April 8, 2015
While studying the other night, God brought something to my attention that I wanted to share. It is imperative to have faith in our walk with Christ. The Bible even says that without faith it is impossible to please God. There’s no question about the importance of faith, but as I was reading 2 Peter 1, I noticed that Peter added a supplement to our faith. Now when I think of a supplement, I think of a vitamin. You do not take a vitamin to replace a meal; you take a vitamin to add additional nourishment to the meals you already eat. Vitamins help ensure you get all the nourishment you need in your body to stay healthy and strong.
Let’s apply this concept back to the scripture. When God wants you to grow, He makes you uncomfortable. Peter talks about a few supplements that when added to your faith will bring about growth. I like to call them spiritual growth supplements and I guarantee as you go through them you will find yourself a little uncomfortable. First is virtue. What is virtue? Virtue is moral excellence, integrity, and honesty. Then add to virtue knowledge; information, facts, data, familiarity. Add to knowledge self-control. Self-control can also be described as willpower, self-discipline or restraint. Next add patience; endurance, tolerance, lack of complaint, fortitude or serenity. Then sprinkle on a little kindness also known as compassion, sympathy, gentleness, thoughtfulness or consideration. Add godliness to the mix then top it off with love.
Wow, what an amazing list of character traits we need to supplement our faith. We should strive to operate in integrity at all times. Just to be clear, I do not think Peter is talking about school knowledge or getting multiple college degrees. He is talking about knowledge of the word of God. Knowledge and self-control go hand in hand because if you have the self-control to sit down and study the word of God, then you will gain knowledge. Self-control can really be applied in all areas of life. You need self-control so you don’t go off when someone starts yelling at you for no reason. You also need self-control not to eat a dozen fresh hot donuts all at once. A lot people expect others to be patient with them, but don’t extend that same grace. The world is moving so fast. I do not suggest praying for patience, but I do suggest making a conscious effort to use it. If we are patient, kindness comes a little easier. I believe that kindness is a trait that would literally change the world if everyone used it. Kindness should be extended to everyone. As the saying goes, treat others the way you want to be treated. Be kind, it really does go a long way. Godliness comes in one of three ways, and sometimes all of three ways; fasting, praying and studying the word of God. But the cherry on top of this delicious entrée is love. God is love, so there’s really nothing more that needs to be said about that.
When it comes to these growth supplements, you can’t just do one at a time. They must all be applied to your life simultaneously. Spiritual growth is apart of the process of getting you where God wants you to be. So although it may be a tough pill to swallow, it is required in order for you to get to that next level that God is taking you to.
Check out 2 Peter 1 and let me know what you think…
March 20, 2015
My prayer is that this encourages you…
If you feel like your prayers are not being answered, here is something that God revealed to me. Answers to our prayers may be hindered by unseen obstacles. Don’t expect God’s answer to always come easily or quickly. Sometimes prayer may be challenged by evil forces, so pray fervently and pray earnestly. If you really want it, if you really believe in it…fight for it on your knees. Then expect God to answer in HIS good timing.
My reading was in Daniel 10:1-13 – check it out and see what you get!
October 28, 2014
Have you ever got so caught up in the mundane, day-to-day hustle and bustle of life that you forget why? Why what, you ask. Why you do what you do. Why do you wake up every morning? Why do you work so hard day in and day out? I can say I’ve had this happen to me a many days, but over the past 5 years my why has gotten to be much clearer.
For starters, I have two beautiful little angels (even though they don’t always act like it) God gave me who call me mom. They are my why. They are my daily motivation that keeps me going. I do not want my children to look at TV and mimic someone they know nothing about simply because they are a celebrity. I want my babies to know what right looks like because they have a first hand picture of it every day when they see their mommy. I am so happy they are in my life to celebrate and be happy with me in the good. I am also happy that they are here to see my bad so they can see how I get myself back up and keep on going. My children are my why because they push me to work hard and be a better me on a regular basis.
Another reason why I do what I do is because about a year and a half ago I made up in my mind that I was going to live on purpose. Let me be a bit more specific, I was going to live in the purpose that God created me for. God created each and every one of us for a purpose. It’s up to us, however, if we are going to embrace that purpose and walk in it. I know one of my purposes in life is to overcome all the negativity in world. My assignment is to encourage, uplift, motivate and inspire people in all walks of life. I desire to help push individuals to not only think beyond their present situation but push them to live on purpose. How amazing would it be if everyone actually lived on purpose, if everyone did what they know they were created to do???
How do I plan to live on purpose? This is actually something I am learning each and every day. My first step was to start my website – letstalkaboutlife365.com, next I published my first book Let’s Talk Life: A New Perspective and to be honest I really do not know what my next move will be. I do know, however, that God knows my heart. While I wait to hear from Him for my next move, I’ll keep working with what I have. I do not care what it takes, but I will continue to live on purpose helping one person at a time. Loving one person at a time. Reaching one person at a time.
Now I leave you with this…what is your why? Why do you do what you do? Why are you working hard everyday? Are you living for a paycheck or are you living to make a difference?
August 5, 2014
I have issues, you have issues, we all have issues. It’s how we deal with those issues I want to talk about today. Seems like lately, everyone wants to play the blame game. I keep hearing people talk about their problems and in their conversation there seems to almost always be someone else to blame. This really bothers me because it seems like no one wants to take responsibility for their own actions anymore. That’s taking the easy way out. When there are problems, situations or unwanted circumstances in life whether it be past or present, why not look at yourself and see what you can do differently? Instead of focusing on what someone else did or did not do, get your mind right. Perspective is everything. Focus on you. Hold yourself accountable. You have no control over the actions of other people. You can however, control you.
July 16, 2014
I’ve talked about before how tough it was for me living in Germany. Initially, the hard part was being so far away. I had gotten comfortable where I was living, my family was not very far away and overall I was happy with life. That is of course until the news came that we were moving to Germany. At the time, I was mature enough to understand that it wasn’t my husband’s work sending us to Germany it was God. But I must be honest and say I still did not understand or like the fact that these changes were coming. I felt like my whole world was being flipped upside down and that was very hard for me to accept. When I finally got myself together and began to embrace my life in a new country, sure enough the enemy came and attacked again in a few different ways and tried to get me back to that same place I had been in when I first got there. But just as sure as he attacked, I prayed and prayed. I cried, hollered and screamed. I pleaded with God to please help me understand. I prayed for God to get me up out of that place and finally He did.
I said all that to say this, my time in Germany was tough, but I made it. I got through what feels like was the hardest 3 years of my life. Looking back, I can now say without a shadow of a doubt that there was purpose in my pain. No matter how bad I hurt and how much I did not understand at the time, I know there was a reason why I had to go through what I went through. I grew so much spiritually and God got me to a place of total dependence on Him. 
This is how I was able to find the purpose in my pain. I began to realize why I was created. I realized that my purpose in life was so much greater than anything I had ever imagined. This is also why the devil attacked me like he did. The purpose in my pain was to push me. My pain pushed me in my quest for God. My pain pushed me to think big. My pain pushed me to not just think outside the box, but actually live outside of the box. My pain pushed me to not just walk by faith but to make faith my lifestyle. My pain pushed me to be greater and bolder when telling people about God. My pain pushed me to walk in love no matter what. My pain pushed me to start my own blog and publish my first book. My pain pushed me to be the best me that I could possibly be. My pain pushed me to take off every limitation in my life. And now, one of my goals in life is to help others do the same. I want you to understand that there is so much greatness on the inside of you. If you stay comfortable and never try anything new, you will never grow and you’ll never be able to walk in that greatness. You have to get uncomfortable. It may hurt, matter fact it is going to hurt but rest assured that God is going to see you through. At the end of the day, it all boils down to this…the more uncomfortable you are, the more you have to depend on God. That’s the way it was intended to be in the first place. “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut 31:6 ESV)
June 26, 2014
When I was younger, two of the first Bible scriptures I remember learning and actually memorizing was Proverbs chapter 3 verses 5 and 6. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.’ For some reason these scriptures just resonated in my heart as a child and they still do to this day. It reminds me that no matter what, I am to trust God at all times and most importantly stop trying to figure everything out. I have to be honest, me not trying to figure stuff out is a battle I deal with on a daily basis. I am bothered when I do not know something or when things do not go as I expect them to. Hence the reason we are to take comfort in the scriptures and lean not on our own understanding. At the end of the day, I have come to realize that some things I will never understand, but that must never affect my trust in God. Instead, I am learning to use one of the most powerful tools that God has given all of us. I am learning to pray more and more. The more you pray, the stronger you become. The less you depend on self and realize where your strength comes from, the easier it will be for you to trust Him completely. 
While in my prayer/study time the other day God gave me a huge revelation that I want to share with you. He said, “I need you to trust me, so I can trust you”. That moment was life changing for me. God needs you and me to trust Him in every area of our life, stop trying to figure it out, lean not on your own understanding. In doing so, He will then be able to trust you. Are you still waiting on your financial break through? Are you still anticipating a promotion on your job? Are you still hoping for a new business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I have one more for you. Can God trust you? Make a decision today. Decide to fully and truly trust God with all areas of your life; finances, children, health, employment, family, school, etc…then yes He will be able to trust you because He knows that no matter what, you are not going to lean on your own understanding, instead you are going to acknowledge Him in everything so He can direct your paths.
March 14, 2014
I have learned that the law of reciprocity is very important when it comes to friendship. In other words, if you want a friend you have to be a friend. You have to know what it means to be there for someone at all times, not just when its convenient for you. You have to be willing to go out of your way to support them, even if it means waking up in the middle of the night and listening to them cry about the end of a relationship or reaching out after the death of a loved one. What goes around comes around, so what you give out in a friendship is what you will get back.
While it is good to have friends, keep in mind that you must have the right friends. There is so much power in connections. Not so much because of status or position, but because of support. If you are connected with the right people, that means you have a good support system. You have people in your corner who are going to help push you in the right direction. You have people there when you fall who will help pick you back up. You have people who know you and accept you for who you are with no strings attached. They will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear and they are there in both good and bad times. Having a good, solid support system is one of the tools that God uses to show you His love.
No matter how many people you know. Friends are hard to find. In a lifetime you only get a few. When I reflect upon the friends that I have, all I can do is thank God. I have been truly blessed with some amazing people on my team. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that true friendship cannot be summed up in one big thing. True friendship is about several little things. It’s also not about numbers. I’d rather have 3 loyal and trustworthy friends than 30 who were just there out of convenience. Friendship is a gift. Cherish the friends you have. Never take people’s friendship for granted.
March 28, 2014
Wisdom is a God given gift, but He only gives it to those who earnestly seek it. God offered Solomon anything he wanted, but all Solomon wanted was wisdom. Why is that? Because Solomon knew he had a great job to do. Instead of trying to figure it out on his own, he needed God to give him the wisdom for how to do it. How many people now and days would have asked for the same thing? The roles have changed quite a bit. Most people ask God for what they want and not what they need. Then again, some people don’t ask because they think they already know everything. No matter how old or young you are, you must always have a teachable spirit.
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses said that a reputation for wisdom comes by obeying God’s word. You gain wisdom through a constant process of growing. Growing closer to God. Studying his word. Spending time in prayer. When you are on the pathway to wisdom, you discover that true wisdom is God’s and that you cannot create it by your own efforts. You cannot solve your problems with the same thinking you used when you created them. True wisdom goes beyond amassing knowledge; it is applying knowledge in a life changing way. Wisdom is the quality of being wise. It is both the ability to discern what is best and the strength of character to act upon that knowledge. You should not ask God to do for you what He wants to do through you. Instead you should ask God to give you the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to follow through on it. Seek wisdom today and watch how quickly your life changes!
Nicole L. Ross ~ letstalkaboutlife365 