Yesterday I posted a Sunday Sermon about not giving up, “Hold On”. I want to pick up on the part that I said “pray to God and ask him to help you, to send people to you that will love and support you. And they will come, accept those people.” I want to emphasize on this part. People that you think would love and embrace you don’t always look like you think they may look. Your tribe that God sends don’t necessarily look like the Beaver Clever mom, they are not always a “Christian” that is in church every Sunday. They are not always a family member or a person of your race, religion or same sex. The very ones I thought would embrace me and love me, were not the ones. The ones that have picked me up out of my gutter of despair and loved me so hard, are not even church members. They are people from all different walks of life. They are people of color, they are part of the LBGT community, they’re the opposite sex, some have different political views, they have different religious beliefs, but one thing they all have in common is love, compassion and empathy. That’s the real religion right there. If you don’t have those things in your heart, I don’t care if you have your name on the church pew. You’re not doing it right! Having the mindset that your tribe, your people are going to be like you, needs to be canceled out of your head. God can use ANYBODY! Be open to all you meet because connections are not coincidental. ❤️

I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day. We were discussing when people manipulate you. The first time they do it does not mean it was a mistake or a one and done. No! That means they are testing you to see if they can get by with it. To see if they will get caught. That’s what they do.

Manipulators manipulate!

They never take responsibility, they blame circumstances and other people but never themselves. They don’t value people, no matter what you do for them. They seek out empaths with kind and generous hearts and exploit their qualities. They create drama and then play victim to circumstances. It’s all part of the calculated, manipulation plan. They respect no boundaries. They expect you to set yourself on fire to keep them warm. Don’t ever think it’s a one time deal. It’s a test for you and a try for them. You know the saying, “ happens once, shame on you, if it happens twice, shame on me.” #dealingtohealing

A friend recently sent this to me. I have read it several times. As I read it, I think about people in my past that took advantage of my lack of boundaries, my lack of self respect, of me walking on eggshells to keep from rocking the boat, saying “yes” while biting my tongue and really meaning “no”. Allowing them to push me into guilt and shame. Using fear based doctrine to manage me. Being controlling and gas lighting me. And now, none of those people are in my life. I took my life back and control of my life and one by one they left. When I stopped walking on egg shells, started honoring my feelings, speaking up and out, saying no and giving zero reason why, and setting boundaries that were clear, they disappeared. People will stay around and hang out as long as you let your brokenness benefit them. I encourage you to do a check list of who is benefiting and start being offensive to them.

I want to explain the importance of intuition, of listening to your gut. Not long ago, I prayed a prayer like I’ve never prayed. It was a prayer of surrender. And in this prayer I asked that God send messengers to tell me what I should do. I don’t profess to be a person to say I hear God’s voice or even that I’m smart enough to know. All I know is I asked for messengers. Within a month of my prayer, 5 people delivered the message of what I needed to hear. These people had no idea and nothing about what is going on in my life. One I’ve never even met. All they knew is they acted on what they felt. As each one told me the very thing, I had prayed about, I knew they were the messengers. I’ve contacted 3 out of 5 to let them know they were a messenger and the importance of their act. They acted on their intuition and it was a game changer for me. If you feel lead to speak something good to someone, give them something, offer them something, show them something, don’t question it. Act on it! You may be the answer they are waiting on to answer their prayer. And I don’t care what your relationship is with God or if you even have a relationship. God uses everyone. I literally had an atheist help answer a prayer for me last year. They didn’t know they were being used to help answer a prayer, they just acted on their intuition and their gut. Don’t resist the voice that doesn’t use words. #dealingtohealing