Running Your Race

Do you know what I love to do when I'm tired... I mean, really, REALLY tired? I like to sleep. I like to put on my fav Victoria Secret sweat pants, with the green stain on the left hip, throw on my worn out UNC-Charlotte T-shirt, put my hair in a bun, turn my phone off and all the lights, creep into my comfy Queen-sized bed, throw the covers over my head, say a quick, "Thank you Jesus for this day. I love you, Lord. Amen", and just be knocked all the way out! (Excuse my ebonics!) I love to sleep. Especially when I'm tired.

My friends and I kid about this all the time. Monday mornings seem to be the worst and our group chats are filled with funny memes that exaggerate our exhaustion. I get tickled by the silly cartoons, the faces that fall in the coffee cups, the pillows being placed over heads and the comedians who crack jokes about the upcoming doom of the inevitable work day. In all honesty, if we all had the choice, work would never be done. We'd all spend our days with our heads laid on our down pillows. Work is tiring. Sleep is comforting.
My point? Well, sometimes, in the tiredness, we don't truly appreciate the work. We don't see the effects, the positives, the advantages or the blessings. How can we? We're tired!!! But in our fatigue, I wonder, how many of us, like myself, only anticipate the rest and not the results?
What about in our Spiritual lives? How many of us ever grow tired of well doing? How many of us long for our heavenly rest from the work and fatigue of living our lives as selfless ambassadors for Christ? How many of us, I wonder, only get through our opportunities to witness, give back, share love or extend forgiveness, only in anticipation for the time where we don't have to do it anymore?

Scripture tells us, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"- Galatians 6:9

Sometimes, we get tired of work; even if the work is good and fulfilling. We're human and our minds grow weak with repetition. It's the same with our spiritual lives. The spirit may be willing, but our flesh gets so weak sometimes (Matthew 6:24). We don't always want to turn the other check all the time, it gets tiring. Some days, we don't want to encourage others, because that can get exhausting. Loving those who are rude and ungrateful gets frustrating and we want to throw in the towel. Even reading and praying... it can seem redundant and unsuccessful, and our natural response is not to even bother with it for one reason or another.
We can get so down on ourselves and so focused on the relief and the not results, but scripture urges us not to give up! Just this past Friday, I was reminded of how persistence can change patterns. If we want to be effective and live lives that count, we have to be willing to be persistent in our living. Even when it's hard, even when we are tired, we cannot give up on doing what it right. We cannot give up on showing love when others hurt us, or telling our loved ones the truth, even if they do not receive it with joy. In the long run, we do others and ourselves a disservice when we refuse to get up and press on.

"Therefore, since through God's mercy 

we have this ministry, we do not lose heart"- 2 Corinthians 4:1

"And as for you, brothers and sisters, 

never tire of doing what is good"-2 Thessalonians 3:13

Pressing on takes courage and determination. Persistence requires resolve and commitment. It's frustrating when we don't see results right away, but I am reminded of the Bible's call towards us as athletes- particularly runners (I Corinthians 9:24). In this scripture, it is brought to our attention that in a race, there can only be one winner. Yet at one point or another, I know that runners get tired, especially long distance runners. Think about Allyson Felix, who won the Olympics for the women's 200 meter in 2012. Or Thomas Longboat who broke the Boston Marathon time in 1908. What about Forest Gump who ran cross-country? Ok, maybe not Forest Gump; but the point is, running a race, doing good deeds, working for the Kingdom of God... it can all be hard work. But if we get tired, if we let the fatigue get the best of us, we will never win the prize; we will never earn the reward.

There are indeed times for rest. But when the rest is over, are we willing to get back to work? It's not always easy. The sun won't always shine and the birds won't always sing, but when I dig deep in my heart, I realize that I'd rather be in the race than in the bed. I'd rather be doing and becoming and achieving all that God has for me, rather than dreaming about what could be.

If your Spiritual nap has taken up more time than you originally intended, it's time to wake up! If you are on what seems like your last leg and find yourself entertaining fantasies of your warm cozy bed, let me give you a fresh push of encouragement: Don't give up on doing what is good! Don't allow yourself to tire from being used of God. He has a plan for you and a prize at the end of your journey, if you don't give up. Rest in Jesus and he will carry you! There will be hills to climb, bruises to mend, bushes to jump over and rivers to cross. It will get difficult at times, but beautiful at others. There will be days when you just want to stop and take in the scenery, and that's ok. At least you'll still be in the race. The important thing is to not give up. Sure, you might yawn at times or need some energy to make it, as all athletes do who are actively pursuing the gold. But nothing gets accomplished if you dream your day way.

Don't give up. The BEST is yet to come!

~Pearls

Rich Girls!

This is for the good girls, the fun girls, the "I don't need a thing" girls! We wear our heels high and our earrings low. We pop bottles to celebrate minuscule things and change relationships out of boredom. Who needs to read scripture? We have our own way of doing things. Our opinions are worth a million bucks! We have our makeup and our magazines, our fun, our rings and our friends! Our bank accounts urge us to spend out of plenty! We have gold to decorate our bodies and education to adorn our minds. 1,000 strangers follow us on IG and the girl next door is no competition for us. We are rich girls! We are legends in our own minds...but we are lacking greatly.

We are a people most poor. We show off our assets and present our lives as prosperous to all our friends on social media, but underneath the name brands and the selfies, the degrees and the business cards, we stand in calamity caused by a lack of wealth that only comes from the Spirit. Our lack of need has resulted in our lack of truth. Our riches and our confidences in our own capability has left us spiritually poor. Our lips are red with plans and suggestions, but our hearts are hollow from a lack of light."Everyone has their own truth", it is declared, yet as a people, we are stumbling in the dark. We are following this teaching and that fad; this person and that new philosophy, only to end up lost along the way. We are told that there is no longer any relevance in God's truth, because God is circumstantial and absolute truth is obsolete. In our high times, we look within, but isn't it funny how tragedy causes our nation to look outward and up in times of need? Why is it that Truth is such a scary thing? People want to avoid it, disclaim it, reject it and excuse it away. They try to find loop holes and exceptions, but why? Simply put, it's because the very essence and origin of Truth is God himself, who is light.

In the book of Mark, Jesus confronts a young man who was a product of his own riches. He claimed to be on the quest for truth and corners Jesus for an answer (Mark 10:17-27). In this situation, the man asks a simple question: "What good thing must I do to receive eternal life?" Scripture tells us that Jesus loved this young man. He knew what laid in his heart and presents the commandments to the young man, who simply disregards them, having felt justified that he had never offended any. He was convinced that his lifestyle was up to pair with God's standards. So Jesus tells the man to sell everything that he has and follow him; this was his way to eternal life. But instead of being excited to do so, Scripture tells us that the young man sadly left. He valued his earthly treasures above the truth. He could not hack it. He didn't just refuse a truth, he refused THE Truth. He turned from Christ, because the call wasn't easy or glamorous.

Looking over this story, it occurs to me that the road to finding the Truth is a quest of self abandonment. There is no glitter or bling. There won't be any neon lights to brag on our arrival or any headlines to announce its value. Accepting God's truth is a trade of charm. It requires not only a curiosity to know, but also a willingness to let go. In order to find God, we must loose ourselves. In order to receive heavenly riches, we must be willing to risk our earthly ones. This can come in the form of laying aside our pride, rejecting our right to be heard, compromising our needs and our wants for the benefit of others', forgiving when it isn't fair and even, at times, admitting to our own short comings, instead of excusing them away.

The Rich Young Ruler held on too tightly to his own sense of perfection, which kept him from knowing the Truth. He did not recognize that his heart was filled with self-righteousness and pride. He lacked humility and faith. In his heart, he carried filthy rags and garments. He depended on himself and not the Lord; not realizing that his self-made riches were really only rags compared to what God had for him. Nothing we can create could ever compare to God's plans for us. The reality, however, is that we must first recognize our need for God's truth in our lives, despite our opinions of ourselves.
Our young friend in this Bible passage failed to recognize his need for what Christ was offering him. He was a hero in his own mind; convinced that he had never done any wrong and unwilling to part with his own efforts of success. The opportunity for a trade was offered to him, in exchange for these rags, but He assumed that he was clean, based on his own understanding. The young man asked for an answer, but when given the truth, he walked away. For him, the truth was just too honest for his comfort. Many of us are like him. We look at what we haven't done, while ignoring what we have done. Welook at what we don't need, while ignoring what we do need. Yet, we all need the Lord, and we all need Truth. We can look at his situation and pity him for it. We could say, "How stupid of him. He could have encountered Heaven!" But the fact is, all of us have walked away from the Truth in one area or another; yet, if we are to encounter God, we must first be willing to not only seek the truth, but accept it.

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."~John 14:6

In each of us, there is a Rich Young Ruler. Some of us are rich in our intellect. Others in our finances or in our relationships. We may be rich in our social status or in our education. But when it comes to knowing God, we must be willing to abandon all those things, in order to receive something greater! The time is coming, has come and will come again, when we must face the Truth of ourselves in the light of God's Word and His Will for us. If we accept His Truth, despite the difficulties and discomfort, the Bible says that a crown of glory awaits for us (2 Timothy 4:8).


In irony of it all, when we are willing to loose our riches, our entitlement and ourselves, all for the sake of Christ, well, we really gain it all back (Matthew 10:39). What seems scary to let go of, or fearful to face, is often times what is required for our progression. The truth, as we know it, is limiting; but trusting in the Truth of who God is and what He wants for our lives is transforming! This is what it really means to be rich, girls! I hope you all receive the Truth within your own hearts, that God's ways are higher than ours, that our treasure should be laid up in heaven and that a crown of glory awaits those who are obedient, faithful and pursue His Truth til the end. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. It's an awesome trade if you think about it: Riches for Rags!

Let the treasure of Truth shine in you!
~Pearls

God Misses You!

Relationships are so important aren't they? As humans, we sometimes tend to measure our existance by them. We are sisters, daughters, friends, co-workers, wives, girlfriends, best friends, cousins and aunts. We wear so many hats with so many different relationship labels on them, and each have their

special place in our lives; each require a certain measure of investment. In order to preserve or to create a relationship, it requires our time, attention and a portion of vulnerablility an openness on our part. We can't expect to maintain friendships if we never share personal thoughts or feelings. We can't 

claim to be close to our siblings and families if we never communicate with them or extend ourselves to them on a regular basis. Our boyfriends and spouses would not feel close to us if we never trusted them with our secrets and co-workers would retreat from us if we operated in distance on our 9-to-5's. Yes, Relationships require openness and availability. Think about the one person in your life that you simply cannot live without! Are they in your mind? Great...Now, think about how you might feel if

that one person never called you, never accepted an invitation from you, never extended an invitation to spend time with you, always had other plans, promised to hang out with you, then always cancelled or worse, came by to see you in a rush to leave. How would that make you feel? 

In our Christian lives, as unbelievable as it might seem, we tend to treat someone very special in that exact same way: We rush our visits and conversations; we make promises to spend time and then cancel; we ignore His calling or make excuses as to why now is not a good time and we even consider Him to be an option and not a priority. For those of us who are married, if our spouses treated us in such a way, or if our BFF did any of those things on a consistent basis, we would be irate!!! We would be so upset and hurt and let down... yet we often treat our Savior in this way throughout our day, our weeks and even throughout the course of our lives. We do not always give Him the quality time that He deserves. 

As Believers, it is our privilege to spend time with God- knowing that it is time spent with His spirit that makes a difference in our lives and moves upon our hearts to please the Father, through Jesus! Yet, our hectic lives and demand from this world can consume our every second of our time, if we let it. So then, what are we to do? Should we just accept the fact that we do not have time for God- the God who invented time for us? Should we make excuses and hope that He will understand? I think we all know the answer to that is, "no". Of course not! Our God is more precious than that and should take precedence in our lives, inspire of the schedules, the dates, the careers and the "me" time. He deserve our very best in each day that He offers to us because each and every day, He has blessed us with His best!

"My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."
~Psalm 62:5

This scripture gives me peace in my soul and helps me to separate the truth from the demands of life. I want my continued desire to be for my God; not just His blessings, but also His presence in my life. Yes, God has given us a life to live, but He's also given us time to spend with Him. Each day, there are moments that we can set aside to share with our Lord, yet we do not always take advantage of them. We thank Him for our days, yet He might not receive an invitation from us to be apart of it. We ask Him for more things, yet His true desire is that we just want more of Him! He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but have we given Him that same promise in return?

Our God misses us! Let's remember to spend time with Him, every day. He's done so much for us already, what more could we ever need outside of His blessings of life and Jesus? This week, let's all commit to daily prayer and scripture meditation. Let's remember to thank the Lord for our job and not complain about it. Let's lift up a friend, instead of gossiping about them. Let's be joyful in giving, instead of grudgingly holding on. Let's tell our savior "Good Morning" each new day, and share His love with someone who needs the reminder!
Jobs are important, but our Lord is more so. Hanging out with friends is essential, but our Lord is more so. Planning our next move, our next vacation, our next party or our next date is dire, but giving our hearts and our time to God is even more so. Let's stop letting things get in the way of the most important relationship we could ever have. Lets open our hearts to anticipate spending time with our Savior who loves us so much! He is waiting for an invitation from us to become a regular part of our existence, not just our moment-by-moment or day-to-day.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person (spend time), and they with me." -Revelation 3:20

Time is precious and cannot be replaced. I want to spend mine on pleasing Jesus, don't you? Let's take this challenge together! Let's live a life that shows the Lord how much we love Him and include Him, every step of the way!

~Pearls

Like Her Father

Today marks one month since my daughter has been born. It's honestly taken me these past 31 days to analyze, understand and put into words my feelings regarding this amazing miracle. It's incredible to me that, for 268 days, I carried a human being in my body. Oh... how I remember those heavy feelings of discomfort, how my food used to taste like spoons, how putting on a pair of pants was a true accomplishment and all the tears I cried over ice cream and the Disney movie, Mulan! (I could not get enough of that movie!!!)

All in all, my pregnancy was smooth sailing. I didn't get one single stretch mark, I only gained 29 pounds, my husband treated me like a dream and I was able to celebrate with all my dear ones. My hair did not fall out, I didn't get any acne and I can still fit into my original jeans and shoe size! It was a wonderful pregnancy... but a ferocious delivery.
The day she came, it was like a vengeance and during it all, I had to remind myself that my child had purpose and that God would not abandon us now; which He didn't. So, on September 4, 2015, my lovely little lady emerged into the world, with a cry that sounded more like a song; and in that moment of her arrival, I was reminded of all my prayers and hopes for her. My husband kissed me and we gave thanks!

Since that time, I have watched my darling daughter grow. I have entertained countless family and friends who have "oohed" and "awed" over her, and most times, I felt super proud; but I must admit, for the sake of this article and for my efforts of being vulnerable with you all, there were times where a certain comment really got on my nerves: "Oh, she looks just like her Daddy".
"Oh, Katrina, you had nothing to do with this baby did you?"
"Oh, that little girl looks nothing like you!"
"Maybe the next baby will look like, Mommy, cuz this little baby looks just like her Daddy".

Can I vent?.....

Ok, I carried her for 9 months!!!!! My body got big and uncomfortable. I had to go on medication for minor complications that were scary, no less... I was hospitalized. I had to endure an emergency C-section... where is my recognition... WHY Doesn't MY BABY LOOK LIKE ME?????

I remember one afternoon, while she was finally asleep for her nap, I cried out of exhaustion and asked God, "why"? I really did. Imagine... my pride was so large and my ego and vanity so high in the clouds that I actually had the nerve to question God regarding her looks. Never mind her health or her existence, right? I was so wrong in being so upset about her looks, but like the loving Father our God truly is, He gently taught me a lesson in that moment.

"Katrina", the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, "she looks like her father, because that is how she is suppose to look". And like a light, the profoundness of that truth overwhelmed me and I thanked the Lord for loving me enough to teach me such an impeccable lesson.
See, we are all children of God. Our purpose is to please Him, love like Him and reach others for His

kingdom. In so doing, we begin to look like our Heavenly Father. When I operate in the fullness of my Faith, I look like my Father. When I love, despite being hurt, and live in obedience, no matter how difficult... I look like my Father. When I forgive and pray, when I encourage others and stand up for what is right, I look more and more like my Father. That is the goal and the purpose of each of our individual lives... to look like our Heavenly Father!

Regardless of what we are facing or what we are going through, we must all resolve in our heart of hearts that, if we are to live a life of true meaning, we must choose to reflect the Lord and His goodness, His holiness and His justice towards others. We should all aspire to love like Jesus, live like Jesus and immitate Jesus; by doing so, we begin to resemble the Father and all glory will go to Him, because He has brought us all a mighty long way and wants to use us to reach others of whom He wants to bless as well.
It's easy to recognize this in our prosperous moments, when things are going our way, we naturally want to operate like Jesus and reflect the Father. But, I am realizing that in our storms, in our surgeries, in our dissapointments  and in our discomfort... these are the moments where He wants us to look like Him even more! It seems impossible, but in our weakness He is strong, and has anointed us all, though Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to be the lights in this dark world, reflecting His image and proclaiming His love to everyone we meet and in any situation we may find ourselves in.

In a split second, the Lord convicted my heart and taught me the importance of looking like my Father. Now, when people gasp at how much my baby looks like my husband, I smile and say thank you. Yes, she looks just like her Daddy and one day, through prayer and our commitment to raise her
in the grace of God, she will begin to live a life that will reflect Christ and cause her to look just like her Heavenly Father as well. I pray that I look like the Father , too! I pray that all of our lives will begin to be lived out in efforts to reflect His unfailing love, His beautiful nature and His faithfulness.

When we look like the Father, we look Beautiful!
~Pearls