Woman of God, Shift Accordingly

Old ways won't open new doors...

Good evening Kingdom Sisters, you might want to prepare yourself because today is about to get real transparent. With the year coming to a close, we will hear a lot of people prepping themselves for the "new year, new me" spill. Well, in all honesty, we always see that the same ones who quickly yell out this statement are the main ones who end up going right back to where they used to be and sis, maybe you have done this as well (I know I have girl) . Why is it so easy for someone to go back even if they decided to speak life a bit, well it's simply because, around this time of year, some people are more concerned about switching up their outward appearance rather than their inward posture. Now sis, don't worry, if you fall into this category, you don't have to wait until January 1st to change that. If you desire to change and become a better version of yourself then you're going to have to check and examine yourself with where you stand when it comes down to your walk with Christ. Why does this matter? It matters because if we are claiming to keep God first then we have to stick to it, not just with our words but with our actions AND with our thoughts. Now, as you begin to examine where you truly are in your walk AND YOU'RE BEING EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT WITH YOURSELF, you may want to change asap. Don't worry because the very first step to changing for real is calling yourself out on what needs work and improvement.

I have so much on my plate, how can I focus on keeping God first?

Now whether or not you're a mother, wife, a creative, a student, self employed, workaholic, or all of the above, it is so easy to get wrapped up in everything else. You see, as women of God, regardless of our social status, our plates are already full from the day we are young girls. We have to learn how to take care of our monthly visitors, how to adjust to our chests developing, how to keep a healthy confidence when someone decides to comment on our looks, how to refrain from being jealous of other girls and not to mention, how to stay away from the wrong crowd. In the midst of growing up, we all made mistakes and gained flaws but we eventually found our way to Christ and now our plate is even more full than before. Guess what, you have got to pass that plate unto God. Whether you're a mother on her own, a wife who is trying to adjust to submission, or a single woman of God who is trying to live holy, you have to give your burdens and weight to God. If you can't trust Him to handle and take care of everything else then what is the point in saying that you even believe in Him? Sounds harsh? It's just tough love sister, trust me, I get it, in the midst of changing diapers, cooking, cleaning, working on your vision, pulling long hours at work, trying to keep up the romance in your marriage and trying to be the strong friend, it can all be very draining. This is why you turn over everything that you care about to God BEFORE it gets hectic. Do I have any last minute sisters out there? You know, the ones who wait until they're on the edge to approach God? Let's break that narrative in you today! Instead of waiting for your day to be long, hard, and drug out, be sure to equip yourself in the morning with a sincere prayer and ask the Lord for His will to be done all throughout the day. Maintaining a mindset of keeping God first comes with being disciplined and consistent with yourself. Train yourself to always reach for the Word of God whenever you can. Be sure to have your time in prayer, not just in the morning but all throughout your day. Be consistent in who you know will hold you accountable from time to time. Keep the women close to you who are consistent in telling you what you NEED to hear and not what you want to hear. Even with all of this being said, there may be something in you that is still trying to say that you can't do this and that there's no way you can make it, well guess what, that's when you know it's time to shift your heart posture!

Put on all of God's armor so that you

will be able to stand firm against all strategies

of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 NLT 

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth

and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on

the peace that comes from Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the

devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 
Ephesians 6:14-17 NLT

Shifting your heart posture concerning your role..

Now then, if you are still feeding your mind with negative thoughts and telling yourself that no matter how much you read His word or surround yourself with God driven people, it won't help then your heart posture needs shifting. When you examine your heart, your thoughts and what you speak almost always exposes where you are in your faith which is why it's easy for people to see through the facade that you've been trying to hold together. Sis, be real with yourself, take the mask off and destroy it. Look in the mirror and call out what you truthfully see in yourself and call out to God. Ask the Lord to shift your heart posture concerning your role. What do I mean by this? Well as a mother and a wife, I can tell you that it is a blessing but at the same time, it can be a lot! You're constantly taking care of everyone else, you're trying to keep a level head when the kid/kids begins to have meltdowns or tantrums and not to mention trying to keep teamwork active in your marriage. Often times for mothers and wives, it can be too easy to slip into complaining and asking God how and why all the time. This just exposes that you view your role in a certain way. Ask God to give you a new perspective when viewing your role. Try putting this into practice, instead of saying that you have to do this, say that you get to do this. Now don't go being obvious with this by saying "oh wow what joy in cleaning up poop and late night crying sessions" You are just supposed to shift yourself into being more grateful from the inside out. Someone out there is just praying a true man of God to love them like your husband loves you. Someone out there just wishes they could carry their own child in their womb like you carried yours. Someone out there is grieving the loss of their child and you are over here complaining about something so small but you're able to kiss, hold, and take care of your own healthy baby. Shifting your heart posture towards your role shows you how and why you should be more grateful for the things that are attached to you EVEN ON THE HARD DAYS. There is someone out there who sees your life as a lottery ticket, why can't you see that for yourself? This is certainly stepping on my toes because I have had my shares of complaining and questioning God sometimes. Now be mindful that shifting your heart posture is going to be tough but it takes discipline and consistency to shift and maintain it!

You have what it takes because of who you are.

All in all, you are a woman of God and you have to know when enough is enough. You have to know for yourself when you are tired of just being the same. Don't be afraid of change, it will be uncomfortable but the ending result alongside the fruit of it will be worth it. You have what it takes because you already know that God is in control and if you are having trouble letting go of control, relinquish it from your mind and your actions will follow through. There is so much in store for you, you just have to be willing to put in the work to shift and improve when necessary. You can't get to the next level if you're still holding onto your current one. I encourage you all to shift how you operate in this season, be mindful of the thoughts that you have towards your job, children, husband, school, and or current situation. You don't have to wait until next year to start fresh, start now. You have what it takes to achieve and maintain improvement.

As Always: Stay Blessed & Encouraged