grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/2ExnGtt or on #KindleUnlimited!
Vance unlocked his front door praying that Jasmine had left with their family. For the first time since they met, he didn’t want to see her face. Not that he didn’t love her, but he had an uncanny feeling that if Elaina could kill her, she would. He didn’t see any other car in the parking lot except his. And he walked as slow as he could to get to his place. One mind told him to just hit Elaina’s arm, but she held the gun with so much confidence. How could I not see this happening to her? How could I have been so blind? As if she’d read his mind, Elaina shifted, then spoke, “Vance, stop looking at me as though I’m a basketcase and hurry up and open the door.” A feeling of relief poured through him when he opened the door and there were no signs of Jasmine and the entire place was dark. “Where is she?” Elaina asked, interrupting his thoughts. “After the stunt, you pulled, she’s probably on her way back home.” “Oh so you’re mocking me, Vance?” “Elaina, why don’t you just go home and we will pretend this never happened. You are a beautiful girl and you can get any guy you want.” “But I don’t want any guy. I want you, Vance.” “Elaina. We’ve talked about this over and over and nothing is going to change other than, I might not be marrying Jasmine because of you.” “Oh, so now you’re blaming me?” “You are the one who showed a picture of you kissing me to thousands of people, including Jasmine.” “Oh, so it was just me kissing you, Vance? I knew you’d find a way to spin the entire situation.” Pow. Pow. Vance fell to the floor and Austin screamed. Pow. The bullet hit Austin, but in the arm. He let off a yell and fell to the floor. Play dead. Play dead. Austin closed his eyes as he heard her moving in his direction. He held his breath and dropped his head to the side. As soon as he heard her walking away, Austin scooted his body close to the bottom of the sofa where he could see them. Vance was still breathing but now Elaina knelt next to him. Austin knew he had to take action. He could hear Elaina speaking, “I never meant to hurt you. All I wanted was us to be together. But I know you hate me so I’d rather kill you and then no one can have you.” As she continued talking to Vance, Austin carefully retrieved his phone from his pocket. The pain in his arm caused him to flinch. Lord, please don’t let my boy die. Lord please. And please don’t let me die. First, Austin wanted to text someone in case she really did kill them both. The first person that hit his mind was Coach Felton. He used his thumb to text as fast as he could. Coach Felton, Vance and I have both been shot. Elaina Mitchell did it. At Vance place. The girl is crazy. Then he turned the volume down on his phone, disabled the sounds, dialed 911, put the phone on speaker, and pushed it underneath the sofa as far over as he could. Vance spoke slow, “Elaina, just let Austin go.” She pointed the gun at him, “What do you think I am, a fool? He’s dead, so get your mind off him. You broke my virginity. You turned your back on me. You blamed me for sleeping with Tim but never asked me if he raped me. You just took his word and left me. Then you have the nerves to flaunt a woman in front of me.” Vance mumbled, “I forgive you, Elaina.” Elaina screamed, “Don’t say that. You’re always trying to be a good Christian, but you weren’t so good when you were all up in me. Where were your Christian values then?” “Elaina, I loved you. You were the first person I ever slept with and you knew that. I thought we were going to be married, so we made love.” “Oh so now it was lovemaking? If you loved me, you would have found out how I got with Tim. He raped me, Vance, then he told you that I wanted him. And that’s why he’s dead now.” “Dead?” “Yes, I killed him and no one knows it. Then I set him on fire in his car. Everyone thinks he died in that car explosion, but he was already dead before the car went up in smoke.” “Elaina, please don’t do this.” “Don’t do what? Love you enough to leave you here struggling as you left me? Well, it’s done and I’m wondering if I should just kill you.” The Right Choice. Grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/2ExnGtt or on #KindleUnlimited! |
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