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In Spite of It All

by ladypbwiggins

This week has been very interesting for my family. We gathered together for a wonderful family dinner on Sunday at my mother’s house. My sisters and their families were there, along with some close friends. The meal was off the chain. We laughed and joked until late into the night. The next morning we gathered at Kaiser Permanente, Sunset Blvd for one of two brain surgeries one of my sister’s faced. There were prayers and some were anxious but she and I had complete peace. God promised that He would not allow us to be caught unaware. Translation, He would warn us or give us divine intel so that we could prepare for what was coming. She and I were at peace. There was no need to be forewarned because everything was fine. Parking created the greatest anxiety. It was a tiring day because they kept delaying the time of her surgery. A more critical patient arrived and had priority. The family stayed. We had favor from the ICU staff. They allowed all of us to enter her room at the same time. ICU’s usually limit the number of people who can enter.

The next morning those of us who went home to sleep re-assembled. This time they took her on time. So we gathered and waited. About 4pm the doctor emerged to tell us the surgery was a success. The tumor was removed, there was minimal bleeding and her vitals were stable. About 6pm we were able to see her. Yes, they allowed all of us to enter the ICU unit. We stood outside her room and took turns going in. The funny thing is, she gave the orders. She first sent for her kids, then parents, and then sisters. She showed us that she was still our loving organizer. She was released from the hospital on Friday and she is resting at home.

In Spite of the seriousness of the occasion, we had a wonderful family reunion. All that time spent waiting was spent talking and catching up on each others lives. There was no sense of doom. We could have easily still been in my mother’s family room. Being with family can be a time of warm, comforting love or a time of anger and chaos. Choose love regardless of the situation.

In Spite of It All choose to LOVE and ENJOY your Family!

Comment Mystery Solved

by ladypbwiggins

Hey Friends,

Some of you have said you wanted to comment but it was confusing or difficult. I went to the blog as a guest and tried to comment. Here is what I discovered had to be done to be successful.

If there have been no comments click on “No Comments” and a drop box will appear.

In the box that says “Comment As” click on the arrow and your choices will appear.

You may choose:

Google Account – You will have to sign in to your account
                                              This is true for the other accounts listed
                                   Name/URL- Type your name. 
                                        If you have a website, etc type the URL, if not leave it blank.
                                   Anonymous – you don’t want to be known
If you chose Name or Anonymous, when you publish it will ask you to prove you are not a robot by typing in the numbers or letters shown.
It will then publish your comments.
I hope this helps. I really would like to read your comments.

My Wagon Ran Off The Road

by ladypbwiggins

You know how people say they “fell off the wagon” when they return to an old habit that they had walked away from? Well, I didn’t fall off the wagon. My wagon ran off the road, down the hill and flipped over, pinning me down in the ravine. I allowed other people to derail me. Yes, that’s right. I allowed. I can’t blame anyone else. The funny thing is I continued to study about good health through good nutrition as I rolled down the hill.

So what is your point. My point is that even the knowledgeable, and I have a lot left to learn, can succumb to their weaknesses. I asked myself the question “How can I help anyone else when I can’t help myself.” The only thing I can see coming from this is an understanding of others’ struggles. If this helps me have more compassion for them then it is worth it. It takes a former alcoholic to best help an alcoholic, so I guess I am going to be that foodaholic to help other food drunks.

My victory will come but it won’t come without a strong, hard fight.

Once again I am beginning. Detox begins today. Getting the sugar out of my system. I cannot eat from the king’s table. I have to remain vigilante minute by minute. I am listening to Fred Hammond’s We are More than Able. 
“Remember your every lion’s den and your last Red Sea.” 
I am more than able.With the Lord on my side I can do it.
 I have to keep repeating that as I Praise Him through the Night. It is so on time.

I allowed former insecurities triggered by other peoples’ accusations and the hurt they caused to become boulders on my road. I am getting a brand new wagon and getting back on the road. I have cleared these boulders and I plan to pay attention to avoid future obstacles.
My Victory is Eminent!

Sistah Strength

by ladypbwiggins

It was a powerful and beautiful thing to see black woman of different ages and backgrounds working together for a common cause. We dispelled the lie that we are a bunch of angry woman who always want to fight. We dispelled the lie that we are ignorant and hoochie only. We dispelled the lie that no man can work with us and be supported for his strength.
Now this is not news to most of us. We know our strength is not angry. Our assertiveness is not angry. It is knowledge, wisdom and respect. For my sisters out there that have accepted the lie, give it back. You are better than that.

On Saturday, October 11th a group of black women executed the plan that a subset of those women created in order to present to the community a women’s symposium on depression. We worked as a team, a well-oiled machine. Additionally, our host an Hispanic Pastor and one of his female (Latina) members worked with us. She became part of the female team. Pastor Ruben was our spiritual leader that day but he rolled up his sleeves and served us. There was mutual respect shown both ways. The other men who were presenters or vendors worked with us. They  were PhD’s, Pastors and professionals. They all could have demanded respect because of their positions but they supported us, instead. They did not demand homage to be paid to them. They wanted us to be successful and helped us get there. This is how it is suppose to work; together making possible everyone’s success.

Today, I worked with some different sisters at church. This was a mixed ethnic group and once again the “sistahs” worked like a machine. A well-oiled machine. To those who want to continue to portray us as angry, sex-crazed, classless, ugly, bossy, people, let me set you straight.

  • We are loving, protective, assertive, strong, sexy but not sex-crazed, beautiful, classy, women.
  • When we commit, you can count on us. 
  • We are the people who have your back.

So when we seem bossy and angry, step back and ask why. It is probably because we are trying to protect YOU; help YOU. We are working for the best for YOU.

We love YOU.

Stress Reduction Check In

by ladypbwiggins

I began a stress reduction plan last month. I thought it might be good for accountability’s sake to give an update on my progress.

I am eliminating others peoples drama from my life. Being a pastor’s wife puts me in a position to face or be exposed to “other people’s drama.” I cab’t eliminate nor do I want to eliminate the people, but I can eliminate my acceptance of the associated stress. What I am trying to say is, I can listen, empathize, problem-solve and love you without allowing your issue to stress me out. I had a recent situation that actually hurt me and made me angry. After stepping back and looking at things objectively, I realized it was not my issue. I didn’t have to hurt and I didn’t have to be angry, so I stopped both. Stress reduced!

I have had a few days that I did something I enjoyed that was not about church or the Outreach Center. I need more of those but I have started. Stress reducing!

I have begun exercising. I am still not as consistent as I need to be or would like. Still working on that. Stress Reducing!

Some of you commented or sent me messages stating you were going to create and begin your own stress reduction plan. How are you doing?

Let’s keep it up so we can be healthier, mentally and physically.

Why I Can Fly

by ladypbwiggins
https://www.youtube.com/v/164rtflhdy4?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdataI Believe I Can Fly was a song made popular a few years ago by R. Kelly. Then someone Christianized it. We took to both arrangements like moths to a flame. Why? The song carried in it a hope that we could rise above our circumstances and live better lives. It empowered us. It lifted us up.

In Isaiah 40:31 the Word says Israel, an us by faith appropriation, can mount up or rise on wings like eagle’s wings. We have a hope in that it empowers us. We believe that we can rise above our circumstances, if only for a minute. We are lifted up.
But why? How?

About Eagles

Eagles are powerful and majestic birds. Dr. Miles Munroe lists 7 characteristics of eagles for his leadership workshops. We are leaders, right?

·        No other bird can fly as high.

o   Up to 10,000 ft
o   Wingspan of 6-7 ft tip to tip
·        Eagles have sharp vision.
o   They can see for miles.
o   They are very observant of their surroundings.
·        Eagles have strong loyalty and nurturing qualities.
o   They mate for life; they work together with that mate to take care of their eaglets.
·        Eagles are fearless.
o   They are territorial.
o   They will fight to protect their own.
·        They are tenacious.
o   Eagles fly into the storm.
o   It uses the winds of the storm to fly to higher heights rather than run and hide.
·         Recognizes the need for restoration. 
o   Every 40 years they pluck out their feathers, break their beaks and destroy their talons.
o   They lay in the sun at the highest place available and rest while the feathers, talons, and beak grow back and are restored.

If we are to mount up or rise on wings like eagles, why can’t we appropriate the other characteristics of the eagle? That is exactly what we have said here at Eagles Wings.

The referenced scripture text is

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
31  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

Waiting

Why does waiting on the LORD cause us to rise up on wings like eagles?

https://www.youtube.com/v/8YBH-TjJJK4?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata
First of all, waiting does not mean sitting around doing nothing. It means to be bound up in or twisted up in. So first we are to be bound to the LORD or twisted up in Him. The tense of the Hebrew word for wait is imperfect. That means it began and will not be completed until sometime in the future. So we are to get bound up in the LORD and keep on being bound up until the end, whenever that is. I’d say we are to be bound until the end of time.

I now have the promise that if I am bound up in or twisted up in the LORD my strength will be renewed and I won’t get tired or weary.


How is that? I get tired. When you get tired or weary, He will renew your strength. He will bring your vitality back. So theoretically, you don’t get tired. You don’t stay tired. Mental and spiritual renew greatly aids physical renewal.

How then is He able to do this? He is God!

God ask Israel and now us in Isaiah 40:18.
Who is like me? With whom will you compare me?

The answer

Isaiah 40:22-25 (ESV)
22  It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
23  who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
24  Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
25  To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

In the book of Job, God has a conversation with Job about this same thing. During Job’s loss, his friends came to console him and help him understtand what had happen to him and why. However, in spite of their good intentions, they were way off the mark for what Job needed. Job didn’t even know what he needed. He had one perspective and God had another. So the question God asked was 

Job 38:2-4 (ESV)
2  “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3  Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4  “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

The remainder of that chapter describes God’s supreme creative powers, His supreme sovereignty, His supreme self-existent self. 

And that has what to do with me?

This is He to whom I have bound myself. 
If He has done and is all that

  • Surely He can renew my strength. 
  • Surely He can cause me to or give me the ability to rise above my problems; above my fears; above other people’s drama; financial shortages; sickness and anything else we have to face.
The question then is to whom are you bound? 
One who can cause you to fly or one who keeps you scavenging on the ground?

If you have chosen to be an eagle rather than a pigeon, chicken or turkey, then remember the characteristics that you possess or have available to you. You have the God of gods, empowering you. And while you are being restored you are being carried on His wings.

That’s why I can fly. Are you ready to fly? MOUNT UP!

This is a portion of the sermon I delivered on September 28th at Eagles Wings Christian Church

Feeling Uninspired To Write

by ladypbwiggins

It’s Monday morning in sunny, hot Southern California. I had a beautiful but busy weekend. I know in the world of blog I need to post if I want you guys to stay connected. But today, at this very moment, I feel so uninspired to write. I only feel like sleeping.

Beginning the day a little tired just makes all that is vying for my attention more overwhelming,

        I wanted to clean up my outlook file.
                It seems to have grown more than usual over the weekend.
        I wanted to shred paper. I think the paper had babies when I wasn’t looking.
        I wanted to do some housework. Not all that is needed but just some of it.
               My plan is to do a little each day until I’m satisfied.
               You don’t understand, my level of satisfaction may never come.
               My grandmother set “white glove” standards and I have been infected.
        I want to sew. That’s my fun time.
        I have to work. See why I am uninspired.

It’s Monday and that is just way too many decisions to make. I think I will run some errands. Get away from all these wants and needs. Who knows maybe inspiration will be found in the sunlight. After all it is a beautiful Southern California Day.

Under the Dome Continued

by ladypbwiggins
I left you yesterday at the point of how I understand our rebirth will happen.
Growing Up
Our spirit has been reborn but there is a growing up period. The growing up of our Spirit happens in the grace period. It begins with the washing by God’s Word (teachings).
Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) 
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Just a note. When the word church is used here, it is not talking about that building or any one grouping of people. It is talking about the ones who are followers of the teachings of the Christ.

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV) 
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but
according to his own mercy,
by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The keywords in these verses are saved, washing, regeneration. Saved in the this usage means to protect or deliver; washing means bath; regernation means rebirth, restoration, renovation.
So He is delivering and protecting us because of His compassion towards us. Not by things we do but by giving us a spiritual rebirth bath and the Holy Spirit’s renewal which means renovation.

The Purpose
In the course of this washing, God sets you aside to do something that will help others.
We call that ministry. Kind of sounds like everyone under His dome has a job to do. There are no slackers in this group. The other difference between God’s dome and Chester’s Mill is that those who live under God’s dome can go out to tell others about life under God’s dome and invite them to come and live there. It also gives them opportunity to serve them; meet their needs; help them. When their job is done for that period of time, they can return to the dome but no one can follow until they have made a sincere decision to move in. God knows. He gives the ability to pass through or not.

The Original Question
So, what do we mean when we ask someone if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior?
What we are asking them, whether we realize it or not is

Have you made the decision to be spiritually bathed by the water of His Word and your nature to be renovated or made over by the Holy Spirit?

Have you accepted that He has poured out His compassion and graciousness on you so that you can be declared innocent and live eternally with Him?

Are you learning how to live under His dome according to His rules and are you willing to obey?In other words, are you in a student of the word so you can know the Word; so you can be renovated by His Spirit; so you can be presented before the Godhead without defilement or wrinkles and live with Him eternally?

And you are saying

Since I am telling you that you need to do this, I am indirectly declaring that I have done this. 

  • That I am living under God’s dome, according to God’s rules and

  • I am studying to know what they are.

  • I am obeying His word and agreeing to the Spirit’s renovation of my spirit.

  • And I am doing the assignment He gave me.
So when we pray, sing, or testify that we belong to Him, that He is the Lord of our life, our life needs to look like it. People need to see it before we tell them. They should experience His love through our treatment of them, even if we don’t particularly like them. He changes that if we are obedient.
Then and only then will the unsaved, unprotected, undelivered will know what those words mean. This is not a play thing. It’s real.

We need to stop playing with God. We need to stop with unprofitable traditional behavior that serves absolutely no purpose. We need to erase the lines of division that denominations have formed. We need to focus on who He is, who we are in Him and what He expects from us. He came to heal the sick. Not just those with physical illness, but mental, emotional and spiritual.

Religion has made a lot of people sick.  All the rules that have nothing to do with what He said have hurt people when they thought following them was what they needed to do to be right with God.

Maybe, just maybe we who live under God’s dome need to look at ourselves and determine if we have become complacent. Do I need a bath of spiritual refreshing? Do I need some more Holy Spirit renovation? For me it was a loud, resounding Yes. I had to cry out and I am still crying out.

Where are you living. Under or Outside God’s Dome?

Under The Dome

by ladypbwiggins
There are many statements or questions we Christians throw around and I wonder sometimes if we understand what we really mean.

 I was recently asked this question by someone who had been asked if he was “saved.”

Saved from what exactly? Hell? Is that it? I have hell right here in my life. How can I be saved from that?

Have you also heard said or maybe you said it yourself, “I know what that statement means but I can’t explain it?” That reminds me of something one of my high school math teachers told me,

“If you can’t explain it to someone else then you don’t really understand it yourself.”

Over the days and weeks since then I have given it some thought. A lot of thought actually. So consider this.
Are you saved?
I am saved from eternal separation from God. My eternity began at birth with the opportunity to decide to spend it with God or without Him. How many have seen the TV show Under the Dome? For those who haven’t, this town called Chester’s Mill somewhere in the Midwest, USA was suddenly cut off from the rest of the world by an impenetrable dome. It appeared without warning. You can see the other side but there is no way to go under it or break through it to get to the other side. Let’s say, if you reject God you are suddenly separated from where God is, cut off with no way to get to him. For argument sake, let’s say God is under the dome, and that place is like the Garden of Eden. Chester’s Mill is not like this so here is where the analogy ends. You decide you want to live eternally with God, you are suddenly placed under His dome. You have just been rescued or made safe from all of the madness that is going on outside the dome. 
Have Been You Born Again?
Now you and the others who made that decision brought with you your attitudes and habits. There’s a sign that says all those habits and behaviors can’t live under this dome. So you have to get rid of lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, gossiping, foolishness, disobedience, malice, envy, drunkardness, hatred toward each other, slaves to different lusts, greed.
You can’t live under the dome with them so God gives you a time to get cleansed or rescued or saved from yourself. I call that His grace period.
During this time you have the opportunity to be changed so that you will know how to live this eternal life under God’s dome.
Question: So how does that happen?
Answer: You must be born again or reborn.
Question: What does that mean?
When Jesus told Nicodemus this in John 3:3, Nicodemus asked Jesus the question “How?”and I bet many of us had the same question. Here is Jesus’ answer.
John 3:5-6 (ESV)
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Got that? Yes, No? Here is how I understand this.
We were naturally born – the water broke and the delivery process began.  Our spirit, however, the essence of our being was tainted by Adam’s disobedience. We believe Adam, the first man and his wife disobeyed God’s direct command to avoid eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This disobedience sentenced all of mankind to a separation from God and the essence of our being, our spirit was no longer pure. We believe we were born with a disobedient spirit because of this. What that means it is in our nature to think up impure or displeasing to God behaviors. I also believe there was a part of Adam that wanted to return to God’s dome. I believe that is why mankind is on a continuous search for something spiritual.
Our essence or spirit has to change or be re-born. The body can’t be but the spirit can. So how is my Spirit re-born? I believe the birth process begins when we say “Yes Lord, I want you to rule my life.” That is what we are really saying when we say “Yes, I want Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.” Or make the statement, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior. We have agreed to let Him run or rule our lives. 

That means we are agreeing to live by God’s teachings that have been taught by His  Living Word, Jesus. 

We are immediately placed under His Dome.

Tomorrow’s post will continue this rebirth discussion. I thought you might be tired of reading or have work to do. So until tomorrow, consider your spiritual birth.

Lessons from Gideon

by ladypbwiggins

Good morning friends and family.

Over the last three weeks Pastor Carl has been teaching about the Judge Gideon. From these teachings, I have come away with several lessons.

  • The first is when God calls, you must make a decision to follow or turn your back on Him. In the face of opposition from his home, his family, his town, he chose to follow God. How could this be in opposition to his family. Weren’t they all Israelites? Didn’t they have the same God? The answers Yes and No. Just because you grew up in the same household doesn’t mean your beliefs and relationships with God are the same. Gideon angered his people because he tore down the altars of Baal. This is who Israel had chosen to worship. 
  • The second lesson is God does not need a lot of people to do what He wants. One man or woman can make a difference. Additionally, there may only be a small group willing to help that one woman or man. don’t get caught up in the numbers. A few can move mountains if they are committed and moving in the same direction.
  • The third; Follow God’s instructions exactly and then lead your people. Help them understand that they must follow the instructions exactly to acquire success.
  • Next, accept that it will not necessarily be easy but you will be successful. You and your people will receive the promise God made you.

The final lesson is one that I hope no leader will experience. The end of the Gideon account states when Gideon died, the people went back to doing everything that they found right in their own minds. We would all like to believe our lives had such an affect on the people we encountered that the change would be permanent. I wish that were so. I believe only a fragment of those you served will continue in what they learned while under your leadership. I mean really, can you expect more. Only a fragment of those that begin to follow God continue. We should be grateful that some continue and are faithful in serving God with us.

Don’t be weary in well doing. Keep doing exactly what God tells you even when it looks like you are alone or have a small core group that are committed. My Pastor friends this is especially for you.
Walk tall and confident in your calling and your instructions. Don’t focus on the people following you. Focus on the One you are following. He will provide the right people.