Don’t wait until the storm is over…

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon!  Happy Wednesday to you all!  Don’t you love short work weeks?  I know I do.  I pray that your day has been a productive day.

TFTD: Don’t wait until the storm is over…

Psalm 34:1 (NKJV)

 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

God has given us two eyes and two ears for a reason, we should spend twice as much time observing things and listening to people then we do speaking.  Through observation, I have noticed that many people are reactive instead of proactive.  We respond based on a cause and effect.  Something must happen first in order for us to give a response.  We’ll as believers we should respond in a proactive manner.  We should praise the Lord at all times.  We shouldn’t wait for God to do something positive in our lives before we praise Him.  We should praise Him for being God.  So I write today, to encourage someone, “don’t wait until the storm is over before you praise the Lord, praise Him right now.”

It’s my belief that God may wait to see what our response will be before He responds to our request.  What if God only blessed you based on your response?  Many of us would never be blessed.  For example, the doctor gives you a grim report and you immediately have a pity party or you see on the news that people in your neighborhood are foreclosing on their homes and you start worrying about your home or you find out they are cutting back on your job and you start panicking and doubting God.  If God was waiting on your response you would never be blessed.  I don’t know about you, but I’m glad He blesses us based on His grace and mercy and not on our response.  Now imagine what would happen if the above mentioned took place, but you decided to praise the Lord anyway?  God wants us to praise Him in the good and the bad.  We should praise Him at the beginning of the storm, in the middle of the storm, and after the storm.  We should be proactive with our praise.

I don’t care what you are going through right now, take a moment and ask yourself, “Has God ever failed you?”  The answer should be NO!!! With that being said, DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE STORM IS OVER, PRAISE THE LORD RIGHT NOW!!!  You will confuse the enemy if you choose to praise the Lord at all times.  You will change your entire outlook on life and eliminate stress, if you choose to praise the Lord at all times.  You will attract unbelievers to Christ, if you choose to praise the Lord at all times.  Don’t wait, don’t hesitate, trust in the Lord and praise Him right now!

God bless!  Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Lord, I’ll Trust You

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  Happy Tuesday to you all!  I pray that you had a blessed weekend.  I hope that your Memorial Day weekend was fun and filled with relaxation.

TFTD: Lord, I’ll Trust You

Psalm 71:5(NKJV)

⁵ For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
You are my trust from my youth

Life is full of challenges, test, trials, tribulations, struggles, temptations, distractions and discouragement.  There will be times when you don’t know which way is up or down.  There will be days when you won’t even know who your friends are or who you can trust, but I want to remind you that you can trust in the Lord.

Sometimes things happen to us to distract us and to discourage us.  Sometimes the enemy will place things before us that will cause us to doubt the power of God.  Then there are times when God will place things before us to draw us closer to Him.  We may face things to test our faith and cause us to pray more and to study the word of God more.  No matter if the situation is a distraction or a test we should say, “Lord, I’ll Trust You”. 

As a child, I expected certain things to happen automatically.  I just knew I would have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on the table, a way to school each day, summer vacation, friends to play with, a birthday party, gifts on Christmas morning and the list goes on.  I  trusted that it would be done.  There was this innocent trust filled with great expectation.  I wasn’t concerned with the how or the why, I believed it would be done.  That is how we should be now that we are saved.  We should have a level of expectation that certain things in life will always be taken care of.  We shouldn’t be concerned with the who, what, how, or when.  We should TRUST GOD!  I dare you to wake up every morning and say, “Lord, I’ll trust you!”.  I dare you to believe that the Lord will take care of you and your families needs. 

• You may have received a negative report from the doctors, but I dare you to say, “Lord, I’ll trust you.”
• You may have received a pink slip from your job, but I dare you to say, “Lord, I’ll trust you.”
• You may be having trouble in your marriage, but I dare you to say, “Lord, I’ll trust you.”
• You may be depressed and stressed out, but I dare you to say, “Lord, I’ll trust you.”
• You may have financial difficulties, but I dare you to say, “Lord, I’ll trust you.”

No matter what you are facing I dare you to trust in the Lord.  I expect things from God because He is a promise keeping God.  I may not understand how everything will work out, but I know it will work out because I trust Him!

Do you trust the Lord today? 

Have a blessed day!

 

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

What are you feeding your spirit?

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  Happy Monday to you all!

TFTD: What are you feeding your spirit?

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body^[a] and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Over the past few years, I have been on this journey towards changing my lifestyle.  I’m not on a diet because diets never work, in my opinion.  Instead I’m changing my lifestyle.  I’m creating habits that will reap permanent changes not only in my life, but in the lives of my children, my husband, and anyone else I come in contact with. 

I’ve been paying close attention to what I put into my body by tracking what I eat.  I have also noticed what certain foods will do to my body.  For example, if I eat salty foods I will retain water.  If I eat chocolate it sends a signal to my brain that I need more chocolate (giggling).  It’s very important to pay attention to the cause and effects of foods and drinks that go into your body.  I’m determined to change.

It’s important to take care of your physical body because we only get one body and one shot at this life.  It’s also important to nurture our spiritual body.  The bible says in Romans 8:9-10 (NKJV):

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Do you realize that if you are a Christian that you are a spiritual being living in the flesh?  We are spiritual beings living in this world, but are not of this world.  God brought us with a price and we have to honor and glorify God with our bodies and with our spirit. 

Do you realize that the Spirit of God dwells within you?  Ask yourself, “What am I feeding my spirit?”  Is the Spirit of God who dwells within you malnourished?  Are you depriving the Spirit of God?  How often do you feed Him things of the Spirit?  Do you pay close attention to the cause and effects of the things that you allow to enter into your body?  God has instructed us to starve the flesh and feed the spirit, but there are a lot of believers feeding their flesh and depleting their spirit. 

What starves the spirit?  I’m glad that you asked,  Sin starves the spirit!!! Sex before and outside of marriage starves the spirit, drugs starves the spirit, lying starves the spirit, anger, jealousy, and gossip starves the spirit, pornography starves the spirit, bitterness starves the spirit, homosexuality starves the spirit, backbiting starves the spirit, stealing starves the spirit, murder starves the spirit, adultery starves the spirit, laziness starves the spirit, lust starves the spirit and the list goes on.  Any time you engage in things that are contrary to the word of God you are starving the Spirit of God who dwells within you.  Every time you don’t read the word of God, attend church and hear the preached word, attend bible study or have daily devotion you are killing the Spirit of God who dwells within you. 

What are you feeding the Spirit?  There are some believers walking around today with a depleted spirit.  It’s time to feed the Spirit with the things of the Spirit and to surround yourself with God-fearing men and women of God. 

Stop misusing and abusing the Spirit of God; He lives within you and it’s time we all treat Him with respect and take care of Him and feed Him the word daily.  We need to feed on the fruits of the Spirit.  We become stronger when we feed on the things of God.  What are you feeding your spirit?  Be honest.  Take time to examine how you are treating the God in you!

Have a blessed day and choose to eat properly not only for your physical body, but for your spiritual body.  You are spiritual being first!!!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Happy Belated Mother’s Day

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  I pray that everyone had a blessed Mother’s Day weekend.  Just know that you are appreciated all year-long!

TFTD: Happy belated Mother’s Day

I want to wish a HAPPY BELATED MOTHER’S DAY to all of the beautiful mothers.  Being a mother is a tough job and God thought that you could handle it and that’s why you are a mother.  Don’t ever take your role and responsibilities lightly.  We need more good mothers setting a standard and paving the way for future mothers.  Without good godly mothers the world would be lost. 

 

Mothers you are resilient!  When the world knocks you down, you keep on getting back up.

 

Mothers you are strong!  When your children are feeling weak you pray for strength that surpasses all understanding.

 

Mothers you are compassionate!  When others are going through a tough time, you sympathize with others.

 

Mothers you are wise!  You have a level of understanding that is beyond your years.  You seek God and use your experience to share with others.

 

Mothers you are a Queen!  You are royalty and we honor the role you play in our lives.

 

Mothers if you haven’t heard it today or yesterday, I want to say thank you!  Thank you because we need mothers. 

 

Mothers you are a superhero!  A superwoman to be exact!  You wear more hats than people own and you make it look easy!  You are a doctor to the sick, a counselor to the weak, a mentor to the lost, a teacher to the young and old, a role model to young ladies, a chef, a financial manager, a housing operations manager, a negotiator, the supreme “multi-tasker”, a leader,  a follower, a singer of nursery rhymes, an entertainer, a comedian, a distributor of hugs and love, a disciplinarian, a food administrator, a waste manager, and so much more. You are a phenomenal woman!  Happy belated Mother’s Day. 

 

Thanks for throwing the complaints out the window and doing the job that God has called you to do!  I appreciate my mother and all of the other women who God assigned to me.  He gave me examples of how to be a good godly mother because of all of you.  I still have a lot of growing to do, but I owe who I am to God and to all of the godly examples He led and is still leading my way!

 

YOU ROCK!!!

 

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Psalm 37

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  This is the day that the Lord has made, CHOOSE to rejoice and be glad in it.  We have the power to decide whether or not we will have a great day or a terrible day.  It’s all in our perception and attitude.  I challenge you all to turn every negative into an opportunity to praise God.  PUSH hard to find the blessing.

TFTD: Psalm 37

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked

When you get a chance, please read Psalm 37 in its entirety.  Every believer of Christ needs to read this passage of scripture. 

Have you ever looked at the people around you who aren’t honest, who are always doing and saying something evil, yet they appear to have it all together.  Doesn’t it look like they have the best jobs, the best home, the best of everything?  We’ll key word is “appear”.  They may appear to have it all, but trust, not in me, but in the word of the Lord that the wicked will not inherit the land.

Here are some key points I want to leave you with as you read Psalm 37:

• Do not fret because of evildoers
• Trust in the Lord, and do good;
• Commit your way to the Lord,
• Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
• The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
• Depart from evil, and do good;
• Wait on the Lord,
  And keep His way,

The bulleted items above are the beginning parts to scriptures within Psalm 37. 

This is what you need to remember: don’t worry about the people who are doing evil against you, no matter what trust in the Lord and make sure you are doing what is right.  Commit your life, your heart, and your actions to the ways of the Lord.  It’s not enough to profess Christ you have to live like Him.  Put all of your hopes in the Lord and then wait patiently on Him because His timing is better than yours anyway.  Make sure you allow the Lord to order your steps and not the world.  Depart from evil, strive each day to resist sin and to do things that are pleasing to Christ.  Continue to wait on the Lord in all that you do and keep His commandments.  We have an inheritance that we are entitled to as believers, but it doesn’t come by just accepting in Christ, we must trust Him, live a life that is pleasing to Him, wait on Him, and the list goes on. 

Psalm 37 is a powerful body of scripture because it shows me the wicked does not have a future, but I do, but more importantly it tells me what I am to do in order to claim my inheritance.  Find hope and joy in this text.  Find strength for the journey.  Equip yourself to receive your inheritance from a generous God.  We shall inherit the land!!!!  God’s word is true!!!  It’s time to get empowered with the promises of God!!!  It’s not about what it looks like right now, but what it will look like in God’s time!!! *Excuse me while I shout to that*

Have a blessed day! 

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

National Day of Prayer

 

Psalm 33:12 (NKJV)

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

We are a blessed nation that needs to get back to putting God first.  We need to stop trying to please the people and follow the instructions of Christ.  The people are suffering and dying at the expense of egos, hatred, and greed.  Let’s get back to where God was the head and stop trying to erase Him from our lives.  Don’t just call on Christ when times of trouble are near, but call on Him daily. 

Psalm 33:22 (NKJV)

²² Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

Mercy is when God spares us from the punishment that we really deserve.  As a nation, we have to do better.  We can’t keep going to God asking for His mercy and then live like we want to.  It’s time to come together and change.  

Today is National Day of Prayer.  What will you be praying for?   Who will you be praying for?  How will you make a difference in the lives of others? 

Prayer changes things!

 

Do you trust God enough to let Him lead you?

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good  morning!  Happy Thursday to you all!  Today is a new day so forget about yesterday.  Seek God to find out what He wants you to accomplish today. 

Yesterday, I took my last final exam of the semester and all I can say is GLORY!  God is so awesome.  This has been an intense semester, but God was with me every step of the way.  There is nothing too hard for God!!!

TFTD: Do you trust God enough to let Him lead you?

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

Life is full of choices.  We are either making decisions regarding our personal life, our financial life, our spiritual life, our career path, our children’s life and so much more.  The question of the day is, do you trust God enough to let Him lead you? 

History has proven that when I make decisions without consulting or trusting God first, I always head into trouble.  What about your life?  How successful has your decision-making been for you when you leave God out of the equation?  I am at the point in my life where I need God to oversee each and every aspect of my life.  I don’t want to turn right or left without Him taking the lead.  I know that when I put my life and decisions in His hand that He will never lead me astray. 

There are so many things in this world that do not and will not ever make sense, but God instructs us not to lean on our own understanding.  Our finite minds can’t begin to comprehend everything.  That is why we should look to God in His infinite wisdom and follow Him.

Ask yourself, “Has God ever led me in the wrong direction?” I would step out on a limb and say that the answer is NO.  God is so awesome and His grace knows no limits.  Grace is when God gives us things that we don’t deserve just because He loves us and He is God.  Just because God loves you He will lead you to a job that you are not qualified for, He will lead you to the home you always dreamed of, He will lead you to minister to someone you’ve never met, He will lead you through the valley in order to make you strong enough to climb the mountain.  God is the One to follow.  Will you follow Him?

Do you trust God enough to let Him lead you?  I DO!

Have a blessed day!  May God continue to bless you in all that you do!

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.