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Welcome to my blog where you'll find a variety of INpowering truths, Tiney Thoughts and Twittistry,org.
If you are looking for a niched blog,
this isn't it, but the common thread for all of my post is JESUS.

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

Is God manifest-ING anything these days?

I always feel like God is up to something! In fact I know he is, I like how he expressed it in Jeremiah 29:11 when he said:


For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

If you’re like me you have some ‘desires of your heart’ on the altar and are excitedly waiting for the manifestation. Speaking of manifestation, what is that? We hear people talk about it and The Word speaks of it but really what is it? Merriam Webster dictionary defines manifestation as the act, process or instance of manifesting. I like that; nothing manifest naturally or spiritually without a process. Sometimes the process is known to us and sometimes it’s a hidden process; regardless the end result or manifestation is what we long and have faith for!
To manifest simply means to appear, come, lighten, be revealed, be made naked, to take off the cover, to make bare, to make known, to make manifest, to disclose---to lay open what has been veiled or covered up.

Just as Jesus spoke to the disciples in parables we often use analogies and examples to help us better understand; one example we often hear is that of a woman in childbirth going through the process of delivery to manifest her child. There is a process to birthing a child…no matter the method of delivery there is still a process to getting the child from the mother’s womb to the earth realm, until the child is revealed his or her facial features, eye color, sound of his or her cry remain unknown or hidden. The Lord takes us through a labor process in the spiritual realm before we see the manifesation. Some people have early labor while others have active labor(intense pain) or both...but there is a process.

Manifesting is multi-dimensional in that the ING indicates to us that it is progressive in nature…it is never static but alive with action, movement and motion. Anything that is manifest-ING is in motion. Sometimes manifesting is painful just as a woman in labor has labor pains and on the flip side not all women experience pain in childbirth but still they have healthy beautiful babies. Likewise, sometimes God shields us from the pain of the labor process while he is manifesting things in our lives but there is still a process taking place—there is still motion happening.

This is a season of greater manifestation. Spiritually we often hear manifestation used in a positive context but we have to understand that dimensions of manifestation also include God uncovering and disclosing things that are not of him. There are things which Jesus has “by process” attempted to bring correction and grace too; he’s long suffering and merciful and the exposure we’re seeing in various arena’s has come after a process. Simply put…Proverbs 16:18 says that Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Any time we see God uncover or lay open what has been veiled with a man or woman of God and disclose (manifest) ungodliness we know that a process of redemptive grace preceded the uncovering…that’s just the kind of God we serve! This dimension of manifest-ING is filled with motion just as receiving the blessings of God are filled with motion.

The base of the word manifest takes its meaning from 1) to hinder the knowledge of a thing and 2)to take away by stealth (Klepto) and 3) a wholesome part is taken from … such as in there is separation, departure, cessation, completion and reversal—do you notice that all of these are motion?

Manifest-ING is a multi-dimensional process. The end result of manifesting can yield what we often call positive or not-so-positive results but even when God uncovers ungodliness, it is positive because it offers that individual another opportunity to sincerely repent.

When God prepares to release his blessings, things we’ve been praying about and waiting on …things we’ve exercised faith concerning, the hidden things…he through the motion of his anointing takes it from where it is, even if the enemy is trying to hold it up and makes it known to us in the earth realm –he manifest it. He unveils it. He uncovers it. He reveals it. He discloses it.

Likewise, when he prepares to release his blessing of uncovering ungodliness he does the same thing…that which has been hidden is taken from where it is, the covers are moved back and an unveiling takes place; he manifest it. AND, yes it is a blessing. One inmate said to me "I never would have stopped, if I had not been uncovered!"

Is God manifesting anything these days? Absolutely! IN every dimension he’s manifest-ING. He’s taking us through the process whether we see or feel the effects of the process or not, it’s happening.

Just another Tiney Thought....

[In case you’re wonder-ING why Tiney is spelled that way it’s my maternal family name not a misspelled word-LOL. ]

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

But a Vapour.....

I think death has to be one of those awkward moments where you just don’t know what to say for a lot of people. There are hundreds if not thousands of books written on the topic of how to comfort those that are mourning. I thought about this today as I posted on Facebook and beyond that one of my sisters (I had 21 siblings total-what a blessing!) went on today, she was a beautiful God-loving jewel. I don’t say that because she was my sister, but she truly was beautiful inside and out. I took time to notify my photography clients that are scheduled in the coming weeks that there is a probability that I may need to reschedule their appointments and an interesting thing happened. In my notification I was specific that I lost my sister in a car accident and other family members are injured; the responses made me think. Some said “thanks”, others said “Oh, okay” and I began to think about words; not just those said but also those not said.


Life is very fragile and as The Word of God tells us it is like a vapour (James 4:14). We don’t know when our time or moment is and we can’t spend it in fear wondering when that time will come…BUT we can be ready… one second could change everything. The question each of us must ask ourselves is “are we prepared to meet Jesus?” If we aren't today is just as good a day as tomorrow--in fact, even better:)
Tragedies always seem to make us reflect on things like this and make us remember our words or lack thereof. Sometimes we can embrace the passing of a loved one better when it's not sudden and we've had time to prepare our minds and hearts but sometimes there is just no preparing no matter what. It's a wonderful thing when Jesus is your strength!

Some of the comments I received prompted me to think...

1. Are people uncomfortable being a comfort to others?
2. Are they at a loss for what they consider “the right words” so they say nothing?
3. Have we become so engrossed with ourselves that we cannot empathize or sympathize with others? In other words, we just don’t care.

It was very thought provoking. As Christians and believers, do we ever really stop to show love and offer more than a passing prayer for those who are hurting? Have we taken the time in our journey to know how to comfort others? Scriptures and prayers will be a tremendous comfort to some but others will need your silent presence and a shoulder to cry on as they heal. What you say is so important …and what you don’t say is also important.

Many children have never heard their parents tell them they love them. Many husbands and wives long to hear those words… I’m not saying that saying it alone is all that is necessary…there must be action and an expression of love. In fact, we know that Jesus spoke to that matter in Mark 7:6 when he said many honour him with their lips but there heart is far from him. If you haven’t told someone that you love that you love them…don’t wait any longer. Say it if you mean it and if you mean it SAY it.

I was blessed to have a day with my sister in July as I vacationed in Atlanta and I thank God for the opportunity to see her before she transitioned…thankful to have had the chance to hug her and look into her eyes and say “I love you” from my heart. There are thousands like me today… missing a loved one. For some they never said "I love you" even though they did.  For all I sincerely pray…

Just another tiney thought….

Monday, September 19, 2011

Tattered Capes.

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything on this blog, and I do miss writing but finding the time to write is a challenge within itself. I could say that I don’t have the time but that wouldn’t be true…it’s more like I don’t make the time. After all that’s what prioritizing is…it’s making the time for things you deem important and when we don’t make the time we’re simply saying with our actions “that’s not important right now.”

I had a thought provoking conversation with a wonderful online friend that I hope to meet face to face one day and she called me “superwoman” and I thought to myself…if only she knew. I mean I do get a lot done…just not always the right things get done. Take for example a conversation my husband and I had this week, we live in an always tidy home… minus my messes. Okay, I guess that’s not 'always' tidy then is it? LOL
I’m not exactly the house keeper I used to be. Don’t misunderstand, our home is clean and everything is in its place except for the times when things are not in their place—which is happening more and more since I have an in-home photography studio.

The other day I had four models scheduled for a shoot, they all use the same dressing area so you can imagine that there is plenty of products like make-up, jewelry, safety pins, bobbie pins, hair combs, brushes, applicators, stray hairs etc that happen in that dressing area. For me it’s expected but for my husband, it’s scary! He just happened to see the dressing area after the shoot and was taken aback by it ---therefore I had to explain to him that I am not Superwoman and a dirty dressing area after a shoot is kind of …let’s say 'normal'. I’m not talking filth…I’m just talking things not put away.

I said all of that to say this, God does not expect us to be Superwomen (or Superman). I’m so okay not putting that pressure on myself to be a superwoman and I hope you aren’t caping up and going out to save the world either. Mainly because you can’t! Stop trying. You can’t run to the rescue every time a family member needs something, you can’t say yes to every project others want you to be involved in…you just can’t.

This is nothing new…you’ve known this for a long time already ..it’s just a reminder that Superwomen in the end find they have tattered capes and they’ve devoted more time to everyone else and everything else often leaving their own personal devotion, family and things they find pleasure in unattended. Is that pleasing to God?

We hear a lot about balance but what is that and how do we achieve it? When you find out clue me in...please. The best starting point I can think of is found in Proverbs  3:5-6.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

If you are feeling disconnected, needing some quiet time alone with God not just for you sharing your petitions with him but time to actually hear him, be loved on by him, and to get some insight into his word…take it!
Make it a priority which says “it’s important to me”. It’s time out for saying we don’t have time for the things that really matter and fess up that sometimes we just don’t make time…time to de-cape ladies. You can’t do it all! And to be honest some of it is unproductive anyway—LOL.

So do what’s really, really important, Make the time. Just another Tiney Thought.

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Monday, July 11, 2011

Is it Worldly Sorrow ?

I was up recently at 3am counseling a brother and his wife, he’s an addict and she’s had enough! He talked and I listened. He’s been though many programs and has been an addict for many years. His life cycle has been up, down and up, down and you guessed it…up, down.

Most would look at him and dismiss him and say ” he’s never going to change and he’s never going to be anything in life.” Contrary to what people believe he’s already something in life…we just have to take the time and have the spiritual insight to see him through the eyes of Christ and not our own eyes. That can be hard to do when we often view people and situations through our emotions and feelings, instead of seeing them as Jesus Christ sees them. l’ve grown stronger in this area over the years....

I’ve known this addict for forty-six (46) years, I knew him before he began doing drugs and I knew him when a man set his fifteen month old baby on fire. I knew him when he got shot six times at point blank range and one of the impacts to his leg was so powerful it literally twisted the leg around backwards(foot turned toward his back) and they said he’d never walk again—he’s walking. I knew him when his mother passed and he blamed himself for her death because he felt his addiction brought too much stress on her. I was there when he went to prison, I visited him there. He’s a good friend and a hard worker secularly and in the Kingdom. Maybe you know someone like him…every family seems to have one. Maybe it's not street drugs that's a problem in your family....maybe it's food addictions, sex addictions,lying addictions, being messy addictions, or an addiction to drama and division or maybe it's legalized drugs like alcohol or prescription medication. I know that comes as a shock to some of you but YES prescription medicine is a drug too and many in the church and out of the church are addicted to them. I’ll close that with a simple SELAH.

Fast forward. My time with the brother revealed a Strongman named Guilt and Shame. Guilt and Shame have been playing all of the negatives of this man’s life over and over in his head and his spirit like a audio recording that just won’t stop. Some of you that are reading this have a recording in your life that just won’t stop…voices in your head that remind you of your ‘perceived’ failures, tell you that you aren’t who God says you are, cause you to operate in a FALSE sense of responsibility and cause you to blame yourself for things that ONLY God can do. Guilt and Shame are able to do what they do for one reason—Unforgiveness.

We have to learn how to forgive ourselves just as well as we have to learn how to forgive others and the enemy uses this to his great advantage. This isn't anything new, you've heard it time and time again but hearing it and doing it are vastly different things!

Here’s a common lie the enemy tells….”you’re too bad and you’ve done too many bad things for God to forgive you!” You haven’t done anything so horrible that God can’t forgive it. In most cases if you’ve truly repented and notice I said TRULY then God has already extended his love, grace and mercy but you have built yourself a prison and Guilt and Shame are your cement and bricks. Tear it down! 

What allows the Strongman to torment us with Guilt and Shame? After all, godly sorrow works repentance right? We quote that a lot in the church but we negate the rest of the story in 2 Corinthians 7:10.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

The sorrow of the world works death...humnnn. To be bound to anything that causes us to self destruct is death. And yes, I did say anything because there are other things that some have Guilt and Shame over –even things like gluttony which has an addictive nature of its own. This will throw you for a loop, some are addicted to church. No, I'm not talking about Christ but wood and brick, they think being there every time the doors are open is 'saving' them and they neglect family and other responsibilities and then have Guilt and Shame. Uh-O.  

Do you think the sorrow of the world is –“I’m not sorry I did it, I’m sorry I got caught?” OR I’m sorry you saw me do it. OR does it run deeper than that and maybe the sorrow of the world is the mere fact that God’s grace and mercy has been extended but we’ve rejected it (sometimes unknowlingly) therefore the things we’ve done and even confessed are not removed as far from us as the east is from the west?

You can confess your sins and faults and repent and turn from them, but you have to actually receive the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ to be free of the Strongman that holds the gate open for your torment. Forgive you. Yes, you did it! Yes, it was wrong and bad! Yes, if you could turn back time you’d do things differently! Yes, Christ has forgiven you if you have godly sorrow! Yes, you can turn that recorder off by receiving that Jesus is done with it and you don’t have to beat yourself up over it and you don’t have to let people remind you of it—agree with your adversary quickly!
Yes I did it! Yes, Jesus forgave me and Yes I forgive me!

And guess what, we all have an area where some godly sorrow is in order….if we say we don’t we lie to ourselves and build for ourselves a prison of self-deceit. This is another Tiney thought.....