Dear Beloved,

Hope all is well. At the center of our relationship with God, we should always allow love to have her perfect way. For example, let’s say we encounter a pit, problem, or circumstance, and our normal human reaction would be to “fly off the handle” (not easily angered) or go back and report to others what happened to us (keeping record of wrongs which results in unforgiveness, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander, and a host of other things), and this usually involves dishonoring others.  For today, I want to take a look at a portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  However, I encourage us all to go back and read the entire chapter to grasp the full concept of what the Lord is teaching us.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13, 4-7).

We all know that this is the definition of true Christian love, right?  If love is not easily angered, then a person with a “short fuse,” who becomes angry easily, is not showing love. Love is called “patient” in verse 4 (both love and patience are listed as fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23). Patience includes the ability to tolerate weaknesses in others without readily expressing anger. “Love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8); it doesn’t fly off the handle at every provocation.  I’m eager to apply this to my own life, are you?   Until we meet again, I love you to life!

Xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Scriptures Courtesy of: http://www.biblegateway.com

 

 

 

Dear Beloved,

Once again, I’m back with another word of encouragement for all of us. Today, I want to examine stewardship in the realm of what God has entrusted us with.  Sit back and reflect on this for just a moment.  What has God entrusted you with?  The bottom line is this: we are and will be held responsible for what we do with our talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and many other (spiritual) gift(s) that God has so richly blessed us with.

Think about the resources (finances and time), talents, and spiritual gifts that God has gifted you with.  I don’t want us to think that these blessings were given to us to remain dormant.  In fact, it’s the opposite.  God has tucked these treasures away to be developed, and ultimately used for His glory.  Let’s start to be better stewards over that which God has so freely extended.  From this day forward, beloved ask God for wisdom each day in regards to honoring Him by using those resources, talents, and spiritual gifts.  We must fully delight ourselves in expending them according to His will so that he may be glorified.

Don’t wait until tomorrow. Strive to be a better steward over your treasures.  Consider the following scriptures (of many) to catapult ourselves to another level:

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members,and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:3-8, ESV)

With all that being said friends, let’s practice good stewardship with all of the many blessings that God has so graciously bestowed upon us. Until we meet again, I love you to life!

Xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Scriptures Courtesy of:

https://biblia.com/bible

Dear Beloved,

I’m so excited to bring you this missive on today. Let’s take a look at  (1 Corinthians 1: 1-9, NLT):

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.² I am writing to God’s church in Corinth,^[a] to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus,^[b] just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.⁴ I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. ⁵ Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. ⁶ This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. ⁷ Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ⁹ God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wow. I can only imagine, and put myself on the scene at the church of Corinth.  As it was then, so it is now for us-that we need God’s grace and peace from God our Father, through his Son Jesus on a daily basis.  In the beginning of this brief salutation, Paul opens up with a reminder of how God has called us to be his own holy people.  Through His son Christ Jesus, we have been made holy, and the blanket of holiness rests on any/every one that calls on His name.

The great news today is that because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have precious spiritual gifts that have been bestowed upon us, and through Jesus we have been enriched in every way-in all speech and all knowledge. Beloved, there’s still purpose for each and every one of us the moment we open our eyes.  You and I have been graced to do wonderful new things for the Lord!  It’s up to us to discern and seize those opportunities, every chance we have.  Sometimes, we tell ourselves, that we can’t do this or that, when in reality we can-because God has already equipped us to do whatever we need to do in life. For I can do everything through Christ,^[a] who gives me strength, (Phillippians 4:13, NLT). 

As we eagerly wait for his return (Jesus), God promises to keep us strong, and free from blame on the day when Jesus returns! There’s no doubt in my mind, that God will sustain us, because He is faithful to do what he says, and invites us to partner with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Are you kidding?  It’s an absolute privilege and honor to partner with the Lord to carry out His plan for our lives.  As we stand in faith, with the beginning of this new month, let’s work to embrace our new beginnings, and celebrate the resurrection, regeneration, and renewed relationship with God, ourself, and others!  Goodbye July and Hello August!  Until we meet again, I love you to life!

Xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Scriptures Courtesy of: http://www.biblegateway.com

Dear Beloved,

Hope this thing we call life is going well for you. I’m so encouraged to know that in times of chaos, and confusion; that the God of peace is always there.  Isn’t it awesome to know that He’s always there no matter what’s going on in our world and the world around us?  Let me be the first to say, that when you truly seek Him, you will definitely find Him.  So my friends, let peace rule and reign in your heart, mind, soul, and spirit on today.

In stillness, quietness, and prayer is where you can find strength. How do we make this happen?  We must be intentional, and move with purpose.  Let’s take a look at these three scriptures (among many) that will set us up for success to retain that peace that only Jesus can give. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27, NIV).

• Keep your heart with all vigilance, from it flows the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23, ESV). Notice that this is a step that we must take on daily basis. We must keep a careful watch for any potential danger or difficulties that will try to present itself in our daily walk.
• Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV).  
• Do you ever have moments where your minds are so busy that you can’t focus, and really listen to that gentle voice on the inside of you (Holy Spirit)? My friends, that’s when we have to stop, get still, quiet, pray, and most of all get those thoughts together. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-THINK about such things (Philippians 4:8, NIV). 

 

I’m so glad how the Word of God is so direct, and doesn’t leave us clueless. In (Philippians 4:9, NIV), Paul encourages us even further by giving us what we need to move forward: Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  After all, practice makes perfect right?  Until we meet again, I love you to life!

xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Dear Beloved,

Did you really think I was going to let this month end without saying hello? In light of recent events, specifically #Orlando (and others-just watch the news), I wanted to share my heart.   Beloved, deep down we all know right from wrong, in the way we choose to live our lives.  Sin is still sin, no matter what we choose to dwell in, there’s not one greater than the other.  It still separates us from God, and brings us nothing but a “dead” life.

²² But now you are free from sin. You have become slaves of God, and the result is that you live only for God. This will bring you eternal life. ²³ When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives his people a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:22-23, ERV).

Sin has a way of staining our lives, and truly keeps us from that blessed hope that once we DIE, we will spend Eternity with Him.  No worries though, it’s never to late truly give our hearts to Jesus and intentionally walk out a life of living in total obedience, as the Bible instructs us to.

I can scream at the top of my lungs of what the Bible teaches on this and that, but at the end of the day if you have a pulse, and an adult you’re going to do what you want to do. My prayer is that those who read this blog would either continue or start a relationship with Jesus.  The one thing many people will have, and always have is an opinion.  However, the Bible is clear:

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh (natural sin tendencies) are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy,^[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things WILL NOT inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21, ESV).

Today, I want to address Christians and those who claim to have the love of Jesus in their hearts. It’s impossible for those souls who are truly lost to even want to connect with us, if we constantly, and consistently injure people with our words/and the lack of love, mercy and grace.  Some people have had the audacity to take God’s Holy Word to condemn others and spread pure hate.  The bottom line is this:

²⁰ If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot^[a] love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20, ESV).

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments (Matthew 22:36-40, NIV).  

In conclusion, it’s not what you say, but how you say it, Right? As Christians, if we learn how to share Jesus by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4), then people may be more receptive to what you and I have to say.  Until we meet again, I love you to life!

xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

 

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Scriptures Courtesy of: https://www.biblegateway.com/

 

 

Dear Beloved,

Hope all is well. Just reflecting on how good God has been to me and those around me.  Sometimes, your day can start out kind of noisy, but when you yield to the Lord it becomes easier to allow Him to freely invade your space. He always available, and consistent with offering His full attention, love, peace, and most of all some serious wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (only found in the Word of God).

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55: 8-9, ESV). 

Forgive me in advance for the space in time from my previous article, but I don’t move on this platform unless the Holy Spirit leads me to.  So, with all that being said, let’s chat for a few shall we?

Mentality. According to www.dictionary.com, mentality is the mental capacity, endowment, or the set of one’s mind; view; or outlook. How do you start your day each day?  Do you wake up tired, upset, or still wallowing in what happened yesterday, or even years ago?  Or full of joy and ready to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37, ESV)? Have you ever thought about the results of your life?  Beloved, we must understand, that we are living out exactly whatever we have said, thought, or done.  I know.  If you really take a step back, the aforementioned can be some difficult questions to answer. Well, maybe not if you’re honest with yourself and the Lord. 🙂

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3: 22-23, ESV). 

Going forward, let’s remember to start our days in gratitude, and do whatever we need to do to eliminate the stains of our past, and yesterday.  Forgive yourself, others, and receive in faith, forgiveness from our merciful God. Our God loves us unconditionally, and He will never fall short on faithfully extending His new mercies, each and every morning.  Until we meet again….I love you to life!

Xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this missive and blog with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  I promise I won’t flood your inbox!  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Dear Beloved,

Hope this day is treating you well.  Please know that there’s not a day that goes by to where I’m not thinking about my fellow warriors. It’s only been 11 days since I’ve posted on this blog, but why does it feel like an Eternity? Friends, I want you to know that I’m committed to speaking to the warrior within you.  My prayer is that I cause you to think, and rise above every pit, problem, or circumstance you may face. Like many of us, I wear multiple hats and I must say that being a seasoned professional by day, business owner, student of life, volunteer, wife, and mother (and many other things that I’m forgetting) is not easy at all.  You may ask, how do I do it?  The only answer I can give you is God’s grace and mercy.  My understanding is that…

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26, KJV).

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5, KJV).

With that being said, may I speak to the all of the multi-dimensional people that God has given many gift(s) and talents? You may hear others parenthetically say, “what I’m doing is only a piece of my passion.”  Frustration sets in when you want to operate in all of them at one time and simply can’t. The latter is truly a recipe for disaster, chaos, and massive confusion, among other things.  God has called us to live in peace, and as a friendly reminder, we’re human and not omnipresent.  God is the only one that can be everywhere at the same time, because He’s just that powerful.

The point is this: Allow God to pull on your gifting as needed.  He may pull on one gift more than the other in a particular season.   Nothing just happens.  You’re always in the right place at the right time!  Beloved, if what you’re believing God for hasn’t manifested, be encouraged on today. His promises are always yes and Amen, according to His plan for your life (not what you throw together and ask Him to bless).

There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time (Ecclesiates 3:1, ERV).

Until we meet again, I love you to life. Cheers to God’s perfect timing.  I challenge you to take a survey of what you are doing on a daily basis with your time, money, and resources.  How are you operating in your gift(s) and talents?   Are you leading others to worship and glorify you for the sake of counterfeit validation and praise from others ?  Please be advised that this is a very dangerous space to operate in.  Or are you operating in your gift(s)/talents in order to direct others back to Jesus?  Don’t be shy, drop me a line or two in the comments below.

P.S. Help me make Jesus even more famous than He already is!  If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this article and more with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

 

 

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Dear Beloved,

Hope this missive finds you well. My commitment to bring you consistent content with substance is still alive and well and I couldn’t allow this week to end without dropping a few lines. The definition of conscious in its simplest form is being sober and vigilant according to the Word of God. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8, KJV). The moment that God gives you clarity/deliverance over a pit, problem, or circumstance in your life, you must be prepared to follow through with your growth process. I know, you may be thinking what in the world are you saying, Candace?  I’m simply saying that there’s a lot going on in the world, and essentially in our personal/professional lives.  Beloved, we must understand that it’s okay to create healthy boundaries in order to grow or start our walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It also means that if we are truly committed to conforming more to His image of perfection and holiness we must have discipline and self-control over what we say, do, and places we go.

Do you remember the time when you first gave your heart to the Lord and decided to walk away from your old life? I do, and guess what I did it like 1500 more times after that (walking down the aisle of the church heart beating all fast). Now don’t laugh at me, okay?  I was still a babe in my walk with Christ, but I still understood that I needed to repent and walk away from my habitual life of sin. Talking about a true, and reverent fear of God and His wrath! Did I continue to fall after that? Yes, and I still do! Now that I have matured, and still growing, I truly understand that…Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).

Basically, we can’t expect to live a new life full of God’s grace, favor, and blessings and conduct ourselves as if we have never had an encounter with the Lord. It makes the relationship with Him-confusing, complicated, and the very reason why people are on their way to Hell every day.  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33, KJV).   We must choose to walk with the Lord, or stay in darkness with satan.  We need to stop compromising our faith, being ashamed of who we truly are, and most of all being the biggest HYPOCRITE of all! Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 10-32-33, KJV).

How can we expect others to follow Jesus as we follow HIM if the way we fashion ourselves with the ways of the world?   Upon your return from backsliding in your walk with the Lord, or embracing a new relationship with Jesus, friends we must realize that we can’t live the way we used to.  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1: 14-16, KJV).

Warrior, I’m calling you to ascend to a new level in your life. Will you continue to remain the same or make a conscious decision starting now to be more like Jesus?  It’s not going to be easy or an overnight process. It does mean letting go of people, places, habits, addictions, or anything that creates separation between you and God.  Only you and Him will know this.  If you died right now, are you sure about where you will spend Eternity?  Until we meet again, I love you to life!

Xoxo,

Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, The Risen Warrior

 

P.S. If you haven’t already, please be so kind to share this article and more with a least one person, and click on the Follow this Blog via email to ensure you never miss your dose of content with substance.  Thank you, and please know it’s a privilege and honor to serve you every time I pen an article!

 

© Mrs. Candace A. Stevens, and TalithaCumi+3, [2016]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s/ website’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Mrs. Candace A. Stevens] and [TalithaCumi+3] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.