Transition

I know it’s been a while and I do apologize. I am realizing that in order for this thing to really work you all need to hear from me.  So today you, my readers are my accountability partners. That’s right I have given you the task to email me at: shawndrikaLcook@gmail.com if you aren’t getting a blog once a week. See we must realize that we are meant to do life alone, and sometimes strangers, people we don’t know are for us will hold us accountable. So welcome ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS!

With that being said let’s talk about transition! So for the past 4 months, I have been in a place of total transition. I went from working a full 8-5 in my field, to leaving there and doing ministry full time!! Yep, ministry FULL TIME!!!  Now I know you are wondering what causes me to make this move. I mean I just passed my licensure examine only a year ago, I have not been a private practice therapist at all, and now I am in ministry. To answer the question of why, is simple, obedience. But, in my obedience, the walk and the focus of my next has been hard.  I find myself feeling lost, confused, out of place, ill-prepared,  hopeless, distraught, and discourage. Any negative feelings that a human being can express… This girl expressed them and more. I know you are wondering why did you experience all these negative emotions. I mean you were being obedient right? Well, here is the thing with obedience comes sacrifice, thought 1 Samuel 15:22  states, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”.  There is a sacrifice that comes with obedience. Maybe I shouldn’t say a sacrifice, there is a surrendering that comes with it. To some that surrendering position can feel like a sacrifice. I mean give up everything you know just to be submerged into something you know nothing about.

So, here I am in the 5th month of the transition and I am stuck! Yep, stuck like a truck in the mud. I am not writing this blog from a place of overcoming this time. This time I am writing to you while the process is still going. While I am still in the place of getting to the prize or the next that GOD has called me to. I am in that,  “I have to more trust GOD moments”, rather than “I will figure something out moments”. I’m at a place where I need the manifestation whether than being on ok with waiting for the manifestation.

I know someone who is reading this is wondering why am I telling the story as it is happening? Well. it’s because you need to know the process of transitioning. When you are in a place where the transition is not by choice, but assignment there are certain things you can’t control or deal with because you truly trust Daddy to guide your every step. For instance, I can’t control the demands that my assignment has on my life. I took a $2500 pay cut, yet I have not wanted for anything for real. I have tried to apply for a second job with the conviction that I couldn’t because of the demands of this assignment.

Why tell you the now of my transition for real?!? Because you need to know that transition is worth it!!! It’s worth leaving something that you do know for something you don’t know. It’s worth moving beyond you to get to Daddy. It’s worth the process… OOOOOO!!! That’s a word PROCESS!!! The process will be the foundation of your transition. How you see your process will determine how long you will stay in your transition. If you see your process as a burden, then your transition will last longer, because you are not able to receive the benefits of the process. But, if you see the process as a purpose, that it pushes you to your next, stretches you to another level in GOD, and betters your faith and trust in Daddy. Then the transition will be short and one that you can talk about as part of your testimony. Let me say this I don’t care what kind of transition you experience good or bad, no one likes the discomfort that comes with it. No one likes being in limbo where you aren’t sure what’s going on, but you know where you are going. No one likes looking at the preview of their promise and wondering when they will get there. These are the feelings of transition.

Today, I want to encourage someone to keep pressing in their transition!!! Keep enjoying the process no matter how uncomfortable it gets. Remember this transition is not about you, but about those who are looking at you. You are the only manifestation of GOD they may see! This is about your legacy, your future, your next…DON’T FORFEIT IT!!!

Prayer: Daddy transition is not easy. It can be uncomfortable and stressful if we don’t allow You to guide us. Today we say guide us!!! Open our ears to your instructions. Open our minds to the thoughts that you have towards us. Remind us that your thoughts towards us are good and they have the outcome of your perfection. Open our eyes that we don’t see things in the natural but in the spirit. Let us see the manifestation of the prayer that the Prophet Elisha prayed for his servant in 2 Kings 6:17, where he said: “LORD open his eyes so he can see”. Daddy open our eyes so we can see. Let us see your hand of protection and provision on us. Let us see your wisdom, knowledge, and understand. Let us see that your plan is great than our process. Daddy, help us with our words. Help us speak the words that line up with your will, word, and way. Let us not get so frustrated in this transition that we forget the power of our tongue. That we speak life when we feel like death is trying to overtake us. We respond to situations and people with a soft answer. Daddy, be our Jehovah Shalom and let us experience your peace like never before. Be Jehovah Jierha so we can know that you will provide and meet our needs and wants. Daddy, we thank you that we will be the examples we need to be during this time of transition. In JESUS name AMEN!!!

The Stretch

I know it’s been a while, but I have a good excuse… I’ve been stretching and the stretch has not been easy. So let me tell you what this looks like and why the stretch has been one for the record books. Last year I  talked to Daddy about my next. I had a conversation about what to do now that I was finished with school and I was in a high leadership position. For a while, I didn’t hear anything. I keep praying and being silent, but nothing. One day an event at work happen and it causes me to really feel like it was time for me to go, I prayed and this time Daddy gave me an answer. He told me a date that I would need to turn in my resignation and where to go afterward. Now it was where he told me to go afterward that had me kind of shook. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. He said: “It’s time for you to trust me fully, and do what I have equipped you to do. It’s time that you go and do ministry at your church”. After hearing this I spoke with my pastors to see what we need to do, to get me set up for the transition. They were so excited and felt like this was the best time to do so. I, on the other hand, was feeling some kind of way, but I knew what GOD said so I was in an ” I trust GOD mindset”.  So long story short I resigned from my job and working for my church full time as the senior pastor’s assistant and mental health consultant. I have taken a $1400 pay cut, but nothing in my house has lack… NOTHING!!!

I know you are wondering what is the stretch. The stretch is letting GOD be GOD. How can we name Him provider and not give me the opportunity to actually provide? How can we call Him healer and not allow Him to heal us? How can we say we have victory in Him, but never give Him the opportunity to win the wars and battles that life throws at us? This is the stretch… Letting Daddy be all he says he can, will, and has been. Allowing Him to be everything we need when we need it as we continue to be obedient to all his instructions.

Let me say this… THIS HAS NOT BEEN EASY!!! I have tried to get another job, sought out ways to earn extra income, make my own plans, but GOD has blocked and convicted me of it all.  This stretch has really reminded me of  Jeremiah 29:11 where Daddy says: “I know the plans I have for your life, plans to prosper you, not to harm you.”  In this stretch, it doesn’t seem like the plan looks prosperous. It kind of feels like Daddy has brought me in the middle of the ocean and said now, swim. No direction, no guidance, only the action of doing what he said. Let me say this I thought that swimming in the ocean would be hard, but can I tell you I have been floating like a fish.

The stretch has taught 5 things… (If you don’t know I love the number 5, it’s the number of Grace):

1. Learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

2. The weight may seem unbearable, but the wait is worth the process.

3. Remind Daddy of his word and promises. Daddy sees your heart, but HE responses to his word. He said that his word will not return to him void, so speak what he already said and watch him work.

4. Stay focus. When you are being obedient you may feel like you need to explain yourself, but there’s not needed when you trust Daddy… Which brings me to number 5.

5. TRUST DADDY!!! When I tell you that Daddy has met needs before I even ask…He has. It can be as simple as lunch to money. I have never been a place where I’ve never seen His word manifest so quickly. But because I was obedient and I speak His word even in the midst of distractions, I have seen Him come through for me like never before.

Prayer: Father right now we thank you that you have already given us an example of the effects of what relentless faith looks like. We thank you that greatness is in us and though we may never see the whole promise we are grateful for the position to see pieces of the promise. We will pursue you like it is our last time, and seek your face over your hand. In the Name of JESUS… AMEN

UnBothered Daddy

So I am in my office with all these thoughts going on in my head and I pick up my daily devotion calendar that is displayed on my desk just to change the date. Let me remind you I have had this calendar for years! Maybe 13 plus years. But I pick it up to read what March 21 says and this scripture had wreaked my day like literally wreak my day. Tore up my brokenness, rip my doubt, and breathe life into me. Isaiah 54:10 NIV: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

 

I know you saying how could that one scripture wreak you like that? Well when you in a place where you don’t know if Daddy  is doing something for you and feel like things are going silent.

You wonder Daddy do you still love me? I mean to feel like Daddy are you really bothered by the things that I am bothered by or am I just praying empty prayers? Well this scripture right just ripped that those thoughts and more out my head. In one reading my heart was change and I had an awaking moment of who Daddy is. Daddy is Unbothered. That means that there is nothing I can do, this world can give, bill collectors can say, my finances can show that move Daddy away from his covenant of peace. Ok, let me preach to myself. There is no amount of debt, issues, reports, stress, fear, anxiety, disappointment, feeling, or emotion that can shake Daddy’s love, compassion, or peace for me and towards me. Do you understand that? Daddy is so unbothered about what we are bothered about. He does not care how much the world says we have failed. Whether it be with goals we have set, debt we tried to cancel, or the lack of funds in our bank account. Daddy is unbothered with our strategies but he is bothered that we have not sought out his peace, and love, and that we have become so overwhelm with the world that we have allowed mountains and hills to block us from his presence.

 

 

Prayer: Daddy help us to become unbothered by the things of this world, our life issues, and every strategy that we have created to get us out of whatever we have created for ourselves. Daddy help us become bothered by your love, peace, presence, word, and will for our lives. Helps us become bothered by your supplication, provision, and strategy. Help us become bothered with being bothered in you. Bothered by your voice….Bothered by your assignments for our lives…Bothered by your love, healing, and just you Daddy. In Jesus Name! AMEN

 

#DearFutureHusband 1Year Later

I can’t believe that my journey of #DearFutureHusband started a year ago. I never knew that my little post and comment to my future husband would impact not only women but men to desire their own future mate. As I enter into 2017 it is important to me to continue the ministry of my #DearFutureHusband by creating #DearFutureHusband365. I hope as my readers you will take part in this great conversation whether married or single. I think speaking to your future or current spouse is a great way to create moments of appreciation, growth, and create intimate moments that will last a lifetime. The Bible always reminds us of how powerful our words are and the wisdom we should use when it comes to using our tongue. Here are a couple of scriptures that got me all the way together when it come to my tongue. 

Proverbs 12: 18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.


Proverbs 15: 4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.


Proverbs 16:1 To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.


Proverbs18:21 (The well know scripture about the tongue) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.


It amazes me that after Proverbs 18:21 we find the scripture that summarizes the heart of courtship between a man and woman. A man that finds a wife finds (obtains) favor with GOD. This can only happen when we know the power of our tongue. Daddy is so Amazing in his strategy. He gives us the formula for us to get our in positions to be found as a wife and for the husband to gain GODly favor. I LOVE IT!!  


Prayer: Daddy we come seeking you for wisdom on how to use our words and speaking the future of our lives into existence. Daddy as we continue to wait for our future spouses, please us be patient in your timing. Help us to understand that your timing is perfect and it comes with a greater reward, one that our mind couldn’t even think of. One that outweighs our heart desires. One that creates a moment that causes us to stretch out on faith and trust you more.  

In Jesus Name 

AMEN!

He Has The Best Song

I love the Song of Solomon it is the most romantic book I have read in my life. To know the heart of a husband from courtship to engagement to the result of marriage. How he describes his bride and how she describes him. How they describe their love for one another and how she is so desperate to be in his presence. Not only is this book about a man and woman but can truly relate to how desperate we should be to be in the presence of GOD.

Song of Soloman 1:15-16

HE

15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love;
    behold, you are beautiful;
    your eyes are doves.

She

16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.

‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ your personal love songs always make me smile. Thank you for taking the time to write the lyrics of your heart.


‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ thank you for your support as I get my degrees. I know you are tired of graduations but I got to get this last 1.


‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ I’m always willing to say yes all you have to do is ask.‪#‎helpmatelanguage‬

‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ if you need to remember what love is always look at our marriage. God love us enough to put us together. ‪#‎tailormade‬

‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ I love our secret codes, jokes, and language it makes it feel like we have our own world. ‪#‎theyarenotallowed‬

‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ thank you for always taking time to pursue me like we just met yesterday. It feels good to be your new gf/wife everyday.


‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ after 20 plus years of marriage I want to always have newlywed moments.. ‪#‎yourememberthattime‬

‪#‎DearFutureHusband‬ I hope every morning you see my text messages you know how grateful I am for you being in my life and the honor I feel in carrying your last name.

The Statement

Hey blog readers it’s been a while since I post something but while on facebook I ran across a memory note that bless me all over again.

The note is titled: THE STATEMENT

So in a conversation that I had with a sister on tonight she brought out something that I never thought about. So may time in our time of repentance we make the statement “GOD forgive me for the decisions that I MADE.” As she was praying for me, she stated “GOD allow my sister to move past the statement I MADE, because YOU are the author and finisher of our life story.” NOW maybe you didn’t get the revelation of the statement, so let me break it down. SHE said that I MADE, BUT YOU ARE THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER of OUR LIFE STORY. Which means that there is no such thing as a “MADE” Decision. Ok. GOD is the creator of all, and in the word He gives us free-will, but that doesn’t cancel the fact that He created the situation to the decisions that we make. These same decisions that either set us up or out. Ok. I’m sorry I’m about to lose it over here. GOD knows what decisions that we are going to make as well as the outcome of how it will play out. Let me just say this, in order to be a victor you must receive the victory of YOUR LIFE STORY!

This bless me all over again!!! I was deep before marriage..lol But the point of this is that we have to realize the statements we make will never change the course to our GOD destination. There are two examples that come to mind from the Bible that really confirm how the statement of our decisions will not change our GOD destination. Come here Jonah. He decided that he was not going to do what GOD called him to do and despite his attempt to escape the assignment by verbally speaking his plan, he still ended on the shore of his GOD destination. Come here Peter… You told JESUS you would not deny him but you did it several time and you curse… But look at you being the disciple you were called to be leading nations to Christ!!! WE can make decision but despite our decisions we will get to the GOD destination. The question remains will you take the 40 year or 40 day journey???

Prayer: Daddy today we come to you to say thank you for being the author and finisher of our life story. We realize that no matter what decisions we make you will get us to Your destination. We thank you for forgiving us in our bad decision making that manifest disobedience, and giving us the opportunity to reach our GOD destination in your grace and mercy. Daddy we shift towards a mindset of obedience and we thank you that no matter what statement we make the result is we win in you. Daddy help stay the course of  your will. Help us warn off distractions that cause your voice to be drowned by the weight of this world and the worries of this life. Remind us Daddy that you are the provider and everything we need can and will be found in you. Daddy help us make the right statements over our life and speak only what you have spoke to us. Help us trust you and help us with our faith in you when things don’t look like what we think they should look like. Remind us that your timing is perfect and what you have in store for us is greater than any thing that we could even image or think.  In JESUS Name! AMEN

Passover

Do you know what today is?!? It’s  a great day to catch up on the things of GOD and what he is speaking into the earth. So this weekend is really special for the simple fact that today starts the celebration of the Passover. Now let me be honest I never thought I was worthy to celebrate Passover, I really thought it was for the chose people…The Jews, then the Holy Spirit convicted me by reminding me that I was part of the chosen people. Because of the Jesus died on the cross I have been adopted and chosen… Wow! I think sometimes (me especially) we forget that we get to reap the rewards and benefits of the original chosen people. It’s crazy that I have been surrounded by a Jewish family my whole life, thanks to my mom, but I never thought that I was worthy enough to really take part in what they were chosen to do. But thank GOD that his thoughts are not like mine and I have received the insight on the value of what being chosen brings. With all that being said let me just give you the great benefits of the Passover. First know that it starts today at sun down. During this time the Jews would say a blessing and feast together giving thanks for the death angel passing over them because of their obedience of putting the lamb’s blood over their door post. The crazy thing is that this celebration continues until Sunday! Three days of giving thanks and feasting together to celebrate GOD sparing the lives of those that were obedient. Now that you got the background let me get to the benefits. 1. It will cause humbleness to take place in your heart that will open the gates for GOD to move and answer your prayers. 2. Unity will take place. This will cause a movement to really seek after GOD for who he is, not what he has. 3. Healing will take place. So if you having issues in your body or believing GOD for healing for someone else know that this weekend, the manifestation of what you been praying for will happen before your very eyes. 4. You will be overtaken with joy. Yes, the Joy of the LORD will be your strength from this point forward and grow throughout the year. 5. There will be a shifting in the atmosphere. This will open the door to that unmeasurable favor and supernatural things happen for you. In other words, those “But GOD” moments. 6. You will increase in the authority and effectiveness of your prayer time. 6. Revival will spread in your home and destroy any hindrances that may be present. 7. Many people will find their calling and serve in their proper position. So if you are part of the group that feel like they still figuring out their calling or don’t know what it is… Guess what it’s about to be revealed on this weekend. 7. The nations will start to shift. This will start to take effect in the world and we will see the glory of GOD in the nations. 8.You start to live in abundance. That means that the lack in your life will turn into overflow and more than enough. 8. You will find yourself seeking GOD in unique and new ways. In other words, you will be out your comfort zone and “GOD limits.” Now let me be honest I don’t know if I can do a whole weekend of celebration… But I do know that on Sunday I am making an effort to get together as many people I can to break bread together and celebrate this great day. I want to make sure that I and those that are in my Circle of Influence are in a place that we are connected to the benefits of the Passover. To celebrate Passover to me is the best way to tell GOD I am ready to do all the things that come with being an adopted daughter and move in the things you have called your chosen people to do. To read more about the Passover please read To read more about the Passover please read 2 Chronicles Chapters 30-31.

 

Prayer: Daddy as we come to you today to celebrate the benefits of Passover as well as being adopted into your family we first want to thank you. Thank you that no matter what we have done you have a plan for us and that you have called us chosen. Thank you that you give us the opportunity to celebrate you and all you have done for us. Thank you that in you we have our being and that there is nothing that can separate us from your love but our ability to deny it. Thank you that the benefits of being part of your family is not just the ability to talk to you and seek your face, but also to unite with our other family members and break bread together to celebrate the great things you have done for us. Thank you Daddy that on this weekend we get to experience you in a new way and that we will take advantage of the timing and season you have place us in. We love you and thank you for every moment we get to experience you on another level. In Jesus Name! AMEN!!!

F.E.A.R.

This has been a week. It has been a week of constant fighting and constant trust in the word of GOD. For the last two years FEAR has been my biggest fight. The FEAR of failure, FEAR of rejection, FEAR of sacrifice, FEAR of not being loved or being able to love again, FEAR of not completing goals, FEAR of losing more than I can handle, FEAR of grieving, FEAR of the enemy, FEAR of me and ability to be successful, FEAR of the unknown, FEAR of losing, and most importantly FEAR of not being good enough. That’s a lot of FEAR I know and as I type this I feel the weight of FEAR being revealed and release off my life so let me keep typing. F.E.A.R. False Evidence Appearing Real. The word of GOD clearly states that GOD has not given us the spirit of FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) but has given the power, love, and sound mind (2Tim1:7 ) So why is the fight so great when it comes to FEAR? Why is it so great to the point it that it can manifest as  a spirit that can over take your mind even in your dream. That even in the places you see as your safety the spirit of FEAR continues to be ever present. For me it has manifested in my dreams. I can have pleasant dream and then the natural manifestation of FEAR comes in and I wake up to the enemy standing over me trying to over take me. But today I take on the art of fighting. The first thing we must due when facing fear is we must learn how to trust Daddy. So many times we cause our own fear by losing focus on what Daddy has told us to do. Disobedience will cause the door of FEAR to creep open. We must meditate on the word  that gives us simple instructions on how to focus: Fear not for I am with you. (Isa. 41:10) How can we take this instruction and apply it to our life? Well if Daddy told us that he is with us then we have nothing to lose. He also states that nothing can separate us from his love, (Romans 8:38) NOTHING. So when FEAR makes you feel like you have been separated from GOD know that this is just the trick of the enemy, because the only thing that separates you from Daddy is you. Now that you know that GOD is always with you, you have to trust the presence of his love. Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. You have to trust the song that GOD sings over you know that it is one with great plans and it will restore your joy, give you peace, and allow you to know that he will always save you no matter what.  After you have trust him, dwell in his love, you next must operate an take your position of authority. First power you possess is your faith. Hebrew 11:1 For Faith is the confidence… We are going to stop right there. Faith is your confidence with it your can conquer everything! It causes you to speak with boldness and assurance that whatever you tell Daddy he will do, but also it allows you to cast down, destroy, and cancel the assignments, ambushes, and attacks of the enemy. Second remember your place, title, and position. Psalms 8:4-6 discusses our position and power:  “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God  and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority.” Let me encourage you some more about your power. Romans 8:11 states that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that lives inside of us. Wait so you mean to tell me that the same power that rolled the stone away, took off Jesus’s dead clothes, and clothed him with clothing of life lives in me?!?! Yep that’s what I am saying. So what power does FEAR really have but what you give it. So today let’s conquer this False Evidence Appearing Real that we  have given power to. Let’s stand in our true authority and rest in FAITH know that GOD will always make a way out of no way and he will do beyond what he said he would do. 


Prayer: Daddy thank you for always giving us the answers to our issues, situations, circumstances, and reminding us of our power, authority, and position in you. Daddy we thank you with that all we need is in you and that FEAR has no power over your love, joy, peace, and presence. We thank you that in our thanksgiving you take hold to our FEAR and create a yearning to have faith in your word, promises, will, and perfect timing. Daddy we thank you that on today that every thing that we labled or connected to FEAR is being destroyed and we relinquished the power of the enemy out and off our life. We will no longer feed the spirit of FEAR by submitting to it’s authority. We take the spirit of FEAR under our authority that we have due to our position of being the sons and daughters of the Most High, and we cast it to the pit of hell in which it was formed and we release the power of your love and trust in you GOD In JESUS NAME. We thank you Daddy that we shut down the gates of the enemy and we cancel every plan that has been formed to destroy us through the use of FEAR. We thank you DADDY that we declare victory and freedom from FEAR and we no longer yield to the authority of FEAR or the plans to FEAR. We sit, we taken in, and we continue to speak FAITH in our life. When things are unknown we speak FAITH that you will give us the wisdom and guidance that we need through your Holy Spirit to get to the destination that you called us to. When things seem uneased we speak your love, knowing that in your love you soothe all our issues and calm us with your peace.  Daddy we laugh at FEAR knowing that the reality of it’s manifestation is not real and that it can only have the power we allow it to have in our life. We thank you that all is well and FEAR is not some we submit to but something we have defeated in the art of fighting it with FAITH. In JESUS NAME. AMEN

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