Reserve your core; preserve your balance

I learned this from 1st hand experience. There was a time I would be me (be obvious, open, direct and without guile) with everybody. I believed their weaknesses or attitudes shouldn't make me redefine my standards. Simply put, nobody could make me pretend to be who I wasn't (I wouldn't complement you if I didn't mean it genuinely, I wouldn't hold idle conversations with you if I didn't think we were friends...) It was just d simple straight forward me...i had assumed it would make it easier to build real and lasting friendships( u know with everyone being as real with me as i was with them) until I found out its just not possible. I have discovered that we cannot hold people up on some standards just because said standards come to us naturally. You would be fooling yourself if u continue to expect people to treat u with d same regard that u treat them...so to help ur heart, I have learnt that u need to reserve the best part of you....your core...you need to create a 'Me-in-brief' version of you for the general public and reserve d real you until u find people that can handle it. Let them deal with d little of u they can see n perceive and leave 90% of yourself in reserve. Its not double standard, its wisdom...
Relationships are a lot like new investments. You start with little risks until you learn the ropes enough to increase ur risk assets,up d stakes in anticipation of d reward. U start small and grow into it only after ur need for security is assured. Start with a small 'dose' of urself, see how they handle it( u ll know people that will go far from how they handle relationships with people they perceive weak). That's why women of all ages have learnt that stooping is d way to conquer. Be a minor first and see how they respond(it takes time, they ll pretend for a while) before you 'cast ur pearls'.
Don't assume. Be deliberate!!! Not every smile is genuine. Not every gesture is real. Guard ur heart with all diligence ( this one is another sermon on its own...DILIGENCE!!!) Until u prove that they are guileless, remain reserved.
Don't go to any inconvenience for people until u are sure its not going to be taken for granted. Its not pride, its just you placing enough value on your person to know when to avoid being deflated. Value is rare, its expensive and uncommon.... You are rare and expensive so become uncommon...
The worth u place on ur person will determine the value others see in you.
Its called strategic value placement.
Don't become prudish or snobbish. Be nice n courteous... But reserve ur best.
Because people are people, imperfect as we come. Love others but preserve yourself.
You can be all nice to some and they will stab you in d back fair and square( more like unfair and round gaping gash in d back) so reserve your best so that cheap and unhealthy acquaintances don't drain you.
Define every friendship( discernment is key!!! Know those that are in your life for what reason and for which season)
Above all, do not be fooled by the environment that brought you together. I once heard an MOG say churches are for sick people ( character flaws, weaknesses...) That's why we come to church, we need Jesus!!! And you cannot be someone else' Jesus. Don't go crucifying yourself for peter because only Jesus could have forgiven a man that denied him thrice even at d verge of d ultimate sacrifice of his life.
You know people have weaknesses ( don't be fooled by d show they put up), love them but don't get spent up by people.
Be reserved!!! Be preserved!!!
That's d way to keep ur balance
There is specific wisdom required to deal with different people. Don't cast ur pearls before d swine
So make yourself this promise...
To love people and not judge them
But to love yourself enough to know who deserves access to your core!!!
Selah!!!

#neemahzramblings#
#thisOyindamadeandherMouthSef#
#defineYourValueinRelationships#
#reserveYourCore2preserveYourBalance#

Are you in the right fold?

God has so ordained that different people lead different causes. You can only follow a cause that is, in some significant magnitude, related to the cause you have been made to lead.

Imagine exchanging the sheer strength of an elephant with the tenacity of termites.... Both are different.... both are wired for their respective results

Moral:
There are experiences necessary for the growth of your unique value. And there are experiences that can and will stymie your growth. By virtue of what you carry, u don't belong in some circles. Be sensitive to God first and to your environment. Do not promote every cause because by so doing, some have sacrificed their own significance on the alter of ignorance.
Don't get lost in the euphoria of motion and be stagnated by the progress of others.

Its time for a reality check
Have you booked the wrong flight?
Have you served seven years for Racheal only to discover you have to wed Leah first?
Have you set sail with those going to tarshish when God has called you Jonah?

Where you are now might just be a waste of time and efforts

Moving From Obedience to Significance... Finding my place

Lord help my frailties.
™For those times I have been moved to measure my spiritual growth by the responses/reactions/'non-responses'/'non-reactions'...of those people I perceive are ahead of me.
™For those times i have unconsciously sought for  misplaced validation from pastors, mentors n leaders...
™For those times I have taken others at face value and judged them in their flesh (who am I? It is God who justifies...oh how innumerable are his mercies towards me...how limitless)
™For those times I have allowed myself to be limited by peoples words, actions, glances, inactions or countenances towards me

Help me remember lord that where I am is a privilege. Remind me that although I lead some, I am not the chief Judge of the earth. Help me not to limit others by my shortsightedness

Help our leaders remember that not all their flock will look and act exactly like them. Help them remember that each persons design is unique and give them the wisdom to deal fairly.
Help our leaders not to beat square pegs into round holes because they have no patience to dig square holes for square pegs

Above all father, lead me to the place where u have made provision for my growth, where my guts or my person will not irk my leaders, where there is room enough for my uniqueness, where my 'Aaron' is

And on this walk with you, protect my worth. May I not walk into the fold of 'mockers of destiny'. Nudge me as soon as its time to make an exit. Lead me to that moment where I make an 'entrance'.

May I not be too early or too late or in the wrong company

This is prayer inspiration for someone...
Regardless of where u are right now, you are VALUE going somewhere to happen. If where you are now is limiting you, if you perceive a resistance of any sort, be grateful first than God permitted them to act in a way that their folly is obvious to you. That is God telling u its time to move!!!

Sometimes God will deliberately separate us from some people or some place because he desires to preserve what we carry!!!

Don't ever doubt your worth because some didn't receive you...don't ever second guess what your maker has deposited in you because some deliberately ignored your person (this just goes to show they haven't enough room for you). This doesn't make their own ministry a lie, it just shows that theirs is different from yours.....and you will find your own place soon!!!

#otherMinistriesnMine# #isthismyplaceLord# #haveYouorderedmyRaven2findmehere#

What to remember when you fall short and you are being persecuted for it

My mind on d confidence it gives me 2 know that at this very moment my great high priest, one who knows my weaknesses n enters into my feelings, one who has passed thru all phases of human life, is now appearing in d presence of God for me, able to keep in temptation, comfort in sorrow, succour in weakness....
Its exactly what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said our high priest has taken his seat at d right hand of d father.
As he ascends, i can almost hear him say to me...

"Now I go up there for your sake, I know how u feel, what u have done and will do still, I see ur flaws, I know ur strength, I died so that your shortcomings won't limit you and I took d keys to hell and the victory of eternal life that I reserved for you, I bruised n defeated ur accuser(s).. You are now free...and I will remain seated there, watching to see who will dare bring a charge against u after my sacrifice. I remain seated by d father, I'm going nowhere, I won't even sleep. My only assignment is to keep watch over u. To guard ur spirit and soul. This is my sole ministry....a ministry that will continue as long as ur needs remain.... I AM HERE, DAUGHTER, STICKING UP FOR YOU..."

So when my soul n spirit is abased, I reach out knowing I abound in the gift of His grace....#giftofGrace# #myCovering# #spiritualMaturity# ....inspired by J. Oswald Chambers