Hi everyone! It’s me, DeVaughn ~ trying another first once again. Blogging? Who would have ever thought I’d be starting something like this in the middle of the night/morning? Let’s see how it goes! I really hope you all enjoy!
Category Archives: General
I’m Not Perfect….
Let’s get real for a minute – there are so many people we all know who seem to think they’re perfect. They are always telling you how to do things, how you could do better and this comes without ever asking. In fact, unless you do things the way they do you are wrong!! First lesson in life to remember – life is not a ‘one size fits all’. What works for one person may not work for the next. In fact, God spent time making sure all of our fingerprints are different for a reason. We all are unique by His design.
Second point in life ~ no one is perfect!!! Only Jesus Christ and His way is perfect. Does that mean we have nothing to strive for? Of course not! We can exercise every day and still look in the mirror and find flaws ~ at least one! We also know that even though some flaws remain and more will add to the list as we get older that exercising and a good diet will help us live a healthier life. In our spiritual life our exercise and diet helps as well. The more time and energy we spend in His Word the better our walk with Jesus will be. Our spiritual exercise is walking with Jesus in our lives daily and our diet is reading the Word to feed our minds the spiritual food and knowledge we need.
I will close today’s writings leaving you all with a reminder not just for today, but everyday. “I’m not perfect….but thank God I am forgiven.”
This is DeVaughn ~ bringing it home.
Coincidence or Luck?
There are many people who consider great timing a coincidence or some call it luck. Personally, I don’t believe in either. In my opinion saying something is coincidence or luck is taking the credit away from God. “In the right place at the right time.” A phase you hear over and over. Did you ever stop to really think about why it happened that way?
About 7 1/2 years ago when I was waiting tables a man walked in, sat in my section and constantly stayed busy on the phone throughout the whole meal. By the time he was ready to pay he was off the phone and we talked briefly. I spoke with him asking if he needed an assistant because I knew I couldn’t continue making it on what I was making. Four months later he called and asked if I was still interested – of course my answer was yes. His name, Rick Curren, III. He trained me to work Per Diem for a medical device company. We had many conversations during training and he never missed a beat talking with me about how I needed to get back into church and guiding me for a much more positive direction in my life. In April 2008 I lost the job and broke my back in September 2008. I was alone and scared and who else did I call – Rick. He planted seeds which God took His time to make grow. By this time Rick and his beautiful wife, Tanya, started a ministry called “Boundless Limits” and were extremely busy. Tanya wrote me a long letter and sent me Women of Faith Bible Study Guides while I was laid up. What an impression that made on me. Not long after that they went full-time into ministry which has now led them into filming and producing their son’s new TV series, “Scaly Adventures.”
Through the months and years different things Rick said to me stuck way down deep inside, words that in their own way haunted me because I wasn’t yielding to God’s call through His messenger. Yes, the job with the better money was great – but what was greater was that God sent someone because He knew I had a greater need. It was time for me to come back home. A lot of people I knew told me how lucky I was. What they didn’t realize was this had nothing to do with luck or coincidence, it was all God’s doings and in His time in His way.
Today I still keep in touch with Rick and Tanya as I go through the process of writing my first book, taking care of my mother…just life. I won’t say I’m “lucky” to have met them – but I will say I was blessed!! The next time something turns out great – remember, it isn’t coincidence or luck. On the flip side of the same coin, when something doesn’t work out – that’s just God keeping you from where you don’t need to be because He has something much bigger and better for you, even if it is years down the road.
This is DeVaughn ~ bringing it home.
It IS Your Job
Many times today everyone is always saying “It’s not my job” to get out of doing work. Our society has become so lazy as each generation passes by. Back in the old days no one ever said something wasn’t their job! They were told to do something and did it, end of story. The truth always lies in the Word of what our jobs are. Whether we choose to do it or not is what it boils down to. Let’s look at just a few things we are told to do.
One of the hardest things is to love your enemy. It is so hard for us to come close to this feeling to those who have done us wrong. Nevertheless, that’s what we are told to do. In fact it goes a little deeper when we’re told to feed and help our enemies. Just how much can be expected of us, right? Wrong. Jesus didn’t tell us to do anything He didn’t do himself, remember that. Forgiveness lies in close proximity of loving one’s enemy. We find it easier to forgive the ‘small’ things but what about when it’s something big, what then?! When someone hurts your spouse or child you’re supposed to forgive them? YES! According to the Word that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do. Again, remember the purest of examples when Jesus hung on the cross and said “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” And he was speaking of the ones who nailed him there, who were mocking him and those who betrayed him!
A different category of a job but something we’re supposed to do is care for our parents. Sounds easy enough, but look at how many have turned away from this responsibility! I can speak of this because as I write this I am staying with my mother and taking care of her and visit my husband once every 3 months for a week, two if I’m lucky. In January it will be two years that I have been doing this. When the time came that she could no longer live alone neither one of us questioned what to do. I packed my bag and put my life on hold. Not once did I say it is the easiest thing in the world to do, especially as we watch our parents slowly drifting away. I believe Nancy Reagan worded it perfectly ~ “The long good-bye.” All I did know is that not only because God told us to take care of our parents, but my heart also told me it was my job whether it is ‘convenient’ or not. I can say it’s hard but I will always say it is worth it to be able to spend the time with her while she’s still here.
The main point I am trying to make is that in the Word we are given jobs to do while we’re here. We forgive if we ‘feel’ like it – but, that’s not what we’re told. We’re told to do it, no questions asked. In the end we will be accountable for everything we do, and for those we don’t do. The next time you are finding it hard to forgive, love your enemies, or feel like taking care of someone in need (especially your parents) is an inconvenience ~ ask yourself if you really want to look at Jesus in the end and tell Him it wasn’t your job.
This is DeVaughn ~ bringing it home.
Danger Zones
Every day we have to watch out for what I call “danger zones.” It is common knowledge that our thoughts become actions and the words we speak can damage the soul of another. A computer is very much like our mind – garbage in, garbage out. Immediately when we think something that is along the lines of anger, jealousy, greed, etc. we need to catch ourselves and make a conscious effort to change that thought. The enemy is busy trying to cause damage in the homes in today’s world so remember it is in your mind that he places all kind of thoughts, just like he did Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Not just our thoughts though, we have to remember that our value and self worth is not defined the same as a Christian as it is out in the world. It is not our checkbook, our figure, the car we drive that truly defines us. What defines us is that we are God’s children. Don’t let the world tell you that you aren’t good enough, just remember ~ Jesus died on the cross because He thought you were special. That’s where your true worth lies.
Last thought of the day ~ when you think someone else’s business is your business erase that thought too!!! It isn’t our place to judge others and whether someone is saved or not. If someone doesn’t believe exactly like you or act the way you think they should, that’s Jesus’ business, not yours. Keep it to yourself and if it really bothers you – PRAY ABOUT IT!! Don’t Facebook it! Let Jesus take care of His business, He sure doesn’t need our help. Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be concerned with others and speak to them personally if we have prayed about it and think we should. What I am saying is that we shouldn’t be posting all of this on Facebook, Twitter or anywhere else. That in itself is wrong. Jesus did tell us to pull the log out of our own eye first. All in all the point I am trying to make is we need to make sure our words and actions are being a witness and not a warning to others..
This is DeVaughn ~ bringing it home.
Commitment
In writing my book I have found that it seems to get done a little here and there, which is pretty much the way most of our life is. Although, have you noticed how quickly things can get done when the pressure is on? For instance. when the in-laws all of a sudden tell you they’re coming for a visit. It is amazing how quickly the house can get cleaned! Well, possibly if we made a commitment to do a little at a time when we can it wouldn’t get that bad. Not too different than our Spiritual Life and our walk with Jesus. We all need to make that commitment to speak with Him daily and take the time to listen to Him as well. So ~ in summary for today ~ let’s all clean house (both the house we live in and our Spiritual life) and commit to keep it that way.
This is DeVaughn – bringing it home.
DeVaughn Rosendahl 