I Declare 154!

It's been well over a year since I sat down and wrote to the world, in this manner at least. This time I am writing to you because I am embarking on a journey. Actually this journey started about seven years ago. Seven years ago my life felt like it was turned upside down but in all actuality it was turned right side up.. Although I gave my life to Christ when I was about seventeen, a junior in high school, I had wavered back into the world after graduating high school. I lived with my fiance in a new home, we had multiple vehicles, motorcycles, we both worked, traveled a little, and we were about to get married! Even with all that and I experienced much hurt and pain. Don't get me wrong, we had some good times. I specifically recall one moment when we financially were struggling to make ends meet. One of my love languages is quality time. We didn't have enough food in the house, we didn't want to go to my mother's for dinner again, so we decided to get on the motorcycle and ride. We rode all the way to downtown Detroit, near Belle Isle, and we stopped at the McDonald's off of Jefferson. I enjoy being near the water. We both got off the motorcycle, went in and ordered a #5 value meal. For those of you who act like you've never eaten at McDonald's, it's there quarter Pounder meal with cheese, super size the fries and a drink. We sat down and shared the one meal together. Everything seemed like it was getting better. We spent that time together, we went to McDonald's and we shared our last dime, we laughed and were near what I enjoy the most which was the water. But that was one of our last joyful moments.

On March 16, 2005 you see, I was one month away from getting married. I had hit "rock bottom." This was suppose to be the happiest time of my life. There was financial struggles, emotionally I was a basket case, I suffered through domestic violence and thought I could fight back, and  physically my weight had reached around 230lbs. I had three ulcers, and emotional scars and wounds that seemed like they couldn't be healed. That night on March 16, I walked back into the only place that I knew I would be safe. No it wasn't my house because I literally was locked out, no it wasn't my mother's house because there too brought me much pain because of mental, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse I endured. It was Detroit World Outreach Christian Church (www.dwo.org). Bishop Jack Wallace was teaching on forgiveness. That night I anticipated the alter call. I knew at the end of every service, Bishop Jack Wallace would say something like this, " do you know that you know, that you know if you were to die tonight would you have an eternal place to live? I knew that I wasn't right with God and I wasn't sure if I'd live to see another day. It was at this moment when  I rededicated my life and except Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Savior and asked Christ back into my heart (John 3:3).

That night I had to forgive (Ephesians 4:32) some of those closet people who had hurt me in some of the deepest ways I had ever experienced. But more importantly I had to learn to forgive myself. I now can say that I am healed. God has taken me through this destiny journey and I have learned so much about myself. Everyday I am working on developing myself to be who God created me to be. But there is still an area that I am struggling with. I am not ashamed to admit to it. It in the area of health and fitness. As I mentioned earlier, this journey started seven years ago. I still remember when I was serving at Detroit World Outreach, and I got to the top of the 3rd level out of breath and the Lord spoke to me. He said "that He needed me to prosper in my health so that I can be around as long as He needed me to do the work in the kingdom." Now I know that some people may think or say whatever they want but this is what HE spoke to me. After that time I joined Better Life Fitness Center with Elder Randy and Brenda Woody. I conquered to get my weight to 185. Elder Woody challenged me to drop down to 154 and I still have the hot pink sticky note I wrote that number on.

So I am committed to continuing this journey with only 50 more pounds to lose. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me. I've also picked up a book called, Lose it Fast, Lose it FOREVER by Pete Thomas, a facebook friend and member of my church. I realized that habits I have are because of poor eating habit's that trace back to my childhood and even being in the foster care system. I'm learning to make, "one forever habit at a time." Pete has given some specific challenges and principles to adapt and make a forever lifestyle change. As I go along this journey, I want to keep you posted on my progress. I would like for you to join me! Either a person is committed or they are a quitter. I am not a quitter so I must be committed. I want to share just a few things that I will be following:

1. Committed- I am taking action to deliberately take control of my weight and not allow my weight to have control over me. I will be committed to writing in my journal daily and submitting what I've eaten to a person that I entrust will hold me accountable and help me reach my goals. 

2. Confess- Everyday I will confess the word of God over my life of who He says I am. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and (that your body) may keep well, even as, (i know) your soul keeps well and prospers.
Beloved means Amy, so I will insert my name right into the scripture. Also I will confess that "I am strong, I am lean, I will get it in and weigh in at 154! One forever habit at a time.

3.Cultivate- I am cultivating my vessel to prepare me for where God is taking me. I am breaking up old habits and creating new and healthy habit's. I am creating time for myself to prepare for the week with nutritional meal planning, scheduling at least 6 days a week to commit to a minimum of 30 minutes a day doing exercise (where I sweat), and I will be writing as I embark on this journey.

 

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak"

 

I am an awesome spirit being with infinite potential, I am made in the image and likeness of my Father, who is God. I am totally forgiven, healthy, whole and I am completely healed. I am the head and not the tail. I am above and not beneath. I declare that I will overcome every obstacle that comes my way. I will never be sick, I will walk in patience and in love. I will not judge, I will be like Jesus and I will bring Him glory in all that I do. I will always minister from a position of Peace, Power, Purpose and Prosperity, In Jesus Name!

 

GET IT IN!   

 

© 2012 GodChoseyou2 Blog All Rights Reserved

 

 

Why Love, Respect and Submit?

In an effort to gain more knowledge about the biblical role of a wife, the biblical role of a husband, I was given an assignment by one of my accountability partners. She wanted me to study love, respect, and submission and how it plays a major part in your life especially in marriage. It was interesting as I began this study how many people said, "well you aren't married so why are you doing this?" or someone else dared to say, "what would you know because you aren't married." My response was simple, you prepare before your arrival. Parents don't wait to gather items for the baby on the day of the delivery. A fireman doesn't go into a burning house without prior training, nor does one get married without knowledge of Gods intention for marriage as well as the principles He instructs through the word of God. So in my journey of singleness, I have discovered that I have to gain knowledge on who God's called me to be, get an understanding of who and what my husband should be, and how I can learn to work the "tools" before I have to use the "tools."

Throughout the old and new testament you will see the word love in many scriptures. Love has many meanings. Love can mean affectionate, benevolent, romantic, a strong liking towards something or someone and sexual implications. In the book of Genesis 4:25 (NIV)²⁵ Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,^[a] saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Love in this scripture can be implicated in a sexual manner. In another scripture, love was shown in a romantic yet sacrificial manner the way the man expressed his love and how he was willing to make a sacrifice for her and that's in Genesis 29:18 (KJV)¹⁸And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. He worked another seven years for her which only felt like a few days to him because of his love for her. We continue to see love expressed when we obey Gods commandments and keep them, He promises to keep His covenant of love with us. He reminds us this in Deuteronomy 7:9 (AMP)⁹Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.This love was to be shown by serving God and obeying His commands (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Joshua 22:5). When you love you are walking in obedience, keeping his commands, decrees and laws; you will increase and God will bless you in the land your entering & possessing.  Yet in the New Testament we are reminded that Christ loved us so much that He died on the cross for our salvation, John 3:16 (KJV)¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Sometimes sacrificing ones own life by setting aside your own agenda to take care of someone else's needs like your husbands or your wife's can express the love you have for them. John 15:13 (KJV)¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. This is offering whats most precious to you so that we can embrace what is most precious to God. When we learn how God wants us to love others, we will "lay down" our lives daily by giving ourselves in self sacrificial love. Gods love is unfailing. Now lets take a look at respect and what God says about respect.

A book called Love and Respect by Emerson states that women need love and men need respect. I want you to think about it this way, love best motivates a women and respect powerfully motivates a man. People can learn how to motivate each other if they understand what needs may need to be met. The bible reveals in Ephesians 5:33 (NIV) that a wife's respect for her husband is as powerful as her husbands love for her. You never want to speak words that have the potential to wound your spouse. Your words can wound someone and the next time that you may try to give an affirming word it can not penetrate in his or her heart because they now feel as if they have to guard their heart. Your words

now fall on stony ground. So we must always be mindful of the words that come out of our mouths. Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov.18:21). You are either speaking words that kill or give life, poison or fruit, you choose! A wife's respect can soften her husbands unloving reactions and the way the husband loves his wife can soften her disrespectful ways.

Only the husband is commanded to agape love (agape love is the unconditional or godlike love). God designed women to nurture and love more naturally at the level of intimacy then a man. Naturing is a great desire God's placed in us. By all means this doesn't mean a man or a father can't nurture. Since men don't naturally love this way at the level of intimacy, then ladies should understand that this will be a work in progress in your marriage. What a women does by God's design a husband must do under divine command by God with greater works. So contrary to this, God commands a women/wife to respect her husband. God doesn't command this for a husband because God's designed him to live by a honor code in which he should naturally conduct himself respectfully. Bottom line is that love comes easier to women, while respect comes easier for men, but Ephesians 5:33 is a unconditional command to both husband and wife.

Now lets dig deeper into something that some seem to automatically refer to as a women's place in a marriage or the way that she must relate to her husband and this is submission. The reality is that this is a principle we all must abide by whether we are single or married, male or female.  For example, daily we submit to our employers, when we drive we submit to civil authority, to those whom we have established relationships with and  this also defiantly includes spiritual leaders(Hebrews 13:17).When we look at the word of God, because there are chains of authority/commandments. First we submit to God, then laws of our government and then into the family.  Submission means to put yourself, your knowledge, opinions, feelings and energy at the disposal of another. The prefix of "sub" meaning under, it can also mean putting yourself under the mission of another. Submit means to "retire, withdraw, yield or obey." Submitting to God is the foundation for submission to others.  I believe in order for submission to be effective one must be willing and able to adapt. You have to change the way that you think and the way you correspond. Anyone can be haughty, prideful and independent. Submission is not for the weak. 

A powerful key scripture for a successful marriage is Ephesians 5:21 "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Gods intention for marriage is that a husband leads and a wife submits to that leadership. This does not mean that you treat your spouse like a doormat or abuse them in any way. This goes for each respected parties. Allowing your husband to lead is a way that you can show honor to God and your husband. As a wife you want to make sure that you allow your husband to carry the mantel of leadership in your household. There is a beauty when you are helping complete and not compete with your spouse. We have to be submitted as unto the Lord. Even if you feel as if your husband is wrong about something, God can cover the situation and make it turn out right if you are willing to let go and trust God in all situations/circumstances. If you don't trust and submit to God first, then the minute your husband makes a "mistake" you will fall apart. You don't have to worry about your husband if he is wrong. I believe that if my husband is wrong, the power on my life convicts him and he will be quick to make things right. Always retreat to the Word that's hidden in your heart. The husband submits by reverencing the Word of God and not doing his own thing. Husband carry the burden of responsibility regarding submission in a marriage. They are directly accountable to God. Lets look at some practical keys women can use to submit unto their husbands;

Practical keys you can put into action by Submitting

• recognizing your husbands authority
• keeping God first
• managing to the best of your abilities the responsibilities your husband has delegated you to handle
• willingness in showing respect and honor to your husband at all times.
• daily working on respecting your husband
• building your husband up so he always feels empowered
• assisting your husband in fulfilling the God given vision for the household
• being the helpmate in developing him be the man Gods called him to be

These biblical submission and practice in your marriage will make for a greater marriage, a happier husband and a happier wife. When you submit you are protecting your husbands manhood. Respect + leadership = manhood. When you submit you can use your power in a wise way and in doing so you are building your husband up. You have to always be willing to follow and cheerfully allowing your husband to lead you and the family. You never want to hinder but always help. Allow the Holy spirit to work in your husbands life and don't attempt to take the job of the Holy Spirit. When you are helping you are allowing Gods purpose and plan to be fulfilled in your life and your spouses life. Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church, wives respect your husbands, and submit to one another and most importantly submit and obey God  1st!

Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection (as members of one family). giving precedence and showing honor to one another.

© 2011 GodChoseyou2 Blog All Rights Reserved

 

Be Faithful through it all

Every journey in life begins with you taking the first step. I want to take you through some examples of the steps needed to build your faith with giving you biblical examples and principles, as well as day to day examples on how to build your faith. Now lets think of a baby who is at the stage in life where he or she begins to walk. No one can teach him or her how to walk but its something within that child that gives him or her the desire to take a step. Its a risk that this child is taking, but this desire was already inside the child at the time of conception. And I believe that we need a generation of Christ followers who are willing to take and be risk takers for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a child who trust his mother or father who's standing before them with their hand waiting "just-in-case," we have to look at God this way. If God is your father or your partner, then you need to make your plans big, take a step of faith and make it big. But a parents first reaction is to think "safety first." This isn't a motto for the risk takers, nor does it work in the field of faith. Faith, to be biblical faith, has to be courageous. Anyone can believe God once he has all the facts, but courageous faith obeys regardless of the situation. A person who's courageous makes a way where there is no way. We need to break out the box that the world tries to place us in. Boxes are intended for storage and God didn't create you to be put on a shelve or to tuck you away in a corner in the closet. It's time for the people of God to put on their shoes of faith and start to take the incredible journey with God. Gods is looking for women and men who will believe that with Christ nothing is impossible. Henry Ford said, I'm looking for a lot of men and women who have an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done. Bishop Jack C Wallace would have us confess, I am an awesome spirit being with infinite potential, I am the head and not the tail, I am blessed in the city and I'm blessed in the field, blessed coming in and going out...

But how can one believe this if they have no faith? What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith is believing something that you know with your mind hasn't manifested in the natural but in the spirit it already exist, if you dare to believe. As stated earlier a baby taking his or her first step simply by trusting that his mother or father will be their to catch them. When you began to ride a bicycle, we begin to find out that the bicycle would carry our weight and that as we begin to balance and pedal that it will stay up. Or when you hear your phone ring, you're absolutely certain that you will hear somebody speak on the other side of it. So why is it so hard for Christians to obey God when He speaks? By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going,( Hebrews 11:8) He heard the voice of God and he obeyed. By faith Abel offered the acceptable sacrifice. By faith Enoch walked with God. By faith Noah built the ark. By faith Abraham left His home and traveled to an unknown land. He pulled up roots, leaving everything familiar to obey the voice of God. Where is God calling you?

We have a choice: we can be average or exceptional. The choices that we make will determine the road we take. Choices have consequences and they will reveal our true character. Will you walk with Christ? Can you be identified as a follower of Christ? We have to make a decision to live our lives not based on the world standards of success, but you can ask God to show you who He wants you to be and how He wants you to live your life. Stepping out for God always involves steps of separations. You can't be a coward but you have to be courageous. Courage is a pattern and a path that will keep us going when all around us are is falling and failing. God's calling on your life isn't a vacation but a vocation. When you hear God you have to go hard after Him. When you are believing for a breakthrough this is a turning point or a pivotal moment when you have the opportunity to believe God for something greater to happen in your life. Lets look at some steps needed to help you build your faith in order to inherit the promises God has for you.

6 steps needed to build faith

1. Obedience- the consistency of you responding that goes beyond your comfort level

2. Action- the performance beyond your preference. We must remember the words of Jesus when He called His followers to leave and follow Him (Luke 9:57-62)

3. Decision- the process of determining you will react promptly. God didn't show Abraham everything. Your responsibility is to take that initial step of faith and leave the results to God (Gen.15:1-8)

4. Sacrifice-the destruction of ones own values in order to gain a deeper desire for God. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 It will require you to commit, worship and to renew/expand your relationship with God by building your "alter." Signs of Abraham's faith were the alters he built. The alter we establish is a relationship with God and to renew our commitments to God daily.

5. Courage- this doesn't mean the absence of fear, but its responding in spite of fear. Courage will place you in a battle that fear would run from, but God is "your shield"Genesis 15¹ After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,^[a] your very great reward.^[b]”  Be courageous and face the tests of life head-on.

6. Trust- assured confidence that you have placed in the truth of something you do rely in.          (Prov. 3:3-6)Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

When you begin to apply these steps in your life, you're now walking out the faith process. This is something we must do on a daily bases and it's a lifestyle and not just something we do for a season. The actions you then will display are that of faithfulness. Bishop Ben Gibert, pastor of Detroit World Outreach in Redford, MI.(http://www.dwo.org/) defines faithfullness as consistent, reliable, sure, conscientious in commitments to people and principles. Character that is completely credible. My prayer is that you will chose to live a life based upon faithfulness. That you will receive the promises God has for you and you will declare once and forever that you will walk by faith and not by sight. You will not allow the natural circumstance to move you. You live a super natural life and that you are now a target, an instrument for His Glory, and that you will see God manifest in your life like never before, in Jesus name I pray expectantly.

© 2011 GodChoseyou2 Blog All Rights Reserved

Are you ripe to be picked?

As I read a post I came across this statement which led me to think, "Are you ripe to be picked?

"Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top. Men don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt instead, they just get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good,but easy. So the apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right man to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree."

I do have to say that this it quite a statement. But I want to take the time to dig a little deeper and truly find out what it takes to be ready and prepared to be picked. We are going to look at the process of growing an apple with applying the practical biblical principles that can be applied to your life so you can transform yourself to being a child of God that will produce and bear much fruit.

 If you are a women  reading this I want you to examine yourself closely and ask yourself, Am I riped to be picked? And if you are a man, I challenging you to look at yourself  to make sure your are prepared  to pick when God says you are ready and that you won't settle for the first women you see but you will choose to get the very best, the perfect will of God for your life. And my desire is that every person reading this will look at themselves to be that very sweet apple that is ready to get picked, so all can say , Taste and see that the Lord is good..."Psalm 34:8 (MSG) ⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.

I do believe that God has the good, acceptable and perfect will for everyone. But ultimately God will give you the chance to choose. As we look at the process of how a seed is produced into an apple, we notice that apples are grown from seeds but the transformation from a seed to fruit producing tree can take upwards to ten years. Some unmarried people reading this will say I've been waiting, it's been ten years, while others may say, it shouldn't take that long, so what gives?
Well some people don't exercise patience and they choose to buy apple tree seedlings instead. Think of it this way, it sounds to me like they chose Gods good will because they weren't willing to wait for the full fruit to be cultivated for the perfect will. They reacted on their impatience. Impatience can cause you not to receive your full promises or the perfect will of God for your life. You can get your apple but its smaller in stature, it didn't get a chance to grow into full manifestation as it might have been intended.  

7 Observations needed to produce Seed, tree, fruit

1. A seed. You must know that you are seed of Abraham, Exodus 32:13 (AMP)¹³[Earnestly] remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self and said to them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.
2. The apple has to be dried out. How many of us experience a dry season? I believe everyone has and if you haven't you are lying, or you are living in a dry season right now and you can't even recognize it. I remember the day that I gave my life to Christ and the day that I rededicated my life totally back to HIM. It was such a dry season in my life. I was living in unforgiveness, I was fornicating, I lived with a man that I wasn't married to, I drank alcohol, I was being physically- mentally and emotionally abused but confused thinking it was love, I was living pay check to pay check, I wasn't happy with my self, I lacked confidence, sick in my body with 3 stomach ulcers and I just tried to live one day hoping I would make it to the next day, but I didn't know how I was going to make it. I was dry!
3. Like a seed it has to be planted. If you want to flourish you have to be planted. After I rededicated my life to Christ I planted myself in a church, the very same church I got saved at the age of 17 years old and then that exact church where I rededicated my life at 22 years old, Detroit World Outreach (http://www.dwo.org/)
4. The seed has to watered. How do we as Christians get watered? We sit under the word, we attend church weekly, Deuteronomy 31:12 (AMP) Assemble the people--men, women, and children, and the stranger and the sojourner within your towns--that they may hear and learn [reverently] to fear the Lord your God and be watchful to do all the words of this law,you pray daily, you listen to worship music, you activate the Holy Spirit in your life! You ask God to reveal your purpose and you start walking it out. You begin to experience His promises for your life.
5. Your seed will then begin to grow. Growing requires pruning. John 15:2 (NIV)² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. In greek for he prunes also means he cleans. You will have to "clean house." Get ride of any junk you may have. Get rid of baggage and garbage in your life. Specific care is always needed to ensure that the delicate process results in what its been made to produce. An apple tree has to be pruned every 2 to 3 years. Pruning removes the branches that don't produce fruit, splings that may be growing & stealing nutrients from the tree. We prune so we don't delay fruit bearing. You may have to cut some people out of your life, they may be stealing life/nutrients from you. You can't do things that you use to do, you can't go places you use to go. If you want to bear fruit you have to keep growing, don't allow yourself to become complacent. Allow God to stretch you. Have a cadence with your prayer life and seek God first (Matthew 6:33), Be an example of a Proverbs 31 women by learning how to cook good meals, be a good steward over your finances, accrue some money, workout diligently, learn how to plan and have time management skills, take care of yourself physically-spiritually-emotionally-mentally, learn something new(enroll in a class), sow into other marriages and families, these are a few things that we as women (unmarried) can focus on in our season of growing and pruning.
6. Be planted with other fruit bearers. You want to surround yourself with people who are living a life set apart and sanctified. Hebrews 6:12 (KJV)¹²That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  Make sure that you are able to recognize their fruit, observe them in faith fights, trials and tribulations. What is their response when they aren't in church? What promises have they inherit? Find someone that has the promises you are believing for and learn, gain wisdom and knowledge on how they obtained the promises. 
7. Be a tree that can be transplanted and ready to be picked. At this stage you are thriving and being maximizing to full potential in your life. You have weathered the storms and resisted temptations and flee youthful lust, you have shown yourself to be faithful, you have faith in your faith, your standing on Gods promises and prophetic words in your life, you haven't wavered, you are trusting God and you have no fear operating in your life. Now this is my season, I'm ready to be picked, 2 Timothy 2:21(NIV)²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

When you begin to apply these principles in your life on a daily bases you are producing a seed that will form into a tree, and then a tree that will bear fruit. This process doesn't happen over night and requires much care. For the bible tells us that to whom much is given much is required. So look at yourself and speak to your situation. Know that there is a season and a time for everything, you are fearfully and wonderfully made in the likeness and image of God himself, God has not forgotten about you nor about me. You are amazing and God loves you so much that while he was cultivating you, he was cultivating your Might Man of Valor...You thought you were ready but God said I have a better plan, I have a better apple and not the bitter apple, I have something sweeter and much taster, one that will satisfy you. He will recognize you from afar, he will be bold enough to come forth, he will be courageous, he will display chivalry, he has abilities, and substance. He will seek God before he seeks to find you, but he will climb if he has to, and find and discover you, Proverbs 18:22 (NIV)²² He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD , the apple of His eye. Song of Solomon 2:3 (NIV)She³ Like an apple^[a] tree among the trees of the forest
is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

 © 2011 GodChoseyou2 Blog All Rights Reserved

"Out, I say!"

     Today I want you to think about a few things. Have you ever wondered if you were an accident? Maybe your parents didn't plan to have you. Maybe you have felt lost or just felt that you don't know which way you are going in life.

     Well I am here to deliver you some good news! You are not an accident! Ephesians 1:4 ⁴Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
      You are not a surprise to God. You are called with a specific assignment, a special purpose to be fulfilled in this earth.
     Before you were conceived in your mother's womb, God has His eyes fixed on you. David declares this in Psalm 139:13-16 The Message (MSG)
^13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
      you formed me in my mother's womb.
   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
      Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
      I worship in adoration—what a creation!
   You know me inside and out,
      you know every bone in my body;
   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
      how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
      all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
   The days of my life all prepared
      before I'd even lived one day.
So if you think that you are a nobody, think again. If you think that you have no purpose, think again.
God was so intricately involved when you were formed. He cared about your hands, your nails, your feet, the texture of your hair, to the color of your eyes, to the shape of your lips.
The word of God says that before you existed but by faith He called, see you being conceived, formed and born into this world...
You are not an accident and God chose you. God has a plan for you, Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
As believers were also saved by no accident. Paul wrote, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world..."
 The word chosen in Greek is eklego. This is a compound word from ek and lego. Ek means out, and lego means I say. Put both of these words together and you get, Out, I Say.
In Greek writing it is found that eklego refers to a person or a group of people selected for a specific person. It also means to call out, to select, to elect,  or to personally choose.
     Further when studying the word eklego it was used for the selection of men in the military service. It was also used to denote soldiers who were chosen out of the entire military to go on a specific mission or to complete a specific task. It was also used for the selection of politicians who were elected by the general public to hold a position to execute a special job on behalf of the community. In each of these cases it conveys that it's a honor and a privilege to be chosen.
     We can not forget the responsibility that is placed when you  are chosen. Your have to live you life in a way that is set apart. You have to walk and act different then the world. It has to represent an honor to the calling on your life.
     So I encourage you to look at yourself and your life. Does is exemplify the one who chose you? Are you walking in integrity when no one is looking? Does your character reflect excellence that brings glory to the Father? Is it honoring and pleasing in the eyes of God?
     Remember that you are a "special representative." God spoke, "Out, I say" He chose you, He has elected you. Our Lord and Savior has great plans for you. The Apostle Paul put it this way, "hath chosen us in Him before the foundations of the world..." He echoed from the heavens declaring, you come forth! He said Out, I say." At this point was when He separated you and called you His very own. You are and will always be His son and daughter.
     Embrace your position as a child of the King of King and Lord of Lords. You were chosen and it was not an accident. You do have the responsibility to walk in high places. Look at Deuteronomy 33:29  (NKJV)
²⁹ Happy are you, O Israel!
Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,
The shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
Your enemies shall submit to you,
And you shall tread down their high places.”
It's time that you accept your high calling, take your position, and choose to keep your position. You can't afford to think that your not worthy. Destiny is waiting on you. When your flesh begins to say, "you can't do it, you aren't smart enough, you really can't think you can..." Tell the flesh to be quite! You must capture the thought and cast it away. You can not allow your mouth to speak such negative things. You begin to speak life into your situation. You begin to confess the following,
"God you chose me, you have a future planned for me. God I am ready to be used by you to bring you glory." Flesh be quite. Satan get thee behind me. I am the head and not the tail, I'm blessed going in and coming out. I am an awesome being with infinite potential. My father is the King of King and Lord of Lords. Devil you have no authority over my life. God has a destiny for me and I will live a super natural life. God has a specific plan just for me. My heavenly father has chosen me and I am on my way in Jesus name!
Isaiah 60:1 (AMP)
¹ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! God's calling you to get up, jump in the race!" You are a part of God's team. No matter the situation or the circumstances that you are facing right now, Gods called you. It's not time for you to sit down, or back down. Get going and keep going. God has placed gifts and talents in you that are waiting to be used. If you were given a gift would you put it on a shelf to collect dust? If you gave someone a gift and they never used it, would you give them another gift? God values you. Do not allow your life to be inconsequential if your ignoring Gods gifts. Do not minimize the assignment He has entrusted you with.
     Your life has a purpose, you have gifts inside of you, yo have a calling on your life. He chose you!

About the Author

Amy Martinez

Amy Martinez, entrepreneur, minister, teacher, writer, was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Ladywood High School in Livonia, Mi. During her 4 year attendance at Ladywood High School she was class president, president of the Spanish Club and International Club, she ran Cross Country, played the clarinet in the orchestra, and was a Ladywood Thespian. She later attended Henry Ford Community College where she studied Criminal Justice and Business Management. 

Amy Martinez, is the Founder and CEO of A Touch of Paradise, Health and Wellness with Massage Therapy. She earned her certification in massage therapy from Irene's Myomassology Institute in Southfield, Michigan in 2006. After she graduated she continued as an apprentice and clinical supervisor. 

From the neighborhood of Brightmoore in the city Detroit to being a office secretary, to Residential Program Manager, to entrepreneur, Amy is determined to share her testimony of how she's achieved to be where she is today. It's been through Jesus Christ. In addition to her passion of health and wellness, she works with adults and children who are in the process of rehabilitating from Tramatic Brain Injuries. Amy shares a passion as well for the youth. She is a youth leader at Detroit World Outreach Christian Center, http://www.dwo.org/.  She wants to see every youth reach their greatest potential and to live the abundant life God calls them to have. She volunteers in the Women of Virtue Ministries overseen by Dr. Charisse Gibert and she is a Prayer Minister as well.

Amy counts it an honor and privilege to be used by God to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to help empower His people. Through her testimony of being abused as a child and as an adult, living in foster homes, losing her father to suicide, teenage pregnancy, and failed relationships, she wants to teach the body of Christ that God is a Redeemer, He's merciful and a Sovereign God. God can and wants to transform your life. He used all that to create and make her the virtuous women she is today. She wants to help build you, teach you and transform you through the power of God, no matter your current circumstances. She wants you to know that God Chose You 2.
                                      
You may contact Amy Martinez by writing to:
                                             hopeinyourhandsministry@gmail.com


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My Expectations

I am so excited about the new workshop at Detroit World Outreach (http://www.dwo.org/) called, A Writer's Workshop. It was so exciting to be in a room with you so many diverse people. All gathering together to be an instrument to be used for God's Glory. I was in a room filled of wisdom and knowledge, I could feel God's presence in the room and I just know that God is getting ready to do something BIG through each and everyone of us. I anticipate to be polished during this workshop. I'm a vessel ready to be used by God. I want to share my testimony of how God has brought me through, so that all people especially young people will rise up as the chosen generation to glorify God!