Soraya Mathias Blog

spiritual

God never makes a promise that He won’t keep.

By: Taren Vaughan

Promises…What is the true meaning behind them? Are they verbal agreements that we make amongst ourselves that we must follow through with?

“I promise I’ll pay you your money back”

Or are they things that we say only because they sound good coming from our mouths?

“I promise I will change my ways”.

As the true definition of a promise may vary from person to person, there is one thing for sure that we all know about them. And that is that just like a glass plate hitting the floor, they can be broken, sometimes by those that we least expect. Relatives that share the same family tree with you on down to childhood friends that you have known practically all your life can be the very ones that are in the business of breaking promises. Sadly, a lot of times, it is the closest ones to us that can let us down the most. It starts to make you feel like everyone is like that. Makes you feel like no one is to be believed when that “promise” word begins to surface. That may go for the people that you deal with down here on Earth but it surely doesn’t apply to God.

God is one who doesn’t take promises lightly. If He makes one to you, then you can believe that He will follow through with it. Now He may not show up as soon as you get up off your knees from praying or as soon as you call out His name but He will show up. And when He does show, the answer to your questions and the blessings that He has in store for you will be revealed.

People in your life, or even those that you barely even know, are not perfect beings despite what they or you might think. Flaws they do possess, mistakes they will make, and promises just might be things that they can’t seem to hold on it to save their lives. Although this is true, we must not confuse that with the promises of God.

Our Father is very serious about these things called promises. They are not things that He takes lightly at all. He does not make them to break them. He makes them to keep them. To God, promises hold truth and value. His are true and will be brought to the light to those who keep the faith in His doings and listen to His voice.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Hebrews 13:5

This promise He will always keep.

The key to a successful year is simple…It’s God.

By: Taren Vaughan

2011 has come and gone with the quickness and a brand new year is now upon us. Way before it even arrived, many of us created these long, drawn out lists of resolutions, pinpointing things that we are going to do differently for the next 365. Our personal pledges to self-improvement include all sorts of things from losing massive amounts of weight to making drastic career changes.

We know hard work and dedication is much needed in order to meet any of these goals for success isn’t found overnight. Although these things are vital, the key to success doesn’t depend on those things alone. The key to you reaching your goals is God.

When we think of New Year’s Eve celebrations, a mixture of wild partying and large consumptions of alcohol comes to mind for many people. That is their way of ringing in the New Year. While the party goers are jam packed in a sweat box or on the streets of New York City, there are those who choose to bring in the New Year in a more spiritual way by attending watch night service at a local church. And what better way to bring in a year than in the house of the Lord.

Sound like a bash to those who don’t go to church on NYE?

It’s not because the very same people who went to a watch night service could not step foot in a church for the rest of the year. And a person who partied until the sun came up could be front and center for all of the remaining Sundays. Aside from the activities that people partake in on the eve of the New Year, some people eat certain things as a way to gain prosperity in the upcoming year.

A bowl of Mama’s black eyed peas and collards is all you need to make your pockets a little thicker or come up on some amazing string of good luck. The only thing that is doing is making your stomach thicker, not your wallet.

Whether we are the party crashers, the church-goers or the black eyed peas and collard greens eaters, the point is that in order to truly be fulfilled and prosperous in a new year, your life and all that you do has to be filled with God.

He is the one responsible for the “luck” that you have financially. He is the one that should be credited for the advancements that you make in your career. He is the one who provides you with the strength and willpower to reach your goals.

If you don’t start your year off with God, you should find a way to incorporate Him in the days that remain.

Your TRUE success and livelihood is counting on it.

Can you praise God without a drum or piano to accompany you?

By: Taren Vaughan

As believers in God and His word, many of us make it a point to attend church services on a regular basis. And like most church services, there is a lot praising going amongst members of the congregation. And it is done in many different ways. Some people praise God silently, praying quietly to themselves and speaking to Him privately. Others clap, shout and scream His praises to the top of their lungs for everyone around them to hear. The one thing that is always present in a church for the most part no matter how you give God the glory is music.

This music, just like the praising that goes on, is shown to us in many forms. Organs and drums being played in the background as the preacher reaches the peak of his sermon. And music from the choir, with them bellowing out moving gospel songs that touch the hearts of congregation’s members.

But what if that wasn’t the case though?

What if no song was ever sung by a single solitary person? Or no key was ever touched on a piano?

Would you still be able to praise God just the same, give Him the glory A capella?

Take a professional singer for example. Here is a person that can sing well when accompanied by music but sounds even better when the instrumental stops playing; all we hear is their natural melody. When they sing A capella, it is truly coming from the soul. It is coming from them and them alone.

Now relate this to the way you praise.

Uplifting His name with your voice alone is more than enough for God. He can hear your voice loud and clear, giving Him thanks for all that He has done for you and what He is on the verge of doing in your life. And He can recognize that with or without the music playing behind you.

Hearing music can increase the level of showing your love for God. A lot of worshippers will say that their spirits are moved just that much more when they hear a touching song being sung. As that may be true, praising God ultimately can be done with no background noise at all.

Your willingness to shout out your praises to the almighty may be fueled by music.

But when the piano stops playing and the voices of the choir members begin to fade, will your praising of God be just as strong?

Your company could hinder you from receiving your blessings.

By: Taren Vaughan

Your inner circle, your clique, your homegirls and homeboys…There are so many different titles that we place on those that we consider friends. These are the individuals that we spend a lot of time around, maybe even years at a time, and share countless memories with. The ties that we have to these people can become so strong that we even begin to act exactly like them, mirroring everything that they do. From the way that they dress, talk, and carry themselves, we find ourselves picking up our friends’ habits. Some of these habits can be good ones and can help us move towards self improvement. Then there are those habits that are not ones that anyone should want to pattern.

When the bad habits of your friends start to rub off on you, could their negative influence keep you from reaching your goal? Could they be the stumbling blocks between you and your destiny?

We all know that no man can stop what God has in store for us. Whatever is in His will shall be and no matter how hard we, or anybody else may try there is no changing that will. As true as that is, there can be people who serve as “blessing blockers”. A blessing blocker’s role is to distract you, throw you off track from reaching your goal and receiving the blessings that are waiting for you. Often times, they are mistaken as friends when in actuality, they cause more harm than good; some of them taking on enemy qualities. And most of all, a number of these people don’t even have the same goals that you do; they aren’t looking for the progress that you are.

So if that’s the case, why are these people even in your circle?

If you are one who is serious about your education, then why are you surrounding yourself with people whose transcripts and report cards are flooded with D’s and F’s? Haven’t cracked open a book in God knows when.

If you are a person who is a go-getter, why does your clique consists of those who settle for less? The bare minimum is all they are striving for while you are constantly looking for ways to improve yourself.

If you are about change, then why are you in the midst of individuals who are complacent, no change necessary? They’re clearly not fans of President Obama’s theory.

Sometimes the people that we are associated with are the ones who are keeping us from receiving our blessings. Good people, yeah they may be. But do they hold the same things that you do in high regard? Are your values similar at all?

We don't always notice it right away. It can take months or years for us to realize the truth about our company. The truth is that our company is not always helpful. They don't always encourage us to do the right things. And when we think that these people are positive influences, they really are more of a hindrance to us.

We should be wary of the individuals that we hang around and choose our company with much caution.

They can be the very thing standing between us and the blessings that God has in store for you.

All things are possible because of God and God only.

By: Taren Vaughan

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

Despite the clear message that the above scripture is relaying to us, for some strange reason, there are numerous human beings in this world who have come to the conclusion that they are powerful. The sun rises and sets when they say so and if it weren’t for them, nothing would be possible. Some of us really think we are the ones that run the show. We have really got it twisted.

Do we honestly think that we are the sole ones responsible for these long lists of accomplishments that we have under our belts? Does the outcome of a situation happen the way it does because we think that’s how it should be or does God have the ultimate say so overall?

It seems to me that we forget sometimes who made it possible for us to achieve anything period. It is God and no one but Him. God has ALL power and has control over the situations that we are or aren’t placed in. And because of that, He determines our rises to success and our struggles to get there. But that lack of humility that we develop once we get a little change in our pockets or start raking in degree after degree and promotion after promotion keeps us from remembering that important part.

So is it not okay to be proud of yourself for what you have done?

I have had my own personal struggle with this. Not because I am known to be an overly arrogant person who thought the world revolved around her. It was because I had that fear that if I expressed any ounce of pride in the things that I achieved, I would be deemed as an individual who lacks humility. But after a heartfelt conversation with my mother and over the years, truly learning and knowing the difference between being cocky versus being confident, I realized that being humble yet having a sense of joy about what you have done is not a bad thing at all.

Possessing self pride and self confidence are things that everyone should have. God doesn’t want us to hang our heads when we are doing positive things in His sight. He wants us to rejoice in our blessings. But often times our rejoicing turns into boasting and bragging. God frowns upon this type of behavior because in His eyes, we are all equal. We are all His children. Having multiple letters in front of or behind your name or having a fleet of luxury cars lined up in your driveway makes you no better than the next person. And it surely won’t save you from the burning flames of Hell if you are not being obedient to His word. Not because I said so but because God said so.

Having that shear excitement and thrill of knowing that your hard work has finally paid off is okay. Those things are only frowned upon when they are taken too far, when a person’s humility has gone completely out of the window.

Be subtle in your celebration of the things that you have accomplished. And let others speak of your greatest.

How easy is it for you to extend your hand to people who don’t care for you?

By: Taren Vaughan

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17

Our enemies, those persons whose sole purpose in our lives is to cause us harm or stand in the way of what we are trying to accomplish, are all around us. We often mistake these people for friends because they appear to be so genuine when we first meet them. And because of their initial “good behavior”, we let these pretenders get a little too close to us. Sooner than later though, these people will reveal their true selves to us and the true way that they feel about us will come to light.

That’s when the underhandedness starts to happen. The talking bad about you to other people and they try to do everything in their power to mentality or physically stifle you. Yet and still, we are supposed to be kind to these folks? People who bring nothing but negativity into our lives?

According to God’s word, we are to treat everyone with kindness, even the undeserving in our eyes. Easier said than done though right? Showing love to those who show it to you in the same manner is something that we can all manage to do with great ease. When people are pleasant to you and are always treating you with respect, really how hard can it be to do the same in return? Not hard at all I’m pretty certain of that.

But for those who mistreat you and constantly try their hardest to ruin your good name with no reason at all for doing so, turning the other cheek and showing them love is difficult to do.

Moments like these, we should stop and think about what Jesus would do in a situation like this.

Jesus Christ had enemies just as we do down here on Earth. Big difference is though that he had more enemies than he could count on his hands and toes alone. He had those who called him crazy, a liar and caused him bodily harm up until his death. And as Jesus Christ endured the things that these individuals did to him, he still stood his ground and followed God’s word and believed in His promise to take care of him. And despite all of the things that his enemies put him though, he still found it in his heart to pray for them and their wrongdoings towards him. So when our enemies come at us, full force with a mission to defeat us or tear us down with all their might, take the time out to pray for them. Show them love regardless of how they treat you for you want to do right unto others even when it is not returned.

Is choosing between your partner and God something that you should have to do?

By: Taren Vaughan

As perfect as your relationship may seem to be, there will always be things that you and your partner don’t see eye to eye on. You may not like the same type of music or you may not be fond of the same foods. Whatever it may be, the taste that you all have in certain things won’t be identical yet it’s not something that will totally ruin your union. But what happens when you two don’t have common ground when it comes to God? What happens when it gets to the point where you feel torn between doing right by God and following His word versus trying to please your partner even if it means going against The Almighty?

First in foremost, before you even think about getting into a serious relationship with someone, you should really know or at least have some degree of knowledge on what their religious views and practices are. Do you know how they feel about attending church, reading the Bible, praying? Do you know whether or not they believe in God and His word and truly strive to live their lives in the right way? Before beginning a partnership with you, your significant other should have their very own relationship with God. And if that is the case, then you will never find yourself in the position to where you feel like you have to forsake one for the other.

As a person who has a lot of faith in God and all that He is capable of doing for us in our lives, it’s hard to believe that anyone could find themselves in a position to where they feel like they have to actually make a choice between Our Father and their significant other. God is said to be the third wheel in our relationships. So why would He need to be brushed aside for a partner? Better yet, why would your partner want to be placed before God if they know His greatness just like you do?

Genuine relationships are composed of individuals who not only accept each other but who accept God. And if you know that you are seeking God and trying to live your life in the way that He would have you to, then being with a person who does not have the same spiritual goals that you do will be a hard thing to do. And in turn, it can be very trying on your partnership. No matter what anyone may believe, God is the key to true happiness in all that we do. And because of that reason alone, no man should be placed before Him nor should no man hinder us from becoming close to Him and building a strong, unbreakable bond with Him.

So ask yourself, which relationship is more important to you? The one that you have with God or the one that you have with a man that may not be there for you within the next few weeks?

Despite what anyone else says, God is the one who has the final say so in the longevity of our lives.

By: Taren Vaughan

Often times, we are convinced that the final say so in someone’s life is left in the hands of the people who are down here on Earth with us. We rely heavily on their opinions and allow them to dictate how certain situations in our lives will turn out. And all of their facts are based on what a series of test results tells them about a person’s physical condition. It’s centered on the knowledge that they obtained while in school and determines what kind of outcome they think the person’s life will have.

So because these individuals spent so many years becoming educated on these things and can detect when a person’s life is in grave danger or nearing its final stages, they know for sure when there is no hope? Is their prediction what we have to go off of? It is when you don’t believe in the power of Our Creator.

No disrespect at all to the physicians of the world but they don’t have the same kind of vision and outlook that God has. The knowledge and power that He has surpasses that of any health care professional out there. Even when a doctor comes into the hospital room and tells you and your family that your chances of surviving are minimal and they have done all that they can possibly do for you, remember who has the final say so over everything.

Through all the things that we go through in life, God is the one who controls the very beginning of them. He allows things to happen to us as we go through our individual walks with Him. But the most important thing is that He is the one responsible for how things end for us also. He is the one who determines how and when our lives will end.

There is no illness that God can’t cure. There is no wound that He can’t heal. The power that He possesses is endless and He can turn even the worst situation around; a situation that was deemed unfixable from the very start. So when you feel like giving up, you feel like praying is not the answer, think about the kind of God that you serve for He has the final say so in all that we do and all that we go through.

You can have many friends, but God is by far the best one.

By: Taren Vaughan

As we go through life, we become acquainted with people from all different backgrounds. Some individuals that we meet have similar taste in things that we do, like sports, animals, music, etc. Of course, not everybody we meet will be ones that we get along with or just absolutely love to be around. But there is often that small group of people that you run across who appear to be very loyal, trustworthy, caring and most of all seem to have your best interest at heart; a rarity to find nowadays.

And what do we do to people that fit these characteristics?

Call them “friends”. If they exceed these qualities and really show you that they are worth having a true friendship with, you give them the title “best friend”.

They are viewed as the people who come through for you just like your family would when you are faced with hard times or need advice when making difficult decisions in your life. The role that they play in your life is supposed to hold a lot of importance to you. These people will be the godmothers/godfathers of your kids, participate in your wedding ceremony and be aware and apart of all the other major events that happen in your life. As this sounds like what a best friend should do and be about, it doesn’t always play out this way. Sometimes, it is the total opposite of this that I am speaking of.

And when it is that way, a “best friend” doesn’t hold up their end of the deal and truly shows you their true colors, it can hurt you beyond measure, leaving you to question what kind of friendship you all really had in the first place. Luckily though, we never have to worry about this with God.

He tells us that He will never leave us:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Hebrews 13:5-6

A best friend could say something to you similar to God’s words and profess that they will never forsake you. But the difference that can lie between the two is sincerity. As we can question a person’s sincerity, God's is real. He will never pretend to be there for you. He will never put up a front like He has your back when doesn't. He will not leave your side. And if you know these things about Our Creator, why not give Him the top spot on your list of friends?

Many of us, including myself, will still continue to tag people with the “best friend” title. It’s a habit that we have developed over time. And will continue to give these people such a huge place in our lives. But you must remember the one who will never forsake you; the one who will never try to do anything to hurt you, make you feel like there is no hope, discourage you. God is the one who will uplift you and keep you out of harm’s way. And if you have a good relationship with Him and know His powers and what He is willing to do for you, you know that He is the true depiction of a best friend.

You pray for so many things but is your relationship one of them?

By: Taren Vaughan

In this day and age, getting into a serious relationship is not as easy as it once was. Living in a society that heavily promotes promiscuity and one that is flooded with individuals who do not take relationships or marriages for that matter seriously, it is no surprise that many people’s unions don’t last long at all. Why do we have such a hard time when it comes to finding happiness and maintaining it? Could it be that nobody takes the time out to do one key thing when it comes to their relationships? And that is pray over them.

We pray for everything else under the sun. Pray for health, strength, wealth, prosperity, fame. But rarely do some of us pray over our relationships and marriages as if it is a given that just because we got with someone that we have a lot of feelings for that somehow there is no way that the partnership will fail. That’s where we are wrong. Asking for God to bless your relationship is extremely important and essential to the quality of it.

We take the time out to pray for everything else that is going on in our lives, so shouldn’t we pray for peace in our partnerships?

People wonder why their relationships don’t last or why they always seem to be filled with drama and turmoil. It’s because they never pray over them. But here’s the other thing about praying for your relationship. Both parties must engage in it. The praying can’t just fall on your shoulders. Your partner should think enough of your relationship to pray for its growth and stability as well. They too should deem it necessary to talk to God and pray that He leads you both in the right direction and guides you down the path that He wants you to go.

Despite what we may think, relationships are not held together by expensive gifts, sex, or all of the above. And they are not only held together by the love that you have for the other person either. Relationships are ultimately held together by God. He is the glue that truly bonds you and your partner together. On the other hand, He also has the power to intervene when He feels as though your relationship is too toxic and unholy. Now you know why you and that person didn’t work out. Most likely, it was something that God himself was trying to tear apart.

Relationships are hard work. They have their great moments when everything between you and your partner could absolutely get no better. And then there are times when you feel like nothing seems to be going right. Those are the ups and downs that come along with relationships of all kind. But if you both come to Him with sincere hearts and pray that He blesses your union, God will hear your voices. And if you are doing things the right way, your relationship will have a true foundation, one that is of God.

When you are faced with hard times, activate your weapon, not your gun, not your fist but your faith.

By: Taren Vaughan

This past Sunday, I was inspired. Inspired by a pastor by the name of Cory Graves, whose church I have been attending in Greensboro, North Carolina since I moved back to the Triad Area in 2009. Not only does he preach the word of God to his congregation. But the most important thing that he does as the head of White Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church is that he speaks a lot of truth when it comes to his sermons. And with this particular sermon, the things he was saying really hit home for me and the things that I was going through, not just a week ago but throughout my life in general.

I have faced challenges in my life on several occasions as I’m sure many of you have. Some of them were not as heart wrenching as others and some of them were so hard to deal with that I didn’t know how in the world I was going to make it through at times, had me wondering when I was ever going to smile again. But once I activated my weapon, the faith that I have in God, I was able to withstand my struggles a whole lot better.

You see, you can proclaim that you have faith in God all day long. But until you fully activate it, it is of no help to you at all. For what is a gun with no bullets? An empty weapon. A gun with no bullets is the same thing that non-activated faith is…useless. Don’t be afraid to pull your weapon out and use it. Having faith that God will correct a situation and has a solution for any problem that comes your way is one thing. But really truly and honestly exercising it is another. Don’t let your faith be your empty weapon. Load it up; it’s time to activate it and watch God work wonders in your life.

There are multiple steps to forgiving those who have hurt you.

By: Taren Vaughan

Forgiving someone who has hurt you is not always an easy thing to do. Matter of fact, it’s down right hard to do, especially when you know in your heart that you were so good to that person. Unfortunately though, being good to a person and treating them with the respect that you would hope they would return to you doesn’t always happen that way. And it leads you to heartbreak, pain and sadness. It can even come to the point where you don’t even want to forgive that person and begin to wish bad things upon them and their life. That is where I must stop you. It’s easy to be bitter, angry and retaliate against a person who has hurt. In forgiveness, you have to do it the more complex way in order to see God work. There are certain things that you must say to God and do as a part of your forgiving process. And the first one starts with how you initially reacted to the situation.

“God, Forgive me for my anger, my bitterness and my bad thoughts about this person”

God knows that we are all human and we are emotional creatures so He knows that when people hurt us, our first reaction is to get upset and full of anger. We begin to think negative thoughts about that person and have the urge to pick up the phone and say some things that we will probably regret before the conversation even ends. The situation is probably already not the best so let’s not try to make it any worse.

“God, I forgive this person for what they have done to me”

This is by far one of the hardest steps to conquer. Bringing yourself to forgiving someone for doing harm to you is much easier said than done. You know the Christian thing to do is to forgive them automatically without even giving it a thought. But as we are believers in God, we still have a tendency sometimes to hold on to what someone has done to us, deeming what they did as an unforgivable act. We have to get past that. Forgive the person for what they have done to you so you can move to the next step.

“God, I give the situation all to you and I will get out of the way of your wrath”

First instinct is always to handle the person yourself. In your mind, you can set them straight all on your own. Wrong approach. As we would like to think that we can check a person better than our Creator, we are sadly mistaken. God can handle someone way better than we ever thought about handling them. He knows what needs to happen in order for the person to see the true error in their ways. Don’t you remember he said vengeance is mine?

“God, I pray that you have mercy on their soul”

Even though some of us act like we are immune to it, none of us, and I mean none of us, are immune to God’s wrath. We are all His children. And when we hurt one another and disrespect one another, He will punish us. The saying you reap what you sow holds more power than you realize. God will not let you get away with doing harm to another person. You will see that again in your life in some form. You may not get it back in the same way that you dealt it, but it will come back around. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of what you do to people.

For those who are struggling with forgiving someone who has done you wrong, I encourage you to say these quotes. But I also encourage you to say them only when you are truly ready to forgive. Once you feel that you are to that point, ask God for each of these things. He will listen to you and you will see a change. I promise you that. God Bless you and believe me, you will get through whatever it is that you are going through.

Want positive things to happen in your life? Simply pray to God for them.

By: Taren Vaughan

Throughout our life journeys, there are individual things that we strive for. Some of us can have a very small number of things that we are looking to achieve while down here on Earth while other of us may have a list full of things that we hope to do. Each and every one of us is different when it comes to that. But although the things that each of us are working towards may not be the exact same, there is however one thing that we all are looking to have in our lives. And that is positivity.

Having positivity gives you the strength and courage to overcome the obstacles that you are faced with. It fuels the faith that you have in God to get you over the difficult moments that you find yourself in from time to time. When positive things happen to us in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations, we can get through them. Just simply knowing that even when you are faced with some of the worst times in your life, there will always be those good things, those positive occurrences that let you know that everything is going to be just fine.

Positivity is the one thing that we all should pray to have in our lives. So what do you do if you want God to bless you with positive things in your life? Ask Him for them. Take the time out to pray to God and sincerely let Him know that you want to receive His blessings that He has store with open arms. But just like with anything else that we ask God for, in order to receive it we must obey Him and follow His word as the believers that we claim ourselves to be.

It is a wonderful thing to obtain positivity in your life. But it is even more wonderful to maintain and keep it. Not to say that you will never face a hard time again in your life because we know that that is not true. But you will be able to face them much better with those positive aspects being there. So encourage those who you see struggling with maintaining a good attitude about what they are going through to pray for positivity. It is one thing that God gives you that no one can take away from you if you keep the faith and continuously pray for it.

Can’t make it to church? You can still hear the Word if you don’t go.

By: Taren Vaughan

There are many reasons that some of us give as to why we don’t attend church services on Sunday mornings. It could be because we have jobs that keep us from hearing the Lord’s Word. Or it could simply be because we have exhausted ourselves so much during the course of the week, mainly Saturdays for those who like to do excessive partying on those nights that it keeps us from making it to the church on Sundays. For some people, there reasoning behind not attending service is because they have not found the right church home yet and are still in the process of looking for one to become a member of. Whatever the reason is that you use for not going to church, you can save it. Because there are so many other ways that you can get your dose of the Word without stepping foot inside anyone’s church.

One way to do this is by simply picking up the Bible and reading select scriptures from it. As reading the Bible is something that we all should be doing on a regular basis anyway, devoting some time to it on those Sundays when you can’t make it to worship service can serve as a way to still connect with God without a pastor or preacher present to guide you along the way. Some people may say that is why they can’t just depend on reading the Bible on Sundays as a replacement for attending church service; there is no sermon involved with it, no person there that can break down the scripture to your understanding and reveal the true meaning of it.

In that case, you can partake in watching worship services on TV. Sunday morning services that are aired on television are very similar to those that we physically attend at a church. There is a congregation, a pastor and sometimes in even a choir is present in these broadcasts so it gives you the feel of actually being behind church walls. The only parts missing are the fellowship and tithing aspects that are there when you actually go to church. Other than those things, not to say they aren’t extremely important is all that you will be missing by watching a sermon on TV or via the Internet.

With all of the technological advancements that we have now, there is absolutely no reason to miss out on some form of church each and every Sunday. Granted, watching a church service on TV in the comfort of your own home is not the same as putting on some clothes, getting in your car and heading to someone’s sanctuary. And you don’t get the opportunity to fellowship with those that you worship with or give an offering to the collection plate. But in some form or fashion, we all should get the word of God in on Sundays, whether we make it to a service or not. There is always a way to do that.

What will you do differently in 2011 when it comes to your spirituality?

By: Taren Vaughan

A new year is on the verge of arriving and many of us have already come up with things that we plan to work on for 2011. Aside from the areas that are the most popular of focus, what about the spiritual resolutions that you have outlined for yourself? What will you do differently in 2011 when it comes to this aspect of your life? As some of us already have the answers to this question, there are those of us who are not quite sure about the spiritual improvements that we are striving to make. Here are just a few that come to mind:

Get Your Daily Dose Of The Bible

Reading the Bible and really becoming familiar with the Word of God is an important thing for a believer to do. Yes, we sit in churches and listen to our pastors preach sermons about God’s powers and what it is that He wants us to do as His children down here on Earth. But what would it hurt for you to take some time outside of the sanctuary to read a scripture or two each day as a way to get a better understanding of the things that you hear every Sunday morning.

Find A Good Church Home

Finding a good church is not an easy thing to do for everyone. It can take months, or even years, for you to find that one congregation that really fits our spiritual needs and makes us feel comfortable fellowshipping with. But if you haven’t done so already and we looking for the prime time to really start looking for a permanent place to worship, the start of a new year is just the time to do it. For college students and those who are not in the vicinity of their regular church homes, attend church with a friend, classmate or next door neighbor to get a feel of what church will be the best fit for you. With all of the churches out there, I’m sure you will run across one that you wouldn’t mind attending on a regular basis.

Make Prayer Time A Daily Habit

As we should all be partaking in this right now, praying each day should be on our spiritual lists of New Year’s resolutions. Even if you only find the time to pray just once a day, the fact that you are able to set aside a moment to give thanks to the Lord is a good thing in itself. There is no set time of day or length of time for that matter that one has to pray. The biggest thing is that you make it a daily habit that you carry over into the New Year and for all the years to come thereafter.

Join A Friend For Bible Study

If you can’t seem to make it to a church service, attending a Bible study is the next best thing for you to do. Bible studies are held throughout the week, usually mid week for most churches and only last a couple hours if that. Don’t hesitate to bring a friend along with you to learn more about God’s word and get a true understanding of the scriptures that you read and have heard recited over and over again. And for the summer months, there is Vacation Bible School that you can go to as well.

Keep The Faith No Matter What

This by far is one of the biggest yet toughest spiritual resolutions to follow through with. As life throws us curve balls at any given moment, our faith can be tested without any warning sign in sight. After endless amounts of praying and always being sure to do right by other people and obeying God, we can still find ourselves in some of the most horrifying situations imaginable. But it is all a test; A test to see how well you hold on to your faith and keep praising God’s name through all that you experience, whether it be good or bad. Some of us really struggled with this in 2010. I know this without even personally knowing each person’s story. But 2011 is a new start and our faith will stand strong, despite the evils that try to tear it down.

The list of spiritual resolutions can be of great abundance. I hope this gives you a good start.

Christmas is about more than just gift giving and good eating.

By: Taren Vaughan

Christmas time is here once again. And everyone is flooding the malls to find the perfect gifts for their family members and friends. The thrill of opening gifts first thing on Christmas Day usually dies down for most of us after we become adults. That doesn’t mean that our desire to purchase gifts goes out the window as well. We always seem to find joy in seeing the look on people’s faces after they have opened their presents.

As it is true that Christmas does serve as a special time of the year for us to go out and buy presents for each other and enjoy home cooked holiday meals with loved ones, some of us tend to lose sight of the true meaning behind the whole celebration. And that is the birth of Jesus Christ. Just like we hold our birthdays in such high regard is the same way that we should hold his. His birth is significant in so many ways that it should always be remembered and never overlooked. Christmas is not about going broke, trying to buy every single thing on your children’s Christmas lists. It’s about the son of Joseph and Mary and his entrance into this world.

No one is saying not to give presents on Christmas Day. After all, The Three Wise Men gave Mary and Joseph gifts on their visit to see the Baby Jesus. So giving presents is not a bad thing to do at all. It’s when we totally forget that we have bills to pay and houses to maintain and we spend crazy amounts of money for things that people will outgrow or get tired of playing with by the time next Christmas rolls around again. That’s where the issue lies.

As we spend hundreds and sometimes thousands, of dollars on expensive Christmas gifts, we slowly but surely start to forget about what Christmas is all about. It is not a time for us to blow all of our savings on toys and clothes for our children. It’s a time to celebrate Jesus Christ and what he means to us. There’s no need to be a scrooge or a complete tight wad when it comes to buying nice things and celebrating the day with your families, sitting around opening gifts. Just keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas while you are doing so.

Clear your mind of the past…A new beginning is in store for you.

By: Taren Vaughan

As we look back on all the many situations in our lives where we wish we could have done things differently, it does get somewhat discouraging I’m sure. Whether it was in relation to a former boyfriend, family member or a friend that you have known for years, those troublesome situations just can’t find their way out of your mind. You continuously think about them over and over again as if they happened yesterday. Months, and even sometimes years later, you are still dwelling on that terrible career move that you made in the past, one that you wish you would have thought twice about before jumping head first into it. Or you are still upset about your past relationships that led you to only be miserable and alone.

Okay, so you have made a couple not so smart moves in life. Every person walking this Earth has done that, despite how perfect some of us think we are. We all have been guilty of not choosing the path that God has laid out for us to follow. But just because we took a detour and wandered off life’s trail, doesn’t mean that we can’t pick up where we left off. And it surely doesn’t mean that we can’t improve a once broken situation. Don’t ever forget about the bright side to all of this. The fact that God grants us new beginnings in our lives should be enough to put a smile on your face. He grants us opportunities to change our habits and ways in order to grow into the sons and daughters that He wants us to be.

Although it can be depressing when you always harp on the “Shoulda, coulda, woulda” moments of your life, there is one thing that you can be happy about. And that is that God provides us with new beginnings, a way to redeem ourselves from the things of the past and move forward in a more positive direction.

Ah, new beginnings…how wonderful they are. They give you a full fledged chance to start over and correct the mistakes that you once made in the past. And even if some of the mistakes that you made are “irreversible”, at least now you have the opportunity to put that all behind you and look forward towards bigger and better things.

To be honest, a fresh start at life is just what some of us need to lift us up when our broken spirits start to get the best of us. That one chance to go back and do things a little better this time around and view your past situations as learning experiences can make a world of difference for us. But before your new beginning arrives, you must learn to let the past be the past and be at peace with what happened. Once you can do that wholeheartedly, you can move on to a fresh, brand new start in life. Congratulations….you new beginning is on its way.

Thanks should be given to God everyday of our lives.

By: Taren Vaughan

As another Thanksgiving Day rolls around, many of us came together with our family members, close friends, neighbors and significant others to partake in lots of good eating and fellowship. As these are the things that we are known for doing on this day, we should always focus on the main purpose of the holiday itself. And that is to give God the utmost thanks for the things that He has done for us throughout the year and our lives altogether. Some of our lists may be much longer than others. But regardless, we all have something to be thankful for each and every day which is why praising God for our blessings should be done on more than just one day out of 365.

Although Thanksgiving Day is coined as the day that we all give thanks to God, is that really enough time to tell Him thank you for all that He has done for us? A single 24-period is all that He gets?

I don’t know about you but I know that with all the things that God has blessed me with and all of the times that He has been there for me when I had no hope and things in my life were really getting the best of me, just one day is not nearly enough time for me to tell Him how much I appreciate what He has done for me in my life and in the lives of people who are close to me as well.

Each day that we have here on Earth is a blessing, for each one of them is not promised to any of us. And that in itself is enough to be thankful for. So even if you get to a point, which I’m sure none of us ever will, where you don’t feel like you have a specific thing or situation to be thankful for, be thankful for life itself. Be thankful for another chance to start over. Be thankful for God’s grace and mercy because without it, where would we be? There are so many things to be thankful for; the list could literally go on for days. Continuously praise God for all He has done for you, on Thanksgiving Day and every other day of the year. For every day that you have breath in your body, should be a day of Thanksgiving.

It’s the little bright spots that get us through our rough moments in life.

By: Taren Vaughan

“If it ain’t one thing, it’s another”. I’m sure we have all felt this way a time or two about the things that we go through in life. It seems like every time you look up, something horrible is happening to you. Loved ones keep passing away left and right, you can’t keep your finances in order to save your life and health problems are slowing you down and even one of the main causes for your financial hardships. In some cases, these things don’t happen back to back. They simply all come crashing down on us at once. Hard times come knocking at every last one of our doors. And there is no way to duck and dodge them. But Thank God for the little piece of happiness that He does allow to come our way in the midst of bad situations.

God sends down those rays of hope, those joyous moments that truly remind us that there is always a bright side to everything. No matter how rough it gets and no matter how bad it may appear to be, He reveals to us over and over again that there is some good behind the things that we go through. You may not have gotten that job offer but you got some good experience that will prepare you for your next interview. Your bank account may be looking extra dry at the moment but all your essential bills are paid and you have clothes, food and a place to live.

Stop and think about the positive aspect of your struggle instead of just looking at all the negative ones. I’m sure you will find a bright spot in there somewhere. That is much easier said than done sometimes as our frustrations don’t allow us to see it that way. We get so overwhelmed with what is going on that we can’t bring ourselves to really believe that anything good is going to happen. But just when we begin to think this way, God steps in and adds a little sunshine to those dark moments that we have.

These uplifting moments, even if they only last for a minute or two, are just enough to put someone in good spirits again. No, the trial may not be completely over, but now you can deal with it much better than before. To be honest, sometimes that is all we need to keep going, keep pressing forward with what we are doing. The one thing that rays of hope give us is just that…Hope. A combination of that and our strong faith in God and His power to improve our situations will allow us to overcome the worst of problems and issues that we are having. So Let’s Thank God for the rays of hope that He provides us with. They really do make those rocky times in our lives so much easier to deal with.

Praying is something that should be done daily no matter what.

By: Taren Vaughan

Taking time out of the day to pray to God is something that should not take much thought at all. It is something that should be done without hesitation. And more importantly, should be done on a regular basis. Now some of us have more complex schedules than others; especially if we are married with kids, having to take care of family and travel back and forth to basketball games and play rehearsals. 24 hour days are just not enough for you to get everything done that you need to without becoming extremely exhausted. But even when we are absolutely drained from the activities of our days, we should never get to the point where we are too tired to get on our knees and thank God for the things that He has done for us.

Praying to God is not like going to the gym. You may skip hitting the weights a time or two throughout the week. Or you may decide to take a rain check on running that mile that you normally do right after work. Skipping these activities ever so often won’t hurt a thing. But skipping those moments with God where it’s just you and Him is not something that should be gone undone because we are tired. The beauty of praying is that it can be done during anytime of the day that you choose. God is a flexible God. His office hours are infinite, therefore He is always willing to sit and talk with you whenever you feel like talking to Him. So because He gives us all these opportunities to converse with Him, how is it that we manage to skip prayer time?

As hectic as things can become around us, there are some things that just simply won’t get done. But if it comes to the point where we have to eliminate an activity from our agendas, praying should definitely not be one of them. Somewhere within those 24 hours, we can surely find time to pray. Think about it, do you think God ever gets too tired to listen to our concerns and needs? He is always available to us 24/7. So how hard can it be to set aside a few minutes to let Him know how much you appreciate all that He has done for you? It’s doesn’t require nearly as much effort as a workout at the gym does that’s for sure. So before we say we are too tired to give God some praise at least once during the day, think about where you would be without Him.

Pages

Soraya Mathias Blog

Entertainment

Fashion

Music

Victoria's Secret

Styles

Sports

Spiritual

Popular Posts

Followers

Blog Archive