Christ and His Resurrection

 

Good morning! As someone who has been a Christian pretty much all of my life; Christ Resurrection means so much to me. It means when my body and life are gone from this temporal world; I have hope of rising again through because of Christ in the Eternal world. 

So often as Christians we get caught up in the symbolism of Christ Resurrection and forget the TRUE meaning and TRUE story according to Scripture. Tonight our church will be partaking in the Lord's Supper (some call communion) with the bread that represents Christ body when he died and the grape juice which represents Christ blood. As we partake in this we remember all of the suffering that He willingly took on to pardon man from the curse of sin and death that started with two people long ago. And we all know who those two people are! I am forever Grateful that Christ took my place in death and rose again on the Third day, according to scripture, and that He lives forever more.

Now let's dive more into the Scripture and Truth about His Death and Resurrection. 

Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Jewish time starts around 6pm in the Evening vs American time starts at 12am. So from 12pm to 3pm there was darkness everywhere. Around the ninth hour Jewish time (3pm) Jesus cried and gave up His Spirit and died😢 So from reading the Scripture He died somewhere in the late afternoon.

Christ himself spoke on how He would die and be in the grave three days and three nights- not a day in a half like is commonly reached. Three days and three nights. Scripture says in Matthew 12:40 KJV Jesus said: For as Jonas (Jonah) was three days and three in the whales belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

Note* We all know that a full day is 24 hours- so mathematically speaking Friday night to Sunday morning is only a day in a half. So Christ said himself three days and three nights he would be in the grave. So we can see according to scripture that He died before Friday.

Let's dive more into the Scripture and Truth about His Resurrection.

According to all gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; Christ had already risen when they arrived at the tomb when it was dark on the first day of the week (Sunday). Scripture says in John 20:1- KJV The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 

Mary then runs to tell the other disciples that someone took Jesus away and the disciples come to see that the tomb is empty. So from this account we read that Christ rose while it was dark and that He did not rise with the sun on Sunday morning at dawn. This chapter always touches my heart of how close Jesus was with His disciples and the women that followed Him also. It makes me so anxious and excited that one day soon because He is risen and will be coming back; that I'll be able to see him face to face and be with him too.

I love digging deeper into the Scripture and learning more of God's Word and I also love to know why and what I believe. And for it to make sense and to be able to explain it. I hope that you enjoyed this devotional and that it touched your heart, remembering and reading all about Christ sacrifice for our lives.

Hugs, Ebonee💜

Verses of Peace and Unity

Hi Friends,

I wanted to provide some verses of peace. We all know that we definitely need peace, not only in our lives, but also in this world. With all of the violence, riots, murders, looting that we have not only seen at the Capitol; but including the past summer that left people with decimated cities, neighborhoods, and worst of all, death. I wanted to share some verses that will provide peace and hope; because as a Christian, I will always advocate for peace and civility. Because that’s what Jesus did and would do. 

I hope that these verses encourage you-

Matthew 5:9 KJV

[9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Romans 12:18 KJV

[18] If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Mark 9:50 KJV b

And have peace one with another.

Luke 1:79 KJV

[79] To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Psalm 133:1 KJV

[1] Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

I hope these verses are an encouragement to you and I'll leave you with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

And as the Bible says, Be ye kind to one another. Epheasians 4:32 a

Have a great day friends! 

Hugs from Florida 💜

Setting my sights higher

Good morning Friends! Lately I have been so overwhelmed, frustrated, saddened, scared, and helpless to everything that’s been happening in the world. By nature I fight for my beliefs and for things that are right- that’s just who I am as a person and will always be. I’m definitely NOT a wall flower. But lately, it’s been so much to where I feel helpless and discouraged. So many opinions/feelings over Facts.
But I constantly have to remind myself of a wonderful Bible verse, Colossians 3:2 KJV
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

If I set my sights higher,  on the ONE who matters most and knows what’s best and knows what’s happening and knows the end from the beginning. I can rest assure that Jesus has everything under control. When it seems like things are out of control- God is in complete control.
Knowing this brings my heart true peace and setting my sights higher makes me see the bigger picture. That this world in all of its chaos is ultimately not my eternal home. My eternal home will not have violence, hate, sicknesses, death, or division or any other terrible thing. My eternal home will be truly peaceful and everyone will get along. So when I feel that discouragement start creeping up again; I’ll just remind myself to set the sights higher🙏🏾

Have a blessed day Friends!

Seven things I’m Thankful for

Good morning ☀️ I’ve been thinking lately of all the things I’m thankful for; and I wanted to share and reflect this weekend all things positive. First thing’s first, having a thankful heart produces contentment in what you have right now. Having a grateful heart helps you to realize that it’s not peace wanting more things but having peace with the ONE who gives you those things.

Today’s verse
Colossians 3:15 KJV
[15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Here’s my current thankful list-although I’m incredibly thankful for a lot more.

1. My family
2. My home
3. My job
4. My garden
5. My beautiful home state of Florida
6. The beach
7. The freedom to pray to a God who listens and answers

Happy Saturday from the Sunshine State☀️

God answers prayers

Good Morning! I wanted to share some good news if you've been following along you know that my Mom had been furloughed - without pay due to the Coronavirus. We were so worried and even stressed. The unemployment website was down due to so many people trying to apply. I don't want to go into a lot of detail but we really prayed- family and church friends. This past Wednesday I really got down to business and prayed to God for answers and told Him that I know He answers prayer and my Faith is BIG! Fast forward to Thursday (the next day.) My mom received an abundance of good news, She's supposed to go back to work Monday. My main reason for writing this devotional is that God really does exist and answers prayers. If you've ever had any doubts about God or Prayer please feel free to reach out to me and we can chat further. I will continue to pray for those of you who have asked for prayer. I wanted to share a message of hope with you all.

Wisdom and Direction during hard times

Hi Friends, Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my little creative corner of the blog world. I just wanted to let you all know that my heart goes out to everyone affected by the Covid-19. These times are not easy for anyone right now; everything is so uncertain and constantly changing. Which brings me to the original reason for this post. As I pray for this stress to pass quickly, so they people can get back to work and provide for their families. This whole crisis has me thinking about the future and how to prevent any financial stress if anything like this ever happens again.

One thing I know for sure is that God takes very good care of me- for example- I have been on the verge of buying a new car because I really need one, However, prior to Covid-19 (Corona Virus), I had my own personal rainy day. It was definitely unexpected, unavoidable and for me very stressful. And then all of a sudden I'm receiving emails from Corporate about certain parts of the company I work for being suspended and every day there was something new regarding the virus. So fast forward with the title of this post being wisdom and direction. If I had never prayed to God for wisdom or direction, I could have easily been stuck with a car payment and other responsibilities and worrying about the unknown. So that's why it is so imperative to pray for wisdom and direction and to listen to God even when we want to do the opposite. He knows the future and He knows what's best.  He knows when the perfect time for everything in your life if you only just trust. 

This also brings me to thinking that it is so good to follow Dave Ramsey's saving for a rainy day because you never know when you'll need that rainy day fund.

A verse that has been on my mind and that I'd like to share is about wisdom.

James 1:5 KJV If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

The best part of this verse is if you ask God gives to everyone liberally!!!! That means a lot!

I linked my favorite song that is such comfort right now.

Let me know how I can pray for you.

Good Heart

Good Morning Friends! I was feeling inspired to write a devotional this morning; focusing on a good heart. The Bible talks about having a good heart in a very unique way; in that, it links it with honesty. See, having an honest and good heart produces fruit or evidence of good works and good reactions to having to change our not so good ways. For example, If God speaks to you through His Word or a Sermon that you need to change the ways that will ultimately separate you from Him. An honest and good heart will take that information and become a better Servant of God. A heart that isn't honest or good, will make excuses and be stubborn and dishonest with themselves and say " I don't need to change anything, I'm ok the way that I am and disregard the information. But as Christians, we are constantly growing and producing good fruit or evidence and should never disregard any room for improvement and growth that we separate us from our Saviour.

Luke 8:15 KJV
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Happy Saturday Friends and Blessings!

We are important to God

Hi Friends! My pastor recently said something in church that touched my heart. It was " People are very important to God!" Every single human being on this earth is important. Christ died for each and every one of us and he cares for our souls. This is why it is so imperative that we tell people the truth when they are doing wrong because it could cost them their eternity with God if we coddle and condone bad... or worse - wicked and perverted behavior. Not that we should be mean and nasty, but we should speak the truth and stand for what's right. And help people overcome their faults and bad behavior.
So back to being important to God. People are so important that He made a way for us to escape eternal separation from Him. By becoming human and giving his life to redeem us from sin. Now it's up to us to turn towards God and live for Him forever. So when you feel hopeless- Just remember that you are important to God and he cares for your soul.

God's Will and Plan

In church, we talked about God's will and plan for our lives individually. And it really made me think about praying more about what's right for me or God's plan for my life may not be what I have planned for my life. It reminds me of the verse in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

We often plan things or do things without inquiring for God's will which is so important because God is the only one who knows the future. It made me think that from now on I'm going to pray that the decisions I make or if I'm planning on making big changes in my life that I'm going to make sure it's in God's perfect will.

"Gratitude" My 2019 Word of the Year

Good Morning Friends! I discovered my 2019 Word of the Year over on DaySpring cards and my word is "Gratitude!" I already feel so grateful for the abundant blessings and love God bestows upon me. And I'm eternally grateful for my family, work and my freedom. But I hope/plan to open 2019 with a heart full of Gratitude all year long. I've noticed when I'm grateful for what I have, things that I want seem to fall into my hands- lol. So in closing, I will link the DaySpring Word of the Year Quiz here so that you can discover your Word of the Year. And please let me know what's your word. I love hearing from you all. Also here's a good verse of the day reflecting gratefulness.

Psalm 100:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Have a Blessed 2019 and thank you so much for following along on my little blog.

The Ninth Commandment

Good Morning Everyone! I haven't written a devotional in a long time and I really wanted to write this one today. It's about the Ninth Commandment from God. We all have heard of the Ten Commandments, well this devotional is about the Ninth one. Exodus 20:16 KJV Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Which basically means - Don't bring false accusations against people or lie about people. Even God doesn't like when you lie about people; that He added it in the Ten Commandments. There are examples in the Bible of false accusations against people- like for example; Genesis 39 talks about Joseph a man very good man falsely accused of trying to rape the Government Officials wife and she tried to create (false) evidence by ripping his jacket. And Joseph had to pay for that until God made things right. Another example is King Ahab was wanting to buy someone's Vineyard but the person didn't want to sell his families property. So King Ahab's wife hired FALSE accusers to say that the man did and said horrible things, just so that they could put him to death and take his Vineyard. There are more, but these stood out to me. As you can see, creating false narratives about people is not wrong but it hurts people. We should never lie about people just because we don't like them, or don't like the way they look, or because we disagree with their ideology, or for any reason at all.  Remember honesty is the best policy. And we all should want to please God and obey His Commandments. And be kind to people because that's all that matters. Have a great day Friends and feel free to leave a comment, I love hearing from you all.

Never Forsaken

     As Humans, we always seem to want more and more. I read a wonderful verse and promise that God gave us, Hebrews 13:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

I was thinking about the first part of the verse where it talks about covetousness and being content, I think contentment starts with having a thankful heart. I have found if I'm thankful for what I have now and not wanting more or even coveting what others have -which is a form of envy- I've found that I'm more content. The last part of the verse is so wonderful, God says that He'll never leave us or forsake us so therefore if I have a need He will graciously provide - which I have also experienced so many times in my life. God knows what we have need of and always works things out right on time. So, I'm working on having a thankful and content heart because I know God will never forsake me.

Let your light shine

        Hello Everyone! I recently seen a phrase that said " You will never influence the world by trying to be like it!"And that statement is so true.  If you are wanting to make a positive difference in the world- you can't blend in. The Bible also says something similar and more powerful because Jesus said it first! Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
      This verse inspires me because as I see the moral declining state of our society- I am more determined to shine and reflect Christ; not only through my words, but my actions. As a Christian I'm determined to not blend in with society and go along with whats trendy & accepted, but to present my self as Christ would. And to promote what is right and  NOT what we feel. We all have feelings but that doesn't mean its always right.

Part of my 2018 focus for myself is to shine brightly and to not blend in; To maintain my morals and class; and glorify my Heavenly Father. I hope that this devotional was helpful & inspiring. Blessings!

New Mercies, New Year,

     As 2017 comes to a close, I wanted to write my last devotional & Blogpost for 2017. This year has been amazing in so many ways. It also has been bitter after loosing a very close loved one a couple months ago,  but it has also been oh so sweet! As I reflect on all of the good things, I become more and more thankful- for my Family, Career, this amazing world we live in, and most all Jesus! He has taken such good care of me and my family beyond what I deserve; he has also bestowed an amazing amount of mercy and grace to me. And for that, I am forever grateful. Psalm 145:9 says,
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

As 2018 approaches, I hope to be a much better person than I am today. Sharing, loving, kind, and giving mercy as I have been given. I hope appreciate whats really important and not superficial. I hope for all things good. I hope to travel and explore this beautiful country that I live in and document each and every beauty with my camera. I hope to bring joy and positivity to someone. I also hope to make a good difference in our world. 

Happy 2018 and Blessings to you all and thank you for following along my little blog and reading.

Eternal Life

     The past few days has been so sad for my Family and I.  We lost a loved one, who was actually named after my mom, Pamela Denise.  After reflecting on all of the memories and crying and comforting each other.  I wanted to write a devotional on our Hope of Eternal Life.  We all know that we can't stay here on earth forever, but the good news is that Jesus came to give us a true hope of Eternal Life.  In John 10:28 Jesus says, And I give unto them Eternal Life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  This gives me comfort knowing that one day I will be with Jesus, my family and friends and we will live eternally.  And I never have to worry about being sad or crying ever again. This is the whole reason Jesus came was to take away sin and death. He was the first conquer death and He lives forever more. And I can't wait to meet my Blessed Savior someday soon.

In loving memory of my cousin and friend Pamela Denise. I love you and I miss you. I'm going to miss seeing you and you filling me in on all the latest family gossip and our late night talks. My heart aches. 💔 Remember to never take your loved ones for granted. Love on them everyday.

Followers of God

       Hi There! Todays devotional is all about following God.  Sometimes, we as humans can be followers, but not of things we should be.  Ephesians 5:1&2 states.  Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.   I always want to follow God's perfect way and walk in love. And trust his way, just like a child, they trust everyone and are sensitive and will follow so easily. Besides, God's way is always best. I know its a short devotional but I wanted to write this today to encourage you to follow God. Have a great day. 

Finding Rest and True Peace

     Good Morning Everyone.  Today's devotional is all about finding rest and true peace in Jesus.  There are people in this world who turn to drugs or other unhealthy addictions trying to find peace in their life  or find happiness through lots of material things or even an answer. But just know that Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. This is such a great promise.

    There are times when I was really burdened and worried and I would just remember that God is much bigger than any fear, addiction or problem and that he can handle it all. So, if you are ever feeling afraid, sorrowful or maybe you have an addiction that you want to overcome. Remember you can always give it to God and he will give you true peace. It may sound cliché, but it is so true. I myself have experienced true peace and rest through God.

Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by  and reading. Feel free to leave a comment I'd love to hear from you.

Angels to watch over me

            Hi There! So yesterday(Friday) I had a couple meetings North of where I live and most of the time I take the Interstate and then sometime I take a different route. Yesterday I took the interstate back home. I was just ending two different phone calls one work related and the other my mom. In the distance I seen lots of black smoke and the first thing I thought was that there was a fire in the Prairie or forest until traffic stopped. And I sat in one spot for  over 2 hours. A lot of fire trucks, ambulances and state troopers came rushing by and then I thought something really bad must've happened. Eventually Officials got traffic moving and I had seen the aftermath of a horrible accident . Later that day I found out the details which I won't expound on here because its very sad. But, one person did pass away among the 9 injured. My whole reason for writing this post is that the accident happened minutes prior to my arrival and I'm very Thankful for God keeping His Angels all around me and my family and friends. I travel a lot for work and I never know the God planned delays or  detours that happen in my life to keep me from harm. Who knows if God had me eat lunch early in the town I was in instead of coming back home to eat and being apart of the accident.

It also made me be very thankful for life and to not take things for granted. And to enjoy the pretty little things. Psalm91:11 is the one of my favorite Verses. It states For he (God) shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. I pray that God keeps his angels watching over my Family and I and also my friends. We should all pray it. I hope this inspires you and touches your heart. Have a great day and thank you for stopping by and reading.

Psalm 23

Happy 4th of July Weekend everyone! I hope its a good one for you so far! I just wanted to write a devotional today on something that I've been thinking about. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

This verse is truly what I pray because its what I want for myself. I want all of God's goodness and mercy to be with as long as I'm alive on this Beautiful Earth that He created. And the last Part of the verse is also dear to me. I want to dwell in God's house or presence for ever. God is always so faithful to me and I want to be thankful and serve Him and live for Him for ever. I never want to leave God. He is the Best Heavenly Father. I hope this encourages you to strive to be faithful to God as he is to us. And to dwell in his Presence For Ever. Have a great 4th of July! And thank you for stopping by and  reading.

Mother's Day Everyday

Hi There! We all know that Mother's Day is tomorrow and me personally I love buying my mom gifts and flowers!!! But this post is mostly about celebrating your mom everyday. I have the best mom ever! She managed to raise my younger sister and I as a single mother. She also worked really hard to make us respectable, Classy and Independent (that's Me) ladies. While giving us the best education. I never want to take my mom for granted or designate just one day to Celebrate my mom. So for me Everyday is Mother's Day. My mom and I talk everyday and when I'm on a work trip out of state she always ask that I text her to let her know that I arrived safely and if I don't she'll definitely call or text me with ear or an eye full. LOL!!! But, I really Love my mom she's the best. So take every day as much as possible and love on your Mom. This verse I'm leaving with you fits my mom Perfectly. Proverbs 31:10KJV Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Thanks for stopping and reading have a great weekend!