I titled Monday night's post "God Probably Wants You to Finish What You Started" and repeated the word "probably" three more times because it's possible you're dating someone that God doesn't want you to be dating, as I did two years after I became a Christian even though God showed me who I'm supposed to … Continue reading Commitment to God’s Will for Your Life May Mean Breaking up with Your Boo
Just when I was about to turn off and delete a T.D. Jakes sermon I'd recorded on TBN because I heard it on Radio 1000 a long time ago, he said something that pertains to last night's post, "God Probably Wants You to Finish What You Started." Since everything happens for a reason, here's the … Continue reading God Promised Not to Leave You Nor Forsake You
These days, people often break up with boyfriends or girlfriends or file for divorce because they aren't happy, as T.D. Jakes said during a sermon titled "Defying the Urge to Quit." But if you're a Christian, God probably wants you to finish what you started. After all, as Jakes said, the Bible says, "Love beareth … Continue reading God Probably Wants You to Finish What You Started
"I believe that fathers are ... the most valuable players on the home team," Pastor Matt Hagee said during a sermon that aired on TBN before Father's Day. "We need you to remember that the home team is the important team. Your home team is not the people you work with. Your home team is … Continue reading God’s Fundamentals for Husbands and Fathers
Over the past five years, people -- and I mean heathens as well as Christians who attend church regularly -- have said to me some variation of, "God wouldn't want you to be in an unhealthy relationship. He wants you to be happy." That never ceases to astound me. God didn't put us on this … Continue reading How God Wants You to Fix Your Family
My last post revealed two types of people to avoid dating. But sometimes God puts those people in your life and won't let you run from them. This morning, Joel Osteen explained why during a sermon titled "Don't Fight It." "We all face situations that we don't like," he said. "Somebody's not treating us right. … Continue reading People God Won’t Let You Avoid
Earlier this month, I began sharing Christian dating advice, including how to tell if you're dating a Christian. Here are two types of people to avoid dating. You may be one of them, according to a Dr. Charles Stanley sermon that aired on Sunday. The First Type: People Who Lack Self-Control "Is there any area … Continue reading Two Types of People to Avoid Dating
Did King David have an affair with Bathsheba because he was immature? If so, he wouldn't be the first. "He doesn't know how to control the kid in him," T.D. Jakes said during a sermon TBN aired May 28. So, he slept with Bathsheba "a lot. For quite a while." When she got pregnant, King … Continue reading The Affair: A Story of Sex and the Immature Man
Four years ago, I started writing a blog/memoir to talk about the on-again-off-again relationship that sent me running to God in 2014. Before I finally tell that story, I thought I'd share the following excerpts from one of T.D. Jakes' ManPower conferences because I'm not the only one who's been involved with a sick man. #metoo #timesup … Continue reading The Second Reason I Became a Christian: A Sick Man Sent Me Running to God
Last night, I offered Christian dating advice from Pastor Matt Hagee. Tonight's tips come from Bishop Noel Jones. If you're in a relationship, pay attention to the person's words and actions to determine whether you're equally yoked. Six Quick Ways to Tell If You're Dating a Christian "You can't tell me that you really love … Continue reading How to Tell If You’re Dating a Christian
Recently, a fellow Christian blogger asked for dating advice. I could -- and am about to -- spend days writing about the type of man she shouldn't date. Here's the man she should, according to Pastor Matt Hagee who provided the following "Six C's of Masculinity" last Wednesday. A Confident Man "The first C is … Continue reading Christian Dating Advice
A month before Memorial Day in 2015, I gave four weeks' notice at the pharmacy. "I don't belong here," I told the tattoo-sleeved drummer-turned-pharmacist who'd hired me in December. "What're you talking about?" he asked. "You're great with the customers." That was part of the problem. A few male customers, including a guy on antidepressants … Continue reading Another Reason God Puts Us with People We Don’t Like
There are two people I never want to see, hear from, or speak to for the rest of my days on this planet. Does that sound very Jesus-like to you? Yeah, God doesn't think so either. So, as I've illustrated with recent posts, he keeps forcing me to work with people I wouldn't put up … Continue reading One Reason God Puts Us with People We Don’t Like
The last week of March, I started working yet another retail job. I enjoyed it for eight days. During my ninth shift, this skinny, black guy showed up, sans hello like the pharmacist I worked with in 2015, walked into the office, and debated whether he wanted to transfer to our store when the one … Continue reading How God Leads Me to Do What He Wants
Today, Pastor John Hagee shared the following reasons you don't hear from God. You Don't Hear from God Because You Consult Other People Rather Than Your Conscience What is conscience? Conscience is a God-given instrument so that we can determine right from wrong in a spiritual matter. Conscience is the lamp of God saying, "This … Continue reading Why You Don’t Hear from God
Friday and Saturday, I spent hours crafting a tell-all post that I hoped would speed up the process of getting me out of the pit I fell in four-and-a-half years ago, shortly after I became a Christian. Sunday morning, Radio 1000 replayed a weeks-old sermon instructing me to wait and let God handle the wicked … Continue reading God’s Name Is Riding on the Fact That You Will Succeed
[God] called. He called what was his. ... I only bother what's mine. I don't want anything that ain't mine. If you're mine, come here. If you're really not mine, leave me alone. Go on about your business. I only want what's mine. ... What About Free Will? [Some people think] that when God predestined … Continue reading Why I Became a Christian: God Called Me (A T.D. Jakes Sermon)
If you've been following this blog for a while, you know Bishop T.D. Jakes and I believe nothing just happens and everything happens for a reason. Last summer, I attempted to illustrate that with an example of how God typically reveals himself in my life. But sometimes things get weird. For example: April 23, I … Continue reading That Moment You Realize God Follows Your Blog (Nothing Just Happens/Everything Happens for a Reason)
Once upon a time, a kid named Alexander had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Thanks to my parents, boyfriends, and bosses, many of whom I haven't even mentioned in this memoir yet, I've had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad life. To cope, I took diet pills to wake up, downed … Continue reading Christianity Is a Process (Phase One: The Love Test)
"The metaphors [in the Bible] are often agricultural," Bishop T.D. Jakes said. For example, "'Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.' … Occasionally, God also uses architectural terms. Architectural terms imply that there is going to be a lot of work involved in order for there to be a building. It’s one thing … Continue reading How God Fixes a Cracked Foundation, According to T.D. Jakes
If you read my last post, you know my cats were the only thing that kept me from walking into the ocean and never coming back when my first and only freelance client called during my trip to Kauai to tell me he didn't need me anymore because his partner was dissolving their partnership. Eight … Continue reading The Third Reason God Allowed Me to Become Homeless: My Foundation Had a Crack in It
While working as a content manager for an abusive attorney who reminded me so much of my father that I went to my primary care physician for an antidepressant after swearing them off 10 years earlier and began binge eating in public, wolfing down entire boxes of Little Debbie Banana Twins at my desk, I … Continue reading How I Failed as a Freelance Writer (or, The Second Reason God Allowed Me to Become Homeless: I Stopped Using My Gifts and Talents — Part Three)
Until next Monday's post about gifts and talents, I will leave you with this: "I have never met anybody who was exceptional at anything who didn't have some experience somewhere in their life where they were crushed." - Bishop T.D. Jakes You'll recognize John Jenkins from many previous posts, including "Why Does God Allow Bad … Continue reading The Second Reason God Allowed Me to Become Homeless: I Stopped Using My Gifts and Talents (Part Two)
The key to this post lies in the introductory clause of my previous post. I started writing this blog four years ago. Four -- 4 -- yearrrrs ago. I should be done by now, at least with the memoir part. I've stopped and restarted for three reasons: I don't like thinking about all the bad … Continue reading The Second Reason God Allowed Me to Become Homeless: I Stopped Using My Gifts and Talents (Part One)
When I started writing this blog four years ago, I shared that I've been shoveling food down my throat to prevent myself from telling people off since I was a kid. I also shared the following reasons I believe God gave me food allergies at age 38: Gluttony is a sin. Christians are supposed to act … Continue reading The No. 1 Reason God Allowed Me to Become Homeless: Because He Said He Would
While I was homeless last fall, I shared the following 12 reasons why God allows Christians to suffer: God may be allowing you to suffer because he's testing you, according to Bishop Noel Jones. "The real test is not rags to riches," he said. "That ain't the real test. That's the right direction. The real … Continue reading 12 Reasons Why God May Be Allowing You to Suffer: A Recap
From the previous four posts, you learned that God doesn't want you to fear anything, that God wants you to demonstrate your faith in him like the man with the withered hand demonstrated his faith to Jesus, and that God wants you to do your part before he steps into your situation to do his. … Continue reading 13 Ways to Achieve Success (Lessons from God’s Dealings with the Israelites)
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