Tag: #faith

Live to Heal from Brokenness

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

The brokenness some of us feel from the tragedies of life can feel like an elephant sitting on our chest. We can find ourselves wondering if we will ever heal. Healing is not something that happens overnight. It takes years of working to be free from so many broken areas.

Some people believe they will just snap out of the hurt. The reality is that it takes time. It can take years to fully heal. You really have to work on yourself. One part of the healing process is recognizing that there are areas of brokenness in your life.

Brokenness is not a bad thing or something to be ashamed of. We all get broken by life. We all have been broken in some area or another. Some of us live our lives not healing. We are often are so broken that we self-sabotage the things in our lives that matter.

We may hurt the very people that want to love us. We also can be in survival mode all the time. Sometimes we have walls built up around us and live in fear of being hurt again.

You can begin your healing process in therapy. Counseling is one way to uncover the areas that need healing. Finding the right therapist can be a challenge but once you have found your match it can be a blessing.

Healing with people who have had similar experiences is also healthy. You can find these groups in your community.

If you have had issues with domestic violence, for example, you can reach out to a local agency and see if they offer a support group. Sometimes healing can be easier when you realize you are not alone in your hurt.

It is also a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Some of us can find support groups in our local church. I always believe the church is a spiritual hospital and often helps a lot of us get through life.

When you are hurt and need to heal, try not to make decisions based on brokenness. We have all done it. I have not arrived but I strive to be better one day at a time.

Healing from brokenness is not an easy feat. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to heal and not remain stuck. As life takes its course we can easily find ourselves broken and struggling to heal. No one is exempt from these struggles. Over time healing does happen.

You need a safe space to heal. You need people in your life that do not continue to keep you bound. Freedom is found in God. No matter what Jesus’ Resurrection is liberty and freedom from anything we face. Brokenness does not have to remain a constant reminder of the pain we felt from being hurt.

Live to heal, one day and step at a time.

The Risen Savior

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

The holiday is Easter, but believers celebrate Resurrection Sunday. We recognize that Jesus paid it all for all of us. It is God that chooses who will be saved. It is not by our might, will, works, or good deeds. Jesus paid it all so our will, might, works, and good deeds are not necessary.

“Now After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

And behold there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

His countenance was like lightning, his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook from fear of him. And became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said” (Matthew 28:1-6).

Many have argued its relevance today. Some even believe it is but a fairytale. I’m not into debating at all. My beliefs and understanding of God’s word go back many years. If it had not been for Jesus’ resurrection I would not be where I am today. Jesus rising from the tomb with all power shows us that we can rise out of the things we often feel bound by.

Jesus is our example of what the ultimate sacrifice is. He paid a debt no one else could pay. I understand that there is a God greater than the troubles we face. We are in these temporary imperfect bodies God has given us to dwell in on this Earth, which shows how great God is.

Jesus’ crucifixion was the beginning of a new dawn on Earth and in Heaven. The church we see today would not be what it is without Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection.

It is not about a bunny or a basket. It is about Jesus who paid it all. He is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). He is our lily in Valley (Song of Solomon, 2:1). He is our Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). He is the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2: 20-22). He is a solid foundation we can build on (1 Peter 2:7-8).

It is not about new dresses, shoes, heels, suits, big feasts, etc. We show our celebration with these things, but even without them, Jesus will still be the ultimate Sacrificial, Risen Savior.

I leave you with this as you enjoy your celebration with family and friends. Jesus paid it all for you and for me. When He comes back what state do you want to be in? Live each and every day as if Jesus is coming because we never quite know when. Jesus rose and they were in disbelief. Don’t be like the people of that time. Live a life that honors Jesus’ sacrifice.

Happy Resurrection Sunday. 💜 ➕

You Can’t Live this Life Alone

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

Life brings many obstacles; people we love and care for hurt us. These hurts happen over and over again. It can make one believe being on an island alone is the best way to solve the problem of getting hurt by people. One might say well am I wrong?

Let’s see what the word says about fellowship with others.

“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:25)”.

God’s word is telling us that we should get together and fellowship with one another. It significantly means the fellowship between believers. It also states we should be encouraging to one another. Which means we should be loving on each other. There are times when we can go through so much hurt being in relationships with others.

We can often be hurt by fellow believers, and conflict can occur. There should not be toxicity among believers, but times have changed and it happens more than it should these days. I have been through this but I choose to not forget that the world is full of so many kind-hearted and loving people.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them (Matthew 18: 20).”

There is power in numbers. As an intercessor, a person that prays led by the holy spirit on behalf of others. I understand the power of numbers among believers. Anyone who comes together in agreement about prayer or fellowship in a godly manner God is among them.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).”

Have you ever met someone that makes you better? They make you want to do better. They make you feel empowered and that you can conquer the world. It is not that they sharpen you only, but also they are sharpened by you. These are powerful relationships. These are relationships that move mountains, especially among believers. This is the concept of iron sharpening iron.

Tips to help us create and have healthy relationships

It took some time after many years of abuse to begin to practice healthy ways of interacting with others. Yes, people will not like you setting boundaries but you still need to. Yes, there are people that do not like hearing “No”, but say it anyway. Also, remember “No” is a complete sentence, you don’t need to give an explanation.

Sometimes people can try and make us feel obligated to help and support what they have going on in their lives. I often use the phrase “your emergency does not have to be my urgency”. This simply means just because you have a problem does not mean I have to make it my problem too. This is important because some of us will keep pouring into others even when our cup is running empty.

No matter what you face on behalf of others isolation brings stress as well. Being secluded and alone is not healthy. We need human interaction. It can affect your mental health, social skills, cause depression, loathing, and over time lead to suicidal ideation.

I understand trauma caused by others is also debilitating. We still have to do the necessary things to create healthy relationships. These are; creating boundaries, saying “No”, not feeling obligated to do for others, being assertive anr standing up for yourself. We also need to be able to recognize and end an unhealthy relationship if it begins to cause toxicity or negative feelings.

You can try to do life alone, but unfortunately, no one is equipped to do everything necessary to survive alone. At some point, you will need help from others. I always say there are billions of people in this world and it’s because we need each other. I know there are toxic people and wicked people that can harm and hurt us.

Despite this fact, I have met some loving, kind, and amazing people. They have had a big impact on my life. I still see the good in the world. Can it be hard at times? Yes. I have faced some hard times because of others but so did Jesus. He still overcame the cross for you and me. This is a debt I am glad the ultimate sacrificial Lamb did that changed everything.

No matter how hard you try, you can not do life alone. We need each other to navigate this thing called life. Do not let a few negative experiences stop you from having healthy relationships. No matter what relationships failed, or hurt you, there are some new healthy experiences waiting for you.

God Prevails

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

When the storms of life are raging God prevails

When all hope seems to be falling away God prevails

When death takes those we love and grief sets in God prevails

When our hearts are broken from the losses we face God prevails

When we try to make sense of the troubles of our past God comforts and prevails

When we look up and wonder where He is in all of our troubles He shows Himself and He prevails

The list could go on

The truth of it all is that no matter what we face God prevails

Prayer is a Spiritual Weapon

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

I’ve been trying to get my finances in a better place and the program that I started recommended an accountability partner. I was given a list and one of my requirements for the partner was that we pray for each other. It seemed like a simple request to me, but not to the other person. It made me wonder how far the world is away from one of the most significant spiritual weapons.

I don’t care how hard we try one day prayer will be the only thing that can get you through a hard time. You may not be praying because you felt it wasn’t a necessity. When life gets hard enough you will request it to get through the rough patch.

How often do we watch our favorite thrillers, action flicks, or romance movies or shows, and as the story unfolds and trouble happens here comes the scene of them in over their heads. We know the scene; they stumble into a church and it’s the pastor they are in need of. Though these are actors. There are many people who abandon the idea of God, prayer, fasting, faith and believing altogether. The truth is that we all need a prayer life.

My mother taught me about prayer at age five, but that was not just for me, it was for anyone that comes into my life. God also lays people on my heart to pray for. I know prayer is the medicine that opens the door to healing, faith, forgiveness, and a relationship with God.

I remember I didn’t mind praying for myself, but I was so puffed up and hurt that I thought others did not deserve my prayer. I thought they ought to know prayer is important and if they don’t pray for themselves that is their problem.

There is no selfishness with God and though we have our ways of being full of ourselves it is a hindrance to us. You can’t do life alone. God sent a storm my way that changed my attitude. I’m always willing to pray for others now. It’s one of my duties of service as a believer. My godmother has taught me that prayer is the passage to overcoming the challenges we face in life.

Prayer is one of our spiritual weapons. I have faced many storms like all of us. I’ve tried to master the way I fight through every storm, but it doesn’t take away the pain and hurt of the storm. I pray, cry, believe it will get better, learn to trust God, and fast as needed. Through praying, fasting, trusting, crying, and believing; God gets me through. Some of the things I face, the enemy is doing, sometimes it’s my poor choices, and other times there is an area God recognizes I need to shed off or grow in.

There has never been a greater time for prayer in this world than now. Life keeps showing the world that none of us are exempt from going through. No matter how rich, fancy clothes, fame, etc; you will go through. It is a part of life.

Sometimes the struggles of life bring us closer to God. Other times some of us are driven away from God. Many of us needed God more and sought God more during the pandemic. This is exactly what I feel God needed from many of us.

Prayer is a necessity for me. It seemed like something to have in my back pocket years ago. Now it is the center of everything. I pray every chance I get. It doesn’t mean I am special. It means I have learned that it is important to me and I don’t compromise about it.

I can’t make anyone else understand its importance the way I see it. I can try and share my view on it. Sharing in the hopes of encouraging someone else to seek to gain a prayer life that supports the issues they face in life.

Prayer is our spiritual weapon. It allows God to work in our lives. It keeps us grounded. Prayer changes the things we go through. There are times when God’s purpose and will is far greater than the prayer we prayed. This does not change prayer’s significance, but God’s will is so much higher than ours. In those times we must accept God’s will and not allow it to throw us off course.

Prayer is our anchor. Allow it to keep you grounded. It is our spiritual weapon.

God is with You in the Storm

Published on by Shakera Williams, Author, BloggerLeave a comment

There is nothing we go through that God does not see us through. The things we go through can be extremely hard to bear. It can make us question who God is. We may also question whether God is with us as we go through it.

This life we live is hard and comes with times of despair. How do we keep a relationship with God through the storms? I must say it takes a believer, who is relentless about, letting God in. We must let Him in despite how much life can hurt. It is not that I have arrived. It is that believing in God who is greater than my troubles has taught me to go through with God.

Let’s see what God does in troubling times in the word:

And Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. And the Lord said to Moses “why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward” (Exodus 14:13-15).

Can you imagine the fear the Israelites must have had at this moment? Their enemy was behind them but relentless in pursuing them. Freedom from years and years of bondage ahead of them. God was there for them in ways that seem like a fairytale to some. As a believer when I look at this scripture I see how big God is. There are experiences I’ve had in my own life that have a significant impact on how for me this is not a fairytale. It is an illustration of who God is.

Testimony from my own life:

A few months ago I was abused by an employer. I faced legal issues and lots of stress and this employer did everything they could to try and intimidate me into being silent. I prevailed over them in court and through all the lies they told. God had me in a situation to teach me to be still and allow Him to work. I had no lawyer, but I had God. I did everything God told me to do and at the very end, the case was dismissed.

Let’s break this down:

No matter what we face God is with us. The Israelites were facing a red sea. I was facing legal trouble and intimidation. No matter what it is, go through with God’s hand. His righteous hand will hold you up as long as you follow his instructions and be obedient. Only a few people knew what I faced. God was concerned about showing me He would see me through.

No matter what is in front of you God is with you in the storm. When I took that job a few months ago I did not expect to go through what I did. I could have got mad at God and said “why did you not warn me about this”. I had those thoughts but God let me know I sent you there to bring change. In the beginning, I could not see how. I now know that it is highly unlikely someone else who takes that job will experience similar abuse.

The Israelites were extremely afraid. I must admit facing a giant ocean is more than intimidating, it is terrifying. They had really only one choice to go forward or remain in bondage. In life, it can be that way with God. God can be asking us “are you going to lay down and let the enemy prevail over you or are you going to trust me to give you the victory”. When God said, “why do you cry to me, tell the children of Israel to go forward”. It was not optional it was a command.

All of us can look back over our life and know that God got us through things that we may have thought we would not survive or overcome. God looks out for all of us. God is bigger than everything we face. Unfortunately, everything we go through is not a bed of roses. Some of the things we face are hard and troubling.

I want my readers to know what I went through did not feel good and I was fearful, no lawyer, never been to court, but I trusted Him. I did it afraid with God’s assurance I would prevail. This is what faith is (Hebrews 11:1). God is with you in the storm.

God Is Able

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God prevails when we give the troubles of this world to Him. It is hard to master. We all want to control more than we actually are capable of. The hardest part in hard times is letting go and letting God do His best work.

God understands that in life there are losses no matter how hard we try to perfect our lives. There are no troubles too hard for God though in our limited abilities we may feel crushed.

I learned recently that being still and letting God work is best at times. We often make a mess of things when we try to do it our way. Being disobedient to God can bring negative consequences.

“Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)”. In this scripture God is saying He is able. He illustrates for us to trust Him. He wants us to be still and allow God to work in our lives. Being still can mean doing nothing even in troubling times. When we give things to God we have to leave it there.

The scripture goes on to say that God will be exalted above the heathen and in the Earth. God is higher than any of the troubles we face. There is nothing God can’t help us overcome.

Our God is able to move mountains out of our lives. Keep pressing there is greater on the other side.

God Answers Our Prayers

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Many people wonder does God hear their prayers. God does hear our prayers. The issue we may face is that what we pray for may not be in God’s will. It may not be His will despite how bad we desire the things we want. Years ago I was diagnosed with severe mental illness.

I was raised in the church. I knew praying was how people tried to fix their problems. I thought I could pray away my mental illness. As the years rolled on I would learn about God’s will. He has a perfect plan for our lives.

For many years I thought God failed to answer my prayers. As time went on I began to see that God did not need to answer my prayer about mental illness. The truth was it was a part of the plan. Once I realized that I began to live free and accept that chronic illnesses exist.

My illness was no different. Many believers feel mental illness is some spirit that needs to be prayed away from a person. The problem I have with that is if you can accept chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure my illness was no different.

I want people who suffer from mental illness or any illness to know that God has a plan. As it stands today research tells us that mental illnesses have no cure.

There are things that we go through that often we can’t understand or don’t make sense in our natural understanding. Though this is true God is still God. I had to learn this because, after eighteen years, I realized that God answered my prayer the way He saw fit.

While I was praying it away God was teaching me how to live with it. The years came and went. There were a few hospitalizations, but God was with me through it all.

There were times when things could have been worse than they happened in my life. A lot of the struggles I faced brought me closer to God in many ways. Some of the things I went through were also humbling experiences.

We must remember God does answer prayers. I wanted God to take away what I felt I could not handle. God knew what I did not see. I felt the load was too big. God saw that I had the strength and courage to battle mental illness and not be consumed by it.

The road became too rocky many times. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it. I endured sleepless nights and being misunderstood. For every trial, God showed me grace. It was not because I was perfect or did everything right. It was because that is just what God does.

My prayer life got stronger. I don’t take certain things for granted like I used to. I learned that there is nothing like family no matter what. We all get it wrong. We hurt people and people hurt us. It may be unintentional and other times we hurt others because we are hurting.

We must incorporate forgiveness as well. Forgiveness is every day. Forgiveness is also about forgiving yourself. “Then Peter came to him and said, Lord how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus was not giving forgiveness a limit He was making the point that it’s over and over.

A strong prayer life does not make troubling times stop. It does make them easier to bare. God may not answer your prayers the way you want Him to, but He still answers prayers.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6)”.

Life Hurts Sometimes

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The troubles of life hurt

The decisions we make don’t always work

Depending on God is the source of our strength

When life seems unbearable pull from God’s fortress

Life hurts sometimes

No matter what life brings press through the rain

Work with God to get through the pain

The etched memory of our past hurts but trouble doesn’t last

Our eternal resting place is worth more than issues of our past

No matter what with God all things are possible to work

Even though life hurts

When We Feel Lost: A Poem

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Nothing felt the same

The more we cried the more it rained

Doubt sets in and we wonder where God is

There was so much fear in moving forward

The emotional pain was rooted in brokenness

When we feel lost

Life seems impossible to live

Dreams are crushed

There is so much sensitivity to offenses

No matter how lost we feel

We can tap into a God that redeems

When we feel lost

Strive to be redeemed and break the roots of losing one’s self

When we feel lost

We are found again in Jesus Christ

We were lost but now allow God’s redemption to set us free

By: Shakera Williams