The Journey to Finding a Church Home

After praying, fasting, and seeking the Lord, in October of 2014, the Lord called my husband and I away from the ministry we spent the last year and a half serving in. We married in February of 2013, my husband moved to Pennsylvania from Missouri, and we decided as a couple to search for a new church home.

In April of 2013 we actively began searching for a new place to grow spiritually. After visiting church after church, we finally visited one which we both liked. After about 1-2 Sundays we decided to actively join the church. We joined the church rather quickly, and based on what WE wanted. Now i won't say we weren't meant to serve there because really we learned about ministry in a way we never imagined, and I thank God for that season in our lives. However the Lord began to separately reveal things to the both of us and made it clear that it was time for us to move on. When God showed us both this we obeyed quickly and left the church. People didn't understand, told us we were crazy, said we must have been offended, were having marriage issues or something of that like. But you see the things that the Lord tells you to do won't always make sense to those around you, saved or unsaved.

Now if I can be real, leaving the church was not easy for me, not because of the church itself but because I was comfortable. I was comfortable with going to church Sunday after Sunday even if I didn't feel fed, even if I didn't feel loved, even if I didn't grow. I had realized that the things we feel comfortable doing or being in may not be where the Lord wants us. You see following Jesus isn't comfortable, but we have comfort in him. During this time of being uncomfortable the Lord allowed and taught me how to have comfort in him.

 

You see during this season I've learned some very important things. The thing that I found uncomfortable God used to help build my faith in him.

 

Some things I learned:

 

1.) When the Lord tells you something, obey quickly.--You see often times, the Lord is protecting us from things we do not see. We might be so busy questioning God that we end up falling into the same thing that he was trying to save us from. You see we need to stop figuring everything out before we obey the Lord, just OBEY!!

 

1 Samuel 15:22b KJV
...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

 

2.) Trust God through the process.--If I can be honest, I mean totally honest, there were days when we would visit churches and I would leave confused, frustrated, and plain lost. During this time I had to realize to trust God, if God told us something, I have to trust that he will provide. I also have to trust that in due time would give us the instruction of where to go.

 

Proverbs 3:5 KJV
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 

3.) Have patience--Paticence is key. I have learned to be patient in this time. I will be honest in saying it has not always been this way. At first I was frustrated, I just wanted a church home, so bad to the point that I was willing to settle anywhere. In this time I had to be reminded that it can take time!! One thing my husband has told me multiple times during this process is its like a relationship, you have to date and get to know someone before you just jump up and marry them. I have learned this thing takes time, and I have learned to rest and trust God in this process.

 

4.) Pray--Last but not least pray, pray, pray. Prayer is our way to directly communicate with the Lord. Finding a church home is a very major decision. The ministry you join is to help grow not hinder your walk with the Lord. You don't want to walk and join a church that doesn't even challenge you in your walk. I have learned to pray and ask the Lord where can I be fed and grow spiritually Lord show me.

 

Romans 12:12 KJV
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

 

I have learned so much in this season, and the Lord has been truly faithful. This season has literally taught me to depend on the Lord. I have learned that looking for a church home is not meant to be a single decision made by me and my husband alone, but that the Lords decision is our decision. I have learned to trust God, I have learned patience, I have learned resting. It wasn't until I stopped trying to lead myself and figure it out on my own that God could lead and guide me. Two people can't drive one car. So I let go of the wheel, I let him drive, and I am sitting back enjoying the ride. 

 

So I write this to encourage you, if God is leading you to do anything, don't look for the approval of those around you but look for the approval of the Lord. If he says go, go if he says stay, stay, whatever he says to do, do it. Trust God, and ask him to lead and clearly guide you. God is a present help, let him help you. Don't lose hope or faith, God is with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you. And remember if God brought you to it he can bring you through it.

 

I will be sharing more on this journey along the way. The Lord has lead my husband and I to an amazing place of fellowship. We are every Sunday visitors for the time being. Will this be our church home? Only the Lord knows, but we are resting and trusting him. We ask for & appreciate prayer for us in this journey!

 

Until next time....God bless you,

Tamika

 

Got friends?

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17 KJV)

I don't know about you but being real, when I gave my life to Christ and really began to walk it out, I lost a lot of people who were close to be. A lot of relationships I once had were gone, people stopped talking to me, stopped hanging out with me, and forgot I even existed. Now being real, when it happened I looked at God like you know what Lord maybe I made a mistake, maybe I am taking this whole walk to serious. When I said this, the Lord reminded me of a few things, 1.) I had prayed to be more like him 2.) to follow him meant to lose some things including people and 3.) I needed to depend on him and not people. You see my season of complete isolation and abandonment was to teach me Christ was all I need. And boy oh boy did I know that. My husband and I joined a church, and made many connections. But guess what? When we left the church the connections suddenly stopped. Again I am questioning Lord what's going on? Why is everyone being stripped away? God once again reminded me that I just needed to trust him. And I'm like but God I am mad at them? God reminded me when you turned away from me I forgave and had grace for you do the same.

In my season of being alone I kept hearing over and over again, God cares about the small stuff. To me friendships was a small thing, I mean God has so much to do he doesn't have time for my request. So in my stubbornness, I prayed about it. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I didn't pray for any old friendship but women who were truly sold out for Christ, who would encourage and uplift me, who would direct me back to the word, who would pray for me. Little did I know God would answer that prayer, with not just one but many sisters. 

You see there's a organization called Pinky Promise started by Heather Lindsey. You can view more on her website at http://www.pinkypromisemovement.com. So the ladies meet once a month to do studies. About 3-4 months ago one of the ladies stepped out on Gods instruction and started a group in our city. I decided to join and get connected. During this time I was still hesitant, thinking I won't fit it, they won't like me excuse after excuse. So the first two meetings I missed and even tried to skip out on the third. The Lord dealt with me, reminding me to let go of the hurts I had from past friendships and to trust him. So I went to the meeting and man what I would have missed had I not gone. 

We sat around and fellowships, talked about the Lord for hours, it was so refreshing. I mean these women genuinely love Christ. We did a study first and then after had girl time, did facials and just talked. You see had I stayed at home, I could have missed out on Gods answer to my prayer. You see before this meeting I was struggling, I wasn't making God a priority honestly, I wasn't spending time like I should I was not praying, had missed some time at church due to moving, I was literally running on empty. These women encouraged me so much I ran home and got right in my word, right back to praying. My love for God was re-ignited!! The thing that I really love about these ladies is that we are all different ages, from all different walks of life, yet all out here trying to live for something greater, and that is God. The Lord totally blew my mind!

If your in a season of isolation I am here to say be encouraged! Pray pray and pray. As God leads you, get connected with women who share the same beliefs as you. Join a Pinky Promise group, or start your own, they are literally all over the world (link listed above).  It can be one women or ten, no matter the number never put a limit on what the Lord can do. Be encouraged and trust God to give you what you need when you need it.

I love you all!

God bless

Tamika

The beauty in weakness

In each and everyone of our lives, we have areas that we are not strong in, and sometimes we fail to realize that us not having strength in an area is not a bad thing. For me, it was not until recently that I was able to get the real revelaton that weakness is something that I can actually have joy about. I know you may be thinking girl you are crazy? There is no way you can be happy about having weak areas. And my response to anyone thinking that is yes i can, and so can you. If you had asked me about a month ago, I may have told you otherwise, but now I am at a point of joy and contentment in my struggles. 

About two weeks ago, during our most recent series called "Mind Games", my Pastor quoted the scripture from 2 Corinthians 12:9 which reads:

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

This scripture is written by Paul to the church at Corinth. In the beginning of the text, Paul shows that he has things he can boast about but rather than that he was choosing to boast about his weakness. The weakness, Paul refers to as a thorn in his flesh which was preventing him from boasting in the mighty things he was done. This thorn was allowing Paul to boast in the weaknesses that he had as a man. Paul asked the Lord to take the thorn away, but the response that he was given was "...my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness" (v. 9) In this moment when the Lord refused to take his thorn away, Paul realized that rather than allowing it to hinder him, he could have joy and boast because Christ was working in this midst of his weakness.

I dont know about you, but to me, that is mind blowing, and a true act of humility. You see Paul had things he could brag about for days, but it would not be something to bring glory to God but rather himself. In bragging about God working in his weakness he was able to show others that Christ is able to work in us when we come to the end of ourselves.

In this past week I was tested in this area highly. And I will not lie, like Paul there were times when I just wanted God to take it all away and let me have it easy. But as a Christian our lives are not going to be easy, we are going to get tested and tried, just like Jesus did. The great thing is we do not have to go through it alone. In the midst of my tests I was reminded that Jesus can work in my weakness, so I handed my issues over to him and said Daddy take it. When I did that God worked in my situation. I realized that I as a human am weak but the God that I serve is not. His strength is all that I need to get through anything.

I encourage you on this weak to allow our Heaveanly Father to work in your weakness. You can't do it on your own and the truth is you can't. Depend on his strength and let him work in your weakness.

God bless,

Tamika 

He cares

Recently in my quiet time with the Lord he reminded me of something, that he cares. He really cares. Oftentimes we think God is to busy helping someone else or that he doesnt care about what we label as small. But the truth is he cares about all of that. He cares about you. Your are precious, you are valuable, and he loves you.

You see the enemy will trick you into believing that God is to busy with other things, that you have messed up entirely to much, or even that God just doesnt care. The list could really go on and on as he is a liar and an accuser. The truth is that God loves and cares about you so much. He wants you to come to him, he wants you to depend on him.

In 1 Peter 5:6-7 the Bible tells us that God cares.

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

If you look at this verse it doesnt say he cares ONLY if you never mess up or ONLY if you have a big problem. It says put your care on him, no ifs ands or buts. If you care God cares! God cares even if you dont care!
The bible also says that God cares, he cares about you where you are at. Its so clear through Gods word that he loves us. God is love.

Today I challenge you to take your cares, big or small and cast them onto our Savior. When you do keep in mind the fact that God actually cares and wants to help you. There is nothing too big or small for our God. And theres is NOTHING he can not handle.

Psalms 55:22 KJV
Cast thy burden upon the Lord , and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

He cares for you.

God bless,

Tamika

Do yourself a favor and forgive

So this past Sunday my pastor preached a awesome service on the topic of forgiveness. The sermon left me completely and totally wrecked and caused me to examine my ability to forgive in my own life. You see in life people will hurt you but also in life we will hurt people as well as God. Forgiveness is a two-way street, God forgives us and we forgive others. 

I realize that forgiveness can be a challenging thing to do especially when you are hurt beyond belief but forgiveness is vital in our relationship with God. In the bible we get a very clear picture on forgiveness in the following scripture:

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14, 15 NLT)

WOW! So what is this scripture saying? Its saying if we dont forgive others God will not forgive us. In simpler terms its saying if you want to recieve forgiveness is starts with forgiving. If that isn't clear enough to cause you to forgive i don't know what is? This scripture changed my life! God calls me to forgive so i can be forgiven, and trust me i need his forgiveness, DAILY! If you want to experience the goodness of Jesus then you have to forgive those who hurt you.

I know you may say but Tamika, they really hurt me, you dont understand. Well let me flip the switch, we really hurt God daily when we sin against him but does he forgive us? YES! So what should you do? FORGIVE!

In my own forgiveness struggles i remind myself that if God can forgive the mess that I am i can forgive others. God loves us and he calls us to love others. When people dont meet our expectations we get mad, when they dont do what he want we get mad, when they hurt us we get mad. We may very much have a right to get angry but why not take the anger and turn it into love?

Do you know that if someone did something to offend you and you decided to forgive them that the person may experience Christ because of it? See you may not see it now but in all that we do, even in forgiving a person, we are showing and representing Chrsit. So today, I challenge you to do yourself a favor and FORGIVE! Forgive that person who hurt you, did you wrong, or offended you and revese it and extend love.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13 NLT)

God bless,

Tamika Mahomes

God's Love

Today, I want to encourage all of you. To remind you that God loves you, he is NOT mad at you. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We allow ourselves to think and believe that God does not love us, that he does not care. I am here to encourage and remind you that he loves you. A daily reminder is that he has made an ultimate sacrifice for you when he died on the cross, while we were in our sin. In Romans 5:8 it states:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

 

I went through a season where I felt completely unworthy, as if God didn't love me. I didn't hear from him, I felt like he just left me. I spent days wondering God is me serving you even worth it? I feel like I'm trying to please you and never will. I am not perfect Lord, I am a sinner. I mess up a lot and I am so unworthy of your love. This is a season I actually just recently came out of.
 

There is a person who truly does not love you and that is the devil. He has a mission to destroy you. 

 

 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

 

 He wants you to be consumed with thoughts of God is mad at me, I will never be good enough, God can't use me. Lie after lie after lie.  Don't believe them.  In this time the enemy was attacking me because he knew God had something greater. See the devil wants to stop you, he wants you to give up so that you can serve him and not God. The devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness before he began his ministry. If the devil would have stopped Jesus, if Jesus would have gave into sin, we would not have the opportunity at salvation. If the enemy stops us, we wont fulfill the things that God has for us, or the next level that he is taking us to.
 

In the time where I felt alone, unworthy, not good enough, God reminded me that he is with me always, even when I feel he is not. He reminded me of this promise in his word:

 

..."and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" Matthew 28:20.

 

You have to remember that the truth about Gods love is written in the bible. When those thoughts come in we have to examine why? Are we reminding ourselves of Gods love? When things are we allowing to distract us? What are we allowing to fill those thoughts. For me I was allowing the cares and business of this world distract me from the time I needed with God to be reminded of his promises and to learn more about his love. I would have known and been reminded off Gods love if I had been spending the time learning and knowing about it. We have to spend our time thinking and focusing on the things he instructed us to. As Christians we have to do our part, the bible says faith without works is dead.

 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" James 2:26.

A good way to check your thoughts is with this scripture:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

What this does NOT say is think on things that are false (the devils lies), things that are unlovely, things that are negative, things that aren't of God. It DOES tell us to control what we think on. We have to make a choice to think positive and remind ourselves of Gods promises. 

So today be reminded you that God loves you & he wants you to know that. Do not forget it. If you need a reminder pick up the bible, it has an entire love story written for you. The chapters unfold the love he has for you. They unfold his promises to you. 

Do your part and leave the rest up to GOD!!!!!!

God bless,

Tamika

As you are....

 

Text: John 4:1-42

Focus verses 7-11, 15-19, 39-42

 

As I was in my quiet time last week, I was studying John 4 focusing on the story of Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well. As I read this story God was showing me some things that I had not realized before with the main thing being that the woman was accepted by Jesus just as she was. There are many reasons why people choose not to come to Christ but some people refuse because of their current situation.

 

 

In reading the story of the woman at the well in verse 9, you see that the woman was surprised that Jesus would even speak with her. Why? Because he was a Jew, she was a Samaritan, and these two groups had nothing to deal with one another. She could not even understand what he would want to do with a woman like her, yet he still wanted to impart something important to her.

 

"The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"" -John 4:9 (NLT)

 

If you read further in the story you also see that outside of being a Samaritan she has 5 husbands and the man she was with was not even her husband. The thing that she did not realize was the prior to Jesus telling her that he knew who she was, and what she'd done, Jesus already knew. You see the thing is he didn't take her current circumstance and through it in her face instead he yes it for his glory. Jesus revealed to her that he was the Messiah, he had come to give her an opportunity of salvation. He accept her as she was, not for what she can, should, or would be.

 

 

 ^"“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”"-John 4:16-18

 

 

You see, Jesus was not and is not a respecter of persons, he didn't care about the fact that she was Samaritan and he was Jewish, or that she had several husbands and a man that was not her husband. Jesus already knew every part of her story when he sat down to speak with the woman.

 

I say all this to say, I know there may be someone reading this and you may be thinking, you have so many issues, or so many wrong areas in your life and you cant come to the Lord. I come to tell you that even where you are right now, God wants you. He totally is crazy about you and waiting to have a relationship with you. He already knows your story, he knows everything about you and he still loves and wants to use you. You have a purpose and a plan, don't allow your mess ups to stop you from allowing God in your life or fulfilling your purpose. Do not limit God out of your life, allow him to come in and use you right now, just as you are. If you do not have a relationship with him I encourage you to begin to have one, allow him to come into your heart and move.

 

When Jesus knew the woman's past he did not condemn her and tell her she was a horrible person. Rather he used the opportunity to change her. When you truly allow God into your life, a transformation will occur. Yes, God wants you as you are but he will change you. When you have an interaction with Christ you will NOT remain the same, your mind WILL be renewed. The below scripture makes it very clean that God wants to restore you and make you new.

 

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." -Romans 12:2

 

 

Lastly I want to mention this, in this story the woman went and told her friends about the interaction she had with the Lord and in turn their lives were change. When you allow Jesus to work in you, others will be able to experience him as well. So take allow his light to shine through you so that others can come and experience this same thing! Its amazing I'm telling you, he loves us so much. The true definition of unconditional love. Who would of thought that this one interaction at the well between a Jesus and this woman would be a divine intervention! I encourage you to allow God to sit down with you and intervene in your life.

 

God bless,

 

 

Tamika