Patience...Oy Vey! - Chapter 35

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfectwork, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:3-4

I see that God is working on my patience! I'm just sayin'!

Without going into too much detail, I am the type of person that observes people's actions and not just their words. I believe that God has given me that gift of discerment when it comes to my interaction with people. Though there are times when I do miss the mark, there are also times when I'm right on the money! I can tell when something's going right and I can also tell when something's going wrong.

Bottom line is I'm asking God to grant me patience when it comes to dealing with His people. I don't like to assume anything! I always want to know where I stand with people, so I know how to deal with them accordingly. I've been screwed over by way too many people in the past. I will not let history repeat itself!

Lord help me! Oy vey!

Until next time....

A New Chapter: RADIO! - Chapter 26

The Holy Spirit has lead me to create my own internet radio broadcast with different topics relating to the Kingdom of God. The show is called "This Week with Tonja Withers." I'll admit, I sounded a bit nervous, but I'll get better. Please check it out: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tewithers

By the way - by faith, I believe that my next blog entry will be one of the greatest blessings I've ever seen. Trust me...I will testify!

Until next time...

God’s Delays Are Deliberate! - Chapter 23

As I was looking back on my past blog entries, I’ve looked at the progress I was making in my life. One of my entries I’ve posted twice. It was the following:

"Father God,

Your word said in James 4:2 “…you have not because you ask not.” Lord, I’m asking you in writing and publicly that you fulfill all of my needs according to Your riches in glory.

Father, I ask you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that before 2009 comes to an end, that you fulfill 5 of the following things for my life:

1) You make my name great!

2) You grant me my own condominium – fully paid for! No Mortgage

3) You grant me my own brand new Infiniti – no loans!

4) Increase my finances to sustain the blessings you will give me!

5) Bless me with a godly, supportive mate who loves me with all his heart!

Lord, I put my total trust and faith in You! For You are not a man that You shall lie! I decree and declare that all of these things will come to pass before this year is out – in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! I take all limits off of You and I KNOW these things will come to pass! Amen!"

Even though my divine petition hasn’t come to pass in 2009, as I was reminded by Joel Osteen this past Sunday, God’s delays are deliberate! I know it will eventually come to pass. In fact, I believe with all of my heart that it will be THIS YEAR! I have way too much faith in God not to believe that.

All I know is this; even if I don’t receive my blessings, I still give God all of the honor, glory and praise! I’ll be a bit disappointed, but I’ll continue to serve Him! He has brought me out of so much. I love the Lord!

Until next time...

What’s up with me keeping friends? - Chapter 22

I completely understand that the greater your calling God has upon your life, the smaller your circle of friends will become. I just didn’t realize to what magnitude!

Over the years, God has been dealing with me in regards to relying on friends when times are hard, need encouragement or lend an ear. In the midst of this, I had let people’s judgements and opinions of me get the better of me. Now I realize that I must fully rely on God in every area of my life because people will fail you, but God never fails! All of the energy I have put in people I now put on God. It has taken me losing several “friends” in order for me to realize that fact.

There are three sets of people in one’s life - confidants, constituents and comrades - that are placed in three different times in their lives - a reason, a season and a lifetime. The comrades will rely around you and cheer you on, but will talk about you behind your back. The constituents will have the same cause or goals as you and will support one another, but if the constituent finds another person that gets to the goal faster than you, they will drop you like a bad habit! The confidants are the ones you keep close to you because they will listen, keeps your secrets and will never throw it back in your face!

The reason, season and lifetime are self-explanatory. If it’s not clear, here it goes - a reason is for a specific purpose that “friend” is in one’s life. A season is a specific time for that “friend” to be in one’s life. But lifetime friends are few and far between. Those are the ones you hold dear to your heart.

I see whose role each person that I call “friend” plays in my life. Although I’m still a bit disappointed at those who have left me or those I had to leave, I know not everyone is meant to be with me forever - and I’m okay with that. I also realize that just as much as people are in my life for a reason, a season or a lifetime, I am in people’s lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I’m not meant to be in people’s lives forever either - and I’m okay with that, too!

Until next time...

Let the Truth Speak! - Chapter 21

Can I be real with you for a moment?

I am lonely! There...I said it! The journey that God has me on is truly a lonely one. Many people don’t understand what I’m going through - nor do they want to! I’m doing my best to be obedient to God’s will for my life, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I am still single. Hence the reason why my blog is titled “Saved, Single, But Not Satisfied!” There is no mate - no warm pair of thighs to rub on me every single night. You know what? I’m mad at that! I know that God will bless me with a mate in HIS time, but it would sure be nice to have a Godly mate right now! I’m a sexual being. I do have needs! And because of my loneliness and vulnerability, I’ve made a stupid decision that now delays my future husband to come into my life. That one moment wasn’t even worth it! Yes, I’ve repented, ask God for forgiveness and moved on. Yes, I know that delayed does not mean denied. However, for every action, there’s a reaction! I’ve lost someone whom I’ve considered a friend when, in actuality, was never a friend in the first place. Just a distraction! A distraction to deter me away from the things of God - and it worked - for a minute! At any rate, life goes on - and so do I.

I know I’m ranting, but if I can’t be honest with myself, then how can God use me to bless others?

I’m not close to any of my family. Not even my immediate family. I am grateful to God that He kept my mother here on Earth. I also love my brother very much. Family is defiantly an important dynamic in a person’s life. However, I truly believe that nobody in my family (on either side) understands God’s calling that’s upon my life, the decisions that I’ve had to make and the sacrifices I’ve endured just to do God’s will. And for that, I know that I will always be somewhat of an outcast or a “black sheep” if you will. But you know what? I’m okay with that! I’ve faced the reality that when it comes to doing the things of God, you will not be popular with others. You can’t go where others go and you can’t do what others do. And when you compromise yourself in order to fit in and to be accepted, you hinder God’s will. I can’t afford to do that! I cannot conform to what my family says and thinks about me. Although I love ALL my family, I have to do God’s will and if they don’t like it, that’s their problem - not mine!

Friends - *whew* - where do I begin? First of all, my circle of friends is extremely small. I’ve learned as I’ve gotten more mature in the Word of God that the greater your calling, the smaller your circle. Not everybody that was there from the beginning will be there to the end. Not everybody who says that they’re your friends are your friends. I thank God for revelation as to who’s for me and who’s against me. But my heart is so big for people that I’ve placed some folks in the wrong categories. And because of those bad decisions, I have a hard time trusting people. Even those in my inner circle! I don’t want to think that friends in my inner circle will eventually leave me, but I have to prepare for that just in case. Now that God has delivered from people and I’m putting all of my business out there on my blog, I guess I’m not afraid to be rejected by people.

The bottom line is that when I love, I love hard. When I’m hurt, I hurt badly. When people tell me that they love me, I expect them to mean it! I do! Majority of the time, I say what I mean and I mean what I say. I know that I’ve hurt some people along the way and for that, I’m truly sorry. Some people has hurt me, too. I had to deal with that.

I’m lonely....Lord help me get through this!

Until next time....

The "Job" Experience - Chapter 13

Since my last post, there has been some challenges I've had to face. You can say that I'm going through my "Job" experience! No, not Job as in work, but Job from the Bible.

You know the story. But in case you don't, a man named Job was one of the wealthest man of his time. He was extremely blessed because God blessed him. God and Satan had a conversation regarding who Satan can devour. God asked him "Have you considered my servant Job?" God allowed Satan to take everything from Job, from his land to his wealth to his children. Satan also made Job gravely ill. The point of this was that regardless of Job's situation he would not curse God, but continue to praise Him! Long story short, not only did Job not curse God in the midst of his situation, but Job receive double for his trouble!

Even though I'm going through my "Job" experience, I still believe that God will bless me! I've left my church on faith because I was tired of my gifts being stiffled. I've quit my job on faith because God's preparing me for something greater. Although things doesn't look good for me right now in the natural, I know in my heart that God is doing great things for me in the Spirit realm! The Lord promised me that He will give me the desires of my heart before 2009 ends and I believe it! I'm holding on to that promise because that's all I have - His word!

Until next time...